Help! Am Gaining Weight:

[Born2run2]

Hi Everyone, It's been awhile since I've been backposting on the board. I have been trying to find a way to lose another 25 pounds. Went on Atkins, but for some reason it is not working for me anymore. I have lost 35 pounds, but it is coming back fast and furious. So I'm thinking maybe weight watchers might help, but it is wheat based, and I'm not sure how to substitute so maybe thats not going to work out either. I have read thru some of the posts and everyone has some great ideas I'm not sure which plan is going to work for me. Anyway I wondered if anyone had some ideas. And for those of you that have done weight watchers successfully how did you substitute ingredients? Judy

[stef-the-kicking-cuty]

Hi Judy,

i had to hold my 50 kg (not sure, think it's 110 pounds) weight for years, due to the fact, that i'm (still) fighting in weight classes at tournaments. To hold my weight i ate one big cucumber salad every day with different fat free dressings together with normal food (but before every big meal first the entire bowl of salad, so you eat less of the other stuff) and withdrew completely on candies and sweet soda (no coke, pepsi, mountain dew and all that other sugary stuff). I drank water all day and a tea maybe, but without sugar. And no coffee, because coffee makes you hungry. Well, tea does, too, but it's not that bad than coffee is. A good hunger quencher is mate (spell?) tea. When you use cucumbers, i mean the big ones, not the small pickles.

Whatever you do, don't try stuff like slim fast and all that other crap out there. Most people I personally know had their old weight faster back on than they could lose weight. If you don't change your eating style and your working out habits not much is gonna happen and after you stop taking that stuff, the weight will come back, if you didn't change your life style.

I also know that from myself. A lot of people say. Oh, you have such a nice figure. I bet you can eat everything and don't gain a pound. If they knew how wrong they are. I have to work out every day to keep this "nice figure". And (even if it's not that fast than with some other people) when I only stare at a chocolate cake I also gain weight, IF I don't DO anything for my figure. And believe me, i've had moments (sometimes days, seldom weeks), when I didn't work out. It also paid back to me. There's no way around, if you wanna stay thin, do something for your body and that's not only withdrawing from sweet and fatty stuff.

Greetings, Stef

[FreyaUSA]

Hi Judy! I've been doing the South Beach diet and not having much of a problem keeping the weight I lost off (30 lbs.) Because SB stresses eating whole foods rather than anything refined (sugars, flours, etc.) it's not difficult to follow the maintenance phase and avoid gluten. I've also problems digesting most meats and seem to be becoming lactose intolerant (yeah, me ) so I can tell you with the utmost confidence that it is NOT a low carb diet. If you're interested in just checking out a website, here is one where some of the best recipes (90% or more are naturally gluten-free, too) can be found along with the best people. (Stef, it also supports the GET OFF YOUR BUTT theory on changing your health for the better )

Also, there are several people on that board who are doing what they call weight watchers on the beach. Basically, using WW's point system but eating according to SB guideline. They say it helps them figure out portion control (if this is a problem, it may be a great way to diet.) Plus, they have the added encouragement that going to meetings and having regular weigh-ins brings. They all say they do better overall than most of the WW people.

Good luck!

[lovegrov]

I would agree that WW is very possible but you take out the wheat and then just count the points. There's plenty of stuff to eat under WW that's gluten-free; you just eat that. I had gotten 35 pounds overweight and went to a modified WW and lost 30. I also started walking 30-45 minutes every day and lifting small weights 2-3 times a week. The exercise is absolutely essential. I'm not talking real strenuous, but enough to build some muscle.

richard

[Born2run2]

I've never seriously looked at SB diet. I have been so discouraged with Atkins that it kind of soued me on all of them. I will look it up on the net and see what it is about. I'm really lleaning toward WW. I have a couple of old books, before they started the points system. Maybe substitute gluten-free bread for the wheat bread, and gluten-free cereal for the other kind. Of course meat,veggies and fruit are already gluten-free, but I'm allergic to dairy so I guess Soy would be the best. I think I'm going to play with this and see what happens, maybe incorporate a little SB in it. Of course like you pointed out exercise is very important. Thanks for all the advice, Maybe I can make this work. Judy

[stef-the-kicking-cuty]

I agree with Richard and Frey, as I already said, not only control the stuff your eating (weight watchers or not weight watchers), but also do some workout for your body. What i actually meant, was that there are a lot of people who think: Oh, weight watchers. Great thing, so I don't have to do anything anymore. I didn't say, that you're one of them. I just said, that there ARE people who do it like that.

I had a friend, she was in police school with me. And the doc in the police school said, either she loses weight or she can't pass the test for the police officer . I'm not sure, I think she had about almost the double weight of me . We are same height. So what did she do? Drank slim fast everyday and in the evening after school she went home, drank her slim fast again, sat down on her lazy but, watched TV and ate a bowl of gummi bears. One complete bowl !!! That's about 30 oz!!! And then she complaint, that she didn't lose weight and OH, she tried EVERYTHING . Plus the sports she HAD to do in police school like running twice a week and sometimes swimming or JuJutsu. Well, with running she stopped after 10 minutes, because she didn't have condition anymore. In "swimming" we splashed around most of the time and in JuJutsu she stood around and made blabla most of the time. And the tip of the iceberg was when she said to me, oh, i wish i would have your figure. When you eat food it slides right through you. Yeah, right, I just was (and am still) working out like a nutball sometimes. But she never saw that. And than she was wondering, why she is fat. You understand what i mean. And people like this i meet them a lot. Like my in-law-aunt. Same thing, she is biiig. And my husband said. Oh, that's just in the family. You see, my aunt gets enough workout, she walks at least 3 miles each day at work. Boooaaah, 3 miles, boooaah!!! Wait, something's wrong with that picture , if you're double the size of what you actually should be, then you are NOT getting enough workout. Or eat less or the right things or everything all together or whatever, but do SOMETHING or quit complaining. That's what i told them, but NOOO, it's in the family. If it would be in the family, then i should look like a fluffy pancake. And when it's in the family, why are there skinny families with the one fat exception or fat families with the one skinny exception? So that can't quite be .

OK, then, just wanted to give my 2 cents.

Stef

[FreyaUSA]

Stef, I love reading your posts! I feel like I can picture you moving your arms and making your points! I'll bet you are as enthusiastic in person as you are in writing. (It's because of friends I have like you that I did finally start moving my butt...but to tell the truth, it's a mental struggle for me, but I do it! Lol!)

By the who, I forgot to post the website link. Doh! Here it is.

Open Original Shared Link

[stef-the-kicking-cuty]

Hello Frey,

thanks, that encourages me in two things . First: I thought i'm going on peoples nerves with that (well, maybe I do, but at least I try to be kind of sarcastic sometimes ) and second: Now I have proof that my english language is getting better . You can understand me...lol. Houston. No problem. Over...

Stef

[stef-the-kicking-cuty]

Hey, what I forgot to say. I think there actually IS a sport for EVERYBODY. If it's a mental struggle for you, then you just didn't find that sport yet . And believe me, there are a lot of excuses (even for me I must admit) to do no sports . Been there, done that . I'm unfortunately also not blessed with a lot of discipline in that. And it really is easier to go to sports lessons with a friend. And boy is it hard to keep on doing it when your friend suddenly quits or when he/she doesn't have time to go to the lessons for one day or is sick or so. But I always keep saying to myself. Wait a minute, is my friend the reason I do this sport or because I have fun? And what I also always tend to forget is that I already have found a lot of other people (new friends) I like to do this sport with in the sports class itself. But it still IS really hard to do and I think, well, my friend doesn't go, so I have an excuse . Or my favorite TV show is running. Or my friend from germany calls and it's much more comfortable to make blabla for three hours than hop around in the gym. Or, or, or... It's terrible, but i'm master in doing that.

But i think i'm the best example of finding a sport that you like, too. Something that you do with all your heart and you still keep on doing it, even if the world explodes or something. I did my favorite sport in germany and competed in tournaments (and I didn't always win, I had years when I lost one fight after the other) and opened my own school. Now that i came to the states here everything seemed hopeless. I didn't find the right sports school anymore and you don't want to begin from the start either anymore. I just kept on doing it on my own, began to teach a new class, started to go to tournaments again on my own without any help or trainer whatsoever. I tought some of my students how to see mistakes when they watch me while working out and my students are my "trainer" in some way. I did everything on my own and kicked myself in the but, if I was lazy. And I hated it first. Another country, heck even another continent. Different rules, blind judges, politics (here more than in germany actually), more traveling distances and therefore more expensive everything. Excuses? I would have had a lot. So why did I keep on doing it? Because I love it... But on the other hand I don't like moving myself. Actually I hate to do physical stuff. I don't like other sports. I hate running, i don't like soccer, water is too wet for me I think, if I wouldn't have found this, 'MY' ,thing, i actually WOULD look like a fluffy pancake...lol.

But tell you what, even if I hate it sometimes. I'm somewhat proud I could explode. And thanks for listening .

Stef

[lovegrov]

If you're trying to lose weight I'd stay away from the gluten-free bread. Lots and lots of empty calories. More calories, in fact, than regular bread. Use corn tortillas.

richard

[tarnalberry]

For me, simply eating appropriate quantities and exercising was the way to go. I use fitday.com to track calories because it's faster and more convenient than doing it by hand, but getting exercise is just as important. Making sure that you don't overeat, but get sufficient nutrients, requires that you eat pretty healthy food, and while there's room for some treats, you've got to be careful about them. There's no significantly different trick for losing weight with celiac than without, aside from - obviously - avoiding foods we can't have, and making sure to take vitamins that, if you are relatively recently gluten-free, your body may have had trouble absorbing. And don't forget that exercise. ;-)

[Born2run2]

Well so far today I have pretty much stayed with the old weight watchers plan. I think I'll buy a better book when I get some money maybe after Christmas. Looked in the local library and they didn't have any copies. Plenty of vegetarian, and low carb books, but not what I was looking for. I just substituted the wheat bread for a slice of gluten free. I also made my sandwich open faced for lunch. I agree with you Stef, exercise is an important part of any plan. Of course you are a young kid and I'm over the hill, so your metabolism is going to be better then mine. When I was your age I didn't have to give my weight a thought, of course I wasn't absorbing nutrients back then and everything I ate hurt my stomach. But even so I respect what you said and you are absolutely right. That is why I walk for an hour every day, but should add more things to my regiment. Are you a police officer? If you are my hats off to you because you have a dangerous job, that is sorely needed if we are ever to get the crime off the streets. Though I haven't always appreciated being pulled over and issued a traffic ticket. Thankyou everyone for your suggestions and advice. Have a great Sunday, Judy

[mrsfiles]

HELP PLEASE!! I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease by biopsy in April 2002~ a month to the day after my wedding ~God Bless my husband... I have since gone from a size 6 to a 16!!! My stomach feels better since going on the gluten-free diet but I am extremely uncomfortable with my weight gain. I admit in the beginning I ate a lot of rice and potatoes because those were safe, but soon learned how to adjust to gluten-free ways and eat very little of them, as well as bread (I'm a bit lazy when it comes to making it. I can't handle the store's gluten-free selection-I find it to be gross).

My GI Doctor has been no help as he just says I look healthy now. Easy for him to say, I'M the one with no waist now and weigh what I did when I was 8 months pregnant with my son 21 years ago!! I also exercise at a gym 3 days a week, for 1 1/2 hours a day, and have been for the past 2 years. I continue to GAIN not LOSE. I am so frustrated that I am ready to go back to eating gluten and deal with the consequences! I am so overtired all the time and have no energy. I had more before I was diagnosed. What can I do??? I need to lose weight. I had a physical recently for work and the Dr. told me according to my BMI, I am overweight and on the edge of obesity. My Dr. has checked my thyroid, glucose, hormones, etc. Can't find anything. Why is my watching what I eat (I've cut down on sugar and carbs) and exercising regualrly doing exactly the opposite of what it should be doing? Does anyone else have this problem?

[Born2run2]

I sympathize with you since I have the problem too. Everything I attempt to do back fires on me. I haven't given up on it yet something has got to work. Judy

[lovegrov]

This isn't the absolute answer for you, but stay away from those gluten-free substitutes. Forget about gluten-free bread, pasta etc. Way, way too many calories and no nutrients. And keep a close eye on those portions. I discovered I was eating like a hog. For instance, four ounces of beef is considered one serving. I usually ate at least 8 to 12 ounces.

richard