If you’re overweight, how much difference do you think giving up wheat would make?

[StumblingOffTheRocks]

I swear I’m made of dough. Without bread, rolls, cakes and other doughy goods, I think I’d lose a shitload of weight.
I’ve got to take steps to do this.

For me it makes a huge difference- wheat makes me bloated and uncomfortable anyway but all my favourite things contain wheat. So if I cut it out that cuts out cakes and biscuits and lots of snacks! I can never stick to it though - I can resist anything except temptation🤷🏻‍♀️

I think it really depends what you are replacing these foods with. If you're going for rice/potatoes then you may still have a problem. It may be easier to significantly reduce carbs and increase protein/good fats and vegetables when serving meals.

It makes a massive difference to me!

When I have lost weight, it's been through cutting out cakes, biscuits, chocolate etc., eating less fried foods, and reducing portions overall (apart from green vegetables and fruit). I've never stopped eating bread, cereals or other grains. Not to say cutting out wheat wouldn't work for you, OP, but I prefer to keep to a normal sustainable diet and not leave out major food groups.

None I'm gluten intolerant 🙈

Well it's only going to make a difference if it leads to an overall calorie deficit. My DF hasn't eaten wheat for 30 years but he eats gluten free products and lots of cheese and wine. He's getting bigger and bigger. If you replace products that typically contain wheat with fruit and veg, you'll probably lose weight. If you replace them with foods with a similar calorie count, you won't (and often 'wheat free' products aren't as good for you).

It would make a huge difference to me because I eat far too much bread-based stuff, so as long as it wasn't replaced with non-wheat versions then I would be in clover.

none. its calories in calories out for me.

Try it for a month and see what happens.

I think you will probably lose weight.

It depends upon what you replace it with. If you eat less carbs as a result, you will lose weight. If you replace it with gluten free substitutes it either won’t make any difference or you will gain weight because the gluten free biscuits and cakes that are commercially made Often contain more sugar.

I've stopped eating bread, pasta, rice and cakes biscuits etc and I've lost just over a stone. It works for me because I realised that eating bread makes me crave it even more. I fill up on veggies and protein and I still eat cheese, fruit etc. I think it's ultimately pushed me into a calories deficit without me feeling too hungry and that's what caused the weight loss. I still have a long way to go mind you!

I did that back in the day and there was hardly anything left to eat that didn’t contain wheat! So I lost weight living on carrot batons etc!

Another thing that worked for me was the combo diet. Per day you can eat veggies and protein, or veggies and carbs, but not protein and carbs or all three together as protein and carbs are the work of the devil combined!

Try that first as it’s easier than cutting out whole food groups. It’s something to do with how it’s burned off by the body. Worked for me!

Interesting points to think about. Thanks.
I think I will give them up because all that stuff is usually extra in my diet. If I couldn’t reach for a bun for a snack, I’d probably have some fruit instead.
I don’t want to replace it with wheat free versions. I want to replace it with veg, fruit or nothing.
Interesting about the per day combination. I have phases where I follow a plant based diet and then have meat sometimes with carbs. Like burgers or curry and rice. I’ll try to do my meat days with just veg.

It would make a pretty big difference because everything you’ve listed is pretty high in calories tbh.

For example a small bread roll could be around 150 calories without anything in it. However, a large banana can be 120 calories so, you’d be better cutting the snack and not replacing it with anything.

I had a small piece of cake recently & it was 385 calories! I could have had a small ham roll and a packet of crisps for less.

I’m just so fed up of being overweight. I feel like I’m only living half the life I want.
Before I had dc, I was fit, exercised at least 4 times a week doing things like spinning and body pump. I’ve always loved food but working full time and not being a fan of cakes gave me a routine which kept my weight normal.
Everything has gone to pot. I gained weight from having dc, I seem to snack all day, I work part time so more time to eat.
I look horrible and wear drab baggy clothes and feel self conscience all the time.
I want to accompany dc on bike rides, feel confident and comfortable in summer clothes, not mind wearing a swimming costume to take dc to a pool or beach.
I do try to have a few photos with dc every now and then but I look awful and hate every single one.
Well, glad I got all that out. It’s time to sort myself out.

Well it's only going to make a difference if it leads to an overall calorie deficit

This

From what you describe of your diet OP it sounds like you need to reduce snacking, not necessarily wheat products

Most of my snacking seems to be wheat based. I love sandwiches, rolls, crackers, and will eat biscuits and cakes even though I don’t really like them. I like home made cake that’s not too sugary but these days I’ll eat stuff whether I like it or not. It’s pathetic.

glad I got all that out. It’s time to sort myself out

My Fitness Pal.

It’s helped me lose, and keep off, 2 stone (no exercise at all) I still drink wine, eat chocolate or whatever else I fancy I just don’t go over my calories.

Log everything. If you make home made cakes put all the ingredients in and how many portions it makes and it will tell you the total calories. There might not be much sugar in cakes you make but butter is calorific.

Portion sizes make a huge difference. Unless you weigh everything it’s easy to underestimate how many calories you actually consume. Logging calories means you can make better choices. Work out your tdee and minus 20% to work out how many calories you really need to eat in order to lose weight.

tdeecalculator.net/

I gave up wheat due to family members being Coeliac. None of us lost weight at all. I think we all just switched to eating rice/potatoes for savoury food, and ice cream etc for sweet stuff.

If your issue is bloating or something due to gluten intolerance it might make a difference but I don't think it necessarily changes your calorie intake. There are just way too many other options.

Generally, and I mean well here, giving up a single food group doesn’t end well for people who are really obese. It’s not just the diet you need to address it’s the overeating.

The single best thing you can do for yourself is be honest - track what you eat normally for a week to see how many calories you typically eat (for most very obese people it will be more than 3k easily if you are honest) and then cut out the calories you won’t miss. If you eat a lot of cake and biscuits just not having them in the house will help because if need to leave the house to satisfy a craving chances are you won’t do it.

My bmi is 29 so not obese but not far off.
I’ve been on myfitnesspal on and off and it has worked when I’ve stuck to a healthy plan but when I start veering off, I just don’t bother logging in anymore.

Some of us just need to track calories permanently. I know I have to otherwise I gain weight. There’s no shame in that if it serves to keep you healthy.

I think with MFP it helps if you take each day as it comes. If you veer off one day make it up the next day with a big salad or by cutting out a few cups of tea.

None, I don't believe in cutting out whole groups of foods I just limit the amount I put into my face.

Technically quite a big difference if like you say you don’t replace it with anything but whole fruit and veg. Can you really do it though? I couldn’t. Most weight loss diets fail because of will power - I don’t think many people have the will power to go cold turkey on all those foods you mentioned when they’re usually a significant part of your diet. It’s not sustainable and in my opinion doomed to fail. Better to just reduce rather than cut out.