12 replies to this topic

[glutenfree015]

Hey everyone,

I’ve been gluten free for 9 weeks and on the Paleo diet for the last month (intolerance to soy, dairy, and eggs--hoping it is temporary). Anyways I’ve been getting a lot better, slowly but surely, and my gut seems to be improving on the Paleo diet. However, I’m losing weight fast! This is problematic because I was already very thin to begin with (5’6” and 123 pounds normally) and now I’ve lost 10 pounds in the last month and officially crossed into underweight territory. I initially lost weight after going gluten-free, then regained it, and now I’ve lost it again. My weight has always been very stable until now.

What do I do? Since my diet is so restricted I am having a hard time maintaining my weight. Can anyone help? I want to gain about 5-10lbs. Once I do gain weight again, I need help maintaining it. My parents and my doctor are concerned, and my friends think I have an eating disorder.

Thanks!

[pricklypear1971]

You need to find snacks you like, and snack every hour or so. Make them balanced -protein, carb.

Also, address vitamin deficiencies you may have.

Try a probiotic and digestive enzymes to help you digest your food.

Try smoothies - fruits and veggies and nuts purée well together. Try The Blender Girl website.

[GottaSki]

Add healthy fats!

Avocado, nuts, coconut/olive oils, nut butters.

Meat with every meal.

Paleo muffins - baked goods made with almond or coconut flour.

Make sure you are getting enough calories. I use a caloriecounter.com to help make sure I get enough daily calories - it also helps track nutrients which I find very useful info.

[glutenfree015]

Thank you! I do take probiotics and enzymes, in addition to consuming copious amounts of protein. Lots of meat, fish, protein powder and nuts--but I don’t snack very much so that could definitely be the problem.

Should I try adding dairy back in? My friend with Crohn’s said that is the only thing that helped her gain weight, even though it made her stomach hurt.

[SMDBill]

I started losing weight quickly, but I need to shed weight. I didn't want it to go too fast or the turnaround once I start introducing more food would be to quickly pack it back on so I wanted a slower approach that would gradually get it off. I eat mostly fruit, nuts and candy as a treat during the day, followed by a full dinner at night. I used to always eat one dessert in a day and snuck in snacks here and there, along with sweet tea and coffee filled with sugar. When I switched my whole routine I noticed the weight dropping fast. My answer was to reintroduce milk. I'm lactose intolerant so I went with Lactaid. To me it tastes like milk, but that's because it's been years since my last glass of white milk. I just treat myself to a big glass of chocolate milk every evening as my dessert. I may still have a gluten-free brownie occasionally, but I know the milk is fatty and will add needed calories and other nutrients.

It's nice to be on the side of making sure I eat enough. I've always had to watch what I eat and I still lost the battle. Now I make sure I take in enough good stuff and I treat myself to get the rest.

[M-Rods]

As stated above healthy fats including snacking on nuts or nut butters will help add on some good quality calories.

Best of luck

[livelifelarge24]

I'm having the same issues but I am allergic to nuts and eggs so I am feeling helpless too! You are not alone in the struggle. The worst is when someone says "I wish I had that problem." I want to scream back at them, "No you don't!" I hope you are able to find things you like that are a little fattening. Guacamole ha been a good help for me. Adding dairy back in helped also but I'm still struggling.

[Chaff]

Amen!

Being uncomfortably underweight against your will is NOT pleasant. Chairs hurt, for example. People think you're anorexic, for another. And you stare at food, wondering what's safe to eat.

Dieters drive me crazy. They know what to eat, but still they complain that they can't have their junk food. I love making and eating salads, bean soups, smoothies, all that wonderful healthy food. But all those things make me sick, and thank goodness I now know why.

It's not cute for them to say that they wish they had my problems. I just want to be able to stuff enough calories into myself despite the severe food reactions and near-constant nausea so I can focus at work and maybe pick my 10-mi a day running habit back up.

I would LOVE to be ten pounds overweight for once in my life. Not a constant bloated belly and scraping by with a BMI of 18 or even less. One day I'll get there. Soon, I hope.

[tkent]

I was diagnosed with Celiac when I was about 2 and half years old. Was born with it and my mother didnt know. When I was old enough for solids, she started me on all food types including food containing Gluten. I didn't grow at all - mentally or physically. Once diagnosed and after having my diet changed my mother told me the turn around was miraculous. I however have no child hood memories form before I was 8 years of age.

After that, I do remember always being the healthiest in the family and I have always been slim. My mom kept my diet about 80% strict - she allowed me to eat Kellog's Rice Crispies and Corn Flakes, Wafer biscuits, Kentucky Fried Chicken - she justified it by saying "there's so little gluten in it!"
Since I have been old enough to understand more about celiac I have become a lot stricter with my diet myself - I am about 99% strict - I still use Knorr Gravy powders when making supper.
I have successfully had 3 beautifull boys (19years , 9 years, and 5 years old) - all have been tested and cleared of celiac.

However, after my 3rd child, I have not been able to maintain a healthy weight. About a year and a half ago I started picking up weight - about 8 kgs in the year - no changes to eating habits or lifestyle. It is all around my stomach. Everytime I eat or drink anything, my stomach bloats. I am battling to find time to exercise (I am a financial manager for an IT company) but I have tried drinking 2 litres of water daily, multi vitamins, CLA, Omega 3, eating 5 small meals a day, protein shakes, and I just can't shake the excess weight.

If anyone can explain the distended stomach or give advise, I would be truly grateful.

[PurpleMonkey]

Are you seeing a dietician? I would add a dietician to your life being as all the strictness of gluten free and paleo diets. Just a suggestion, they can help you diagnose vitamin deficiencies along with other issues due to strict diets.

[burdee]

Hey everyone,

I've been gluten free for 9 weeks and on the Paleo diet for the last month (intolerance to soy, dairy, and eggs--hoping it is temporary). Anyways I've been getting a lot better, slowly but surely, and my gut seems to be improving on the Paleo diet. However, I'm losing weight fast! This is problematic because I was already very thin to begin with (5'6" and 123 pounds normally) and now I've lost 10 pounds in the last month and officially crossed into underweight territory. I initially lost weight after going gluten-free, then regained it, and now I've lost it again. My weight has always been very stable until now.

What do I do? Since my diet is so restricted I am having a hard time maintaining my weight. Can anyone help? I want to gain about 5-10lbs. Once I do gain weight again, I need help maintaining it. My parents and my doctor are concerned, and my friends think I have an eating disorder.

The Paleo Diet is a weight loss diet. You don't need a special diet to abstain from gluten, dairy, egg and soy. I also abstain from cane sugar, vanilla and nutmeg, as well as gluten, dairy, egg and soy. Just find substitutes for all your former allergen containing 'favorites'. Also consider baking your own goodies from allergy friendly cookbooks, like Elizabeth Gordon's "Allergy Free Desserts". Before I found her (and another baking book), I hardly ever baked or ate pastries or any treats, because even gluten free goodies contained my allergens. You don't need to abstain from milk, ice cream, cheeses, soy sauce or foods usually baked with your allergens. Just substitute similar products with safe ingredients (i.e., nut milks or coconut milk based ice cream, dairy/soy free cheeses, coconut aminos instead of soy sauce). I don't consider my allergens foods per se, but rather ingredients for which I can find safe substitutes.

I second others' suggestions to add oils, avocado, nuts, etc. for concentrated calories. However, most people love baked goods and sweets, which you can find or prepare in allergy forms. Granted, you should also eat healthier meats, grains, vegies, fruits, nuts and beans. However, if you need to gain weight, eating ice cream (which I make from cashew nuts and fruits) or allergy free baked goods is a nice treat after a healthy meal or as a between meal snack. (I just finished baking my second batch of Christmas cookies which are free of my 7 allergens and my husband's 9 allergens.)

[JNBunnie1]

I was diagnosed with Celiac when I was about 2 and half years old. Was born with it and my mother didnt know. When I was old enough for solids, she started me on all food types including food containing Gluten. I didn't grow at all - mentally or physically. Once diagnosed and after having my diet changed my mother told me the turn around was miraculous. I however have no child hood memories form before I was 8 years of age.

After that, I do remember always being the healthiest in the family and I have always been slim. My mom kept my diet about 80% strict - she allowed me to eat Kellog's Rice Crispies and Corn Flakes, Wafer biscuits, Kentucky Fried Chicken - she justified it by saying "there's so little gluten in it!"
Since I have been old enough to understand more about celiac I have become a lot stricter with my diet myself - I am about 99% strict - I still use Knorr Gravy powders when making supper.
I have successfully had 3 beautifull boys (19years , 9 years, and 5 years old) - all have been tested and cleared of celiac.

However, after my 3rd child, I have not been able to maintain a healthy weight. About a year and a half ago I started picking up weight - about 8 kgs in the year - no changes to eating habits or lifestyle. It is all around my stomach. Everytime I eat or drink anything, my stomach bloats. I am battling to find time to exercise (I am a financial manager for an IT company) but I have tried drinking 2 litres of water daily, multi vitamins, CLA, Omega 3, eating 5 small meals a day, protein shakes, and I just can't shake the excess weight.

If anyone can explain the distended stomach or give advise, I would be truly grateful.

It may have something to do with the fact that you're not actually gluten free. 'Guten-lite' does
just as much damage as eating like a normal gluten eater, and if you've been diagnosed, I cannot
stress strongly enough how important it is for you to stop poisoning yourself with gravy and
things of that nature. It was not okay for your mother to treat your disease so trivially, and it's
not ok for you to do it either. You can do it! We're here to cheer you on!

[Chaff]

About a year and a half ago I started picking up weight - about 8 kgs in the year - no changes to eating habits or lifestyle. It is all around my stomach. Everytime I eat or drink anything, my stomach bloats. I am battling to find time to exercise (I am a financial manager for an IT company) but I have tried drinking 2 litres of water daily, multi vitamins, CLA, Omega 3, eating 5 small meals a day, protein shakes, and I just can't shake the excess weight.

If anyone can explain the distended stomach or give advise, I would be truly grateful.

I get this, too, and have my whole life. I *think* it could be a malabsorbtion issue. At least, for me that seems to be what causes it.

The Mayo Clinic has this to say on how they treat it (http://www.mayoclini.../treatment.html):

"A Mayo Clinic study found that up to half of celiac patients don't heal completely even with a gluten-free diet. At Mayo, people with celiac disease are monitored closely for intestinal healing. When diet alone isn't effective, Mayo doctors prescribe medications (steroids and immune-system suppressors) to control intestinal swelling and malabsorption of nutrients."

Do you live near Minnesota? I'm considering the trip myself if this goes on much longer.