Can't Quench My Appitite

[SuzyVandy]

I lost 45lbs in 6 months, i was never fully diagnosed with Celiac due to lack of insurance and all my money was ran out from other tests. My mom had looked into Celiac Disease for a friend and suggested it to me, and so far it has been the only thing that seems to fit with all my symptoms.

I started a gluten free diet about a month ago, and so far feel the best I have in 9 months. Not only can I not seem to eat gluten but a lot of dairy as well seems to make me sick. I have gained roughly 5 pounds back in the past month, or it might just be bloating from still figuring out what I can and can't eat, but I can never seem to eat enough.

I'm constantly hungry and eating till i feel like i will burst, yet am still hungry. What kind of things could I eat that might fix this and quench my appetite? I'm scared to gain back all the weight i lost, as i was overweight before and now that I seem to have gained a few pounds have an amazing figure, and I have given away all my old clothes as they couldn't even stay above my waist

[Rebecca Madrid]

I'm going to begin by saying I have the opposite problem and I am incredibly jealous I gained weight while sick, and can't seem to get rid of it.

However, what I find helps calm the hunger is a snack I call a "Healthful". Here's the recipe:

1 whole banana; sliced

1/2 an apple; cut into chunks

2 cups yogurt; any flavour will do

1 cup Enjoy Life gluten-free Granola (my favourite is the berry flavour)

1/4 cup Enjpy Life gluten-free/Nut-Free Trail Mix

Cut up the fruit and put it into an average sized cereal bowl, then add 1 cup of the yogurt. Follow with the granola and the other cup of yogurt. Finally, top with the trail mix.

Mix and match flavours and try to eat one almost every day, possibly as an afternoon snack to get you through until dinner. Hope this helps

I'm recently gluten-free as well so feel free to send me an email if you want to exchange any other recipes, or just chat. rlmadrid@live.ca.

Good Luck with your new diet.

[starrytrekchic]

Being constantly hungry is a sign of being glutened for me (had it before going gluten-free and when I get glutened now.) You might make sure you don't have any lingering gluten in your food/products/etc anywhere.

Also likely your body went into starvation mode. Make sure you're eating enough calories everyday (1600+). Fill up on high fiber foods to take the edge off the hunger (like popcorn) and then it's best to just wait it out. It will go away eventually, once your body is better.

[lovegrov]

It's not at all unusual to be insatiably hungry when you start healing from celiac. Your body is starved for the nutrients it wasn't getting.

richard

[Coolclimates]

i, too, am just feeling hungry all the time, as well as having constant cravings for foods, esp. sweets and baked goods. I'm hoping I don't gain weight, but I probably will. I've noticed this increase in appetite is more intense as time goes one. I've been on the gluten-free diet for nearly 1 month now. I'm a bit overwhelmed and don't know if it's more psychological, physical or what.

[Rebecca Madrid]

i, too, am just feeling hungry all the time, as well as having constant cravings for foods, esp. sweets and baked goods. I'm hoping I don't gain weight, but I probably will. I've noticed this increase in appetite is more intense as time goes one. I've been on the gluten-free diet for nearly 1 month now. I'm a bit overwhelmed and don't know if it's more psychological, physical or what.

Coolclimates, I am similar this way. I have been off gluten for nearly 4 months now, and the cravings are still getting stronger. They also tend to focus on objects not within my grasp. (lately it's been a butter croissant that I really want ) I'm thinking it may be our body's desire for proteins it is used to getting. If I'm wrong I'm sure someone will tell us, but the way I see it, when you go with out coffee after having it on a daily basis, you crave it. Maybe it is similar, in that your body wants what it thinks it needs, even if you now know that it isn't what you should have. Rather than crave a slice of bread, you'll crave what you enjoyed, pie cookies, etc.

To answer your question, it seems to be a psychological desire, but brought on by some level of physiology. My advice, you can make low calories sweets, such as peanut butter cookies that may help to trick your body. Just 2 cups low fat PB, 1 cup of pure white sugar, and 1 egg makes 24 very healthy cookies. Also, they are good for about 2 weeks, (but my family usually devours them before that).

I hope this helps a little, I know how you feel.

[coffeetime]

Being constantly hungry is a sign of being glutened for me (had it before going gluten-free and when I get glutened now.) You might make sure you don't have any lingering gluten in your food/products/etc anywhere.

Also likely your body went into starvation mode. Make sure you're eating enough calories everyday (1600+). Fill up on high fiber foods to take the edge off the hunger (like popcorn) and then it's best to just wait it out. It will go away eventually, once your body is better.

I'm the same, first the excessive hunger starts and then the migraines come back again. I'm currently trying to locate what is getting me right now, but have been totally unsuccessful. I think it is just the handling on bread for the rest of my family.

[GlutenFreeManna]

Are you eating a lot of gluten free replacement items? I have noticed that when I eat more protein based snacks as opposed to carb-based snacks I'm not AS hungry later. The protein sticks with me longer. Try eating a hard boiled egg or a spoonful of peanut butter the next time you are really hungry but it is not meal time. I do need to eat frequently, so I eat snacks several times throughout the day. Also check your vitamin levels. You may just be low on something and your body is signaling it's hungry because it needs the nutrients.

[BlueBridie]

I've only been gluten free for a week and still learning the ropes. But I'm the same, I can't stop eating! Anything and everything, within 30 mins of eating I'm hungry again!

The peanut butter's a good idea, but I keep putting it on gluten-free Bread or crackers - should stop that I guess. Higher protein sounds sensible, but I have the added problem of not yet being able to eat dairy. I also used to eat a lot of sliced deli meat but have discovered most of them have gluten! I went to Woolworths on Saturday and could only have one thing in the window! So what does that leave? nuts, eggs and the small amount of pre-sliced meat I can get my hands on?

Weight gain really worries me as I'm already on the larger side - I seem to be getting told to eat foods that I previously would have classified as higher in fat (peanut butter - evern the 'light' versions), nuts (in the amounts that actaully fill me up) and the deli meats that aren't exactly 'lean'. Has anyone else noticed this, or am I just freaking myself out?

[missy'smom]

Weight gain really worries me as I'm already on the larger side - I seem to be getting told to eat foods that I previously would have classified as higher in fat (peanut butter - evern the 'light' versions), nuts (in the amounts that actaully fill me up) and the deli meats that aren't exactly 'lean'. Has anyone else noticed this, or am I just freaking myself out?

Fats don't add fat onto our bodies-to gain weight we need three things-excess calories, carbs and insulin. It's the insulin and insulin resistance caused by too many carbs that causes weight gain. It's the carbs in the donut more than the oil that it's fried in that cause us problems. Same for many of our favorite junk foods-although transfats are a different matter. Low-carb diets work even though people on those plans eat lots of fat because they aren't pumping out all that insulin to process tons of carbs. If you eat fats and protein and cut your carbs, you should feel more satisfied. The worst thing a person can do is go on a low/no fat diet and eat lots of processed carbs.

[sb2178]

I've only been gluten free for a week and still learning the ropes. But I'm the same, I can't stop eating! Anything and everything, within 30 mins of eating I'm hungry again!

The peanut butter's a good idea, but I keep putting it on gluten-free Bread or crackers - should stop that I guess. Higher protein sounds sensible, but I have the added problem of not yet being able to eat dairy. I also used to eat a lot of sliced deli meat but have discovered most of them have gluten! I went to Woolworths on Saturday and could only have one thing in the window! So what does that leave? nuts, eggs and the small amount of pre-sliced meat I can get my hands on?

Weight gain really worries me as I'm already on the larger side - I seem to be getting told to eat foods that I previously would have classified as higher in fat (peanut butter - evern the 'light' versions), nuts (in the amounts that actaully fill me up) and the deli meats that aren't exactly 'lean'. Has anyone else noticed this, or am I just freaking myself out?

1. you're freaking out a little. (with good reason- I'm still freaking out too.)

2. pair your protein with produce. Deli meat or tuna wrapped in lettuce. Peanut butter with apples and carrots. Green bean salad with almonds.

3. beans at meals. the hard core protein-ists don't count them, but i find them very filling and a good source of many nutrients. sub in a bean salad for your carb. they are also cheap, which is wonderful.

4. lots of folks say their weight stabilizes (either up or down) as needed over the first year or so. you may be one of those lucky folk.

5. definitely follow up on any nutrient deficiencies. i am ravenous whenever i edge toward anemia.

[BlueBridie]

1. you're freaking out a little. (with good reason- I'm still freaking out too.)

2. pair your protein with produce. Deli meat or tuna wrapped in lettuce. Peanut butter with apples and carrots. Green bean salad with almonds.

3. beans at meals. the hard core protein-ists don't count them, but i find them very filling and a good source of many nutrients. sub in a bean salad for your carb. they are also cheap, which is wonderful.

4. lots of folks say their weight stabilizes (either up or down) as needed over the first year or so. you may be one of those lucky folk.

5. definitely follow up on any nutrient deficiencies. i am ravenous whenever i edge toward anemia.

LOL happy someone admitted I was freaking out, everyone at home is sympathetic to the point of not telling me to give it a rest! Thanks for the advice guys, appreciate your help and 8 days in I'm starting to feel some differences, jeans don't fit, but I've upped the protein and dropped most (not all) the processed carbs. Since doing that (only 2 days ago mind you) I'm feeling that continuous hunger, and am actually starting to see an improvement!

Thanks again for your support!

[oceansparkle]

I lost 45lbs in 6 months, i was never fully diagnosed with Celiac due to lack of insurance and all my money was ran out from other tests. My mom had looked into Celiac Disease for a friend and suggested it to me, and so far it has been the only thing that seems to fit with all my symptoms.

I started a gluten free diet about a month ago, and so far feel the best I have in 9 months. Not only can I not seem to eat gluten but a lot of dairy as well seems to make me sick. I have gained roughly 5 pounds back in the past month, or it might just be bloating from still figuring out what I can and can't eat, but I can never seem to eat enough.

I'm constantly hungry and eating till i feel like i will burst, yet am still hungry. What kind of things could I eat that might fix this and quench my appetite? I'm scared to gain back all the weight i lost, as i was overweight before and now that I seem to have gained a few pounds have an amazing figure, and I have given away all my old clothes as they couldn't even stay above my waist

Hi!

I too gained a lot while I was sick and couldn't figure out why I was ravenous all the time until I was tested for Vitamin D3 deficiency and was found to be very low. My doctor prescribed Omega-3 with Vitamin D3 by Nordic Naturals. I take 3 tablespoons of it per day and am yet to lose weight. It's great that I don't feel hungry all the time now. I believe it's because my nutritional needs are now being met. Hang in there!

[Wheatfreedude]

If you eat fats and protein and cut your carbs, you should feel more satisfied. The worst thing a person can do is go on a low/no fat diet and eat lots of processed carbs.

AMEN on the above!

To keep satiated shop the Golden Horseshoe of the store -- produce, meat, fish, and dairy (if you can). And if you need a snack, try low salt/no salt almonds. You get the good fat, fiber and protein.

~Wheatfreedude~

[rain]

I've been finding that adding a probiotic helps a lot. I'm not sure why though.