[bump]

How many of you who are overweight felt like you got the short end of the stick when you found out being overweight was not typical for celiac disease? I had weight problems as a teen, found exercise and became tiny by the end of high school and the first part of college. started to gain weight after college became sick with anemia and was diagnosed in 2001 with celiac disease and gained 50 lbs!!! I did try the south beach diet and felt GREAT!! but if I even get the tiniest bit of gluten then I become ravenous for weeks. I am joining weight watchers and will see if I can get my diet under control while still getting the nutrients and satisfaction we all need from eating. Any advice???
I am so sick of feeling weak. I remember a fitter me that could easy run a 7 minute mile and not jiggle or faint. HELP!!

[Rikki Tikki]

Hi Bump:

I have the opposite problem, but I tell you some people have thought I was anorexic and that's no fun either. I have even been asked if I did drugs! methamphetamines to be exact. I don't know, does it help at all to know that you are at least healthy?
I suppose I shouldn't of answered this, just trying to help.....

[bump]

It isn't that I am not happy I found out I have celiac disease, truthfully I am happy I found out. I thought I had cancer I felt so lousy. It is just that I have not yet learned to temper the celiac disease with health. Being 50 lbs overweight is definitely not healthy for me. I am glad you responded to my post. I guess the symptoms are discouraging on both ends of the scale. All you can do is love yourself and by doing so encourage your body to comply with your wishes for health.

[tarnalberry]

I'm one who's had more problems trying to lose weight, rather than gain. I find that a lot of it is just how stressed I am, and trying to follow the diet while there are other stressors in your life that suck up your time definitely makes me more stressed. As I see it, there's nothing to it but exercising that willpower - both to not pick up the food (my current addiction is mango!) and to get the exercise.

[Rikki Tikki]

That was nice to say bump!

[CateK]

To support my son (age 14) and make sure we didn't accidently contaminate him, I made my whole kitchen gluten-free and just started making gluten-free foods for the whole family. My hubby sort of rebels from time to time and so he has loaf of Whole Wheat up the cupboard but he's not allowed to use the toaster.

What is amazing to me is that within 10 days of going gluten-free myself, I started losing weight. I had been doing WW since early February and losing in little bits and drabs, but the weight is really dropping now (2 or more pounds a week) and I'm not doing anything drastic. If anything I'm actually eating a little more because the gluten-free breads, etc are higher in fat. I'm working on adapting some recipes so they are gluten-free, taste good and are low fat.

I have energy. I thought having energy was a myth reserved for people who didn't have children.

My bones don't ache at night anymore... and that odd rash on my legs and face is gone... hmmmm.

My bowel movements are NORMAL!

Well, I guess the kid got this disease from somebody... and now I guess I can't blame his father (my ex) anymore...

Honestly, though, I didn't think I had celiac disease because I have always been overweight.

I'm kind of curious about how that works because it seems like we should all be underweight ... could it be our bodies are over compensating for the lack of nutrients by grabbing hold of everything it can get and not letting it go?

[KaitiUSA]

CateK, on Apr 10 2005, 09:41 AM, said:

Honestly, though, I didn't think I had celiac disease because I have always been overweight.

I'm kind of curious about how that works because it seems like we should all be underweight ... could it be our bodies are over compensating for the lack of nutrients by grabbing hold of everything it can get and not letting it go?

Some people are overweight with it and gain instead of lose. Different bodies just react differently to the gluten.

[PreOptMegs]

I definately gain weight and no matter how few calories I eat, I am stuck at a particular weight. I have learned to read my body really well (I self-diagnosed this disease), and I really feel like my metabolism is in slow motion. Anyone else?

[skbird]

I was fine for the first 5 months or so. Then my pants got a little snug. I weighed myself recently and in the last month I've gained almost 10 pounds. Yes, I'm depressed. I'm not sure what the change is - everything got tighter when I had a gluten reaction about a month back, and I thought it was just bloat. But it's been a month now.

In my gut's defense, it's still not 100% so maybe it's still recovering, on some level, from being glutened (a whole month ago!!!) I have added flax meal to my diet again and though I am drinking tons of water, I am constipated every night, but am bordering on loose in the mornings.

I guess things just take their time. I have cut back on some of the treats I was eating and have been exercising a little more regularly but no help yet. Really just want to go back down that 5 poounds so that my belly doesn't bulge over my jeans all the time like it does now!

Anyway, you're not alone in being bummed out about weight. I am currently 155, 5'10" and have gone up and down in my weight over the past 10 years twice now, gaining and losing 70 pounds, then 40 pounds. I loved it when I was 145 but would be happy to be 150.

Sigh.

Stephanie

[PreOptMegs]

That is so ironic, skbird. I am 5'10" as well, and this morning weighed 155. I was 149 not that long ago, so it just bugs the crap out of me that I am stuck and cannot go below 155 no matter what. The weight is all located in my lower stomach, so I definately want that to go away!!!

[jenvan]

Bump-
Losing weight and having that feeling of helplessness with your weight is so frustrating. I hope weight watchers is a help to you. However, if it isn't, I would recommend LA Weight Loss. My brother has been overweight for years, partly from health problems, and has never been able to lose weight (having tried everything in the book!). Anyway, he has been doing LA Weight Loss for a while now and has been incredibly successful. From what he has told me, they have a philosophy on health/diet that goes deeper than most weight loss plans. They also use blood tests and medical histories etc to really understand your individual body and what will work for you specifically. If interested, I'd look into it. My brother has learned so much from the program and has made lifestyle changes, not just temporary "diet" changes that will fail him later.

Random thoughts: If you're not in the best of shape like you used to be.... have you tried walking, started light weight lifting, not eating late at night, portion size, not filling up on gluten-free carbs and sugars... ??

Good luck to you. B/c of health issues, and a past eating disorder, my weight has gone up and down over the years. I know it can be frustrating and oftentimes depressing thing to deal with.

[skbird]

PreOptMegs - We're twins! That is really funny!!! Well, it's sort of not. I mean we are supposedly in the perfect weight range for our size but mine's all in my belly right now, too, and all my pants are too tight. I'm really not ok with that.

Going low carb has helped me with this before but I'm thinking I must have some thing going on with my gut right now and that is why I'm a little larger at the moment. Why is it always that 5 pounds that is so hard to lose???

Stephanie

[luvs2eat]

I attributed my lack of weight loss to my early diagnosis. I only had diarrhea for about 2 months when I was tested and went gluten-free immediately. When I told people about Celiac disease and they asked me the symptoms... I said, "Unexplained weight loss..." and I'd sort of look down at myself and say, "Um... I didn't GET that one!"

Other people would ask me, when I told them the dietary restrictions, "Oh my... WHAT do you eat." Again, I'd look down at myself and say, "Plenty of stuff!"

I'm not chuckling about it anymore tho. I've gained about 25 lbs. since diagnosis and hate it!! I know that when I was diagnosed, I sort of went off the deep end eating foods I COULD have... like potatoes and rice (risotto is my fav food!!). Now I'm trying really hard to be low carb... more lean meats and fresh fruits and veggies.

UGH!!