*preoptmegs* And *nini*

[julie5914]

You guys said you both gained weight on gluten and lost it after you went gluten free. How long after going gluten free did it take for you to start losing?

I gained about 10 pounds last year with no reason that I know of whlie I became more anemic and sick, so I have been thinking it was because of gluten. However, I have been gluten-free for a month and half and have seen abosolutely no change in weight despite exercising 30 min 5 days a week and watching what I eat very closely (have to, of course, but I mean also with calories, fat and sugar).

[ianm]

I was seriously overweight on gluten and have lost about 85 pounds since going gluten-free. I actually found out that gluten was the problem when I tried the Atkins diet. The low carb diet works for me. What kind of foods are you eating and are you exercising?

I only eat whole, unprocessed foods. Meat, veggies, low fructose fruits like berries and melons. No tree fruits like apple or oranges, nuts, cheese and yogurt. For me I really have to watch how much starch and fructose I eat because it causes me to gain weight.

I also exercise a lot. I walk or ride a bike for an hour or more ech day. I lift weights for an hour every other day. It is a hassle sometimes but if I don't the weight piles right back on.

[julie5914]

Wow - I have no problem with exercising more, but I don't think it would help - I started gaining when I was training for a half-marthong and working out an hour of more 5 days a week.

I eat the carbs I can - rice and potatoes, corn, fruit, veggies and gluten-free pasta with sauce. I don't like meat much (and I still have trouble digesting it), so when I tried low carb I was extremely irritable, unhappy and felt sick. And I didn't lose but about a pound after 3 weeks. I don't eat gluten-free cookies or drink cokes or eat candy - just eating fresh now that I am gluten-free. I have suspected thyroid but nothing other than the weight gain really points to it.

[Guest nini]

I was diagnosed in March of 2003, by October 2003 I think I had only lost about 10 pounds or so... the weight loss has been very slow, and sometimes none at all, but overall after over 2 years I have lost about 80 pounds. I still need to lose about 50-60 more pounds before I feel like I'm back at a "healthy" weight for me. At first, I didn't really pay any attention to if I gained or lost weight, I was just excited to be able to eat food that didn't make me violently ill.

[ianm]

What are your portion sizes like? I have to keep mine quite small and spread throughout the day. The low carb diet seems to work better for men than women.

[Guest nini]

yeah, portion size is a key too... I used to serve myself much larger portions of gluten-free food, just because I could, but the longer I've gone being gluten-free, the less I put on my plate. And I feel full quicker.

Keep in mind that your stomach isn't really designed to hold more than your closed fist at any one meal, and use small plates instead of the big dinner plates... It's a mental trick that makes your body think you are eating more. Instead of thinking you have to fill up a full sized dinner plate!

I've also noticed that when I go out to eat at a restaurant, I can only eat a tiny fraction of what they put on my plate.

I also try to eat whole, unprocessed foods in as close to their natural state as possible. I allow myself a few junk food snacks here and there, but I really don't crave them that much. (now if someone made a gluten-free version of a Krispy Kreme donut I might have a problem!!!)

[ianm]

MD = "More Drugs" ain't that the truth.

I find that by eating only whole, unprocessed foods I don't need to eat nearly as much as I used to. It is quite surorising how little food your body really needs. It is much less than you think. Whole foods digest much more slowly and your blood sugar stays more stable.

[julie5914]

Thank you so much for your input, both of you. I am eating about 1500-1800 calories a day. I was anorexic as a teen, so this bothers me a lot since I know how much food I am eating. I do need to watch my portions though, just to make sure it is not that.

I decided to go to the doc this Thursday for them to do thyroid blood tests again and I will push for a scan or sonogram. Even if it is negative, I think I need to know. If it is negative, that means I will have to go really low calorie in order to lose back to my normal weight.

Eating gluten-free means I'm not eating crap, you know! I didn't really before, but I definitely don't now. Carrots and grapes for breakfast and snacks. Lots of rice, corn, potatoes and frozen veggies. I do like my gluten-free pasta, but that is pretty much the only gluten-free thing I get besides the occasional waffle, which have has as many calories as the glutened kind. I have tried low carb and felt terrible. I have trouble digesting meat still, and I just don't like it. I didn't really see weight loss anyway.

[julie5914]

oops, should have read my previous post! Sorry I repeated myself so much!

[ianm]

I am eating about 1500-1800 calories a day.

Carrots, grapes, rice, corn, potatoes, frozen veggies, gluten-free pasta, occasional waffle.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your diet is all starches and carbs even though it is natural foods. You are not getting enough protiens and fats to balance things out. Since you don't eat meat I am not real sure what you should eat for protiens and fats. I would cut out the rice and potatoes because those are pure starch. Try adding nuts to you diet because they have fats and protien in them. Soy and eggs might be another food. What about fish? I know several people who wont eat mammals but will eat fish.

There has got to be some non meat eaters out there who can help.