gluten-free Vegetarian, Menopause & Weight Gain

[JudyZ]

Hi there -

I'm Judy, and new to this forum. I'm wondering if folks here can give my any leads about my body's stubborn refusal to loose weight.

I've been gluten free over 1 1/2 years now. I tested positive for anti-gliadin antibodies, and began to feel tremendously better within a couple of weeks of going off gluten. I've not had any other testing for celiac, so I can't say for sure I have it, but I know from my diet change that I've hit what's been bothering me. One bit of gluten...and I get horrendous bloating, joint pain, fatigue, and diarrhea. I had been treated for giardia about a year before going off gluten, and knew from that experience that I could not longer tolerate any milk - I get diarrhea, bloating & cramps within an hour of ingestion (I later tested positive for milk allergy). The only animal products I consume are eggs.

I was lean, fit, and athletic before I got giardia, and after recovery from that (I lost 14 pounds from that) I started gaining weight. By the time I was told I had "gluten sensistive enteropathy" (my doc's term) a year later, I had re-gained the 14 pounds and put on another 10. I tested below threshold twice for thyroid problems (I had excessively long menstrual periods before I went into menopause). My naturopath did other testing and treatment, and now my b12 levels, D3, and bacterial flora in my gut are all fine. I take multivitamins with iron, b12, calcium daily, and probiotics periodically.

So, if I don't do dairy, meat, and am gluten-free, eating very little processed gluten-free food (I bake), and have continued my excercise program (weight training 2x/week, 1-2 harder cardio workouts/wk, 1-2 long walks (3-5 miles) per week....why haven't I lost any weight? I eat about 2000 calories per day. I'm 172 pounds at 5'6", and am 51 years old. My clothes fit better now, but I still can't get into my pre-giardia pants. I would have thought my gut has healed by now, and that my metabolism would have recovered.

I'm grateful to know there's a community out there. It's lonely at times, when I'm surrounded by all this gluten (and meat & dairy).

In peace,

Judy

[GlutenFreeNewB]

Judy,

In order to lose weight, you should probably be eating around 1400-1500 calories per day. Stop eating those baked goods and rely on lean meats, fruits and veggies and those stubborn pounds should come right off!

[domesticactivist]

I wonder about how much sugar you are eating? When I stopped thinking about sugar as just what was in sweets and reevaluated my perspective to see the sugar in all starchy things, fruits, and grains it became so clear that it was a much bigger part of my diet than I had realized.

Our family changed to the GAPS diet and while I never struggled with my weight or dieted for weight loss before, I immediately lost the 25 lbs that I'd previously thought was just the way my body would always be after having babies. The weight loss was so fast that it was almost alarming, but the minute I got to my pre-baby weight (which I hadn't seen in 12+ years), it stabilized. The weight has stayed off all year.

This diet is based on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and is high in saturated fat, high in pasture-raised meats, poultry, eggs, and fish, high in vegetables, high in fermented foods, includes only cultured dairy, and is very low in sugar.

I've been eating wheat for a week now - the bare minimum for a gluten challenge - and I've started gaining weight back already.

My exhusband was vegan for many years and vegetarian before that, my daughter was vegetarian for 8 years, and my partner and I have both had vegetarian stints. We believed it was better for our health and the planet, but have since changed our perspectives on that.

If you get rid of grains, starchy foods, and most sugar you will probably discover that you are really, really hungry. I don't think it's probably possible for a vegetarian to cut out these foods and get enough protein and calories, especially if they don't do dairy.

[burdee]

Hi there -

I'm Judy, and new to this forum. I'm wondering if folks here can give my any leads about my body's stubborn refusal to loose weight.

I've been gluten free over 1 1/2 years now. I tested positive for anti-gliadin antibodies, and began to feel tremendously better within a couple of weeks of going off gluten. I've not had any other testing for celiac, so I can't say for sure I have it, but I know from my diet change that I've hit what's been bothering me. One bit of gluten...and I get horrendous bloating, joint pain, fatigue, and diarrhea. I had been treated for giardia about a year before going off gluten, and knew from that experience that I could not longer tolerate any milk - I get diarrhea, bloating & cramps within an hour of ingestion (I later tested positive for milk allergy). The only animal products I consume are eggs.

I was lean, fit, and athletic before I got giardia, and after recovery from that (I lost 14 pounds from that) I started gaining weight. By the time I was told I had "gluten sensistive enteropathy" (my doc's term) a year later, I had re-gained the 14 pounds and put on another 10. I tested below threshold twice for thyroid problems (I had excessively long menstrual periods before I went into menopause). My naturopath did other testing and treatment, and now my b12 levels, D3, and bacterial flora in my gut are all fine. I take multivitamins with iron, b12, calcium daily, and probiotics periodically.

So, if I don't do dairy, meat, and am gluten-free, eating very little processed gluten-free food (I bake), and have continued my excercise program (weight training 2x/week, 1-2 harder cardio workouts/wk, 1-2 long walks (3-5 miles) per week....why haven't I lost any weight? I eat about 2000 calories per day. I'm 172 pounds at 5'6", and am 51 years old. My clothes fit better now, but I still can't get into my pre-giardia pants. I would have thought my gut has healed by now, and that my metabolism would have recovered.

I'm grateful to know there's a community out there. It's lonely at times, when I'm surrounded by all this gluten (and meat & dairy).

In peace,

Judy

If you have celiac disease, you could have Hashimoto's thyroiditis or autoimmune hypothyroidism. Your TSH can be normal, but you thyroid antibodies can be positive for Hashimoto's. Did you have a full panel of thyroid tests run? What were your free T3, free T4, TPOab (thyroid antibodies) test results? What was the 'normal' range for your TSH score? What was your TSH result?

[JudyZ]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I only got TSH checked, not any of the others. I'll ask about more tests at my next doctor visit. My TSH was 2.75. Aside from the weight gain, I don't really have any other big symptoms of which I'm aware. I tire more easily, and retain more fluid than before, but those differences don't seem huge.

And yes, I am hungry a lot. I do track my daily protein intake, to keep it around 50 grams. Protein more than fat intake is related to perceptions of hunger. Maybe it's time to do a few days of food diary again, just to be sure I'm not eating more calories. I can see where I might be stuffing in calories when what I really need is more protein. As long as my nail beds and cuticles are in good shape, I'm getting enough protein. They're the first to go when my protein intake goes down.

Blessings to you all,

Judy

[thefreespirit]

Hi Judy

I am newly diagnosed but do know something about diet. More protein in your diet should help you feel more satisfied with your food and less prone to snack on starchy carbs. Recent thinking suggests that although for many years we were told that 50g of protein is sufficient for an adult, if we eat more protein it will keep the hunger pangs at bay. That's probably what you need, as it may simply be snacking that is your problem.

Also do make sure you drink enough water. You may be a little dehydrated, which may cause your body to hang on to some fluid, which will contribute to any feelings of bloatedness and will cause temporary weight gain (fluid imbalence) and tightness on your clothing.

Blessings - FS x