Gluten Free, Still Gaining Weight, Still Bloated

[Jestgar]

No, I'm not explictly talking 'very low carb', though that is true too. There are at least two studies with individuals incorporating a pure protein/fat diet showing that one can live healthy and well on only those two elements.

Fascinating. I do know that when I was in the Peace Corps, at the end of winter when all we had eaten for months was bread and meat and some cooked into mush veggies that everyone when out into the fields to forage for edible weeds because the craving for fresh vegetation was so intense. I can't imagine that such a powerful urge doesn't describe a necessary dietary component.

[Korwyn]

Fascinating. I do know that when I was in the Peace Corps, at the end of winter when all we had eaten for months was bread and meat and some cooked into mush veggies that everyone when out into the fields to forage for edible weeds because the craving for fresh vegetation was so intense. I can't imagine that such a powerful urge doesn't describe a necessary dietary component.

Key word there is bread. Complex carbs and starches tend to deplete the vitamin reserves and there is also some question as to exactly how they affect the vitamin C uptake. So a diet with bread, I would expect to see that. I know that since I have been eating mostly protein and MCT rich fats for the last few months (with a few lapses I will admit) I have found that my blood work is improving and my nutrient levels as of my last 3 month blood work are better than they have been in years. My HDL/LDL ratio is also the best it has ever been and my HDL is higher than its ever been also.

I have to tell you, after reading through that book, and then checking up on a good number of the articles, studies, and research myself, I have completely rethought my entire view of nutrition and health. I also have to say that I'm actually healthier now and my weight is still dropping, blood pressure is dropping, etc, and my doctor has been following my progress very closely.

[Skylark]

This is a spectacularly good article on how the current reductionist view of food and nutrition came about. In particular, it explains how the beef lobby deep-sixed McGovern's 1977 nutrition report and how manufacturers and reductionist science have been warping the public view about food nutrition ever since.

Open Original Shared Link

The author's recommendation is quite distant from the low/no carb diet we're talking about but I've seen worse advice than "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

[Wheatfreedude]

Hi Lisa:

In order to help you, can you post what your typical input of food/beverage looks like per day? From the time that you get up, every meal, and every snack throughout the day. Please include all of your liquid intake as well.

That way, we can make some suggestions that will definitely help

~ Wheatfreedude ~

[Korwyn]

Skylark,

That is a really interesting article. I don't know that I totally agree with the conclusion of 'mostly plants', however I do fully believe that he nails it on the head that our, 'enriched', 'fat-substituted', 'nutrition enhanched' "foods" are not in the least bit related to the real food out body needs or wants.

[Skylark]

Skylark,

That is a really interesting article. I don't know that I totally agree with the conclusion of 'mostly plants', however I do fully believe that he nails it on the head that our, 'enriched', 'fat-substituted', 'nutrition enhanched' "foods" are not in the least bit related to the real food out body needs or wants.

I didn't expect you to agree with the dietary conclusions. What I found so valuable is his story of the interplay between politics, capitalism, reductionist science, media, and the American diet.

My grandparents lived into their 90s in good health eating "mostly plants" so it seems sound enough advice for my own genetic background.

[LisaGF]

So its been over 3 months of being strictly gluten free and my symptoms - mainly bloating and inability to lose weight - are worse than ever.

I'm beginning to think that I'm not gluten "intolerant" at all - despite a high IGA bllod test result.

Or at the very least there's clearly something else going on.

I don't feel any better since removing gluten from my diet.

I've done allergy testing - all negative.

I'm already vegetarian and I've tried removing dairy as well.

No change.

It seems no matter what I eat there's acute bloating.

Anyone else have a similar story?

[mushroom]

So its been over 3 months of being strictly gluten free and my symptoms - mainly bloating and inability to lose weight - are worse than ever.

I'm beginning to think that I'm not gluten "intolerant" at all - despite a high IGA bllod test result.

Or at the very least there's clearly something else going on.

I don't feel any better since removing gluten from my diet.

I've done allergy testing - all negative.

I'm already vegetarian and I've tried removing dairy as well.

No change.

It seems no matter what I eat there's acute bloating.

Anyone else have a similar story?

I'm in your camp too, Lisa. My bloating has never gone away and my diet is pretty restricted. However, I do bloat much worse when I eat the high-lectin-containing foods (soy, corn, nightshades, legumes, and for me at the moment citrus). And this bloating can be more extreme now that I am gluten free (although it did formerly cause me to faint from pressure on the vagus nerve, especially potatoes and corn in combination) Or think of a Mexican meal with corn chips and salsa, corn or flour tortilla, refried beans, tomatoes, citrus - that was always a killer for me. Don't know what your experience is with particular foods, but you might try testing the lectin containing foods. Without them I still pass a lot of gas which is mostly only troublesome to those around me

[jerseyangel]

I agree with Shroom--try rotating the lectins and see if that helps. I can eat corn but not every day. Legumes, forget about it--bloating and nausea. Citrus, too.

For a lot of us who have the additional intolerances, it happens (or we tend to notice it) after going gluten-free.

It can take a bit of detective work--a simple food log is also helpful.

[turkeybird]

There's quinoa and buckwheat.

I had a lot of bloating while eating gluten-free rice and quinoa. My nutritionist had recommended these as good grains for me to eat. It wasn't until I was playing round with my diet that I realized the rice and quinoa were causing all of my bloating, even thought I was on a gluten-free diet.

I can tolerate only about 1/2 cup (dry measurement) of rice or quinoa pasta once a week without any ill effects. Giving up the grains is hard but I feel soooo much better without them.

[Wheatfreedude]

I've been vegetarian for years

I applaud your commitment to a vegetarian diet. Heck, I used to be a VP as the nations second largest frozen vegetarian company.

But, here's my concern (and concerns that I had to address when customers were writing it).

How are you getting your protein?

What are you sources?

How much protein are you eating each day.

A severe lack of protein and cause MANY problems.

Let us know.

~Wheatfreedude~

[LisaGF]

Its incredibly embarrassing but at long last I discovered why I was not losing weight:

I was eating too much!

At the end of the day it came down to calories calories calories.

I saw a nutritionist who said I was eating incredibly "clean" - as if I was on a detox! - and the only reason for any weight gain had to be that I was taking in too much food.

So I've been keeping track of my calories for about 10 days now sticking to around 1600/day.

I've lost 5 pounds.

Simple. Embarrassingly simple.

I also stopped eating those damn THINK THIN bars which made me so bloated and sick I almost went to the hospital until I figured out what it was!

If you are NOT eating too much and still not losing, then my advice is to see a proper integrative doctor and get blood work, look at thyroid, etc.

[njbeachbum]

Hi Lisa -

I know this thread is a couple of months old, but I saw that you stopped eating the Think Thin bars because they were making you sick. I've been eating these for over a year now and just recently started to notice that I was getting very gassy and bloated in the late afternoon/evening (I eat one everyday at 4pm when I'm at work, like clockwork). I finally realized that this could be causing the problem - I know a lot of people have trouble with Malitol and other similar sugar alcohols. Have you found a good substitute?

Hope you are feeling well.

-Joe

[Lawrence]

Have you tried eating completely grain free? (no corn or rice) I would encourage you to visit www.(Company Name Removed - They Spammed This Forum and are Banned) and watch his videos about grains and how all grains have gluten in them and we shouldn't eat any of them, it isn't just gliadin that bothers most of us. It has really opened my eyes and my weight is coming off slowly too. (about a pound or two a week)

Good luck,

Lori

I haven't seen these videos and I haven't heard this from any other source. I'm afraid to watch. Most gluten-free food is made from corn and rice. I would probably die if I couldn't eat corn and rice too.

[CMCM]

I also had trouble with the "Think Thin" bars. In fact, I have trouble with ALL bars so I no longer eat them. As for your calories/weight loss, this was also the case for me. I really can't eat as much as I used to, and even 1600/day is too much for me.

In addition, through the 5 years since realizing I had gluten issues, I have learned that the list of what I cannot eat is rather long: none of the grains, NONE. No corn, no rice, no alternate grains, none of that. All bloating, all upset me to varying degrees. I learned that none of the gluten free goodies agreed with me, mainly due to extremely high sugar content and various alternate grains. I don't eat starches or any of the nightshades. I have serious issues with insulin responses, and that means I have trouble with fruit, sugar of course, and it goes on and on. Bit by bit I've learned what does and does not agree with me, eliminated (mostly) those things that don't agree with me or at least, I eat them very rarely. As a result of this and also watching calories, I've lost 20 lbs. since March 1. It comes off very slowly, but it comes off.

[Stacy hated pancake Sunday]

After finally sticking to gluten free for 6 months I started having my suspicions about rice and corn....so I stopped eating them for a few weeks...then I ate rice and have a bad allergic reaction...throat swelled shut(scary) which explains a really bad reaction to zatarain's a year earlier that we blamed on some unknown spice/additive....once I cut out corn the weight started melting off...lost 20 pounds in 3 weeks.

I have cut back dairy to just milk in my coffee(alternated with almond milk) although I am missing my greek yogurt)I eat eggs, salad veggies, sweet potatoes, broccoli, meat and fish, olive oil, almonds and cashews....and drink my coffee, some tea and ice water. I shoot for three ingredients or less if I eat something processed and if I see something I cannot pronounce I put it back on the shelf. I try to stick to sugar as a sweetener...Simply Heinz ketchup uses sugar instead of HFCS and tastes better too.

It's a big pain in the butt to eat this way...but I feel so much better..it's so worth it.

[cyberprof]

After finally sticking to gluten free for 6 months I started having my suspicions about rice and corn....so I stopped eating them for a few weeks...then I ate rice and have a bad allergic reaction...throat swelled shut(scary) which explains a really bad reaction to zatarain's a year earlier that we blamed on some unknown spice/additive....once I cut out corn the weight started melting off...lost 20 pounds in 3 weeks.

I have cut back dairy to just milk in my coffee(alternated with almond milk) although I am missing my greek yogurt)I eat eggs, salad veggies, sweet potatoes, broccoli, meat and fish, olive oil, almonds and cashews....and drink my coffee, some tea and ice water. I shoot for three ingredients or less if I eat something processed and if I see something I cannot pronounce I put it back on the shelf. I try to stick to sugar as a sweetener...Simply Heinz ketchup uses sugar instead of HFCS and tastes better too.

It's a big pain in the butt to eat this way...but I feel so much better..it's so worth it.

Stacy, I think I'm going to have to do the same. I've been avoiding it but it's going to be Paleo for me all the way. Your 20 pounds in 3 weeks would be a miracle if it works for me too.