Question

[starfiremyst]

I've read most of the posts in this section and was concerned that most people seem to have gained weight since going gluten-free. I'm already rather overweight and the last thing I need is more poundage.

Oddly enough, I began about a week ago and have noticed that I am eating much less overall.

I have suspected (for some time) that eating flour based products caused me to crave more of the same (and indeed, feel like a bottomless pit). Since going "cold turkey" on these products, I've been eating mostly meat, fruits, and vegetables. The gluten-free breads don't really cause me to want more like the regular stuff does. One slice of them seems to really fill me up.

If anything, with all the fiber in the fruits and veggies, I am averaging about 1,200 calories a day or less and feel more stuffed than I was eating thousands more containing wheat.

I weighed myself this morning and have lost 3 lbs. Just in case it's a fluctuation in fluids, I am not going to get too hopeful yet.

Did anybody besides me have out of control cravings for wheat products before you went gluten-free? And then when you began going gluten-free ended up eating very small amounts because you're full?

Starfiremyst

[kejohe]

Just curious... are you a diet soda drinker? if so, I know that the aspartame found in most diet soda actually makes the body crave carbohydrates... which seems so ridiculous to me because that defeats the enitire point of drinking diet soda.

If you are it may be a component of your cravings, I have also lost weight since going gluten-free, but I never had any feelings that I was starving. I have heard that a great many newbies to the gluten-free life have though.

[oreyes]

Starfiremyst,

You mentioned gaining weight. I've been gluten-free for three years. Since that time I've gained about eight pounds. I was a carboholic before being diagnosed but I always watched the calorie count of the breads, etc. that I was consuming. Now that I'm gluten free they all seem to be loaded with calories. Maybe as our disease is recognized more, manufactures will realize that we are also calorie conscious. I want to take off the added poundage but haven't had much success so far. I'm glad it's working for you....................Judy

[plantime]

Whenever I ate regular bread, I couldn't stop until I ate 4 slices. Dinner rolls disappeared by the 1/2 dozen. I think I read somewhere that there is an addictive element in the gluten. It does not surprise me at all!