Flustered With Inability To Lose Weight

[LenaHyena]

I must warn everyone that this is going to be a frustrated rant.

So I was diagnosed with Celiacs a little over two months ago and it's been a struggle to get my diet under control. I've been eating better, exercising regularly, but the scale wont move.

In the three months before my diagnosis I gained 23 pounds for no obvious reason, my doctor insists it's related to the celiacs since I was malnourished and anemic due to malabsorption, my body was just taking in calories that it couldn't use. In theory once I started getting better the weight would be easier to take off... but it's just sitting there... ugly and disgusting.

I don't feel attractive, I don't feel like myself, and I know I'm annoying everyone around me with it as much as I'm annoyed by it but for the love of god... I DON'T FEEL PRETTY...and if I'm not happy aint nobody in this household gonna be happy.

I'm tired of egg whites and salads and three mile runs which appear to be doing me absolutely no good. I started riding my bike around town to run errands because it was a way to lose extra calories in addition to marathon training and crossfit 3x a week, how long is it going to take before I can actually lose a pound?

Did anyone else have this problem or am I just a fat kid with a doctor who is trying to make me feel better about being doomed by genetics?

[nerdolicious]

After I was diagnosed I gained about 12 pounds, which is a lot for me since I am short and on the low end of normal for my weight. I couldn't fit into any of my clothes and felt disgusting and fat. To try and combat the weight gain I put myself on a strict diet and worked out 2-3 hours every single day. This did nothing for me. In two weeks it will be exactly one year since diagnosis and I am just now getting my metabolism back. I relaxed a little on my diet, but am still eating very healthy. I also stopped working out so much and am now going to the gym about 5 times a week for 1-2 hours. When I stopped stressing out and started listening to my body the weight started coming off. I am now down 8 pounds and almost to my pre-diagnosis weight. I think the most important thing your body needs is time to heal. Gluten has done a lot of damage and your body is probably still in "starvation mode", which could explain it trying to hold onto everything you eat. It sucks right now, but trust me, it WILL get better with time. Hang in there:)

[GlutenFreeManna]

I must warn everyone that this is going to be a frustrated rant.

So I was diagnosed with Celiacs a little over two months ago and it's been a struggle to get my diet under control. I've been eating better, exercising regularly, but the scale wont move.

In the three months before my diagnosis I gained 23 pounds for no obvious reason, my doctor insists it's related to the celiacs since I was malnourished and anemic due to malabsorption, my body was just taking in calories that it couldn't use. In theory once I started getting better the weight would be easier to take off... but it's just sitting there... ugly and disgusting.

I don't feel attractive, I don't feel like myself, and I know I'm annoying everyone around me with it as much as I'm annoyed by it but for the love of god... I DON'T FEEL PRETTY...and if I'm not happy aint nobody in this household gonna be happy.

I'm tired of egg whites and salads and three mile runs which appear to be doing me absolutely no good. I started riding my bike around town to run errands because it was a way to lose extra calories in addition to marathon training and crossfit 3x a week, how long is it going to take before I can actually lose a pound?

Did anyone else have this problem or am I just a fat kid with a doctor who is trying to make me feel better about being doomed by genetics?

Are you counting calories? This may not make sense, but do be sure you are getting enough calories. If you eat too few your body may stay in starvation mode and hold onto the weight longer. Also make sure you are getting some good fats. You body needs some fat to function properly. Eating just egg whites may not be good for you persoanlly--your body may be trying to hold onto the fat because it's been malnourished for so long. Eat plenty of lean meats--chicken, turkey, bison etc and avoid gluten-free subs like bread and pasta--pretty much anything high in carbs or sugar is going to be converted to fat by your body in starvation mode. You might want to look into doing the SCD diet or paleo to see if a lower carb approach helps.

You might also consider getting your thyroid checked. I lost weight immediately when I went gluten-free but then the weight loss stopped. I still need to lose more but nothign has come off for over 6 months. I foudn out I have a low functioning thyroid that is keeping me back. My dr said I need to exercise for 1 hour per day 7 days a week in order to lose weight. I was bed bound however before diagnosis and exercising for 30 minutes a day is as much as I can physically do right now. So I'm going to try working up to the hour over the next year. In the mean time I decide to stop waiting to buy new clothes. I kept tellign myself that I was going to lose weight and then I would get some new clothes--everything I owned was either to big or too small. I felt gross and unkempt no matter what I wore. Finally, I decided to spend some money for a few new outfits that fit well and made me feel pretty. I didn't buy a whole new wardrobe but just enough that I could feel comfortable and have soemthign nice to wear when I go out. Since it sounds like your weight gain is recent and has not been there for a long time you might consider doing something similar. It doesn't mean you have to get rid of old clothes you are hoping to fit in again and it doesn't mean you are settling for being over weight. But it can make a huge difference in how you feel to have clothes that fit. If you feel ugly and stressed out you are less likely to lose weight. If you don't need new clothes then consider doing something else for yourself that would make you feel good and help you relax--get a massage or a pedicure of some other non-food, non-exercise related treat.

[viviendoparajesus]

this is a good place to rant and vent. we can empathize with what you are going through and share what has helped us and maybe something we have done will help you. i put on weight and was bloated. getting rid of the gluten helped some with the bloating but the weight stayed until i was on the gut healing diet of no sugar, grain, or lectins. i can relate to the ugly disgusting feeling. stress does seem to keep the weight on and make it harder to lose it. i liked the idea to do something to pamper yourself even though you do not feel pretty right now. i wonder if you are not eating enough and your body still thinks it is starving and so it will not let you lose weight even though it seems like you get a lot of exercise. gluten and the transition to gluten-free definitely impacts weight as does the healing process for overcoming the damage from gluten.

[Debbie B in MD]

I completely understand how frustrating this is. Have you started replacing what you used to eat with gluten-free replacements? I knwo when I first went gluten free, I would just say to myself, well it is gluten-free I am eating it. Regardless of what is was. I learned I can't do that. I eat mostly whole foods: meat, veggies, fruit, and nuts. I am eating as little processed food as possible. I have a lot to lose, but this is how I am trying. 13-15 pounds so far. Don't beat your self up.

[Judy3]

I'm beginning to think this is normal for Celiac and going gluten free. Others have mentioned it above and I recently read that 80% of people with Celiac that go gluten free gain weight.(Those that go gluten free because they want to don't have this problem so it's thought that it's a part of healing) I myself have gained about 10 lbs. My doctor says he expected me to gain a little because I lost so much so quickly when I was sick.. I've now revamped my diet and I'm eating lean meats, whole fruit and vegetables, and an occasional treat (cake, cookies etc...) I think when I first went gluten free and realized that I could make a lot of the old familiar treats gluten free, I went hog wild at times in relief. But I also wasn't eating enough 'wholesome' food and my body thought it was still starving so packed on the pounds. Now that I'm eating more and a better variety, it's starting to come off slowly. I had trouble at first with exercise and my blood sugar going too low but now I've found that if I drink a cup of milk 1/2 hour before I exercise it doesn't go as low.. Yay! I have been told by all my doctors that starving yourself and over working at the gym only causes problems in the long run.. Eat well, play well and it will all happen for you.

Good Luck

[navigator]

My daughter was extremely thin when she was diagnosed over two years ago. She went up three dress sizes but has now dropped one and is looking healthy and wonderful. I'm the opposite and have struggled with my weight for years, despite being very careful about what I eat. It got increasingly worse over the past three years and despite sticking to Slimming World diet, I didn't lose. I'm 5'1" and prior to going gluten free I was 11stone 11lbs. I can complwtely relate to your feelings.

I went to a nutritionist to help with the fatigue and when I mentioned the weight to her she told me that my body has been on startvation mode and holding on to weight due to not absorping nutrients. Also the weight that I've put on in my midriff(always just carried it on my stomach and thighs before)was due to leaky gut putting added pressure on liver. She advised me to forget about the weight, put me on a 28 day plan of high doses vitamins and minerals etc and elimination of certain things from my diet. Many of those I don't take anyway so what I've had to cut out is beef, oats, potato, dairy, tea, coffee and alcohol.She told me not to weigh food or limit myself at my meals and that weight loss would follow. Also to have a small,healthy snack in between meals.I started it on Saturday and weighed myself just prior to posting and I've lost 3lbs in 5 days. I'm eating more than before and have never felt so full. I do miss the wine with my meals though!!

I hope this helps

[sb2178]

I must warn everyone that this is going to be a frustrated rant.

So I was diagnosed with Celiacs a little over two months ago and it's been a struggle to get my diet under control. I've been eating better, exercising regularly, but the scale wont move.

In the three months before my diagnosis I gained 23 pounds for no obvious reason, my doctor insists it's related to the celiacs since I was malnourished and anemic due to malabsorption, my body was just taking in calories that it couldn't use. In theory once I started getting better the weight would be easier to take off... but it's just sitting there... ugly and disgusting.

I don't feel attractive, I don't feel like myself, and I know I'm annoying everyone around me with it as much as I'm annoyed by it but for the love of god... I DON'T FEEL PRETTY...and if I'm not happy aint nobody in this household gonna be happy.

I'm tired of egg whites and salads and three mile runs which appear to be doing me absolutely no good. I started riding my bike around town to run errands because it was a way to lose extra calories in addition to marathon training and crossfit 3x a week, how long is it going to take before I can actually lose a pound?

Did anyone else have this problem or am I just a fat kid with a doctor who is trying to make me feel better about being doomed by genetics?

Two months isn't all that long, and it sounds like you are pushing yourself pretty hard. Anemia alone generally takes a bit of time to recover from, and running tends to exacerbate it. Are you taking good vitamins and supplements? I found magnesium to be generally helpful, and others have to supplement with different nutrients depending on their bloodwork and symptoms.

I also tend to gain weight with exercise, but my body fat drops. Any chance that you're focusing too hard on the scale?

Yes, eat the yolk. Half the protein is in the yolk, along with all the fat soluble nutrients that you need!

[Korwyn]

Not counting my rapid unhealthy weight loss in the last few weeks prior to going gluten-free, I lost an additional 50 lbs (22kg) in the first six months. I think the reason was that I wound up eliminating all processed foods, grains, non-vegetable based carbs and sugars (essentially going to a whole/raw foods) diet. I hadn't successfully lost weight for 20 years. It's been off for almost two years now.

If I eat any kind of grains or starches more than once a week or fresh fruit (roughly) equivalent to an apple or peach more than once every couple of days I start gaining weight. Rapidly. Metabolic Syndrome/insulin resistance.

I started gaining weight rapidly in the first 6 weeks (I put about 15 pounds on in the first 3 weeks) of going gluten-free. I baked a lot of gluten-free bread (as opposed to all the whole wheat/whole grain, "healthy" bread before), and I started packing on the pounds.