Bread is Necessary for Weight Loss (Gluten’s OK!)

Don’t view carbs as the enemy anymore! In fact, bread, bran, and grains can actually help you shed those unwanted pounds and even help you stick to your nutrition plan. As a chef, I know that “diets”don’t necessarily work. Everyone has the power to make a lifestyle change and eat foods that are good — and good for them — and that even includes bread! You don’t have to sacrifice, especially when it comes to bread, because it actually helps you lose weight.

1. Lots of Fiber: Most people don’t get enough fiber, but getting the recommended amount of daily fiber is the best way to help regulate your digestive system. When your body is regulated, it rids the body of waste, helping you lose weight and feel less bloated.

2. You Won’t Feel Restricted: If you decide to diet and cut out EVERYTHING that you enjoy that is “bad” for you, you’re more likely to give up on a nutrition plan altogether. Treat yourself and you will see results!

3. You Don’t Have Celiac Disease: You more than likely can tolerate gluten just fine so thankfully, you don’t have any symptoms when you ingest wheat so go ahead and enjoy all its benefits!

4. Control the Amount: Bagels, breads, and even English muffins all come in thinner slice options so if you love a bagel once in a while, you don’t have to feel so guilty and can still indulge. Fewer calories, less carbs, but complete satisfaction! Also, bread makes for a great part of lunch on-the-go. And it’s a much better option than hitting up the drive-thru on your lunch break!

5. Add Healthy Toppings: If you feel guilty for eating bread (which you shouldn’t, by the way), you can add some delicious, healthy toppings like lettuce, avocado, tomato, tuna, tofu, grilled chicken, hummus, and more! Combining toppings can give you extra fiber, protein, and vitamins.

6. Helps You Feel Full: Since bread has fiber, it can make you feel fuller faster and longer so you don’t feel tempted to eat more or snack. Reach for foods that contain whole wheat and grains, oatmeal, rye bread, corn, popcorn, brown rice, or quinoa. Just make sure to steer clear of refined grains such as white rice or white flour, which have little nutritional value and will hamper your weight loss and health goals.

7. Boost That Energy: We all have those moments where we’d like to just veg out and binge on TV shows. If you need some motivation to get up and move, whole-wheat bread can provide that. It may be a carb, but it’s a complex carb, which means it digests slowly, helping to regulate blood sugar, and provides lots of energy to help you get up and work out.

8. Bye, Bye Belly Fat: Carbs can actually blast away belly fat, which is the most common area of the body people wish to slim. Carbs decrease the activity of fat-storing enzymes, and with the belly being one of the main fat-storing parts of our body, fat isn’t as absorbed and stored when you eat carbs.

9. Speeds Up Your Metabolism: Our bodies need carbs and when we deprive our body of good carbs (not cupcakes and chocolate muffins) it slows our metabolism down, therefore we aren’t losing as many calories as we are putting in.

10. People Replace Carbs With Unhealthy Foods: It’s been rooted in our brains that carbs are the enemy and any other food is a healthier option. So, people go on a low-carb diet and instead of eating a good, healthy carb like brown rice, they replace it with something that isn’t healthy, like a weight-loss candy bar. That’s not real food. You’re better off going for the healthy carbs.

To learn more about cooking delicious, healthy meals and how to stick to a nutrition plan that allows you to enjoy your favorite foods, like bread, head to www.eatmoreburnmore.com for more information!