Celiac, Overweight, & Weight Watchers

[zenjess1980]

Diagnosed Celiac, and am overweight. I am starting Weight Watchers. Anyone else do the program?

[GFinDC]

Hi zenjess,

I don't fit that description myself (IMHO) or do weight watchers.  But people with weight issues have posted before.  Some people seem to gain weight with celiac disease, which seems all crazy-like but it does happen at times.  That may be a temporary condition that would change with time though after further gut damage.  Thyroid problems can also cause weight gain because of reduced / slowed metabolism.

Has your thyroid hormone level been stabilized?  Just seems like that might be something to verify.

I think it is best to stick with whole foods, like meats, veggies, nuts, eggs, and some fruit myself.  gluten-free processed foods are usually high in calories and low in nutrients.  So they don't do much for us except introduce poor nutrition and possible weight gain.  Of course they sometimes taste good too, rats!

[zenjess1980]

3 hours ago, GFinDC said:

Hi zenjess,

I don't fit that description myself (IMHO) or do weight watchers.  But people with weight issues have posted before.  Some people seem to gain weight with celiac disease, which seems all crazy-like but it does happen at times.  That may be a temporary condition that would change with time though after further gut damage.  Thyroid problems can also cause weight gain because of reduced / slowed metabolism.

Has your thyroid hormone level been stabilized?  Just seems like that might be something to verify.

I think it is best to stick with whole foods, like meats, veggies, nuts, eggs, and some fruit myself.  gluten-free processed foods are usually high in calories and low in nutrients.  So they don't do much for us except introduce poor nutrition and possible weight gain.  Of course they sometimes taste good too, rats!

Hello, and thanks for the reply. I also have Hashimotos Thyroiditis, and am on medication. According to my bloodwork my #'s are all good and it is managed. Thanks for the reply, BTW

 

[cyclinglady]

Consumer Reports rates this diet very well.  My SIL has been on and off it several times.  Long term effectiveness?  I don't know.  I can tell you a low carb with fat diet took pounds off me and my blood sugar loves it.  I try to "eat to my meter".  Easy to do when the holidays are NOT upon us.  ?

My sweet tooth is back.  So hard to give up those foods when family is eating them.  Not to mention making up for all those years of not being able to eat ice cream and egg nog (four bottles in my frig now).  (Dang, that Strauss'  Organic nog without any gums is fantastic.   I will not touch the other brands that taste artificial or have gums.     I try to portion  it out or workout after drinking it.  Someone else at Sprouts trys to load up on Strauss' per the dairy employee.  It would be fun to meet this person who is like-minded about egg nog.).  I digress.....

I like eating to my meter (cheap meter at Walmart).  Nothing puts a halt to eating when you read post paradial (sp?) readings over 140.   The meter does not lie.  I can tell myself that gluten-free cupcakes are okay to eat, but my meter tells me differently.   Falling off the wagon?  I start testing again.  Mind you i have never been heavy.  BMI always normal.  Nothing like a glutening to drop a few dress sizes (but that is NOT good weight control).  But that stubborn 10 pounds i gained after baby and hitting perimenopause at the same time (40) refused to budge (unless i was riding hundreds of miles per week), dropped on a LCHF diet.  Meno pot?  It is all about food and eating too much -- not age like I thought.  ?

Seriously, just maintaining my gluten-free and diabetic diet is the most important thing.  A few pounds might not make me look good, but i like feeling good.  But that is a perspective coming from a 55 year old, an age where you realize that you do NOT CARE what others think about you.  So liberating (one good thing about menopause).  ?

[Pamela Phelps]

I ride my bike 5 miles every day, and am still gaining weight, after getting diagnosed after 1 year.   What can I do??  Help??

[cyclinglady]

5 hours ago, Pamela Phelps said:

I ride my bike 5 miles every day, and am still gaining weight, after getting diagnosed after 1 year.   What can I do??  Help??

Hard to even guess without more information like: current BMI, age, calories consumed daily, how fast you are riding, etc.  

 

[shelbycrops1]

I just joined this site.  I am diabetic for 28 years and age 71.  I was diagnoised with Gastrophrisis (which is neurphaty of the gut).  I am 186LBS and 5-5.  I have cons. and D never know which will come on.  Bloating, gas and adb pain.  I have no energy and feel really sick at stomach.  Appitate very poor.  My stomach hates any thing I fed it.  Getting really sick of hard boiled eggs.  BS's are great 76-90 even fasting.  I am thinking about trying gluten free to see if I can feel better.  I am normally very active walking 4-5 miles a day.   forgive spelling, I am Blind so I don't always hit right keys.

[cyclinglady]

16 minutes ago, shelbycrops1 said:

I just joined this site.  I am diabetic for 28 years and age 71.  I was diagnoised with Gastrophrisis (which is neurphaty of the gut).  I am 186LBS and 5-5.  I have cons. and D never know which will come on.  Bloating, gas and adb pain.  I have no energy and feel really sick at stomach.  Appitate very poor.  My stomach hates any thing I fed it.  Getting really sick of hard boiled eggs.  BS's are great 76-90 even fasting.  I am thinking about trying gluten free to see if I can feel better.  I am normally very active walking 4-5 miles a day.   forgive spelling, I am Blind so I don't always hit right keys.

Welcome Shelby!  Did  you know that celiac disease can develop at anytime in your life?  It is a autoimmune disorder, (like lupus or R. Arthritis) except the trigger for a flare-up is known -- gluten!  So, before trying the gluten-free diet, I would ask your doctor to run a simple blood test to rule out celiac disease.  If negative, you can at least give the diet a try.

Here is more information from the University of Chicago, an excellent source of celiac information:

Open Original Shared Link

Sorry to to hear about your Gastroparasis (stomach not emptying) which can be a complication from diabetes. What type of diabetic are you?  You have excellent fasting numbers!  

[Ennis-TX]

Have you been tested for celiac, C & D along with the bloating gas and pain, fatigue etc are all also symptoms of Celiac disease. You can try going gluten-free for a diet  if you wish just stay away from the gluten-free processed foods in stores, as these tend to have more unhealthy starches and carbs the the gluten counter parts. Now if you wish to get tested you need to stay on the gluten for a bit longer as it has to be in your system for 12 weeks for the blood test and 2 weeks for the endoscopy. I would suggest talking to your doctor about having a FULL celiac panel done blood test wise and go from there.

If just planning on cutting weight I might suggest changing to a low carb whole food diet without dairy and eating more veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, and lean meats if you can.

[shelbycrops1]

Type 2-  I had to be tube feed for 2 years due inability to keep food down.  lost 65lbs in 3 months.  I sill don't like my weight but doctors are afraid to let me get to normal weight due to not play room if my stomach gets worst again.  I can only eat cooked food to very soft condition and no peels on fruit which I don't eat much due higher sugars.   Even without eating I stay nauseated and get D.  

[shelbycrops1]

NO- I am seeing my doctor Fri. and going to talk to her.  It is not I want to lose weight I am so sick and feel so bad I sometimes have to go back to bed.  I don't like feeling this way I like to get out and go places.  I just would like to feel better and enjoy life.   My stomach is rolling now and you can hear it across room.  I will see if doctor will due blood test.

[GFinDC]

Hi Shelbycrops,

If it is celiac disease causing your symptoms, you can feel better.  Fatigue is another symptom of celiac disease.  You might want to ask your doctor to test your vitamin and mineral levels too.  Celiac disease can make it hard for our guts to absorb the vitamins, minerals, and fats our bodies need.  That lack of vitamins can cause many symptoms all by itself.  You don't have to eat a lot of gluten for the testing.  A single slice of wheat bread or a cracker would do it.  Something that might improve your situation right now is to cut out dairy, milk and cheese.  Celiac damage can make it hard to digest dairy sugar.

Peppermint tea is helpful for getting gas out of the stomach, and Pepto Bismol can help symptoms some.

When we go gluten-free the body begins to heal.  But the immune system doesn't stop making antibodies right away.  It can take weeks or months for it to do that.  So people can take quite a while to feel much better, although they often begin feeling somewhat better within a couple weeks.

Please ask for the full celiac disease antibodies panel.  If the doctor doesn't want to do it, I suggest you find a doctor who will.  Sometimes doctors are stubborn.

Welcome to the forum!