Replacing bread

bucketybuck

I'm trying to shake a few extra pounds and have made quite a few diet changes over the last while, nothing major, just cutting out certain things and making a few lifestyle changes here and there.

To continue the process, I was chatting to somebody who repeated the old cliche of cutting out bread from his diet and immediately losing a stone of weight. So, I've decided to give it a try for a while and see what happens.

The thing is, I would eat bread every day when at work. For various reasons packed lunches are out, so what I usually do is bring a loaf/pack of McCambridge wholemeal. I'll eat 2 slices with butter with my tea at 9.30, then another 3/4 slices with a cup of tea at 12.30. Its quick, simple and filling, and I also keep a few apples at my desks and then get a proper dinner later in the evening. If I don't have the McCambridge its usually some other brand of wholemeal, and once in a blue moon its white bread.

So to the question, if I stop taking the bread at work is there anything simple yet filling I can replace it with? Do I even need to replace it, is 5 slices of wholemeal a day really that bad?

Alf Veedersane

It really depends on what your overall diet is like. 5 slices of bread will be in the region of 400-500 kcals so first thing is where your calorie intake is in relation to your expenditure.

If everything else amounts to what your maintenance calories are, then the bread will push you into a surplus.

People who cut out bread and lose weight have usually just ended up eating less calories hence the drop in weight. Not because they've stopped eating bread.

Essien

Bread is difficult to replace, in the sense that the only thing that really does the same job as bread, is bread. Removing it altogether means you're just going to have to come up with some new lunch ideas.

In any case, losing those few pounds will depend more on your overall calories than it will on how much bread you eat.

As far as I can remember, McCambridge bread is very calorie dense, so eating 5/6 slices per day is never going to be a good idea for someone looking to lose weight.

If you enjoy it, I wouldn't say cut it our altogether, maybe just stick to the 2 slices or so. Perhaps have them with some protein (ham/chicken/egg) which might keep you a bit fuller and increase your protein intake in the process.

Sticking up a typical days diet would give people a better idea of what changes you could make.

bucketybuck

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

It really depends on what your overall diet is like. 5 slices of bread will be in the region of 400-500 kcals so first thing is where your calorie intake is in relation to your expenditure.

Calorie intake nowadays is always below 2000 in total, part of the changes I made was to measure calories as much as I could and keep a very close eye on what I'm taking.

I'm 6ft and currently 15 st with a muscular build, just looking to drop another 1/2 stone or so. I'm happy enough calorie intake wise, but if switching from bread to a substitute would shave another 100/200 calories of the daily amount then it would be worth trying. It does need to be sustainable though, I'm not trying to diet, so was just looking for ideas.

Zillah

Is two buttered slices at 9:30 your breakfast, or are you having two bread snacks between breakfast and lunch?

TimeToShine

The problem with bread is that it's nutritionally void. Eating six slices of bread at 120kcal per slice is basically throwing away a third of your daily calories on nothing but simple carbohydrates.

I don't know what your aims are but you said you were "muscular" and just wanted to drop half a stone so I read that as getting a bit more defined. In that case, you need to up your protein intake and reduce your calorie intake so you lose as little muscle as possible during your weight loss.

idnkph

My Mrs cut out bread and makes a loaf made from porridge oats and fat free natural Greek yoghurt.

bucketybuck

Zillah wrote: »

Is two buttered slices at 9:30 your breakfast, or are you having two bread snacks between breakfast and lunch?

Its my breakfast.

08.00 Cup of tea
09.30 Tea + 2 slices bread
12.30 Tea + 3 slices bread
Afternoon - Apple
Between 5-7 - Dinner - Usually baby potatoes+gravy+meat+veg+milk
Evening - Snacks would be a small yoghurt or some cream crackers.

I drink a lot of water, and from time to time there might be a Penguin bar taken but nothing regular.

Alf Veedersane

bucketybuck wrote: »

Calorie intake nowadays is always below 2000 in total, part of the changes I made was to measure calories as much as I could and keep a very close eye on what I'm taking.

I'm 6ft and currently 15 st with a muscular build, just looking to drop another 1/2 stone or so. I'm happy enough calorie intake wise, but if switching from bread to a substitute would shave another 100/200 calories of the daily amount then it would be worth trying. It does need to be sustainable though, I'm not trying to diet, so was just looking for ideas.

If you're tracking accurately and taking in less than 2000 kcals at 6ft and 15 stone then you'll be losing weight.

bucketybuck

TimeToShine wrote: »

The problem with bread is that it's nutritionally void. Eating six slices of bread at 120kcal per slice is basically throwing away a third of your daily calories on nothing but simple carbohydrates.

I think the problem is that although nutritionally void those calories do leave me fuller and less likely to feel hungry, and I need to address that as well. I could eat two boiled eggs instead but I wouldn't feel full afterwards, which could lead to eating more.

As an example, I haven't had pasta in months now, but pasta was easy to replace with the low calorie but filling potatoes. Is there an equivalent for the bread, something lower in calorie but still quite filling?

bucketybuck

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

If you're tracking accurately and taking in less than 2000 kcals at 6ft and 15 stone then you'll be losing weight.

I am losing weight. I'm just trying to improve further.

Zillah

So you have no lunch at all? Your entire intake until dinner is tea, bread, and an apple? You're basically having carbs and water for two of your daily meals. Where's the protein? Where's the fat? You'd be much better off having a proper breakfast (oats/fruit/fry) than grazing on bread all day.

I find it hard to believe that there are circumstances where you can bring bread with you and not, say, tupperware with a salad or leftovers for lunch?

bucketybuck

Hence the request for low calorie but filling food suggestions...

Zillah

Breakfast could be a fry up. Or a bowl of porridge (don't load it with sugar). Or yoghurt with fruit. Personally I have a whey milkshake with powdered oats and a few pieces of fruit.

You say a packed lunch is out though. Why is that? I don't really know how to answer your question with that assertion.

bucketybuck

Zillah wrote: »

Breakfast could be a fry up. Or a bowl of porridge (don't load it with sugar). Or yoghurt with fruit. Personally I have a whey milkshake with powdered oats and a few pieces of fruit.

You say a packed lunch is out though. Why is that? I don't really know how to answer your question with that assertion.

When you say a fry up are you talking about the usual bacon-eggs-beans type fry? Would that not have far more calories than a couple of slices of bread?

A packed lunch isn't really out, its more that I don't have any time at work. I can quickly make some tea and butter a few slices and eat them before the next crises arises, but realistically anything complicated just won't happen.

If I was to prepare something in advance that wasn't a sandwich, what could it be? Again with the provision that I want low calories but also to feel like I have actually eaten something.

Zillah

A fry up could be calorie dense but you just balance your daily totals. No rules to say your dinner has to be massive. A decent breakfast will help you avoid snacking.

A pre-made salad just needs a fork to eat. Soup or left overs just need a microwave - do you have access to one? An actual sandwich that has foods that provide fat and protein are much better than just plain bread. You can do all of this the night before.

Macy0161

idnkph wrote: »

My Mrs cut out bread and makes a loaf made from porridge oats and fat free natural Greek yoghurt.

Porridge bread is actually quite calorie dense too - more so than McCambridge and other breads too. More filling and more slow release carbs (and nicer imo), but just in calorie terms...

Sisyphus Mark II

So hard to replace bread at lunch! Maybe try cooking two chicken breasts with cheese and rashers.

La Fenetre

When reducing bread, or any unhelpful eating habits, you need to look at your diet as a whole and get your day properly balanced.

There's nothing wrong with just having two slices of real wholemeal bread per day if it's only at lunch at work, but I wouldn't have any more than that. The real key is to pack between those two slices a load of healthy tasty nutritious fresh vegetables, e.g. lettuce and tomato, etc. etc. and a small amount of non-processed lean meat / eggs / fish.

You can break it up as well, by bringing healthy soup in a flask, or leftovers from the main meal the night before. Be aware that wraps are not any healthier than bread.

It only takes a little prep time the evening before, and you'll soon get into a quick routine.

If you do have to have other snacks at work, grab some fresh fruit and water.

These habits and routines take a few weeks to develop and bed in, so give them time, but when they do, you won't go back, and you'll feel a lot better, especially if you get a healthy breakfast and evening meal as well, and avoid all sugar and white refined carbohydrates, such as white rich, white pasta, potatoes. (which cause many of the same effects as sugar). Swap them out for small amounts of wholegrain pasta's, brown rice, and other alternatives, eat loads of vegetables, with a small amount of lean meat / fish / eggs. And don't forget to get some type of exercise every day.

If you don't look at eating in the context of what you should eat during your whole day, it becomes much less balanced, and much harder to maintain.