Weight Gain After Gluten Free?

[Mom2Twins]

Hi everyone. Has anyone else had an experience with GAINING weight after going gluten free, especially those who were heavy to begin with? I have struggled with my weight all my life. I lost 70 lbs in 2002 - kept most of it off, but then started gaining again even on a relatively low cal diet - I had gained back 30 lbs before I got pregnant, and then I gained around 70 - 80 lbs during (it was a twin pregnancy).

I find it extremely hard to lose, and when I do lose, I feel like my body tries to sabotage my efforts. When I lost all that weight, I was still technically overweight, but my weight would not budge even when I was strictly dieting.

I found out about celiac at the end of May, and have started gluten free, and started gaining more weight (I still have about 35 lb of prego weight to lose). At first I thought I was eating too much refined gluten free products, so I have cut those out. My hubby has LOST 12 lbs eating my gluten free dinners. I don't get it. I've gained between 6-8 lbs.

I saw my doctor on Tuesday, and he's running a thyroid panel. I actually secretly hope that's the reason, because at least there would be hope then. I have had it tested (TSH, anyway) numerous times, and I am always normal. I asked him to get my thyroid antibodies, too.

Man, I am so frustrated. I joined a gym and started working out this week to try and counteract whatever is causing the gain. Please help!!!

Sue

[dadoffiveboys]

You might have other food allergies. When I went Gluten Free I was still maintaining (or gaining) weight and still not 100%. I then found out I couldn't tolerate Casein either (milk protein). This is VERY common among celiacs - hence why alot of food and recipes are gluten-free/CF. After dropping Casein, I have been losing weight slowly but steadily. I also found out that if I do eat anything with Gluten or Casein, I almost immediately gain about 5 lbs . It then takes about 5 days (all the while feeling sick) to remove it.. but then I can return to my slow weight loss. You may have any other protein allergy on top of the gluten causing you more problems. Good luck and I would slowly try different types of foods to remove and see your response. Although you may have trouble if it's milk and you are supposed to drink it for nourishment - you may need some advice or help on which nutrients you can safely cut out and try to find if you have any other allergies causing problems.

[Gutbomb]

Are you keeping track of your calories and stuff? Might be helpful to see a dietician. The gym will help. I would kill to be back at the gym but I have no energy right now. Pretty sad since I use to go 6 days a week.

[MyMississippi]

A low carb diet has been successful for many people who cannot lose weight. You might want to read Atkins's "New Diet Revolution" book. The diet also decreases blood pressure, triglycerides, cholesterol and blood glucose.

It doesn't matter how much you work out if you do not significantly reduce your CARB intake.

It is not an easy diet for carb addicts---- but it works !

Good luck !

[Lockheed]

I was going to suggest that there's another food sensitivity too. I have celiac plus a soy sensitivity. I put on another 15 lbs after going gluten free during the first six months (I assume my gut was still healing and it just took time.. plus I probably wasn't great at being gluten free)... then I lost almost 70 lbs by the time I had been gluten free for a year. People at work thought I had been working out or something. I didn't honestly believe I was losing the weight until someone said I was so skinny and I just thought they were being nice. When I started putting all the weight on I threw my scale out and refused to look at my weight or think about it.. I just wanted to focus on being healthy and feeling okay again. I didn't care what weight that occurred at.

[Lockheed]

I am so not a fan of the Atkin's diet. Eliminating all carbs has been linked to increased atherosclerosis which puts you at risk for heart attack and stroke. People that had success on Atkin's are likely to be unidentified celiacs or gluten sensitives in my opinion. You should still have carbs, just from a gluten free source. Carbs are essential for your body to function properly, but you just don't need as many as most people probably eat in a day.

But I must admit that the Atkin's diet craze made it easier for me to order a burger without the bun and not get that glare of stupidity.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

For now, you might want to avoid gluten-free breads, pancakes, muffins, cookies, cakes, etc.

I know that's exactly what we are craving right when we start the gluten-free diet, but those gluten-free versions are WAY higher in fat and calories than the gluteny versions.

I'm not sure I agree with the low-carb thing, though. A normal, healthy diet does not include large amounts of breads, muffins, etc, but it is not carb-free.

I was nearly 50 pounds overweight when I started the gluten-free diet, and I lost 30 pounds of it without even trying--but I did NOT eat gluten-free breads and cookies for months, because when I did, my tummy felt like I'd swallowed a brick. Those gluten-free breads are hard for a gluten-damaged tummy to handle!

But I was fine with potatoes and rice (note, not all celiacs are), ate large amounts of them. I also ate Fritos and Guittard dark chocolate chips (NOT low-carb, obviously).

I'd say that you should go as heavy as you can on fresh fruits, fresh veggies, salads, plain grilled fish, chicken, and beef, and eat rice/potatoes as sides for lunch and dinner (not as main courses). For breakfast, if you are not egg-intolerant, there's no better breakfast! And have lots of healthy snacks, like carrot sticks, grapes, cherries--things that are easy to grab and nibble.

Oh--I gained a ton of weight AFTER pregnancy, while nursing. Everybody else seems to lose weight nursing! But I spent all three pregnancies, start to finish, throwing up, so I didn't gain more than 12 pounds, even on anti-nausea meds. When I started breastfeeding, my body was like, "You want to produce WHAT??? Are you CRAZY?")

I gained 25 pounds after each pregnancy, and never lost it until the baby stopped nursing (about 2 years for each baby).

So, if you are breastfeeding twins, AND had celiac-related problems (like not absorbing nutrients), then your body is going to want to hang onto every calorie.Which doesn't mean you should stop nursing--just that you shouldn't TRY to lose weight until you are done nursing (if you are nursing, that is).

The thyroid panel is a very good idea, as autoimmune thyroid disease is commonly concurrent in celiacs, as are multiple food intolerances.

Best of luck to you!

[Panopticism]

Cool. I couldn't gain a damned pound to save my life. I've been gluten free for 11 months I think now, and I'm still way underweight. I eat so much, too. I'm broken.

By the way, I'm a 19 year old male, 125lbs.

[MyMississippi]

I am so not a fan of the Atkin's diet. Eliminating all carbs has been linked to increased atherosclerosis which puts you at risk for heart attack and stroke. People that had success on Atkin's are likely to be unidentified celiacs or gluten sensitives in my opinion. You should still have carbs, just from a gluten free source. Carbs are essential for your body to function properly, but you just don't need as many as most people probably eat in a day.

But I must admit that the Atkin's diet craze made it easier for me to order a burger without the bun and not get that glare of stupidity.

The Atkins diet is NOT A " NO CARB "diet---- You cannot live without carbs--- IT is a LOW CARB diet--- big difference---

Many people don't really understand what the Atkins diet is----IT is a balanced diet---- with LOW CARBS -- when you do it right---- YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT-- and it is a healthy diet

[Egenglert]

I am overweight, I was always big, and slightly overweight before I went gluten-free, and since going gluten free, I have gained about 15 pounds so you definitely are not alone. (I work out too, and focusing on portion control). I just got some blood work done today for a bariatric clinic, which my personal trainer's daughter swears by, the one I see has a lot of gluten-free stuff too.

[julirama723]

I am so not a fan of the Atkin's diet. Eliminating all carbs has been linked to increased atherosclerosis which puts you at risk for heart attack and stroke. People that had success on Atkin's are likely to be unidentified celiacs or gluten sensitives in my opinion. You should still have carbs, just from a gluten free source. Carbs are essential for your body to function properly, but you just don't need as many as most people probably eat in a day.

But I must admit that the Atkin's diet craze made it easier for me to order a burger without the bun and not get that glare of stupidity.

Atkins has a bad name because people do not understand the plan fully. Atkins is NOT no-carb at all. The plan focuses on keeping GOOD nutrient-rich carbs in the diet while eliminating the junk. True, induction, the strictest phase, lasts 2 weeks, but 3 cups of veggies are required during this time (which is 1/2 cup MORE than the recommended daily allowance) and as you continue the plan, you begin to add MORE good carbs. Carbs are added back based on glycemic index/glycemic load. On Atkins, you add back more veggies, fresh dairy, nuts and seeds, berries, wine/spirits (if you choose), legumes, other fruits, starchy veggies, and eventually grains. Obviously, the grains are problematic for many (including myself I've found out!) but the Atkins plan is beneficial to those who are looking to lose weight, as well as those with serious medical problems: PCOS, IBS, Type II Diabetes, etc.

Low-carb is very healthy: low-carb diets focus on WHOLE FOODS that are unprocessed with no fillers or additives. Try sticking with lots of veggies, healthy fats like EVOO/avocados/nuts, fresh meats (stay away from processed stuff), as the basis of your diet, adding in fruits and higher GI foods if you feel comfortable. If you are interested in Atkins, definitely read Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution. The Zone Diet is another healthy plan, as is South Beach, also investigate "Mediterranean" diets.

I just had to speak up on this--I've been following Atkins for 2 years and have lost and kept off about 80 pounds. (I lost 100 but have been having lots of problems after re-introducing grains during marathon training last spring and now I'm waiting for test results to come back to confirm celiac/gluten-intolerance.)