[jaimek]

I have just recently been diagnosed with Celiac Sprue less than one week ago. Besides the fact that I am still in shock over my favorite foods that I can't eat anymore, I am worried about weight gain. All my life (I am now 26) I have been able to eat whatever I wanted and not worry about gaining weight. Now that I have started on my gluten-free diet I was told that I will most likely gain weight in time since my body will be able to absorb the fat. I have to admit that I do need to gain some, but my concern is that I will blow up after my villi have returned to normal. So, I was wondering if anyone that was underweight when diagnosed has had a problem with excessive weight gain? Please help put my mind at ease!

[smack]

Hiya! I'm 26 too, I've been gluten-free for almost 2 yrs now, I was at a normal weight when I was 'sick' as I had atypical symptoms. When I went gluten-free, I started to eat rice based products as everyone does, but one slice of rice bread has 2 to 3 times the calories of a regular slice of bread and does not leave you feeling as full for as long. The same goes for rice flour muffins, cookies etc. Expect these things to have a higher calorie count, above what they would normally be if baked with regular flour. As I do watch my weight, I generally avoid these things.

One thing I avoid like the plague is rice pasta, you get about half the serving for the same amount of calories as a full serving of wheat pasta, and again for me not as filling, which will cause you to eat again later.

I went from weighing 130 lbs (I'm 5'6") to weighting 154 lbs after 6 months of going Gluten Free. I've lost it all but I did have to cut back on the rice based food substitutes.

Better alternatives are are pure buckwheat noodles (try Eden brand - they're organic and have a 100% pure buckwheat noodle), mung bean noodles (I found them in Toronto, I'm not sure where else you can get them), corn flour, amaranth flour, low fat soy flour is excellent. In my own baking I try to use as little rice flour as possible substituting it for other gluten-free flours that are high in fibre (again buckwheat is excellent - and a super source of protien too) and I find that other flours actually yield better baked goods, although I don't much like the taste of bean flours, but you should try them as they are lower in calories and higher in fibre than rice flours, you may not notice or mind the taste.

gluten-free cereals are about the same calorie wise as regualr cereal, so if you like cereal in the morning, nothing much will change in that regard for you.

I tend to go without the breads, rolls, muffins, opting for meat with salads or veggies in my lunch. I will have these as a treat once in a while (but not the rice bread - I never did get used to that).

It's hard to say don't eat rice bread or muffins since you already feel so limited, but over time I had to give them up to keep the weight off.

Having said all that I do treat myself, but if I do, I make sure it's for a 10 and not a 3 (in other words, I'll go something I really like and will enjoy instead of something that I would have normally passed on even if I wasn't a celiac )

Good luck!

[jaimek]

Thank you all for your replies, they were very helpful. I guess just like every other diet, you have to watch what you eat and make sure it is not all high in fats. I am very new to this so just figured I would cover all of my bases. Thanks for the suggestion on the buckwheat noodle/flour. I will keep that in mind when i go to the supermarket for the 5th time in 3 days!!!

[gf4life]

jaimek,

Just make sure the buckwheat noodles/flour is 100% pure buckwheat. Some brands add other flours into them and that might make them not gluten free.

Mariann

[tarnalberry]

I've put on a bit, but it might be from not exercising as much either. Plus, I think my lower metabolism from when I was eating wheat may play a role. (A bit here is 6 pounds in 6 months. But I'm having trouble getting it off.)

[Coulter]

Hi, I'm 13 and a little over 5 feet. Before going on the gluten-free diet, I was around 70 pounds, maintaining, but not gaining. Each year, I would gain about one-two pounds, or sometimes stay the same. After the gluten-free diet, I gained weight...but only what I wanted to. I wanted to get up to 85-90 pounds so I wouldn't feel guilty about running and playing on two sports teams (AND BURNING A LOT OF CALORIES) at school next year. I'm now up to 78.4 pounds...a nice improvement, but I'd like to break eighty pounds. I've gained weight, but weight that I've tried and desired to gain. I wouldn't mind adding another 5-10 pounds, now, either!

[KayJay]

I am 25 and I lost weight going gluten-free. Although I had started to gain weight before I was diagnoised. Now I am back to my normal weight. I watch what I eat very carefully. In the summer spegetti squash is a real good sub for pasta. I also do not eat bread or anything like that. I do eat a lot of rice, I eat rice cakes, rice pizza my family loves that! but mostly fresh fruits and veggies, with meat. It took me a while to get used to it but now I don't mind at all. Good luck I am sure you won't gain weight as long as you watch what you eat.

[simone]

I guess it depends on metabolism because I had gained weight in the last 10 years but then, in the last 6 mos of being gluten-free, have lost about 10 pounds or more. Back to what I used to be actually.

I do eat lots of rice products but have not found any bread-like substitutes to my taste. I just go without the bread products for now and have gotten pretty used to it.

Simone

[Pam]

I agree with KayJay. I too had gained a few pounds before I started the gluten-free diet and now have lost about double that. I guess because I avoid all cookies, candies and muffins because of their gluten content. And I just can't justify spending so much money something that I shouldn't really be eating anyways.

[clanning]

I have to say that I've gained weight and not happy about. I do not seem to be able to loose it either and that is very upsetting. Of course I was very much underweight but I think that I got used to and expect to stay that way. I still don't feel like I have the energy that I used to. I was running up to 6 miles about 3-4 times a week. I can't do that now and have packed on the pounds. My friends say that I look fine (5'3" 120lbs) but none of my clothes fit.

You will have to be careful. Eating gluten-free, I feel hungry ALL the time. Yesterday at work I ate 3 meals.

Charlotte

[cmom]

I too am having a difficult time losing weight. I have put on 16 pounds the past 2 years which is also about the time I got serious about staying gluten free. I guess the constant diarrhea was helping keep my weight down but I certainly don't like this. I am 5 feet tall and weigh 129. I walk a mile or two three times a week plus do aerobic or toning exercises. No matter what I do the weight does not come off. Have even tried diet supplements to no avail. I do feel so much better since going gluten-free (except for the morning D), but would like to look nice in my clothes again.

[Thomas]

Good luck.

[cmom]

Yep...my stomach sticks out too. I have a belly that I didn't have five years ago. Looks like I'm pregnant at times. Think that's another reason my clothes don't fit like they used to.