Congratulations,
lucidguppy!!
You’ve found some really good insights. I agree, bread is a major factor in weight gain, or at least in stalling weight loss. Salads or raw veggies work for a snack, if you find that they satisfy your hunger. I can even snack on starch, or on a combination of starch and veggies, but it has to be a whole-food starch (a small piece of cold sweet potato is one of my favorites). Definitely
not bread! Or rice cakes, for that matter (my downfall
). Dry, processed starches are always much higher in calorie density, which is why they are not included in MWL.
I’m with you on ingredients, not recipes. I would add my mantra as well — techniques, not recipes. I’ve put in so much energy chasing recipes over the years, trying to find the "perfect" substitute for whatever Pleasure Trap food I think I can’t live without. It’s exhausting and so not worth it! Keep it simple. You’ve got it!
Slow and steady does it. Onward and downward.
Goose