Cutting all flour based products for 2012

I actually HAVE to cut out those things, as I have a gluten allergy. And let me tell you... it is TOUGH. But I have learned to love other foods instead of bread and pasta and cookies...

- Grapefruits! I hated them, but I added a little sugar-free syrup to the top and fell in love! They also fill you up without weighing you down
- Oatmeal! It's so filling and kind of gives me the same "sensation", I guess, as eating something like a cookie or cereal.
- Raw veggies & low-fat dip! I know I know... doesn't sound so great... but I've learned to love! Get a nice dip
- Celery w/ blueberry cream cheese! SUPER filling and nice and sweet
- Luna Bars! Definitely a cheat as it does contain some flour.. but they are protein and nutrient packed, filling, and delicious -- perfect post workout!

Cutting out flour is definitely a challenge.. especially when it comes to eating out! I wish you the best, good luck! xx

Just to enlighten you, low carb diets have no metabolic advantage, any greater weightloss seen in low carb diets is water weight

I don't think I have managed to lose 67 pounds of water, dude.

He wasn't suggesting you lost 67 pounds of water. He was saying that long term, low carb diets have the same success in total pounds lost as just counting calories. The greater INITIAL (i.e. short term) loss seen with low carb diets is due to water weight loss. So someone on a low carb diet might lose 10 lbs in their first month while someone on a low cal diet might only lose 6lbs, but at the one year mark there's no difference.

Oh, and for anyone wanting to argue, check the nutritional info at any popular restaurant. Olive gardens pastas weigh in at 1200-1500 calories a dish. Being mostly flour based, its safe to say you dont' want all your calories to come from one meal.

Their rolls and breadsticks start off around 150 calories each, eat 2 or 3 of them and its nearly a third of what most of you on here should be eating.

Again, its pretty easy to avoid that stuff.

Or eat it every day, and workout for an extra 2 hours................................................................

you're using extremes, what about if it's a slice of toast with breakfast or a cookie that's likely under 150cals? Seeing as the more restrictive a diet is, the worse adherence to said diet is, it's likely better to not cut out entire food groups/products and instead consume them in moderation

I agree. I did Slow Carb/4 Hr Body diet for a little while and it mostly taught me to open my eyes to new foods aka more veggies haha. Sadly, this diet made me focus more on how much closer I am to my cheat day and I actually felt more obsessed with what I ate (not a good feeling). Moderation--and an active lifestyle--has been my best method...ftw!

No metabolic disorder. I had a conversation with a gentleman who has one, and according to him, weight literally fell off. To me, there is nothing wrong with substituting a hamburger bun with a leaf of lettuce, or just fighting to let go of the delicious carbs in mac and cheese. I like to try new things, and I feel like this is something I can do.

Just to enlighten you, low carb diets have no metabolic advantage, any greater weightloss seen in low carb diets is water weight

Wow! Thanks so much for this information.
The 90 pounds I lost and kept off for 8 years was WATER!!!! Phew......no wonder why I was SO thirsty ALL those years. /eye roll

<grumbles...wishes people would do research before spouting off such nonsense>

There is a gluten-free group on MFP that you might find useful to join. There have also been postings in recent months on how wheat is not really good for you. I plan to cut down on wheat too.

Good luck on your challenge!

good grief. who knew that trying something new and not really all that weird would illicit such a negative response.

gluten intolerance, no gluten intolerance... she said she wants to cut this stuff out - no harm, no foul. she didn't say she was no-carbing it or starving herself. and i see nothing wrong with attempting to limit or cut out something that seems to be your tried and true downfall.

that being said, rice and potatoes are great substitutes in almost any recipe that calls for noodles. i make casseroles all the time with rice as my starch. or quinoa! quinoa is a delicious and healthy subsitute. to satisfy sweet tooths i rely heavily on greek yogurt with some flavoring... jam, vanilla, cinnamon all work wonders.

good luck.

I get your point, and his point, but what is the point of knocking someone's technique for getting there, if you agree it is the same thing at the one year mark?

There is not just one, right way to do something. Weight loss success depends on many things, and what works for one, doesn't work for everyone. The OP wants to try something that she's seen work for someone else. Might work, might not. Check in with the OP in a year, and see!

OP's own words: "...all the good stuff. What are some good things I can eat to fill the hole in my heart?"

Doesn't sound like someone who WANTS to cut out carbs. And if there's no medical reason for doing so, and no long term benefit to doing so, why do it? Life's too short to be miserable. That, ultimately, is my point.

No metabolic disorder. I had a conversation with a gentleman who has one, and according to him, weight literally fell off. To me, there is nothing wrong with substituting a hamburger bun with a leaf of lettuce, or just fighting to let go of the delicious carbs in mac and cheese. I like to try new things, and I feel like this is something I can do.

I don't think you have to give up all of them completely, but you can definetely swap! Eat brown rice instead of white, and look for Gluten Free bread products with no white flour and limit your intake. As soon as I did this, I broke through my plateau! And I am a CABOLHOLIC! If I can do it, anyone can! lol. My USUAL foods before MFP were pizza, pasta, chips, and loaded baked potatoes!
It is a good thing to try even if you cheat every once in a while!

I filled my gap with proteins like deli roast beef with a small side of brown rice, or veggies! I HATE vegetables but if I use the right seasoning, I find that I can eat mushrooms and zucchini and I started to love it! I'm still working on beans....and thank goodness, I can still eat potatoes! Only, they aren't loaded with bacon I replaced all my dairy with almond milk or almond cheese and that has helped tremendously too!

Try to find meats and veggies you love and try to eat those instead of the bread products. When you do buy those products, try the organic gluten free options. They are healthier for you. White bread is the worst, so if you can make little changes at first, you will eventually not even think twice when your snacking and you will grab the healthier options!

It takes time to discover what you like and what you can tolerate. If you can find foods that you love that are in the protein or veggie category, that will help you get over the carb category a lot quicker. Especially since you can eat more quantity of veggies over carbs and you can get full faster with veggies and not feel the crash when your insulin levels spike and drop.

It's not for everyone, but if you are serious about cutting back on breads, take it at your own pace and do what you think is right. It took my body about a week to adjust from the low sugar and carb intake from the change in my lifestyle, but after that first week went by, I started to feel amazing and I have more energy more consistently throughout the day and it feels great! I still have cheat days....(yesterday I started the New Year off with a Quesadilla).whoops.......but you have to indulge once in a while or else you will get angry with the change and possibly one day go carb crazy and eat a bunch of brownies and pizza! lol.

Thats all just my opinion. Do whatever you think is best for your body It's all trial and error and different lifestyles work better for different people. In my experience though, I think this is a good thing to try and see how your body responds! Just make sure you are eating more of the veggies and protein to get you through those lowly nights when you are trying hard not to have popcorn! lol

Just to enlighten you, low carb diets have no metabolic advantage, any greater weightloss seen in low carb diets is water weight

Wow! Thanks so much for this information.
The 90 pounds I lost and kept off for 8 years was WATER!!!! Phew......no wonder why I was SO thirsty ALL those years. /eye roll

<grumbles...wishes people would do research before spouting off such nonsense>

Wow, reading comprehension! No one said you lost 90 pounds of water...that's not what "no metabolic advantage" means. It means that someone who had the same starting weight as you, ate the same calories as you but ate more carbs, would have lost the same amount of weight in the long run. As I said about 4 posts above you. /eye roll

<grumbles...wishes people would read the threads before spouting off such nonsense>

I know what metabolic advantage means. I just don't get the negativity that goes on here about low carb, I really don't. Its just ONE more way to get healthy but yet it gets pooh poohed so much when there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with going low carb. NOT NO CARB.

Plus I was able to eat MORE calories on Atkins and lost the weight FASTER.....not sure how to explain that but oh well....if thats not metabolic advantage, then its something.....because it happened and it was great. While I am loving the trade off of eating carbs again, its the losing so slowly that is really disheartening.