30 day bread and sugar fast

[Moliere]

Three rules to this diet:
1) No bread products
2) No refined sugar
3) Everything else in moderation

Who's with me?

Today is Day 1.
Breakfast: oatmeal and craisins.

[Isgrimnur]

1) No bread products

I'm out.

[Remus West]

My wife has been doing this diet for around 3 years now. I have been doing close to this diet by default for close to three years. I do eat bread though so when we go out I get a bun on my burger and things like that. I also cheat and eat sugar a few times a week. She doesn't.

[Holman]

Three rules to this diet:
1) No bread products
2) No refined sugar
3) Everything else in moderation

Who's with me?

Today is Day 1.
Breakfast: oatmeal and craisins.

Not to police you, really, but don't the craisins have added sugar?

[Isgrimnur]

Given that there's a reduced sugar version, probably.

[Isgrimnur]

[LordMortis]

1) No bread products

I'm out.

Yep. Though when I am dieting, I drastically cut back on bread carbs and find low calorie bread products, like a half pita or wraps instead of enriched white bread slices. I also drastically cut back on cheese. Loosing most cheese and bread is torture for me. It's the stuff of pizza and pizza is the stuff of life.

[Moliere]

I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but I want to get as close as possible. Avoiding all sugar will be a logistical challenge. I will have the same problem when it comes to peanut butter. Glorious peanut butter.

[ImLawBoy]

What's the impetus for this? Personal challenge? Expected health improvement? You enjoy torturing yourself?

[Paingod]

I've been there for a week or so. I enjoy eating and have a sweet tooth. I'm also not losing weight and needed a change. Honestly, it's been damn hard to give up sugars and simple carbs (which quickly convert to sugar in your body). I tossed out artificial sweeteners, too, as these have been shown to trigger the same areas in your body and don't let you break the sweet-craving cycle.

On top of this, I'm still vegetarian and have been for a solid year now. It's very possible to be a fat vegan or vegetarian. You just have to eat all the wrong things still. I tend to gravitate towards them.

My typical breakfast is 1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal (instant isn't as good for you), 1/8th tsp salt, 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup of blueberries mixed together. I toss the walnuts into the pan just after the oatmeal, and add the blueberries in the bowl after. I use the time the oatmeal takes to cook as time to unload/load the dishwasher.

I used to do Craisins, too, until I figured out that they're just fiber and sugar with almost no nutritional value. Great flavor, but pure sugar. Even the reduced sugar ones are high in sugar.

A 1/4 cup of the reduced-sugar version contains 100 calories and 14 grams of sugar. This is still 3.5 teaspoons of sugar.

By comparison, a 1/2 cup of raw blueberries is 42 calories, 7.5g of sugar. Still adds a good flavor kick, and is healthier.

For lunch, I have seasoned pan-fried tofu cubes I prepped last night along with lightly salted brown rice. White rice also easily converts to simple sugars in your body...

For dinner, I expect to have a light salad with some pecans and sunflower seeds mixed in. That should round me off to approximately 2000 calories for the day.

What's the impetus for this? Personal challenge? Expected health improvement? You enjoy torturing yourself?

Sugar is rapidly working its way up the ladder as a public health crisis that I expect will surpass cigarettes once we get past bias and lobbyists. It's insidiously delicious and easy to put in almost anything in order to make it taste better, be more appealing for customers, and as an added bonus, biologically addictive as sugar is a rare but precious commodity in nature that our body craves. Food manufacturers have something like 65+ different ways and guises to add sugar to food. Sometimes they even add multiple types.

A lot of people smarter than I am are leaning towards thinking that all of the sugar we've been adding to everything since the declaration of "fat" being the enemy back in the 50's and 60's is why the world is rapidly turning diabetic. Your body processes sugars differently than it does other foods, and the calories are not equal. If you put a person eating 2000 calories of sugar-laden food and a person eating 2000 calories of natural, unprocessed foods side-by-side and ensure they're both getting all the "nutrition" they need, the sugared person's body will get fat, and in a lot of bad places, like inside your liver.

[Moliere]

What's the impetus for this? Personal challenge? Expected health improvement? You enjoy torturing yourself?

Listening to Joe Rogan podcasts.

[Carpet_pissr]

Three rules to this diet:
1) No bread products
2) No refined sugar
3) Everything else in moderation

Who's with me?

Today is Day 1.
Breakfast: oatmeal and craisins.

Not to police you, really, but don't the craisins have added sugar?

Wow, and not a little, either.

I do a version of this every now and then, but mine does not include bread. It's "no ADDED sugar" for x days. It's not easy, but I DO definitely feel a difference in my body within a few days (after the sugar addiction/craving dies down)

Bread would be oh so difficult for me, and make me hate doing the "diet". OTOH I never eat white bread (except very very rarely), and whole grains only when that is possible.

[McNutt]

Bread is one of life's greatest pleasures. I have a loaf in my office desk at all times because PB&J is my go-to lunch and is my favorite comfort food. There is zero chance that I ever give up bread. I'm sweating just thinking of it.

[Kraken]

Bread is one of life's greatest pleasures. I have a loaf in my office desk at all times because PB&J is my go-to lunch and is my favorite comfort food. There is zero chance that I ever give up bread. I'm sweating just thinking of it.

+1.

Sugar would be easier, since I don't like sweets. Of course it sneaks into nearly all processed foods in the guise of corn syrup, so that would be challenging.

Yesterday my primary grocer didn't have my preferred pizza dough, so I went to my backup grocer who usually does. The only dough they had left was gluten-free. I was dismayed that such a thing even exists.

[Moliere]

Heroin is one of life's greatest pleasures. I have a loaf in my office desk at all times because PB&J is my go-to lunch and is my favorite comfort food. There is zero chance that I ever give up heroin. I'm sweating just thinking of it.

Maybe this is a reason to consider the change?

[McNutt]

I'm lucky enough to have weighed the same for the past 20 years. If my bread consumption were causing weight problems then maybe so, but for me it's working fine. No reason to give it up.

[Paingod]

I'm lucky enough to have weighed the same for the past 20 years. If my bread consumption were causing weight problems then maybe so, but for me it's working fine. No reason to give it up.

Which is great for you and your ######## metabolism. Some of us struggle to stay a healthy weight. I find comfort and joy in food, and am not a naturally bubbly person. As a result, most days are simply made better with pizza and ice cream.

I had a really rough year when I was around 25 and gained 50lbs because of comfort food. In fact, I'm still trying to loose that weight 15 years later.

[Blackhawk]

Bread would be oh so difficult for me, and make me hate doing the "diet". OTOH I never eat white bread (except very very rarely), and whole grains only when that is possible.

This is more where I'm at. I found that after a couple of years of the healthier breads, I didn't even like white bread anymore. But without any bread, I wouldn't be able to afford to eat. Too many of the cheap, (relatively) healthy food choices are sandwiches.

I don't actually own any sugar or sweeteners, I drink my coffee/tea black, and I don't drink soft drinks. I do have 'dessert' sugar, but usually only once per week.

[Isgrimnur]

I tossed out artificial sweeteners, too, as these have been shown to trigger the same areas in your body and don't let you break the sweet-craving cycle.

My drinks at work are "Diet" tea and Kool Aid concentrates, both with artificial sweeteners. Given that the other option was 40-60oz of Mt. Dew, I took the lowered calorie route. And I honestly don't have much a sweet tooth craving issue. There's candy all over my house, and I might have a fun-size bar every few days.

[ImLawBoy]

I tossed out artificial sweeteners, too, as these have been shown to trigger the same areas in your body and don't let you break the sweet-craving cycle.

My drinks at work are "Diet" tea and Kool Aid concentrates, both with artificial sweeteners. Given that the other option was 40-60oz of Mt. Dew, I took the lowered calorie route. And I honestly don't have much a sweet tooth craving issue. There's candy all over my house, and I might have a fun-size bar every few days.

I found the switch from sugary drinks to water so easy that I can't believe it I resisted it for so long. I think you've said before that you don't like to drink plain water, and while I don't personally get that at all, I understand that some people have aversions that I don't get. That said, let's not pretend that your only beverage choices are artificially sweetened vs. sugary.

(Plus, it's not just the sweet cycle issue with artificial sweeteners. There are studies that suggest they trick your body into being hungrier for any type of food, and not just sweets.)

[Isgrimnur]

I'm currently stepping down my eating habits with no indication of being hungry. Perhaps that's been my secret: I've always overeaten.

[Jeff V]

(Plus, it's not just the sweet cycle issue with artificial sweeteners. There are studies that suggest they trick your body into being hungrier for any type of food, and not just sweets.)

Are you insinuating I might NOT eat the whole pizza if I wasn't washing it down with Diet Dr. Pepper? I'm skeptical...because I was eating it all before Type 2 diabetes made me switch to diet pop.

No bread makes this a non-starter for me, too. It is the foundation of pizza, and going 30 days without pizza is crazy talk.

[ImLawBoy]

I'm currently stepping down my eating habits with no indication of being hungry. Perhaps that's been my secret: I've always overeaten.

I'm sure you're the exception to the science.

[LordMortis]

I had a really rough year when I was around 25 and gained 50lbs because of comfort food. In fact, I'm still trying to loose that weight 15 years later.

Same weight gain same year. And it happen in a matter weeks/months. It was so rapid and unexpected it was painful to expand. And I was still very active at the time. That has since... changed.... The weight has only gone up slightly in the last 20+ years but I seem to keep changing my habits, losing the weight and then gaining it back. I lost 30 pounds when I basically gave up soda. Over the course of two years it crept back. Bloody well unfair. If I'm gonna be pushing 250 I ought to be able to drink my 3 20 oz Cokes every day.

It is the foundation of pizza, and going 30 days without pizza is crazy talk.

No kidding.

[Jeff V]

I'm currently stepping down my eating habits with no indication of being hungry. Perhaps that's been my secret: I've always overeaten.

A friend of mine years ago went from being almost perfectly round to perfectly normal in physique. I was amazed...I asked him what was his secret. He said he stopped treating food as a form of entertainment and instead focus on eating enough calories to offset what he burns. And this strategy even worked for me for a while, until I met my wife and food became a focal point in our relationship.

[ImLawBoy]

No bread makes this a non-starter for me, too. It is the foundation of pizza, and going 30 days without pizza is crazy talk.

There are actually recipes out there that use riced cauliflower as the crust for pizza. My wife has tried to talk me into making this, and while I often try to accommodate her dietary requests, the amount of effort it seems to take in most recipes (and my own doubts about how well it would turn out) have kept me from it. Still, if someone's hell-bent on trying this diet, they could try it with cauliflower crust pizza.

[Jeff V]

And some people still call a lettuce wrap a sandwich.

I've tried to make pizza before with alternatives to wheat flour. The fundamental problem is your mind is set on delicious pizza as you know it, and then is disappointed when given something that tastes like ass.

[LordMortis]

There are actually recipes out there that use riced cauliflower as the crust for pizza

Nope! Nope! Nope!

I love just about every kind of pizza you can imagine but there is no such thing as good collyflower. They try to sneak that shit in to everything and it's always nasty. Collyflower or Tofu cannot be hidden in other foods and have everything taste normal or good.

OtOH, fresh broccoli makes an excellent topping on pita pizza. It's even better with ham.

[ImLawBoy]

And some people still call a lettuce wrap a sandwich.

I've tried to make pizza before with alternatives to wheat flour. The fundamental problem is your mind is set on delicious pizza as you know it, and then is disappointed when given something that tastes like ass.

With a gluten-free wife, I've tried quite a few different wheatless pizza crusts. None of them are as good as a regular pizza crust, but some have at least been tolerable. I wouldn't go there without a significant dietary need, though.

I love just about every kind of pizza you can imagine but there is no such thing as good collyflower. They try to sneak that shit in to everything and it's always nasty. Collyflower or Tofu cannot be hidden in other foods and have everything taste normal or good.

You're broken (although I suspect you already knew that). Even my 3 year olds gobble down cauliflower and tofu.

[Paingod]

He said he stopped treating food as a form of entertainment and instead focus on eating enough calories to offset what he burns.

It sounds so easy. It's just so damn hard.

This is my wife's goal. When I met her, she treated food as fuel for her body - not fun time entertainment. Then she met me. Now she struggles with it, but nowhere near the level I do.

I can't imagine ever seeing food as fuel and being able to zero in on how much I need to eat to offset my existence. I'd need to find some way to find happiness in a number of other aspects of life so food wasn't as important to that happiness.

[LordMortis]

You're broken (although I suspect you already knew that). Even my 3 year olds gobble down cauliflower and tofu.

Well, yeah I'm broken but e-coli flour is still nasty and has nothing to do with me being broken. Tofu isn't nasty, per se, it just makes stuff in not very good stuff that no longer resembles what it was supposed to be.

[DOS=HIGH]

No bread makes this a non-starter for me, too. It is the foundation of pizza, and going 30 days without pizza is crazy talk.

Low carb pizza, a bit of a hassle but worth it. I also love chicken parm and they have a recipe that uses pork rinds as the base for bread crumb replacement and it's surprisingly good. I went on a Keto diet for 10 weeks last year and it worked very well considering my activity level was abysmally low and felt like I was eating unhealthy. My carb intake, excluding fiber, on some days was under 10g. I actually felt really good during the diet, but it is a bit of an inconvenience if you're having to make meals with someone not on the diet.

[ImLawBoy]

No bread makes this a non-starter for me, too. It is the foundation of pizza, and going 30 days without pizza is crazy talk.

Low carb pizza, a bit of a hassle but worth it. I also love chicken parm and they have a recipe that uses pork rinds as the base for bread crumb replacement and it's surprisingly good. I went on a Keto diet for 10 weeks last year and it worked very well considering my activity level was abysmally low and felt like I was eating unhealthy. My carb intake, excluding fiber, on some days was under 10g. I actually felt really good during the diet, but it is a bit of an inconvenience if you're having to make meals with someone not on the diet.

How crispy is that crust? My oldest son is on Modified Atkins Diet for seizure control, so this might be a fun alternative. He also has eating/chewing issues, though, so I'm not sure if he could have it if the crust is too crispy or chewy.

[DOS=HIGH]

The two times I made it I'd say the crust was definitely on the crispy side but it was a bit on the over cooked side. You might be ok with the right cooking time and type of surface to keep the crust relatively soft, except the outside crust of course.

[Rumpy]

I found the switch from sugary drinks to water so easy that I can't believe it I resisted it for so long.

I've been making the transition from diet soft drinks to water. What helps is flavoured sparkling water. After awhile, with the carbonation, you don't even notice that you're not drinking a soft drink.

[ImLawBoy]

I found the switch from sugary drinks to water so easy that I can't believe it I resisted it for so long.

I've been making the transition from diet soft drinks to water. What helps is flavoured sparkling water. After awhile, with the carbonation, you don't even notice that you're not drinking a soft drink.

One of the great benefits of switching to plain water is the cost. I initially made the switch for health/weight reasons, but having unlimited* free beverages is a great perk.

* Offer does not apply in Cape Town

[LordMortis]

I didn't have a hard time transition from soda to water, so long as I still get coffee in the morning. I don't seem to be able to transition back to tap water. I don't know why but 30 years of people drinking water bottled water has made it so it's hard to drink out of the tap. I can drink out of a water cooler. I can drink tap water from a restaurant. But at home I always have a case of plastic water bottles in reserve. It makes not sense. I've tried the brita assuming I just wanted my water fridge cold and filtered. Nope. I don't grab the pitcher and then I get something else. But a bottle of water, I'll grab 4 or more bottles a day.

Growing up, we laughed at bottled water drinkers. Yeah, like paying a buck for something you can get for free, makes you better or something...

As mentioned a few posts ago. I'm broken.

[Blackhawk]

I found the switch from sugary drinks to water so easy that I can't believe it I resisted it for so long.

I've been making the transition from diet soft drinks to water. What helps is flavoured sparkling water. After awhile, with the carbonation, you don't even notice that you're not drinking a soft drink.

One of the great benefits of switching to plain water is the cost. I initially made the switch for health/weight reasons, but having unlimited* free beverages is a great perk.

* Offer does not apply in Cape Town

** Residents of Flint should read the fine print.

[Blackhawk]

Put tap in your bottles, and don't buy any other bottled water for a few weeks.

[ImLawBoy]

I didn't have a hard time transition from soda to water, so long as I still get coffee in the morning.

Oh, yeah. I still drink a ton of coffee (although I drink it black - no milk or sugar).

I don't seem to be able to transition back to tap water. I don't know why but 30 years of people drinking water bottled water has made it so it's hard to drink out of the tap. I can drink out of a water cooler. I can drink tap water from a restaurant. But at home I always have a case of plastic water bottles in reserve. It makes not sense. I've tried the brita assuming I just wanted my water fridge cold and filtered. Nope. I don't grab the pitcher and then I get something else. But a bottle of water, I'll grab 4 or more bottles a day.

Growing up, we laughed at bottled water drinkers. Yeah, like paying a buck for something you can get for free, makes you better or something...

As mentioned a few posts ago. I'm broken.

At home I drink the water that comes out of the refrigerator (so tap water, but filtered and chilled). At work I drink from a water dispenser (which I think is pretty much the same thing, just on a larger scale). Chicago tap water is pretty good, but the filtering helps. At a restaurant, I drink whatever water they put in front of me (or, better yet, beer).