Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Anyone Else Not Really Gain Or Lose Weight After Becoming gluten-free?


jkmunchkin

Recommended Posts

jkmunchkin Rising Star

I always see posts of people who either gained a ton of weight or lost a ton of weight after becoming gluten-free, but did anyone just kinda maintain their same weight without really trying?

When I first started eating gluten-free (The first 4 months or so), I lost maybe 8 lbs., but for me any weight loss is a lot because I'm really thin to begin with. I'm still probably a few lbs. less than what I was previously but really not that much change. And I eat a fair amount of the gluten-free cookies, cakes and candy.

I'm not complaining because it's not like I want to gain 20 lbs. but I'm just wondering if anyone else had this same experience.


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Rachel--24 Collaborator

I lost 25 lbs. total and have only gained back about 8 of it. Its been about 5 months now with no change. I'm bummed because I'd love to have all my weight back but right now I'm only 103.

jerseyangel Proficient

My weight issues with Celiac weren't dramatic, either. In the months before my Dx, when I was the sickest, I lost 15 lbs. Within 2 months of starting the gluten-free diet, I gained 10 lbs. back and have since gained 2 more. I seem to be staying at this weight--although I wouldn't mind losing the 15 again, but this time in a healthy way!

gabrielle Contributor

I have the same weight issues as well. I lost a total of 20 pounds. Now, I am only 103 pounds and sometimes I fluctuate between 101-105. But really no big weight gain/loss (Since going gluten-free). I am only 5'2" so I guess I really don't need the extra weight, but I figured once I went gluten-free that some pounds would come back. Not so.

Felidae Enthusiast

I initially gained about five pounds and my weight has not changed since. I eat constantly too since I'm always hungry. I wouldn't mind another five pounds but it just remains stable. Before I was gluten-free my weight always fluctuated so I guess this is a good thing.

burdee Enthusiast

I had lost about 3# when I had very painful symptoms, before going gluten free. Then I gained back 4# in my first few weeks abstaining from gluten. Now I stay in the same 3# range. I've been 105-110# at 5'4" for 38 years, so I didn't really expect a big weight change. Besides I like my clothes and can't afford many new ones. :lol:

BURDEE

elonwy Enthusiast

I didn't gain or lose weight, but I did lose the bloating, which had always made me feel ten lbs heavier. I never really had weight problems though. I'm 5'1 & 3/8" and weigh 130lbs.

Elonwy


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



mouse Enthusiast

I lost 53 pounds, which I needed to lose, just not this way. :P The doctor said that I would gain some back but I have not. I am 5"8 1/2 and weigh between 131 1/2 to 133 1/2 pounds. I have been gluten free for 2 years this Feb. 3rd. After we moved to this townhome last June, I dropped another 10 pounds from the 135 I was at. He did an MRI for colon cancer and I was fine, but for the first time in my life I had to count calories up to gain most of the 10 pounds back. The problem was that I drank 2 Ensures (soy allergy) and 2 Frappachinos (dairy allergy) each day. There was no way I could eat that many calories without going into my food allergies. I was using my nebulizer so many times a day, just trying to stop the asthma. And my body just itched something horrible. But no way was I going to stay in a size 6 pair of jeans. I had already sold all my bigger clothes and bought and had alterations done on what I could keep. I was not going through that again. :lol:

Rachel--24 Collaborator
I have the same weight issues as well. I lost a total of 20 pounds. Now, I am only 103 pounds and sometimes I fluctuate between 101-105. But really no big weight gain/loss (Since going gluten-free). I am only 5'2" so I guess I really don't need the extra weight, but I figured once I went gluten-free that some pounds would come back. Not so.

I'm exactly the same as you. Same height, same weight, same fluctuations. I probably will never gain all my weight back but I'd love to get to at least 115. Oh well...at least I'm over 100 now..6 months ago I was at 94 lbs.

mookie03 Contributor

well, its obvious that with celiac, eating gluten and not eating gluten affect every single person differently- some gain before and lose after, some lose before and gain after, and some remain pretty much the same. I didnt ever lose weight prior to going gluten free. When i first went gluten-free, i gained a few pounds in the first 6 months- but more b/c i was ODing on the gluten-free snacks. Now im pretty much back to where i always was, so no net change. And when i say a few pounds, im small like u, so i really mean A FEW POUNDS- like 5. My weight has never fluctuated more than a few pounds.

I think that if ur diet hasnt done a huge overhaul, theres no reason ur weight should change. Replacing cookies for gluten-free cookies isnt likely to make you gain weight if the rest of ur diet has become more healthy-- are u eating more fruit and veggies now? fewer bad carbs? i know for me, this diet has caused me to eat a bit healthier in general so the extra calories from the gluten-free snacks doesnt cause me to gain weight. but everyones bodies are different so i think the excessive weight gain/loss has more to do w/ an individual's absorption

Rikki Tikki Explorer

Proir to diagnosis I lost about 25 pounds and after diagnosis I didn't put any weight on, I seemed to either drop a few pounds or maintain the weight. In the last six months I have put back on a few pounds and am now 5'7" and when I weighed last week I was at 125. So that means I have put on about 10 pounds, but it has taken me 3 years to do it. I think if I get to 130 and maintain that I would be happy. I think a lot of it is that we have taken out the bread, pasta's things like that, the ones that seem to have a lot of calories. Just a theory.

gabrielle Contributor
I'm exactly the same as you. Same height, same weight, same fluctuations. I probably will never gain all my weight back but I'd love to get to at least 115. Oh well...at least I'm over 100 now..6 months ago I was at 94 lbs.

Yeah, 115 would be nice... I hate people saying to me, "You're too thin...eat something." But I eat all the time!! I just can gain the weight. It's comforting to know that others understand your situation- especially when you feel like no one in the world could understand!

  • 3 weeks later...
ebrbetty Rising Star

I'm still loosing, about 103 lbs at 5 feet 6..I stopped most of my cardio, but still do my weight lifting. in the winter ppl think i'm anorexic because i'm covered up, once the summer hits they're in shock at the muscle tone, I've had ppl apologize to me for things they were thinking about my weight

Moongirl Community Regular

105 pre dx....Im 5'3 and 2 months gluten-free, I lost about 3 pounds since, and im about 102 right now...i would love to be able to get back up to 110-115. I used to be 125 when i was about 21, now Im 26.

key Contributor

I have lost about 2 lbs gluten free. I think I just don't eat as much. IT is hard being vegetarian. I had lost though before because of celiac. I am 5'2inches and 103lbs now. Everyone thinks I am too skinny. I am kind of sick of it. My husband thinks it is fine, but people think I should gain weight. I don't try either way. I just stay the same basically. I do exercise, because I enjoy it. It gets me out and clears my mind. I have three boys under six years old and I homeschool, so it is more for my mental health and overall health. NOt for weight loss.

MOnica

jenvan Collaborator

Hmmm... I gained 6lbs after going gluten-free, after about 6mos and I've lost 3 of that :) So in a few more I'll be back to my normal, which for me is a healthy weight. I attribute part of those 6lbs to not having energy to work out and trying to many gluten-free baked goods! :)

marcmtl Newbie

I weigh 145 which is 15 lbs less than i did 5 years ago when first told i have celiac. I have not been able to gain weight. I do go to the gym 4 times a weeks and thought that would help and did to some extent but i find that i am thin for my size. I eat my 3 meals a day and some snacking but tend to eat very healthy. I have a cousin with the same condition and like me all we ever hear is you are too thin but we feel good so maybe this is just how we are supposed to be.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,856
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Sonya Haskin
    Newest Member
    Sonya Haskin
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Jillian83
      He is. Which makes everything even more difficult. I’m not a believer in “staying for the kids” but I have nowhere to go and it’s not just me, it’s me plus my babies. We live in a beautiful place, lots of land in the country and me and the kids love the place we’ve called home for their entire lives. But Im seeing that he’ll never change, that my kids deserve a happy healthy Momma, and that staying in this as is will be the early death of me. Then I look at the scars covering my entire body…this disease and the chronic stress I’ve been enduring for years that tell me I’m no longer beautiful and no one will ever look at me with interest again. I try self care, try to give myself grace so I can just start loving myself enough to gain strength but the slightest sparkle in my eye and skip in my step attracts his wrath and it all comes crashing ten fold. Life is just absolutely railing me from every single direction leaving me wanting to wave that white flag bc I don’t feel like there’s much hope no matter what happens. 
    • trents
    • Jillian83
      Hi, I was recently diagnosed with Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis after years of suffering without answers. I lost my mind. I lost my job. I lost so much time. I lost Me. Conventional doctors are opulent come near me and the one who did sat across the room, misdiagnosed me, pumped me full of steroids which collapsed my entire hip for 6 months. So without answers I began my holistic journey. Fast forward a couple of years and still struggling with a mysterious whole body itchy, crawling “skin hell”, perfect teeth now deteriorating, thick hair now thinning rapidly and no more than a day or 2 at most relief….An acquaintance opened up a functional medicine practice. Cash only, I found a way. Within a month tests clearly showing my off the charts gluten allergy/sensitivity as well as the depletion of vital nutrients due to leaky gut and intestinal damage. dermatitis herpetiformis was more than likely what I was experiencing with my skin. I was happy. I thought this is easy, eat healthy Whole Foods, follow the diet restrictions and I finally get to heal and feel confident and like myself again very soon! 😔 Supplements are very pricey but I got them and began my healing. Which leads to the other major issue: not working, stay at home Mom of young kids, entirely financially dependent on my man of 7 plus years. He’s never been supportive of anything I’ve ever done or been thru. He controls everything. I’m not given much money ever at a time and when he does leave money it’s only enough to possibly get gas. His excuse is that I’ll spend it on other things. So my “allowance” is inconsistent and has conditions. He withholds money from me as punishment for anything he wants. Since being diagnosed, he’s gained a new control tactic to use as punishment. He now is in control of when I get to eat. He asked for proof of my diagnosis and diet bc he said I made it up just to be able to eat expensive organic foods. Then after I sent him my file from my doctor he then said she wasn’t a real doctor. 😡. I go days upon days starving, sometimes breaking down and eating things I shouldn’t bc I’m so sick then I pay horribly while he gets annoyed and angry bc I’m not keeping up with all the duties I’m supposed to be doing. His abuse turns full on when I’m down and it’s in these desperate times when I need his support and care the most that I’m punished with silence, being starved, ignored, belittled. He will create more of a mess just bc I’m unable to get up and clean so that when I am better, I’m so overwhelmed with chores to catch up that the stress causes me to go right back into a flare from hell and the cycle repeats. I’m punished for being sick. I’m belittled for starving and asking for healthy clean water. I’m purposely left out of his life. He won’t even tell me he’s going to the grocery or to get dinner bc he doesn’t want me to ask him for anything. I have no one. I have nothing. Im not better. My supplements ran out and I desperately need Vitamin D3 and a methylated B complex at the very minimal just to function….he stares at me blankly…no, a slight smirk, no words. He’s happiest when im miserable and I am miserable.  this is so long and im condensing as much as I can but this situation is so complicated and disgusting. And it’s currently my life. The “IT” girl, the healthy, beautiful, perfect skin, perfect teeth, thick and curly locks for days, creative and talented IT girl….now I won’t even leave this house bc Im ashamed of what this has dont to my body, my skin. Im disgusted. The stress is keeping me from healing and I think he knows that and that’s why he continues to keep me in that state. He doesn’t want me confident or successful. He doesn’t want me healed and healthy bc then how would he put the blame of all his problems on me? This journey has been hell and I’ve been in Hell before. I’ve been killed by an ex, I’ve been raped, robbed, held hostage, abused beyond nightmares but the cruelty I’ve experienced from him bc of this disease is the coldest I’ve ever experienced. I’ve wanted to give up. Starving and in tears, desperate…I found a local food pantry in our small town so I reached out just saying I had Celiac and was on hard times. This woman is blessing me daily with prepared gluten free meals, donations, educational info, people who know this disease and how they manage life and the blessings just keep coming. But it’s overwhelming and I feel like I don’t deserve it at all. He just glared and I know he’s going to sabotage it somehow. I don’t even know what to do anymore. I’m so broken and just want peace and healing. 
    • cristiana
      @Colleen H   I am just curious,  when you were tested for coeliac disease, did the doctors find out if you had any deficiencies? Sometimes muscle pain can be caused by certain deficiencies, for example, magnesium, vitamin D, calcium, and potassium.   Might be worth looking into having some more tests.  Pins and needles can be neuropathy, again caused by deficiencies, such as iron and B12,  which can be reversed if these deficiencies are addressed. In the UK where I live we are usually only tested for iron, B12 and vitamin D deficiencies at diagnosis.   I was very iron anemic and supplementation made a big difference.  B12 was low normal, but in other countries the UK's low normal would be considered a deficiency.  My vitamin D was low normal, and I've been supplementing ever since (when I remember to take it!) My pins and needles definitely started to improve when my known deficiencies were addressed.  My nutritionist also gave me a broad spectrum supplement which really helped, because I suspect I wasn't just deficient in what I mention above but in many other vitamins and minerals.  But a word of warning, don't take iron unless blood tests reveal you actually need it, and if you are taking it your levels must be regularly monitored because too much can make you ill.  (And if you are currently taking iron, that might actually be making your stomach sore - it did mine, so my GP changed my iron supplementation to a gentler form, ferrous gluconate). Lastly, have you been trying to take anything to lessen the pain in your gut?  I get a sore stomach periodically, usually when I've had too much rich food, or when I have had to take an aspirin or certain antibiotics, or after glutening.  When this happens, I take for just a few days a small daily dose of OTC omeprazole.  I also follow a reflux or gastritis diet. There are lots online but the common denominators to these diets is you need to cut out caffeine, alcohol, rich, spicy, acidic food etc and eat small regularly spaced meals.   When I get a sore stomach, I also find it helpful to drink lots of water.  I also find hot water with a few slices of ginger very soothing to sip, or camomile tea.  A wedge pillow at night is good for reflux. Also,  best not to eat a meal 2-3 hours before going to bed. If the stomach pain is getting worse, though, it would be wise to see the doctor again. I hope some of this helps. Cristiana    
    • Me,Sue
      I was diagnosed with coeliac disease a couple of years ago [ish]. I love my food and a variety of food, so it's been hard, as it is with everyone. I try and ensure everything I eat doesn't contain gluten, but occasionally I think something must have got through that has gluten in. Mainly I know because I have to dash to the loo, but recently I have noticed that I feel nauseous after possibly being glutened. I think the thing that I have got better at is knowing what to do when I feel wiped out after a gluten 'episode'. I drink loads of water, and have just started drinking peppermint tea. I also have rehydration powders to drink. I don't feel like eating much, but eventually feel like I need to eat. Gluten free flapjacks, or gluten free cereal, or a small gluten free kids meal are my go to. I am retired, so luckily I can rest, sometimes even going to bed when nothing else works. So I feel that I am getting better at knowing how to try and get back on track. I am also trying to stick to a simpler menu and eat mostly at home so that I can be more confident about what I am eating. THANKS TO THOSE WHO REPLIED ABOUT THE NAUSEA .
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.