Weight Gain On Gluten Free Diet

[keysey]

ahhh yeah cheers mate ill give that ago

[Rworthy]

I have not been diagnosed with Celiac disease, but have noticed that my problems which go back to childhood could be related to a gluten intolerance. I have been exercising religiously since April. I went back to a gluten free diet last week, not replacing wheat/gluten products with gluten free subsitutes, but getting rid of them completely. Last week I noticed I finally started to lose weight, a pound here, 2 pounds there. On Saturday I had a few vodka tonics (4 total), but other than that, did not cheat on my diet at all. (Every day averages about 1400 calories). I got on the scale Monday morning, and it said I had GAINED 7 pounds...from Friday. I am extremely discouraged to think that I was on a weight loss track, and now I'm back to my start weight after virtually starving myself and exercising like crazy, on this gluten free diet. I don't know what's going on, I've consulted several forums and everyone says don't worry it will come back down - it could be water weight, etc. I don't believe them. I walked an extra mile yesterday, for a total of 75 minutes in the heat. I weighed myself this morning and only came down 1 pound. Is this gluten free diet making me gain weight? How am I supposed to stay on track for losing weight (I need to lose about 30 to get out of the "obese" category and move into "overweight") if I don't even mess up, and am doing everything right, only to gain an enormous amount of weight literally overnight? I'm seeing a lot of posts here that say you were underweight because of the Celiac disease...is anyone OVERweight due to Celiac? I am feeling better because of eliminating gluten, but I am SUPER hungry, and even though I don't have any energy to exercise, I push myself WAY overboard because I want to see my hard work pay off. Is there something I can do to lose the weight I've already lost before starting this diet, and then lose more to get on track?

Super disappointed and confused!

[Coolclimates]

i've gained about 7 pounds since going gluten-free 4 months ago and although I'm far from overweight, I'm very scared about gaining more and more weight. I'm trying to eat less calories with this new diet because before I could eat whatever I wanted and still was losing weight. I'm trying to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, but they just don't fill me up and I am constantly craving carbs and sweets. I've just started going dairy free because I have not felt much better since going on the gluten-free diet 4 months ago and think that maybe my intestines won't heal until I stop dairy for awhile. I'm tired ALL the time. It's so frustrating. I'm just so afraid of gaining more weight. And I exercise frequently (4-6 times a week on average).

[Nadia2009]

i've gained about 7 pounds since going gluten-free 4 months ago and although I'm far from overweight, I'm very scared about gaining more and more weight. I'm trying to eat less calories with this new diet because before I could eat whatever I wanted and still was losing weight. I'm trying to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, but they just don't fill me up and I am constantly craving carbs and sweets. I've just started going dairy free because I have not felt much better since going on the gluten-free diet 4 months ago and think that maybe my intestines won't heal until I stop dairy for awhile. I'm tired ALL the time. It's so frustrating. I'm just so afraid of gaining more weight. And I exercise frequently (4-6 times a week on average).

It is interesting I must be the only one here who lost weight on the gluten free diet. Before starting the diet I was around 140lbs now I am about 127lbs and it is funny how when I met some old friends who knew me years ago they congratulated me for gaining some weight and I was like who gained weight?

I used to be skinny most of my life and I dont know if it was due to malabsorption but I melted when I went gluten. I even got scared when I reached 126-127lbs because I didn't want to keep losing but it it is stable for the last 6 months.

I think the reason why I lost so much weight was for me all the sugar was coming with the gluten. I am not someone who drinks pop and I dont add sugar to hot drinks. I also eat not too fat and with almost no restaurant food and no processed food, I am in control of the fat and sugar.

Maybe I precipitated my weight lost with two other things:

-by introducing coconut oil and using it for about 2 months

-with depression I had after being 6 months gluten free. I had 0 appetite.

Now, I am better and not depressed anymore so I eat well and sometimes I overeat ut for some reason, my gluten free over eating has limits I can't go on like when I was craving pizza or pastries. Generally like 80% of the time, I eat whole foods a lot of brown rice (mostly in bread sorgho chickpeas tapioca) I fry more food than ever before and since I find my food pretty boring (I am sick and tired of rice!) I do get some pastry and I indulge in home fried food. For now, I feel like nothing is making me gain weight. I wonder if I dont eat too much proteins or at least a lot more than before going gluten-free. Also, wonder if it is not an issue of hormones...maybe there is some imbalance and I have more testosterone lol I really hope not but I find my body has never been so lean except when I was a skinny teen.

Just one more thing: just before gluten started hiting me hard and feeling pain about 1.5 year ago, I was on gluten like some people are on drug and I was eating lots of calories in just pastry and ice-creams.

[Lisa79]

I have been gluten-free since I was diagnosed with celiac disease nearly 18 months, in have gained 18kg in the last 12 months I was very thin when I was first diagnosed so the first 5kg I happily accepted, I am not extremely overweight, I do look and feel healthier but the weight is just not stopping. The last couple of weeks I have been very careful eating well exercising (riding/walking) at least 4 times p/week, bought my own juicer and been juicing all sorts of fruits and veg daily, and I gained another 0.5kg... I know in those first few months I overcompensated with chocolate and other gluten-free yummy food, maybe just to replace what I couldnt have and a bit of feeling sorry for myself coming to terms with the celiac disease, but 18kg is alot to gain in 12 months, and I have changed my eating to healthier foods.

I do find I have a bigger appetite now. I have other food intolerances too, which does also cause bloating and constipation, I avoid dairy, nightshades, soy, eggs, but I must admit to slip up with these things occasionally, my diet is pretty restrictive but I manage to keep gaining weight.

I am seeing a homeopath which has done wonders so far with my intolerances, I can slip up and dont feel much of the effect, I have heaps more energy and my anxiety is undercontrol.

Now I just want to lose a few kg and keep my weight at a healthy weight that I am happy with.

I also had my gallbladder out about 3-4 years ago, interesting to see how many had gallbladder issues. I think anyone with Gallbladder issues should be tested for celiac disease.

[Wolicki]

I, too, gained a lot of weight. And I mean a LOT. At diagnosis, I weighed 93 pounds. I had been losing steadily for a few years. I went from a very slim 150 lbs. (I am 6 ft tall female) down to 93. As soon as I started the gluten free diet, I started gaining weight at an alarming rate. My body went haywire, and I gained massive amounts from fluid retention that has never gone away.

I gained 120 pounds in 7 months, while eating about 1400 calories per day and exercising 6 days per week in boot camp. I ride 3-6 hours per weekend on my bike. No processed food, no grains, low fat, no sugar. Doc says it's because of malnutrition and my body is hanging onto every calorie preparing for the next famine. He thinks it will eventually work itself out.

Before anyone yells that the calories are too low, I was gaining, gaining, gaining at everything above 1400 and the doc says this is the new normal for me. I can't do anything else but hope it eventually fixes itself. Skinny to fat in no time flat.

On the bright side, I am healthy, if somewhat plump. I guess plump is better than dead, right?

So when I say "I understand," I really understand.

[Reba32]

A whole, natural foods diet with properly balanced healthy fats, protiens and low-ish carbs is the healthiest (and biologically "normal") diet there is. It's how our ancestors ate before they started refining sugar and grains.

Check out the new Atkins. There's a new book, it's easier to follow, and there's lots more foods on the list you can eat, even in the first phase. The great thing about Atkins is that the early phases are naturally gluten free, (and that's how I found out I have Celiac!) and you don't *have* to re-introduce grains.

There's absolutely no reason that you have to eat grains, you can have a perfectly healthy diet without them. Despite what the government food pyramid says, science proves it's not viable, and it's basically upside down!

For fibre, I eat flax meal, and lots and lots of veggies, nuts and seeds. I've lost the 30+ extra pounds I didn't need, and I'm never ever hungry, and I'm the healthiest I've ever been in my entire life. I highly recommend it.

[TexasLaura]

I'm also a newbie, going into my second month gluten-free. Along the way, have added lactose-free and cane sugar-free, due to really poor reactions to both. Oh, and I quit smoking (after 18 years) five weeks ago, as well. I figured it had to be done, so why not get it all over with at once?

Anyway, I've had some issues with my weight, too, mainly because I'm hungry as a bear all the time. I don't really crave gluten foods or sweets or necessarily even carbs-- in fact, the past three days have been marked by a constant craving for garlic-stuffed olives-- just random foods, and a constant supply of them. I feel like a grazing animal!

I've only gained about three pounds, but I'm concerned. I've upped my exercise level, too, to at least an hour of moderate to vigorous something-or-other every day. This is a bit of a problem because I also have persistent and almost-debilitating-at-times body aches and joint pain (which didn't start until after starting the gluten-free diet, by the way.) I just work through it, and usually feel less achey (though exhausted) for a few hours afterward.

Part of my problem is that I've always enjoyed whole foods, natural foods, even strictly raw foods, but have been surrounded by potatoes-and-gravy-and-apple-pie people. Since having my allergy diagnosed, I've finally had an excuse to eat like I like to eat anyway, and I think my inner child is having a field day.

I actually like my new diet, much better than the old one, which I adhere to out of convenience, reluctance to make waves with family, wanting to be part of good old 'Merican Culture, etc.. And the only "substituting" I've done is with Crunchmaster Roasted Garlic Multiseed Crackers, and Enjoy Life Flax Perky's cereal.

But I promise you this: you can still gain weight on bean soup, if you eat enough of it!!