Why The Weight Gain?

[NOLA-girl]

Hi! i am new to this site and also new to eating gluten free (about 2 months on a strict gluten free diet).... i have been reading and it seems that many of you have been gaining weight since going on the diet.

I've only been on it for 2 months and i've already gained 6 pounds! I finally have energy to exercise now, so I've been easing back into working out about 5 days a week.... the only thing i can think of is eating less and lowering my carb-intake.

Does anyone have any suggestions?? I know my body is still adjusting and this may take time but my clothes are starting not to fit :/

[Wolicki]

Unfortunately, when your body has been starved for nutrients, it hangs onto everything! The only thing I found that stopped the gain was working out like a dog. I do circuit training for 35 min per day, 6 days a week, along with a low cal 1500 cal diet. They say it takes up to a year for eveything to straighten out. Can't wait for that!

[NOLA-girl]

Ok, thanks for the advice! I'm already keeping a food journal to see how i do with certain foods, so counting calories won't be much of a problem... i think this will definitely keep me from overeating and from eating empty calories. And i think i'll bump up my exercise routine as well!

[Kathleen Smith]

I also gained weight after going gluten free, almost 10 pounds. The whole time I was exercising too. Nothing crazy, my usual 3-4 days a week for approx. an hour (cardio and weights). I recenently joined weight watchers (get weighed tomorrow for first week) and what I noticed is that I was overeating. I really didnt think I was because everything I ate was "healthy" and I never go out to eat, but it was still too much. So I'll see if Weight Watchers helps! I need the accountability right now. Good luck to you!

[KikiUSA]

I gained 15 pounds before I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and I couldn't understand why. I work out and watch what I eat so it didn't make sense to me. I have only been on the gluten free diet for 7 days now and still working out but the only thing that I have noticed is that I am still putting on weight. I'm starting to get depressed but I will keep working out and cut back more on my eating, I only eat about 1000 cals a day but maybe thats still to much.

Glad though I am not alone in this, very helpful to read all your posts.

[celiac-mommy]

I only eat about 1000 cals a day but maybe thats still to much.

You might not be eating enough. 1000 cal with workouts is too few calories. It is possible that your body has gone into starvation mode and is holding onto everything making it impossible to lose. Just a thought

[luvs2eat]

I packed on about 35 lbs after going gluten free and I know exactly why!! I was diagnosed very quickly... only about 3 months after developing unrelenting diarrhea, so I wasn't losing any weight!

People always ask me the signs and symptoms of celiac disease and I tell them one is unexplained weight loss... then I look down at myself and say, "Um... I didn't GET that one." ha ha

Plus, I was so upset over the things I could no longer eat, that I chowed down mightily on all the things I COULD have... like rice (risotto is awesome) and brown rice pastas.

I totally did it to myself!! Now I'm trying hard to eat better... and LESS... and exercise more.

[KikiUSA]

You might not be eating enough. 1000 cal with workouts is too few calories. It is possible that your body has gone into starvation mode and is holding onto everything making it impossible to lose. Just a thought

Ok didnt think of that, thanks. Guess I will be increasing my intake then and keep my fingers crossed it works.....just feels so strange to me as I have never had any weight issues, I almost dont feel like me anymore.

[NOLA-girl]

Thanks everyone for all your advice. I still haven't lost weight but i am trying to eat 1500 cals a day plus workouts. I realize that I really have been overeating, especially because I've been trying out all these new foods. I really do hope things turn around soon b/c my clothes are starting not to fit :/ On a happier note, I have so much more energy so exercising is actually FUN again!! a day before being hospitalized and diagnosed with celiac, I had tried jogging and was out of breath after 30 seconds of running! Now I am easily able to run a mile!

[Erin Elberson]

Thanks everyone for all your advice. I still haven't lost weight but i am trying to eat 1500 cals a day plus workouts. I realize that I really have been overeating, especially because I've been trying out all these new foods. I really do hope things turn around soon b/c my clothes are starting not to fit :/ On a happier note, I have so much more energy so exercising is actually FUN again!! a day before being hospitalized and diagnosed with celiac, I had tried jogging and was out of breath after 30 seconds of running! Now I am easily able to run a mile!

Awesome stuff! I think not realizing how much we are eating is very, very common-good on your for recognizing that and making a change! And the running and feeling better-goes without saying that this is really good stuff! Keep up the great work!

[luce]

eeek. I am newly diagnosed and this has been my biggest fear, too. I actually cried about that instead of my diagnosis- haha. Although I believe I have had Celiac for almost 20 years, I know I had/have Hypothyroidism and was diagnosed 15+ years ago.

For that amount of time, plus, weight gain has always been a hurdle. It didn't/doesn't matter how little I eat, how healthily or how much I exercised, I kept packing on the pounds and often annoying, I'd get to hear the doctors try to tell me that I wasn't doing what I was saying (aka cheating) and/or wasn't aware of it. Ahhhh condescention is the knife into the weighty wound.

The best thing I can offer is tips and what happened to me and what worked and or didn't work. I hope something might help, and in this see of neverending abyss of struggles, I hope I can remember the more crucial points.

For the most recent weight gain- I'd become so ill, for the first time in ages, I couldn't exercise in addition to a number of things. From what the doctor's have suggested and from what I researched and was told ages ago is not unsimilar to what some people have warned about. There is the cruel thing called "warrior gene" *don't look into it, all of the listings at the top of searches are about a violent Scottish warrior gene- that's not what my endocrinologist labeled*. This gene senses that you are in starvation mode and stores everything you eat like you are trying to survive the famine. The only good and probably unrealistic plus of this is, if you are stranded, starving, etc., you will outlive all of the others in the identical situation. The mean thing is- it stinks and is not fair. Seriously, not many will ever understand, so you have to fight to get well and to make sure your voice is heard about this and you are going to have to try harder than others always.

Additionally, I was told I have lactose intolerence and more than likely a carbohydrate intolerance and possibly more new food allergies or intolerences. From what I was told and with my other "diabetic" symptoms (I do have hypoglycemia), that more than likely, with the Celiac's disease and my unhealed intestines, that I was processing carbohydrates (especially refined ones) like a diabetic, because my body couldn't recognize the nutritional elements of foods, especially those, and it was storing it completely as fat.

So, one- you may have a thyroid, diabetic, and or other autoimmune disease that could be acting like this, and/or you could have another intolerance/allergy to food and your body still has not healed properly, and/or you may be consuming unknown gluten like medications, etc, and/or you may not have any of those problems and might not be eating as healthily as you think, and/or you may be exercising out of your heart range, and/or it may be a combination. I would look into everything, especially getting regularly checked for additional autoimmune disorders.

*I'm going to have to finish this later- I'm whooped.

[Aboluk]

Hi! i am new to this site and also new to eating gluten free (about 2 months on a strict gluten free diet).... i have been reading and it seems that many of you have been gaining weight since going on the diet.

I've only been on it for 2 months and i've already gained 6 pounds! I finally have energy to exercise now, so I've been easing back into working out about 5 days a week.... the only thing i can think of is eating less and lowering my carb-intake.

Does anyone have any suggestions?? I know my body is still adjusting and this may take time but my clothes are starting not to fit :/

I too have gained weight since going gluten-free. I watch my cals, until I have this relentless hunger feeling, and even then I try to make healthy choices. It has been three months and I haven't had anything fried orhad any fast food. I did discover that disodium is on the forbidden list and it is in almost everything. I'm hoping that once I am totally cleaned up, I will start to lose weight and not get soo hungry.

[luce]

OK. I'm Back. So, for those of you who have experienced weight gain made sure to get off lactose/dairy and other difficult to digest/often allergen foods, too. For alteast two months, while your intestines heal, you are supposed to have little to none of any of the above, but definitely no lactose. Slowly you can introduce those foods back into your diet after that extended time. Those foods are any refined/bleached sugars, dairy, lactose (can also be found in soy products), cassein (milk protein), corn, white potatoes, soy(temporarily for some), and the gluten-free pastas,carbs,crackers, and/or sweet food alternatives should be minimal for that length of time,too. Otherwise your body won't properly digest and/or absorb these products and nutrients either. Also, you might find you have other food sensitivities, too, which can also hinder weight loss.

Another thing to check is to see if you have Candida. Look it up, the internet(the legitimate sites only) can answer all of your qustions about this. This can be healed by a strict diet and with it untreated has many similarities as Celiac, but loads of others, too. Two of the main things are weight gain and lethargy. It's worth a look into for those of you who are trying everything and nothing is working. It does go away by following the diet restrictions for the set amount of times.

As for what I was suggesting with the heart monitor, in simplest terms, there are phases your heart/body/lungs/blood pumping collectively goes into when you are exercising- Aerobic (with oxygen (into the system)) and Anaerobic (without Oxygen into the system). Both should be looked into and learned for your height and weight (you can find heart rate charts on the internet). A heart rate monitor can help make sure you mostly stay in the aerobic range, optimum fat-burning, while exercising. You should challenge yourself atleast a couple of times a week by pushing yourself into the Anaerobic stage of exercising (J.I.C.- you are still breathing, without Oxygen just means it's not being registered) by sprints, heavier weights (known as "Maxing Out"), whatever challenges you and your body. However, for people with weight problems, it's best to keep it simple and in the Aerobic range for you to burn fat and lose weight.

I hope this helps- if I can think of anything else, I'll post again. Cheers

eeek. I am newly diagnosed and this has been my biggest fear, too. I actually cried about that instead of my diagnosis- haha. Although I believe I have had Celiac for almost 20 years, I know I had/have Hypothyroidism and was diagnosed 15+ years ago.

For that amount of time, plus, weight gain has always been a hurdle. It didn't/doesn't matter how little I eat, how healthily or how much I exercised, I kept packing on the pounds and often annoying, I'd get to hear the doctors try to tell me that I wasn't doing what I was saying (aka cheating) and/or wasn't aware of it. Ahhhh condescention is the knife into the weighty wound.

The best thing I can offer is tips and what happened to me and what worked and or didn't work. I hope something might help, and in this see of neverending abyss of struggles, I hope I can remember the more crucial points.

For the most recent weight gain- I'd become so ill, for the first time in ages, I couldn't exercise in addition to a number of things. From what the doctor's have suggested and from what I researched and was told ages ago is not unsimilar to what some people have warned about. There is the cruel thing called "warrior gene" *don't look into it, all of the listings at the top of searches are about a violent Scottish warrior gene- that's not what my endocrinologist labeled*. This gene senses that you are in starvation mode and stores everything you eat like you are trying to survive the famine. The only good and probably unrealistic plus of this is, if you are stranded, starving, etc., you will outlive all of the others in the identical situation. The mean thing is- it stinks and is not fair. Seriously, not many will ever understand, so you have to fight to get well and to make sure your voice is heard about this and you are going to have to try harder than others always.

Additionally, I was told I have lactose intolerence and more than likely a carbohydrate intolerance and possibly more new food allergies or intolerences. From what I was told and with my other "diabetic" symptoms (I do have hypoglycemia), that more than likely, with the Celiac's disease and my unhealed intestines, that I was processing carbohydrates (especially refined ones) like a diabetic, because my body couldn't recognize the nutritional elements of foods, especially those, and it was storing it completely as fat.

So, one- you may have a thyroid, diabetic, and or other autoimmune disease that could be acting like this, and/or you could have another intolerance/allergy to food and your body still has not healed properly, and/or you may be consuming unknown gluten like medications, etc, and/or you may not have any of those problems and might not be eating as healthily as you think, and/or you may be exercising out of your heart range, and/or it may be a combination. I would look into everything, especially getting regularly checked for additional autoimmune disorders.

*I'm going to have to finish this later- I'm whooped.