Celiac & Obesity

[GC1]

Hi GC1

Glad to hear that you are doing better.

I have a few questions about your last post.

1) Why did you eat corn cakes, but not rice cakes?

2) Why did you omit healthy oils (fish oil/flaxseed), but still eat low fat mayo and butter?

Thanks,

Heather

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Hey Heather,

I buy/use 100% pure corn meal (self-rising), low fat buttermilk/water, and grated yellow onion to make johnny-cakes, which are acceptable to my body/blood type--being part Cherokee. Most rice cakes are very processed; becoming both high glycemic and even altered to a point of becoming somewhat "un-natural"... and there are plenty of other foods to eat, so why consume these food items when there are more natural/health promoting choices. It's hard to get away from mayo, especially for many of us eating salads, and making our own dressing. The low-fat is made of water, starch, and a much lower oil than many ready made products. We then further cut the mayo (oil) with buttermilk, so the oil is less than 25-30%. We don't buy/drink milk, so the buttermilk is a very small part of our diet. Butter is real/natural, and it also agrees with my other genetic part; Irish/English/Scottish. I grew up eating butter, even homemade and that made by other locals. Today one has to look harder to find quality butter, but it's out there.

We also don't like fish/flax/etc oil, in part because it is very difficult [for us] to digest... and we avoid anything that interfers with digestion the same way we avoid anything interfering with assimilation. Too many people also forget that we already eat too much oil/fat/grease... and this is also "un-natural". Just think of all the [unprocessed] food one would have to eat, to get this amount of oil in our diet "naturally"... enough to feed 25-35 people in many instances; not a healthy way of looking at eating. BTW, these also interfere (for many people) with good digestion; vinegar, beef/pork/grease, trans-fatty oils, excess fiber, etc, etc. If you think about it; who's ancestors ate flaxseeds/oil, processd fish oil, etc. Any of the benefits from those foods/products can be found elsewhere, so we just replace them with better/more appropriate choices. Any diet has to be adjusted to blood type, genetics, age, health, etc, etc... that's why it's so great having different books; we can learn more in making an individual specific diet.

GC

[Guest spruette]

I have been overweight all of my life and have found nothing to combat my weight issues.  My thyroid was fine, I didn't have diabetes, and was eating normally. 

February 2005 I was diagnosed with celiac and have lost 25 pounds since going gluten-free.  I had lost 37 pounds prior to that on Weight Watchers on the Core Program which elimates a lot of wheat-containing foods.  My GI told me that my body responded this way as a result of the malnutrition caused by my celiac.  He told me that most people are very thin and underweight, but that there are more and more cases each year of overweight celiacs.  He said that my body packed on the pounds to protect itself from the "poisonous gluten". I still have a long way to go until I reach my "target weight", but at least I'm on the right track!

Does anyone else know anything about this or are there any other overweight celiacs out there?  Any solutions on how to lose weight while gluten-free?

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OMG, the best question I have seen here. I am the exact same way!! I don't eat hardly ANYTHING - or didn't. And I was gaining weight. Partly because my doctor thought a good anti-depressant would clear up my diareah that I used to have. Instead of looking for the cause of it - why not mask it? But even after getting off of it I lost a lot of weight, but then it stopped. I wasn't eating anything more than usual. I am not a binge eater. I eat maybe one or two meals a day. I know - that is not good either. But it isn't as if I sit on the couch watching tv and eating all day. I eat very little yet can't seem to shed this weight. Granted, I am certainly not heavy like I WAS. But I still would like more to come off. I do notice that being glutened can make me gain ten pounds in water. No kidney problems or other problems, just Celiac. Doctors word. It's weird. But I would like to know what other ways I can lose more of the weight as well. Seems it was shedding off like you wouldn't believe and now, it's stopped. At any rate, I had wondered this for about 6 months. "Are there Celiacs who AREN'T skinny?" I even doubted that I had the disease because hardly ever do I hear anyone saying "I am overweight." So thank you so much for bringing this up. You are wonderful for speaking up. Thank you!

[Heather22]

Hi Spuette,

Yes, I am not a skinny Celiac either. I actually gained weight when going gluten free (30lbs), and now controlling my weight is not something that is easy for me. I only learned about the "Overweight-Celiac" by reading posts on this forum.

One thing to note is that it is possible to gain weight when eating little. If you are not consuming enough calories, your body will go into starvation mode, and will want to store every ounce of food you eat. This can be a dangerous state to be in. As soon as you realize this, you start to eat more, and your body is still in that mode, so guess what...more weight gain.

This might be something to consider in your situation. You have to get out of this state....which is usually difficult, physically and mentally. But, the good thing is that when you start eating a proper amount of calories, it will give your metabolism a kick and you will start burning fuel (fat storage) as energy. Getting control of your weight is often the exact opposite of what you think you should be doing.

Just a thought. Good luck and good health.

Heather : )

[ianm]

I have noticed that if I eat very little that I actually gain weight. I have a lot of stress going on right now and find it difficult to stomach food when I am stressed so I don't eat much.

[Rusla]

I am not confirmed celiac, yet. However, I will find out Wednesday. Now in the last 6 years I have gained 175 lbs and I don't eat a lot of bread, pastries or pasta.. Now earlier this year they finally discovered I was hypothyroid and I have lost 11 teeth in 5 years so, we are now doing the Celiac test which I had requested along with the thyroid test when they refused to listen to me. I used to be a model and wore size3- 5 clothing now, I am far from that. I was concerned for the blood test that I didn't have enough gluten that day for the test. My stomach has been burning since last night and I am not gluten-free yet. I too was a thin eat anything kid and a thin adult until the last 6 years.

Rusla

[christa]

I have also gained about 15 pounds over the last two years and couldn't understand why as I don't eaat alot. I could not understand why it is so frusteraating

[cmom]

I am so frustrated also with my weight gain since going totally gluten-free. Most of the clothes in my closet no longer fit so I have to wear the same things over and over. No money for new wardrobe (2 sons in college). My stomach usually is bloated looking pregnant. I am fairly certain I am totally gluten-free so I don't understand the deal. It doesn't seem to make a difference whether I exercise or not either. I am quite discouraged. I have been gluten-free for over 3 years so I pretty much know what to avoid. This STINKS!

[SillyYakMom]

In my family of 10 children we all have celiac disease, but research has shown that both parents must have it. We know that my dad's family has it because of the symptoms, but no one will listen so we have stopped talking. My dad is 280 lbs and 5'11. He has always been this way. We have tried to get him to go on a gluten-free diet, but it is always short lived. He has a love affair and addiction to food. But all of his siblings are the same way. They all struggle with their weight.

[tantan]

I have steadily gained weight since my Feb., 2005 diagnosis of celiac.  I have never been thin, but more on the shapely side of healthy.  I've gained about 20 lbs. since my diagnosis, and am miserable about it.  I'm 29 yrs old, and I don't know if I should attribute this to eating gluten-free or my metabolism slowing down.  I initially thought that the only good thing that would come of my diagnosis was weight loss, boy what a surprise!  When I had my labs and bone density tests, I wasn't found to be lacking any vitamin, mineral, or nutrient.  All of my labs (besides antibodies) were within normal limits.

I'm doing a great job with the gluten-free diet, my antibodies and 2nd EGD biopsies are all normal, but I seem to be continuing to gain.  My activity patterns haven't changed much.  However, I clearly find it more difficult to be satisfied on the gluten-free diet eating normal portion sizes of the foods that I like.  I also find myself craving protein like I never did before.  As a result of all of the meat that I was eating, my cholesterol went up over 100 points, clearly to an unhealthy range.

How long did it take for other people's bodies to regulate with weight gain/loss? 

I think that despite my normal body weight, maybe my body wasn't absorbing all of the calories that I was ingesting, and now that my intestines are healed, I'm actually metabolizing everything that I'm ingesting.

Obiously, increase my exercise, decrease my portions, watch what I'm eating.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks,

Kelly

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Hey there to all the Celiacs out there... I am 28 years old and was diagnosed in 1978...Very sick as a child, looked like one of the kids on tv in Africa with the stick arms and legs and enormous belly.

I ate gluten-free from the time I was 18 mos. until I was living on my own... lo and behold I got fat and sick, and have been that way for the last 10 years. Until I read the stories on this website, I just thought it was a genetic blessing to have a big gut and feel like poo all the time.

Kelly, try to eat gluten-free all the time, and definitely eat more protein, but try to eat less dairy... milk, etc. the proteins in milk products seem to bloat me even more.

Lotsa fun, eh??? No cake, cookies , pasta in restaurants, and nothing made gluten-free tastes or feels the same in your mouth, so sometimes avoid substitutions, because they aren't what you want anyway, and you might go thru your entire pantry before you are satisfied.

[jerseyangel]

Since my DX in June of this year, I've gained 14 lbs. It seemed to come on quite quickly like in the first couple of months. It also seems to be leveling off--at least I hope so . I've never been thin, but before my DX, I had lost weight when I was at my sickest.

[tiffjake]

I am here!! Thanks so much for your story. You are looking for some other obese or overweight Celiacs? Well, I have found my home! LOL. I am in the 40% BMI range (considered "morbidly obese") and wear a 20/22. I have no problem walking up the stairs to my second floor apartment, but I am very overweight. I have lost weight on gluten-free already, and then quit the gluten-free diet (only to become very sick) so now I am back on it. I have had my Gluten tests done by independant labs, so I haven't consulted with my primary care doc, for fear that he will laugh this fat girl in the face for thinking that she has a mal-nourishment problem. Thanks for sharing your post. I am more convinced that I should give him a chance, at least to refer me to a GI. I dont want to get the endosopy right now because my hubby is in Iraq and there is no one to drive me home after the procedure, so I am going by the blood tests and changing my eating habits. God Bless you! I am sure you will lose weight as you body strives for health!

I have been overweight all of my life and have found nothing to combat my weight issues.  My thyroid was fine, I didn't have diabetes, and was eating normally. 

February 2005 I was diagnosed with celiac and have lost 25 pounds since going gluten-free.  I had lost 37 pounds prior to that on Weight Watchers on the Core Program which elimates a lot of wheat-containing foods.  My GI told me that my body responded this way as a result of the malnutrition caused by my celiac.  He told me that most people are very thin and underweight, but that there are more and more cases each year of overweight celiacs.  He said that my body packed on the pounds to protect itself from the "poisonous gluten". I still have a long way to go until I reach my "target weight", but at least I'm on the right track!

Does anyone else know anything about this or are there any other overweight celiacs out there?  Any solutions on how to lose weight while gluten-free?

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