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The Bread for Life Diet

Contrary to many other diets out there, this plan allows for bread and lots of it! The Bread for Life Diet does not require counting calories and will not allow you to go hungry. This weight loss plan focuses on complex carbohydrates, eating small frequent meals, never skipping meals, drinking plenty of fluids, and having "food breaks" to take time for yourself.

Bread is one of the most comforting and satisfying foods. The Bread for Life Diet says that the key to weight loss is eating simple yet tasty foods - the simpler and less varied meals are, the less you tend to eat. Due to the vast array of food these days, the idea goes, we could eat for months without ever getting bored, hence the obesity epidemic upon us.

You can use a variety of spreads on your bread, says Olga Raz, developer of the plan, but keep it thin and limit it to only one spread at a time.

Skip multiple spreads, since that would make it enjoyable and would defeat the point. The good news is you can indulge in an unlimited amount of vegetables - hooray for broccoli!

What makes The Bread for Life Diet a different Weight Loss Plan?

The Bread for Life Diet is a high-carbohydrate diet, with an emphasis on whole grains, vegetables, and fiber. It relies on bread as a staple of all your meals (what would Atkins say?). It also encourages small, frequent meals so you never get hungry, but the diet lacks diversity.

What is The Bread for Life Diet Weight Loss Plan?

The Bread for Life Diet is based on the philosophy that eating bread turns on the portion of our brain that makes us feel good, so that we have increased energy, feel happy, and are satisfied when we eat - so, in turn, we eat less. There is no formal breakfast, lunch, or dinner, but rather you eat every 3 or 4 hours throughout all waking hours.

There are two stages:

• Stage One: This rigorous two-week phase is designed for rapid weight loss. During this phase, you will be eating many slices of bread (up to 16 slices per day for men and 12 for women) with thin spreads - and they mean thin! You can also have meat, poultry, or fish three times a week, but save these for your meals out, since your dining companions will surely think you are strange if you are only munching on bread. A typical day during Stage One includes six meals: 1.) 2 slices of bread with a thin layer of low-fat cottage cheese, slices of tomatoes and peppers and coffee, 2.) 2 slices of bread with 1 or 2 slices of turkey, mustard, lettuce and tomatoes, 3.) Bowl of vegetable soup and 2 slices of bread, 4.) 2 slices of bread with 1 or 2 slices of low-fat Swiss cheese and veggies, 5.) 2 slices of bread with a scrambled egg and veggies, 6.) low-fat yogurt with 1 serving of fruit and 1 slice of bread
• Stage Two: Look for more food choices during this stage, where you can remain for an unlimited amount of time. Protein gets bumped up to five times per week, but the catch is you have to reduce bread intake on these days (you can probably spare a slice). If your pants start to get a little snug again, you can always return to stage one. A typical day during Stage Two includes six meals similar to stage one, only now you can substitute other types of grains (such as bulgur, rice, whole wheat pasta and cereal) or protein for bread. You can add tuna salad, chicken stir-fry, and try some of the recipes provided.

The Bread for Life Diet Golden rules:

• Eat your first meal one to three hours after waking up and eat your last meal one to two hours before going to bed.
• You must consume two to three tablespoons of olive or canola oil daily.
• Do your grocery shopping when you are full and with a detailed list so that no forbidden goodies make their way into your cart.
• If you suddenly feel the urge to eat something that you know you shouldn't, wait twenty minutes and then decide if you want it. (If it were only that easy.)
• Write the word STOP on your refrigerator so you think twice before you enter the land of decision making.

What are the weight loss expectations?

The Bread for Life Diet allows for a gradual weight loss, loss in body fat percentage, and a drop in waist circumference. The average weight loss among healthy people who follow this diet ranges from ten to twenty pounds in two months.

Is exercise promoted?

Moderate activity is all that is required on the Bread for Life Diet, with aerobic activity (walking, bike riding) being the ideal. For weight loss, it is recommended you should walk 45 minutes, five to seven times a week. If desired, you can even split this time up into 10-15 minute sessions a few times a day.

Are supplements recommended?

You should take a daily multivitamin/mineral tablet and a calcium supplement with Vitamin D while on the Bread for Life Diet.