Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

When You First Went Gluten Free, Did You Lose Weight?


Prezwilson15

Recommended Posts

Prezwilson15 Newbie

I notice I've still been losing weight and am wondering if when you went gluten free if you lost weight?

I would guess it's from not eating empty calories from breads, bars, cakes etc.

If you lost, how much did you lose? How long before it started normalizing?

Paula


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



  • Replies 57
  • Created
  • Last Reply
rachbomb Rookie

I lost weight after I switched to a gluten-free diet. My doctor was pretty upset with me but I wrote it off that I was now eating all whole foods and basically no carbs (except for occasional rice and corn chips). He did have me start tracking calories though and I figured out that while I was full I was not consuming as much as I should be but it has now stabilized. In all, I lost 15 lbs since starting the diet (5-10 was ok by me!) and I stopped dropping after 2-3 months.

sleer Contributor

Did you start losing weight immediately?

alex11602 Collaborator

It took me about 3 months to stop losing too and I lost about 40 lbs, my weight has pretty much stabilized in the last month. That may be because I mostly lived on pasta and crackers before because I thought bland food would be good for my belly :lol:

GlutenFreeManna Rising Star

I lost 20 lbs my first month. I had it to lose however, as gluten makes me gain weight instead of wasting away. My weightloss stopped when I added carbs back into my diet (I had cut out all grains and all sugar as part of my elimation diet).

txplowgirl Enthusiast

I have always been overweight and couldn't lose it no matter what I did. When I went gluten free it wasn't to lose weight but get rid of all the other problems I had. D, migraines, tingling, depression, stomach pain, anxiety, etc.

Losing weight was a shock. I went from 235 to 160 and it has stabilized. That's 75 pounds and I wasn't even trying. Took almost 2 years. But that's because I realized I was super sensitive. Can't really eat any of the gluten free processed foods. I have to stay with mainly whole foods. Plus finding out I have other food intolerances might have helped to.

Gfreeatx Apprentice

I lost about 10lbs in the first few months, but gained about half of it back once I started to figure out everything I could eat.


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



julandjo Explorer

Like others mentioned, I started out overweight. I couldn't lose weight no matter what I did. Once I went gluten free I still ate the same # of calories (I'd been tracking for a while and continued when I went gluten-free), but the weight started dropping off. Quickly at first, then slower. I'm 17 months in and have lost 55 pounds. I went from a size 16 to a size 6. I'm at a great weight now. My body was hanging on to every calorie I ate because the Celiac damage had left me malnourished. Now that I can absorb nutrients I'm so much healthier. Who would have ever guessed I was fat due to malnourishment?! :P

stellinpa Newbie

I notice I've still been losing weight and am wondering if when you went gluten free if you lost weight?

I would guess it's from not eating empty calories from breads, bars, cakes etc.

If you lost, how much did you lose? How long before it started normalizing?

Paula

I lost weight as soon as I eliminated Gluten. I figured it was because I was eating more regularly. I lost 10lbs in the first month and have kept it off.

I did read somewhere that some people lose wt. and some gain wt. I'm glad I'm on the 'losing side'

Menic Apprentice

I've lost about 30 lbs. (which I had to lose) over the course of a year. I think this is mostly attributable in my case to no beer and no fast food anymore. Cooking non-processed foods and making my own healthy meals has mostly been the culprate of my loss.

jemms Apprentice

since being off dairy and gluten I have lost 40 lbs. I still want to (need to) lose about 50 lbs. right now my weight has bee at a standstill...I hope the weight loss will kick in again.

angel9165 Newbie

I thought I might but gee, I found enough really good gluten-free food that I haven't. B)

shadowicewolf Proficient

i lost 25ish before i started and am still loosing weight and not even trying :/

love2travel Mentor

When I first went gluten-free (prior to my gluten challenge) I gained weight as I was in panic mode and ate weird processed things I normally would not such as potato chips. Then I went back on gluten for my challenge and after my celiac diagnosis in February have lost a few pounds but need to lose more. I do not eat processed junk and must work hard to lose weight. I guess it does not help that I love to bake! In fact, I bake more now than I ever did before (and I have always loved baking). Must put a stop to this madness. :lol:

BaldurBen Newbie

About six months after I was diagnosed (Nov. 2006) I had lost fifteen pounds. Now that my diet is more varied, I've probably gained about five of those back and stabilized there.

Poppi Enthusiast

I lost 10 pounds in the first 2 weeks and then stabilized at 129. After years and years of my weight swinging wildly between 125 and 150 it hasn't budged in 3 months now.

deinanthe Newbie

Yes, I lost weight after being diagnosed last year. Anyway, I'm down about 20 and still losing gradually, which is great because I have it to spare and am very happy to lose a healthy pound or two a week. Back when I was still having gluten and unaware of the whole celiac thing, I think the biggest thing that brought on my weight gain was that I would get nauseous if I got hungry. The hungrier I was, the more nauseous I was, to the point of getting sick to my stomach. Needless to say, I didn't let myself get hungry if I could help it. And for some reason, that made me gain weight. ;)

Bubba's Mom Enthusiast

Losing weight without trying was the first symptom my PCP took as real. I had lost 20 lbs. in just a few months.

I was diagnosed on June 28th of this year and have been trying to eat things that are healthy. I'm still losing weight. I didn't know if was due to malabsorption..or lack of breads/cookies/ etc. in my diet? I mostly eat fruits and veggies, and meat, some rice.

T.H. Community Regular

I always think I lost more than I did (keep messing up my actual weight with how much I lost, LOL), but looking to make sure I'm not screwing up...

I lost 50 pounds in the first 6 months (I was about 50 pounds overweight, though). Over the next few months, it fluctuated between about 5 pounds, up or down, and then finally dropped another 10 pounds within 5 months.

Since then, we think we've figured out the pattern. If I get glutened frequently, my weight starts to climb, no matter what I eat or how many calories. If I don't eat gluten, my weight drops rapidly into 'woo hoo skinny!' and stabilizes there. But if I eat any of the foods we realized I am allergic to, then my weight keeps dropping (lots of D) and the weight doesn't stabilize.

I got too skinny, really, until we figured everything out. I've gained a little from my lowest weight, at this point. :-)

mamabear272 Explorer
Who would have ever guessed I was fat due to malnourishment?! :P

I feel the same way! I never would have guessed (nor would anyone else) that I was malnourished!

I re-started Weight Watchers in Jan and from then till my dx in June I lost 7 lbs. When I got dx, I dropped 6 lbs in 3 weeks. I think I've put some on in the last couple of weeks but that's cause I spent some time eating gluten-free junk! I'm starting back today using WW simply filling plan. It consists of "power foods" which are fruits, veggies, lean meats, fat free milk, etc.

Brooksbelle Newbie

3 weeks in and down 7 pounds without even trying. My appetite has stabilized; before going gluten-free I always felt this weird mix of bloating/nausea/hunger all the time. I still need to lose a few pounds too--so I'm happy about the weight loss. =)

CarolinaKip Community Regular

I had lost a lot of weight before going gluten-free. I didn't lose anymore once I went gluten-free. I started to gain 3 months gluten-free and now have gained 10 pounds. I needed to gain some of it back, but now trying to stable my weight. I don't eat a lot of gluten-free replacement foods or junk. I believe in treats every now and then :)

AmyE Newbie

Unfortunately I have lost about 5 lbs which is alot being as I am already about 10lbs underweight. I want to gain some weight. I feel I am wasting away because so many foods cause me pain. It's ironic because I am a recovering anorexic and when I was mentally sick, I didn't want to eat over fear of gaining-----now it's not my mental state, but my physical state. Ain't life one giant irony!!!

okieinalaska Apprentice

Didn't lose a pound! But I was a bit overweight before and still am although weight watchers is now helping with that.

Jungle Rookie

I gained 10 lbs in the first two months (and wasn't trying to gain or lose) Now after 4 months gluten-free we are back to normal again.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - trents replied to Mark Conway's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      5

      Have I got coeliac disease

    2. - trents replied to Mark Conway's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      5

      Have I got coeliac disease

    3. - JudyLou replied to JudyLou's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      7

      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

    4. - knitty kitty replied to JudyLou's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      7

      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

    5. - Wheatwacked replied to Mark Conway's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      5

      Have I got coeliac disease

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,153
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Jenn18
    Newest Member
    Jenn18
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):
  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      And I agree with Wheatwacked. When a physician tells you that you can't have celiac disease because you're not losing weight, you can be certain that doctor is operating on a dated understanding of celiac disease. I assume you are in the UK by the way you spelled "coeliac". So, I'm not sure what your options are when it comes to healthcare, but I might suggest you look for another physician who is more up to date in this area and is willing to work with you to get an accurate diagnosis. If, in fact, you do not have celiac disease but you know that gluten causes you problems, you might have NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity). There is no test available yet for NCGS. Celiac must first be ruled out. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that damages the lining of the small bowel. NCGS we is not autoimmune and we know less about it's true nature. But we do know it is considerably more common than celiac disease.
    • trents
      @Mark Conway, here is an article outlining the various tests that can be used to diagnose celiac disease. By far, the most popular one ordered by physicians is the tTG-IGA. But almost all of these tests are known by different names so the terminology will vary from place to place and lab to lab. The article gives common variant names for each test.  In addition to IGA tests there are IGG tests which are particularly useful in the case of IGA deficiency.  
    • JudyLou
      Thank you so much @knitty kitty! My feet aren’t dry or ashy and I don’t have a rash that gets scaly. It’s like very itchy/burning vesicles that are symmetrical - on both arms, both legs, etc. They actually feel better in direct sunlight as long as it isn’t really hot or I’m not exercising outside, but gets worse if I sweat (especially if the area is covered up). It’s not usually on the outside of my elbows and knees which seems more typical of dermatitis herpetiformis (unless it spreads there). It tends to first hit the inside of those areas. Interestingly, twice the rash broke out soon after eating an unhealthy meal and having an alcoholic drink (I only drink a few times a year, no more alcohol content than a glass of wine).  So I wonder if there is a connection. I’m halfway considering doing a gluten challenge for a few months to see what happens, knowing I can stop if I have any symptoms, and asking for a full celiac disease panel at the end. I really appreciate your thoughts! 
    • knitty kitty
      Welcome, @JudyLou, Your rash sounds very similar to the one I experienced.  Mine was due to a deficiency in Niacin B3, although I had deficiencies in other nutrients as well.  Celiac disease causes malabsorption of all the essential nutrients, but eating a poor diet, taking certain medications, or drinking alcohol can result in deficiency diseases outside of Celiac, too.  Symptoms can wax and wane depending on dietary intake.  I knew an alcoholic who had the "boots" of Pellagra, which would get worse when he was drinking more heavily, and improve when he was drinking less.   Niacin deficiency is called Pellagra.  Symptoms consist of dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, and death (the four D's).  A scaly rash on the feet and hands and arms are called the "boots" and "gloves" of Pellagra.  Darkened skin around the neck exposed to the sun is Casal's necklace.  Poor farmers with niacin deficient diets were called "red necks" because of this.    Does your rash get worse if you're in the sun?  Mine did.  Any skin exposed to the sun got blistered and scaly.  Arms, legs, neck, head.  Do you have dry, ashy skin on your feet?  The itchiness was not only from the rash, but neuropathy.   My doctors were clueless.  They didn't put all my symptoms together into the three D's.  But I did.  I'd learned about Pellagra at university.  But there weren't supposed to be deficiency diseases anymore in the developed world.  Doubtful it could be that simple, I started supplementing with Niacin and other essential nutrients.  I got better.   One of Niacinamide functions is to help stop mast cells from releasing histamine.  Your allergist gave you doxepin, an antihistamine which stops mast cells from releasing histamine.   Since you do have a Celiac gene, staying on the gluten free diet can prevent Celiac disease from being triggered again.   Interesting Reading: These case studies have pictures... Pellgra revisited.  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4228662/ Steroid-Resistant Rash With Neuropsychiatric Deterioration and Weight Loss: A Modern-Day Case of Pellagra https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12532421/#:~:text=Figure 2.,(right panel) upper limbs.&text=The distribution of the rash,patient's substantial response to treatment.   Cutaneous signs of nutritional disorders https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8721081/#:~:text=Additional causes of yellow skin,the clinical features of Kwashiorkor.   Hello, @Staticgypsy, I would not recommend cutting so many nutritious foods out of ones diet.  Oxalates can cause problems like kidney stones, but our bodies can process oxalates out of our systems with certain vitamins like Vitamins A and D and Pyridoxine B 6.   People with Celiac disease are often low in fat soluble vitamins A and D, as well as the water soluble B vitamins like Pyridoxine B 6.  Focus on serving your granddaughter nutrient dense meals to ensure she gets essential vitamins and minerals that will help her grow. Micronutrient inadequacy and urinary stone disease: an analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2018 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36976348/ Multivitamins co-intake can reduce the prevalence of kidney stones: a large-scale cross-sectional study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38564076/
    • Wheatwacked
      This doctor is obviously under educated about Celiac Disease. Deficiencies that can cause oral thrush (Candidiasis) mouth ulcers: Thiamine B1 B12 Folate Zinc Vitamin C B2 B6 Iron Malabsorption Syndrome is often co-morbid with Celiac Disease causing multiple deficiencies of the essential vitamins and minerals.  Low or deficient  Vitamin D is almost always found in undiagnosed Celiac Disease. "Over 900 genes have been reported as regulated by vitamin D"  Possible Role of Vitamin D in Celiac Disease Onset  "The overall prevalence rate of vitamin D deficiency was 41.6%, with the highest rate seen in blacks (82.1%), followed by Hispanics (69.2%)."    Prevalence and correlates of vitamin D deficiency in US adults
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.