Weight Not Changing, But Looking Better?

[BlackShoesBlackSocks]

l am still just under 2 weeks gluten free.

 

At first l actually dropped back to my low weight of 97, l am usually around 99 by the end of the day but am now 97 again in the mornings.

 

Before being gluten-free or thinking about Celiac/gluten l had A LOT of anxiety about being this low, and everyone commented on it which probably added to this.

 

However, now my arms have appeared to fill out a bit which was definitely the thinnest part of my body, and ;'m pretty sure l'm going to be able to fit in the next size up in pants so l confidently ordered a pair. l've had to order all 0's since the beginning of the year and they are finally feeling snug.

 

l am still 97 pounds. Could the weight gain l was seeing before have been just bloating or major water retention?  l also read somewhere that when you first go gluten free there is a switch in metabolism from glycogen burning to fat burning, l have no idea how true that is. l wouldn't want to  burn fat off my body at this point, but l seem to be looking more solid.

 

l don't expect to stabilize for at least a month but is there a typical pattern needed weight gain occurs after being gluten-free?

[cyclinglady]

Nothing is typical in celiac disease.  That is why there are over 200 symptoms attributed to it.  What you need is time.  Time to really master the gluten free diet and to heal.  A month may be way too soon in my non-medical opinion (based on forum member input too).   Look to take up to a year to feel better.  Sure, throughout the year you will see improvement.  But remember that more than the small intestine is damaged for most of us.  The bottom line is that it took a while for you to get sick and it is going to take a while to feel better.  Hang in there!  

[Gemini]

You are my twin so here is what happened with me after diagnosis........it took every bit of 6 months before I began to gain enough weight that my pants started to feel tighter.  I was bone thin. You will start to notice (and you did) that your arms will not be as thin. That is the first place you usually start to gain and then the fat pads that you didn't have on the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet, plus your butt will fill in and come back. This is the subcutaneous fat that you lost but you didn't notice until you start gaining it back.  I thought it a big victory when I could sit on a chair without a cushion because all those years I was just sitting right on my tailbone and it hurt.  Crazy, huh?  

I was also a size 0 at diagnosis and worked my way over 3 years up to a size 6 and then back down to a size 2-4, after I started doing  serious exercise at the gym. I actually have muscle and am toned, for the first time in my life.  I am 58 years old so it's about time! 

Relax and don't sweat it. Eat calorie dense food that is nutrition dense also.  Drink protein shakes in between meals because you need a lot of protein to gain muscle.  Don't over think this. Just eat when you are hungry and try to eat healthy 90% of the time.  Some junk food is OK so don't deprive yourself if you can tolerate it. It will not happen overnight but you will gain.  I am now about 110 pounds at 5' 4" tall so I gained 18 pounds after diagnosis. You will most likely always be somewhat of a lightweight in future but that's OK.  You just want to aim for healthy lightweight.  Good luck!

[BlackShoesBlackSocks]

14 minutes ago, Gemini said:

You are my twin so here is what happened with me after diagnosis........it took every bit of 6 months before I began to gain enough weight that my pants started to feel tighter.  I was bone thin. You will start to notice (and you did) that your arms will not be as thin. That is the first place you usually start to gain and then the fat pads that you didn't have on the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet, plus your butt will fill in and come back. This is the subcutaneous fat that you lost but you didn't notice until you start gaining it back.  I thought it a big victory when I could sit on a chair without a cushion because all those years I was just sitting right on my tailbone and it hurt.  Crazy, huh?  

I was also a size 0 at diagnosis and worked my way over 3 years up to a size 6 and then back down to a size 2-4, after I started doing  serious exercise at the gym. I actually have muscle and am toned, for the first time in my life.  I am 58 years old so it's about time! 

Relax and don't sweat it. Eat calorie dense food that is nutrition dense also.  Drink protein shakes in between meals because you need a lot of protein to gain muscle.  Don't over think this. Just eat when you are hungry and try to eat healthy 90% of the time.  Some junk food is OK so don't deprive yourself if you can tolerate it. It will not happen overnight but you will gain.  I am now about 110 pounds at 5' 4" tall so I gained 18 pounds after diagnosis. You will most likely always be somewhat of a lightweight in future but that's OK.  You just want to aim for healthy lightweight.  Good luck!

Oh my goodness the flat palms on the hands! l have a pic on my computer of  this, l took a home TTG test and the company asked me to send to a pic of the result, l kept looking at the fat pads on the edges of my palms by the thumbs Nothing there, they start to look deflated and dehydrated sometimes as well.

 

l am 33 so l'm starting to wonder what my 'real' weight even is anymore. l started losing from 115 at around 21, l thought l was just slimming down. l looked fine at 105 and stayed that way for years. When l got down to 97 l could not believed l was 20 lbs less than l was 10+ years ago, it just became too real. My body frame looks basically the same so there is no real benefit to this, but l hadn't been putting weight on my upper body for years anyway.

 

l do try and over eat and stress myself thinking l need to gain weight as soon as possible, which is expensive and difficult. l haven't been trying to go over 2K/daily since l've been gluten-free, l just cook at home and usually have ice cream for dessert.

 

l am tempted to add Boost shakes back  in but they are pricey, l think they're good for the weekends when l tend to skip meals and things are crazier at work. Since l do feel like my body should stop trying to turn against me that gluten is removed though, l am less anxious about trying to pack the weight on.

 

Thanks so much, this really does reflect everything l've been thinking about and doing!

[Gemini]

We really are twins, my friend!  I could never, ever get my weight up beyond 105 my entire adult life.  I ate like a lumberjack too.  So, please tell me why someone who weights 105 pounds, has skinny arms and legs with a bloated belly could go soooooooooooooooooo long with the medical profession not figuring out Celiac??????  It was bizarre.  I had all the classic symptoms except diarrhea, which didn't start in earnest until about a week before I was diagnosed. Go figure.  I was 46 when I literally hit the wall and was dying because my weight started to plummet in a really scary way. Like you, I woke up one morning and in 5 days, lost 7 pounds and weighed in at 98 pounds.  People don't understand how bad that is to weigh so little when you are eating for 3! 

One more thing......do not limit your calories!!!!!!!!  You are trying to gain weight so aim high.  Forget Boost....if you read the ingredients, it is crap.  Make shakes out of milk or soy/almond milk if dairy is a problem for you.  Add protein powder, ice,  a couple of spoonfuls of peanut butter and yogurt.    Open Original Shared Link  I love this honey yogurt.  It is whole milk which gives you some nice fat and calories.  You stir up the honey from the bottom and incorporate it well into the yogurt and it stays mixed once you do that.  Add a couple of spoonfuls into the blender with the shake and it's delicious! 

It may be easier to eat many small meals instead of overeating.  Have three squares a day, plus snacks in between.  You may absorb more calories if you keep a steady flow going, instead of overdoing it at each meal.  That is what worked for me.  You want to build muscle also, not just add fat.

[BlackShoesBlackSocks]

It looks like it turns out my scale is totally wrong! Was at the doc for unrelated things and 104.6, l think.

 

This means l've gained more weight under 2 weeks being gluten-free than l did for 6  months, eating regular meals, fast food, and Boost! Last time l was another scale was last month, and was 98 at that appointment.

 

l know the weight gain probably isnt even supposed to happen this quickly but it definitely explains feeling like l've sized up, l'll take 2-3 lbs off for shoes and clothes.

[BabyBelladonna]

Hi i had lab work for food allergy testing. Not that i needed to loose weight. But  read a book called right size weight loss. It mentioned food allergies and illnesses and obesity. Cured from eating natural nutrition. I was shocked to have 15 food allergies. Not including seconday allergies. I always ate all the time and got sick. Hopefully you will feel better soon and dont worry about the scale. Todays accomplishments are tomorrow's victory.