Here I am day one of holiday 7kg down off my normal weight of 89kg

We speak a lot about nutrition, this is because a healthy mind and body is not purely down to exercise, food can determine your mood, your weight and your general wellbeing.

I often get asked about bread…is it good or is it bad?

This year I decided to give myself 2 months to get into the best shape I could, ready for my summer holiday. I made the decision to totally eliminate bread from my diet during this period.

I saw my body fat reduce which was great and I also noticed that I didn’t feel bloated at any point during my diet. I’ll be honest, this wasn’t all down to eliminating bread, I also made sure to be strict when it came to portion sizes and I cut out all refined sugar and salt from my diet.

However the summer has been and gone, bread has unfortunately crept back into my life (mainly peanut butter bagels) and with that I have seen weight gain. So it’s time to crack down on bread again…

But first. Let’s give you some info about bread.

Most Breads are made of wheat flour which contain gluten. Gluten causes an immune response in the digestive tract of susceptible individuals. This can cause digestive issues, pain, bloating, tiredness and other symptoms. Bread contains other harmful substances and generally most commercial brands of bread contain added sugar or fructose corn syrup. Most breads are made of pulverized wheat. They are easily digested and rapidly spike blood sugar and insulin levels, which can lead to the blood sugar ‘roller coaster’ and can stimulate over eating. Whole grain breads are better for you than breads made with refined grains, but no bread is definitely the best option, and those individuals who are diabetic or are aiming for weight loss should avoid all grains.

Eliminating bread from your diet may sound harsh as most of us love it. So why not start by cutting back to just eating bread on the weekends and don’t overdo it! Remember those portions sizes. One slice of whole grain bread with a thin spread of almond butter or smoked salmon won’t be too damaging and remember there are other low fat and less harmful options such as organic rice cakes or Ryvita. And if you’re looking for a quality energy source that will keep you going for longer without the side effects of bread, then try sweet potato, brown rice or quinoa.

Best of Luck Guys, and remember we are what we eat!