Weight Watchers...

[Turtle]

Just curious if anyone is on Weight Watchers and how it's panning out w/ having to be on a gluten-free diet???

I was on Weight Watchers several years ago and did well. But then I found out I was a Celiac (gluten-free since May 1, 2005) and since my body has started to absorb vitamins and nutrients normally the pounds are creeping back on....I've read this is common, but I REFUSE to be large and in charge again. It's bad enough having different sizes of clothes in my closet to accomodate for the days i'm swollen/bloated but I just can't deal w/ having to buy bigger clothes b/c i'm gaining weight....

Anyhow, would love to hear from anyone on Weight Watchers and your experience w/ being on a gluten-free diet as well. Thanks!

[wilbragirl]

Just curious if anyone is on Weight Watchers and how it's panning out w/ having to be on a gluten-free diet???

I was on Weight Watchers several years ago and did well. But then I found out I was a Celiac (gluten-free since May 1, 2005) and since my body has started to absorb vitamins and nutrients normally the pounds are creeping back on....I've read this is common, but I REFUSE to be large and in charge again. It's bad enough having different sizes of clothes in my closet to accomodate for the days i'm swollen/bloated but I just can't deal w/ having to buy bigger clothes b/c i'm gaining weight....

Anyhow, would love to hear from anyone on Weight Watchers and your experience w/ being on a gluten-free diet as well. Thanks!

[fo

t=Times New Roman]

I just had the biopsy two days ago, and won't get the results until next week, but I am told I should go back to the gluten-free diet. Your comments about the gluten-free diet putting back on the pounds scares me. I have followed WW since 1975 off and on, and have lost a ton of weight; still the past couple of months I have not been following the program religiously because I wasn't sure about what I should and should not be eating.

Funny that you say you are putting on the weight. I have been looking forward to LOSING the weight since I would be cutting out the carbos and related starches.

I need to know what I can and can't eat to follow the CORE program; or should I follow the FLEX program??? I am not sure, but I would like to know how other Weight Watchers members with celiac disease are dealing with it in regards to their diets.

[plantime]

I was doing WW, but I have really slacked off. My doc said WW is the best for me, it is the only one that is flexible enough to accomodate my restrictions. I have a problem with flex: gluten-free flours are very high in points, so I wasn't getting much to eat. I am going to try core, but first I have to have money to sign back up!

[Ann1231]

I tried WW but having the same trouble with flex. It seems the foods I can eat (nuts, seeds, other protein foods) are so high in points that I end up with very little food. I don't eat that much with being gluten-free but it's crazy how little I was able to eat and stay in the point range.

Let us know if you try the core plan, if it works any better.

Ann

[ddosik]

I'm following the Core plan. I'm not only eating a gluten-free diet, I'm also a vegetarian. This makes eating out a huge issue. Eating at home hasn't been so bad. I don't find that my choices are too limited - except for bread. I sure miss peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! The gluten-free bread isn't very good so I don't eat it more than once or twice a week at breakfast. And yes, it's too high in points!

These are the kinds of gluten-free Core foods I find myself eating:

BREAKFAST: Egg Beaters, hot rice cereal, puffed rice and puffed corn cereals, FF milk/soymilk/yogurt, fruit, smoothies

I'll use Flex points for the occasional slice of gluten-free bread or waffle w/peanut butter

LUNCH and DINNER: tofu, tempeh, brown rice, quinoa, roasted/steamed/sauteed vegetables, lentil/black bean/vegetable soup, beans, acorn/butternut/spaghetti squash, homemade marinara sauce, Franklin Farms veggie burger, homemade chili w/TVP, sweet and red potatoes

I'll use Flex points for corn chips, corn tortillas, cheese, etc.

SNACKS: fruit, vegetables, garbanzo beans, unsweetened applesauce, SF veg'n jello, SF/FF pudding

I'll use Flex points for cheese, sweets, light ice cream, some gluten-free cookies or crackers, etc.

When I think about it and look back in my food journal, I see that the majority of my Flex points are used for indulgences like peanut butter and ice cream. Maybe I should think more about that!

[lanie]

I have been following ww for a year flex plan with a regular diet and have lost 35 lbs. I need to do gluten free and am nervous I still need to lose 15 lbs. ddsok Thanks for the ideas on core plan ..I am going to look into that. I plan on doing a lot of research on foods because I need to know ahead what I can eat so I won't grab the 1st thing I see. My plan is to start April 1st I will keep you updated.

lanie

[luvs2eat]

Recently joined WW (again!!) and have been going for 2 weeks. I've lost almost 6 lbs. and am so encouraged. I've cut out my fav Manna from Anna bread just until I can get a handle on dieting ... and other things like rice and potatoes.

When I was diagnosed w/ Celiac, I hadn't lost any weight and proceeded to put on about 30 lbs. thoroughly enjoying the foods I CAN have (rice, gluten-free pasta, potatoes) rather than be upset at what I could no longer have.

I'll incorporate them back into my diet but not till I have a handle on super healthy eating again.

The crappy reality is that all the starches we can have are all a higher glycemic index than regular ones. UGH!!

[plantime]

Hi Luvs2eat! I re-signed on Weight Watchers Online this week. I am going to try Flex again, but this time leave out the gluten-free breads. I have been trying to change to more real meats and fruits and veggies. I haven't lost anything yet, but my pants are fitting looser and looser. Do you ever visit the message boards on the WW site?

[GF/WW In Tulsa]

I am so glad to see this WW thread. I am at my WW goal weight, but have fallen off the gluten -free wagon because I started buying all the convenient WW foods. Like others the first thing I realized is that gluten-free foods use so many points!!! Anyone have suggestions on good high-protein gluten-free snack bars? Love Luna bars,but looking for more protein. What about Zone Perfect? Would love to know what you other FLEX guys are eating.

Susan

[jnclelland]

Anyone have suggestions on good high-protein gluten-free snack bars? Love Luna bars,but looking for more protein. What about Zone Perfect? Would love to know what you other FLEX guys are eating.

Susan

Unfortunately, Luna bars are NOT gluten-free; they're wheat-free, but they contain oats. (And if I remember correctly, last time I checked they specifically said after the ingredients, "Not a gluten-free food.")

Lara bars and Clif nectar bars, on the other hand, are gluten-free and quite yummy!

[GF/WW In Tulsa]

Unfortunately, Luna bars are NOT gluten-free; they're wheat-free, but they contain oats. (And if I remember correctly, last time I checked they specifically said after the ingredients, "Not a gluten-free food.")

Lara bars and Clif nectar bars, on the other hand, are gluten-free and quite yummy!

Thanks for the reply on the Luna bars. Cliff Nectars and Laras are really good, but looking for higher protein. Does anyone know if the Zone Perfect bars are OK? I just discovered the Lunberg rice chips and they are awesome. I would appreciate any tips on yummy gluten-free food....especially low in WW points. Thanks, Susan

[plantime]

I don't eat any of the bars. If I have to have an on-the-go meal, I use a can of Slim Fast shake.

[ebrbetty]

what about working out at home, lifting weights and watching the portions you eat, it would save money too!?

[GinaO]

what about working out at home, lifting weights and watching the portions you eat, it would save money too!?

The core plan is wonderful! In regards to working out....you should do cardio...that is something to get your heart rate up there...at least for 30 minutes every day....in regards to resistance training...my trainer suggests 2-3 times a week.

This gluten-free thing is crazy! I was on the Core Plan about a year before I was diagnosed and did very well...lost about 35 lbs..and about 4% body fat. After the news in December...I found myself so upset that I ate what I could...that is...a whole lotta rice pasta and Hershey chocolate. Now..would I have done that before? NO! But...it's the whole mental thing!

So...I have gained about 5lbs total. I am struggling with that and would like to get it together. I suggest we come up with Core item ideas so it would be easy to cross reference them as gluten-free. The WW core forum on Dottie's Weight Loss Zone does that...they have a huge list of core items...many of them...well...we can't indulge in...but it makes the shopping a whole lot easier.

[smack]

I have been on WW for 3.5 years - gluten-free for 4! I've been a life time member for about 1.5 years. As soon as they released the Core Program I went on it and never looked back. It compliments a gluten-free diet well in my experience. However I should note that I don't eat gluten-free bread very much as it tends to be much higher in points for the quantity you get. But I have found a nice bread that is 2 pts/slice that I have toasted once in a while. But the core program is great, no processed foods are on the list, it's all whole foods, meats, veggies fruits etc. You can have as much (literally) core foods as you want. including avocado which is 2pts/quarter on flex. Mmmm zero point guacamole. I spend my 35 'extra' points per week usually on sweets

I confirmed with my WW Leader that my brand of brown rice pasta was indeed a core item, it is organic and the only ingredients are brown rice, rice bran and water (Rizopia - Organic Brown Rice Pasta). She said since brown rice itself is free and this product is organic with no other ingredients or preservatives it would be considered core, which is great! Now not only people who eat a bowl of whole wheat pasta can enjoy the zero points

WW helped me lose the 35lbs I gained after I went gluten-free (I didn't have the weightloss often associated with celiac disease as others have experienced) - mainly from the increased calories in gluten-free products. I also found that many rice breads weren't filling in the long run, I would have sandwich and be hungry shortly after and have another, add to that the increase in calories and fat in many gluten-free free breads and yikes...chunky monkey

[shai76]

Just curious if anyone is on Weight Watchers and how it's panning out w/ having to be on a gluten-free diet???

I was on Weight Watchers several years ago and did well. But then I found out I was a Celiac (gluten-free since May 1, 2005) and since my body has started to absorb vitamins and nutrients normally the pounds are creeping back on....I've read this is common, but I REFUSE to be large and in charge again. It's bad enough having different sizes of clothes in my closet to accomodate for the days i'm swollen/bloated but I just can't deal w/ having to buy bigger clothes b/c i'm gaining weight....

Anyhow, would love to hear from anyone on Weight Watchers and your experience w/ being on a gluten-free diet as well. Thanks!

I lost 22 pounds on weight watchers, but I don't even look at the books anymore. I just count every 50 calories as a point and that seemed to work well. Right now I mostly just concentrate on staying away from the things I am not supposed to eat. I noticed it is harder to lose weight since I went gluten free.