When Lent came around this year, I decided to give something up—but not in the traditional, deeply religious sense. For me, it was more of a personal challenge. Something to shake up my habits, test my discipline, and see how I’d feel on the other side.
So I gave up bread.
Now, doing that anywhere might raise a few eyebrows. But doing it in Italy? That’s practically scandalous.
My Italian friends genuinely couldn’t believe it.
“No bread?”
“No pizza?”
“No brioche for breakfast?”
Because here, bread isn’t just food it’s a way of life. It’s placed on the table before every meal, sits alongside your plate during the meal, and somehow finds its way into almost everything. From crusty loaves to flaky pastries to fresh pizza… it’s everywhere.
And I said no to all of it.
For 40 days.
Going into it, I expected it to be tough. I imagined cravings, temptation, and that constant feeling of missing out—especially surrounded by some of the best bread in the world.
But surprisingly? It was actually… okay. More than okay, really. Once I got into the rhythm of it, I didn’t feel deprived. Instead, I started to shift how I thought about food. I stopped automatically reaching for something bread-based and began asking, what else could I eat instead? And that small mindset shift made a big difference.
First of all, I didn’t cut out carbs completely I’m not that brave (or that unrealistic, especially living here!). But I did move away from relying on bread as a staple and started fuelling myself more with protein, fruit, and vegetables.
And physically? I noticed a few things:
• I felt less bloated
• I had more consistent energy
• I didn’t get that heavy, sluggish feeling after meals
• And overall, I just felt… cleaner
I didn’t weigh myself it’s not something I tend to focus on but I could see and feel a subtle difference. My stomach felt flatter, and my energy levels were definitely up. You know that feeling when bread just sits in your stomach and makes you feel a bit… meh? That disappeared.
My days became pretty simple, but in a good way.
Yoghurt with mixed nuts and seeds, plus frozen raspberries that slowly defrost and turn it into this amazing, naturally sweet raspberry yoghurt. Sometimes I’d add a bit of nut butter or a drizzle of honey but often, it didn’t need it.
I even cut out oats, because for me they tend to spike my hunger rather than satisfy it. That’s just how my body responds not a universal rule!
Usually something protein-based like an omelette with ham and cheese, or eggs with avocado. I ate what the kids ate. So yes this is where carbs came in. Pasta, for example. Probably not the “ideal” time of day to have it, but by then I was hungry, and it worked for our routine. Fruit, mostly.
And let’s be honest there was the occasional chocolate or ice cream when the kids were having one. This wasn’t about perfection. After 40 days… I don’t actually want bread. That’s the part I didn’t expect.
I’ve baked fresh bread. I’ve made hot cross buns with the kids. I’ve been surrounded by the smell of warm, delicious, freshly baked everything—and still, I haven’t felt tempted to dive in.
It’s not that I’m not hungry. It’s just that I don’t fancy it.
And that tells me something has shifted—not just in what I’m eating, but in how I think about food.
Will I Keep It Up? Let’s be realistic—I live in Italy. I’m not going to sit at a table while everyone eats pizza and pretend I’m fine with a salad forever. That’s just not happening.But what this challenge has shown me is that I don’t need bread in the way I used to think I did.
So moving forward, I’ll be more mindful. I’ll choose it when I really want it, rather than having it automatically with every meal.
For now, I’m happy sticking with the habits I’ve built and enjoying how I feel.And honestly? That’s been the biggest win of all.
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