How I lost 100 pounds dropping the handheld: breadless recipes for weight loss

In today's installment of diet recipes and tips, we're going to explore how I lost 100 pounds by dropping the handhelds. Handheld, once the purview of the digital cadre, has invaded restaurant jargon particularly the pub grub scene. Pizza, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, brats, egg rolls, hotdogs, calzones, subs are now so-named handheld because you can hold them without getting messy. And what makes that possible? A bread-based wrapper of some sort. Which is minty keen for juggling the sammich and remote, or darts, beer and brat. But not if you want to lose weight. All those hyper-carb foods are death to diet. Here are breadless diet food swap recipes for weight loss. 

Let us begin with a lil rationale. So  I watch "My 600-lb Life" which explores morbid obesity and weight loss via gastric bypass. Every, I mean EVERY overweight person eats handhelds and lots of them. Pizza and burgers seem to be the "My 600-lb Life" favorites. "My 600-lb Life" Dr. Now's 1200 calorie diet calls for nixing anti-keto "white foods" (bread, buns, rolls, rice, pasta, potatoes and even corn, which isn't really a white food but just as bad cuz it's so carb-y-starch-y.) 

I lost 100 pounds without a gastric bypass, but I did follow a gastric bypass type 1200 calorie diet. And I get why no white foods. You can't afford the high calorie price on the 1200 calorie diet. Not if you want to get full. One hotdog, brat or piece of pizza is about half that with the bun, meat, cheese and sloppings. And I don't know about you, but ain't no way one piece a pizza gonna fill me up. So I make up recipes with diet food swaps

Tonight, I made breadless keto pizza rolls, I guess you'd call them. I cooked pepper, onions, mushrooms and turkey pepperoni in carb smart spaghetti sauce. I topped with a little mozzarella, parmesan (very keto friendly) and bacon bits. I rolled some in spinach leaves for crustless pizza rolls. I've also put toppings in pepperoni for bite-size pizza rolls. I saved tons of calories and never missed the crust. These are perfect for charcuterie, tailgate parties, and anytime you need weight loss recipes on the go. Sorry I got no pictures...done et the whole plate (only 200 calories, woo-hoo!) 

How I lost 100 pounds by unwrapping food: breadless recipes for weight loss

If you're old like me, LOL, you might remember "impossible pie" recipes in which the unbaked crust was put on top and baked up through. I do something like this with my diet food swaps. However I not only flip it upside down, I shake it out and eliminate it all together. Part of how I lost 100 pounds was by unwrapping foods and breadless recipes. I'll explain. 

"My 600-lb Life" shows how morbid obesity originates, as pre-gastric bypass patients try to lose weight. And a ubiquitous item on the table is food wrapped in bread of some kind: tacos, tortillas, pizza, sandwiches, cheeseburgers, egg rolls, pasta, potato based casseroles, etc. It takes a lot of carbs and starch to feed overweight bodies. "My 600-lb Life" Dr. Now's 1200 calorie diet slashes almost all carbs in anticipation of and after gastric bypass. 

It's not just "My 600-lb Life" folks who eat tons of bread-based stuff. Food wrapped in bread is so popular that it's now referred to as "handhelds" on restaurant menus. The bread slices of today are actually designed as "holders" for food. It's no wonder with this bread obsession, so many of us are overweight. So, for optimum weight loss, gastric bypass patients are told to put down the handhelds: buns, sandwiches, pizza, tacos, tortillas, etc., and nix "white foods" (bread, corn, rice, potatoes and pasta). 

I lost 100 pounds by losing the white foods, going breadless and "de-breading" and ergo, decarbing recipes. I follow a 1200 calorie diet which doesn't allow for a lot of high-calorie carbs. So I empty out the handhelds and eat just the filling or topping. I make taco salad, wonton-less egg roll filling, protein salads, crustless pizza (just the topping) and bun-less burgers. I wrap sandwich stuff in lettuce leaves and burritos in cabbage leaves (that's the correct way). 

When I do eat bread, it's keto. My diet food swaps use keto type legume pasta, coconut and almond flour, cauliflower pizza crust and high fiber oatmeal. I switched from grains to seeds. These boost metabolism and lower blood sugar (and hence diabetes). I found that to lose weight, obesity and diabetes, I didn't need gastric bypass. I lost 100 pounds and increased metabolism, following the 1200 calorie diet and balancing fiber, protein and carbs. That's where the keto term "net carbs" comes from. I'll talk more about that later. 

You might be thinkin, yeah that's great for weight loss, but you must be hungry all the time. Not really. I found I could lose weight and stay full on this low carb "keto" type diet because I'm eating a lot of protein.  Also, as I shed obesity, I filled up faster than I did when I was overweight. When I just gotta have some of 'dem white foods, I'll use a little bit. For example, today's diet food swap was a taco salad with two crushed tortilla chips sprinkled on top. It hit the sweet spot without the calorie blitz. 

"My 600-lb Life" inspired keto diet food swaps for egg rolls

One of the most laughed-at folks on "My 600-lb Life" is James K and his "regg rolls." People (NOT me) find it hilarious that this overweight man lays in bed demanding them. I heard the meme so often that I thought Regg Rolls was a restaurant chain down south. Come to find out, he just meant egg rolls. Well, no one's laughing now because poor James K. lost his battle with obesity and passed away. 

This episode of "My 600-lb Life" got me thinking about how cravings derail weight loss. But they don't need to. James K. could have egg rolls and still lose weight. Even Dr. Now's gastric bypass diet would have approved. You just need to make simple keto diet food swaps and your egg rolls will kick obesity butt. 

The secret to how I lost 100 pounds with gastric bypass was to find diet food swaps for favorite foods. To satisfy cravings and lose weight, identify what you're craving about favorite foods. I'm guessing "My 600-lb Life" James K hankered for the filling in egg rolls. And that can be made super keto weight loss-friendly by skipping the wonton. Here are diet food swaps for breadless rainbow diet egg rolls. (Rainbow diet helps you lose weight by eating foods from the different color groups). 

In a food processor, grind raw chicken breast to hamburger consistency. Saute in 1 T. coconut oil. Season with Bragg's liquid amino, minced garlic, black pepper and ginger. Shred one carrot, 1 c. napa or celery cabbage, 1 c. purple cabbage, 1/2 each seeded red and yellow pepper and two scallions.  Stir in 1/4 cup chicken bone broth and continue cooking till veggies are tender. Add fresh squeezed lime juice. 

Skip the wonton or if ya just gotta have it, top with a few wonton strips. Remember less bread or breadless equals more weight loss! Sub soy sauce with Bragg's liquid amino. Skip the lurid red candy-sweet and sour sauce. Make a blend of grated ginger and horseradish, apple cider vinegar, lime and pineapple juice and little low sugar ketchup. Horseradish, ginger and vinegar help lose weight because they are gut cleanses with keto fat-burning properties. Rainbow diet vegetables are fat burners too. 

Stay tuned for more on how I lost 100 pounds, plus ways to avoid obesity and gastric bypass. 

Keto crab rangoon dip recipe for weight loss: breadless diet food swaps

Raise your hand if you love crab rangoon! Us too! In fact, I blame Chinese buffets for my obesity, LOL. Not really, I take full credit for getting overweight. But also for the fact that I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass or a weight loss drug. I also didn't stop eating foods I like. I just made up low calorie recipes using keto diet food swaps. And today's is breadless, no-wonton crab rangoon dip that actually helps you lose weight! 

I wrote recently that I turn foods inside out to lose weight. I take the good stuff off and out of the bread wrapper and eat just that. I can swing just about anything breadless or low carb. Crab rangoon is a classic example. I don't need that deep-fried, high calorie wonton wrapper. It's the gooey innards I crave! 

And it's the yummy crab rangoon guts that aid weight loss. My keto crab rangoon dip or filling is super low carb and high protein. Here's the recipe with keto diet food swaps. 

Crab rangoon dip (with keto diet food swaps)

1 6 oz can crab

two chopped scallions

1/4 cup full fat Greek yogurt (full fat dairy products better diet food swaps) 

2 oz cream cheese

T. parmesan cheese (keto friendly cuz it contains no carbs)

1 teas. Worcestershire sauce 

dash of garlic powder and lemon juice

Soften cream cheese and blend in other ingredients. Don't drain crab. If you need it sweeter, add a little monk fruit sweetener or stevia. 

Enjoy with breadless crudities like cucumber spears, celery or green pepper strips. You won't miss the wonton, promise. And, you can eat the entire bowl for only 200 calories! Stay tuned for more keto diet food swaps to lose weight. 

How I lost 100 pounds with "Inside Out" breadless diet food swaps

Hiya fwiends! This blog explores how I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass surgery or a weight loss drug. Today's anti-obesity tip is to eat "Inside Out" foods. I'll 'splain. To lose weight and minus calories and carbs, I eliminate the bun, bread or wrapper and eat just the filling. I create breadless, low carb and keto versions of favorite foods using diet food swaps. 

I lost 100 pounds about seven years ago with these diet food swaps. Since then I started watching the show "My 600-lb Life" and found some commonalities in folks with morbid obesity. One is our addiction to food in and on bread (wraps, crust, buns, rolls, crackers, etc.) Usually what's inside or on top is fairly healthy (meat, veggies) sans the bread carb overload. So my diet food swaps swing recipes low carb by "de-breading" it. 

The overweight folks on "My 600-lb Life" are shown eating bread-based foods like pizza, egg rolls, sandwiches, burgers and deep-fried, breaded chicken. Unless it's gluten-free plant-based or keto bread with high protein and fiber, most bread and breading are empty calories. Most breads have sugar or HFCS (high fructose corn syrup). To lose weight, gastric bypass surgeon Dr. Now has them switch to grilled foods vs. breaded and deep fried. 

Breads and breading are linked not only to obesity but also diabetes. Sugar is the usual target for diabetes. But it's actually overeating carbs in general. So low carb keto bread is great for weight loss and treating diabetes.  "My 600-lb Life" Dr. Now's  gastric bypass diet is mostly breadless.  

When I was overweight, I developed a passion for egg rolls and crab rangoon. Then I realized it's the filling I love, not the wonton. So I turn it inside out, eat only the filling and ditch the wrapper. I wrap burritos in cabbage leaves and make breadless sandwiches by using large romaine leaves. I make taco salad instead of tacos and nix the tortillas. I dip cut veggies in salsa instead of chips. I nix cracker based appetizers (a big cause of my obesity) and make charcuterie with olives, cheese and meat. Eliminating bread is how I lost 100 pounds.