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Do you really need to give up bread to lose weight?

When trying to shed weight, one of the first things you tend to cut back on is bread. Wrongly treated as the biggest enemy to weight loss, no matter how much you love bread, you’re convinced you need to give it up. But do you really need to give up bread to lose weight?

Despite popular perception, cutting back on bread is no magical solution to losing weight. Most people tend to obsess about certain foods as opposed to shifting their focus on maintaining a healthy, balanced diet. When you start reducing your intake of carbs, you’ll notice a quick drop on the weighing scale.

However, experts suggest that you’re not really losing weight – only water. When carbs are stored in your body in the form of glycogen, every gram contains at least two to three times of its weight in water. In other words, when you start cutting back on carbs, the quick weight loss you notice is induced by loss of water alone.

The biggest drawback of giving up bread is that you would also be cutting down on the goodness that comes with it. Especially if you go for good quality whole wheat bread or bread products such as diet rusk, you can get the best of Vitamin E, Selenium and other phytochemicals that are known to prevent diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Instead of completely giving up on specific food items, losing weight should be about developing a well-rounded diet and supporting it with healthy lifestyle choices. Supplement your favourite food with healthy items such as lean protein, fresh fruit etc. While cutting back on carbs may be a part of your weight loss strategy, the right way to lose weight is to keep a check on your overall daily intake of calories; the specific foods that you choose to include or exclude should not be the sole deciding factor.

Another important factor to consider is if you were to quit consuming bread, what would you be replacing it with? Especially if you’re a big bread lover, giving it up entirely is unnecessary and uncalled for. Instead, switch to healthier wholegrain varieties so you can enjoy your favourite treat without the guilt. Pay special attention to the ingredient label and ideally pick whole wheat breads that have less than 100 calories, 3 grams of sugar and 2 grams of fibre per bread slice. Try to avoid bread that contains artificial sweetener, high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils. When trying to lose weight, even the smallest detail can go a long way in helping you reduce.

While there are numerous weight loss strategies you can adopt, only one that is customized to suit your body type and dietary preferences is likely to work for you. Giving up bread may not be the solution you need but you can always switch over to healthy whole grain varieties. This way, you can continue your weight loss journey without feeling guilty or deprived.

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Written by Anjali Dixit

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