Weight Gain Before Diagnosis
Some people actually gain weight while unaware of their gluten intolerance. This unexplained weight gain may lead to obesity and is actually a symptom of gluten sensitivity. You probably gained weight because of nutrient deficiencies. A lack of either vitamin D or calcium is suspected to cause obesity, according to articles published in “Medical Hypotheses” and “The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice.” Once you’ve started following a strict gluten-free diet and your body has the nutrients it needs, you’ll be able to lose weight.
I Dont Have Celiac Disease Or Gluten Intolerance Is It Safe To Avoid Gluten
Absolutely! Some people choose to follow a gluten-free diet merely because it provides structure to eating healthier and adopting a healthy lifestyle.
DiGeronimo says, Its safe, but not necessary. Gluten free foods tend to lack certain vitamins/minerals and fiber.
Just remember to consume a varied diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and legumes to avoid vitamin/mineral deficiencies and promote a healthy weight and lifestyle.
Simply Request No Gluten Please At Restaurants
There are a number of gluten-free restaurants, similar to how there are vegetarian/vegan restaurants around that serve delicious food. If itâs inconvenient to find any, for example if youâre with a group of friends who eat gluten, simply ask the waiter for a selection of gluten-free food. Nowadays, restaurants will cater for their customers down to a tee.
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What If You Don’t Have Celiac
Studies showing the gluten-free diet can lead to weight loss in some people with celiac disease don’t apply to people without the condition, of course.
However, Dr. Davis believes that eliminating wheat from your diet will lead to weight loss even if you don’t have celiac diseasehe says he’s seen it happen in several thousand patients whom he has treated for cardiovascular disease.
He claims that many protein and starch compounds in wheatnot just the gluten proteinare harmful, and he routinely counsels his patients to drop all wheat products from their diets .
Youre Ditching Wheat An Appetite Stimulant
Finally, your weight might go down after breaking up with gluten because, as Dr. William Davis says, wheat is a potent appetite stimulant.
He says wheat is highly addictive and eating just some of it triggers appetite-stimulating compounds in your brain that demand you eat more of it.
However, when you eliminate wheat, you eliminate the stimulant telling your brain to eat more wheat.
Dr. Davis writes on his website, Wheat is addictive in the sense that it comes to dominate thoughts and behaviors if you dont have any for several hours, you start to get nervous, foggy, tremulous, and start desperately seeking out another hit of crackers, bagels, or bread, even if its the few stale three-month-old crackers at the bottom of the box.
He adds, But the high of wheat is not like the high of heroine, morphine, or Oxycontin. This opiate, while it binds to the opiate receptors of the brain, doesnt make us high. It makes us hungry.
He says that a protein inside of wheat, gliadin, is capable of causing a person to consume an excess of 440 more calories per day.
That means if youre losing weight after losing wheat, it might be because youre no longer controlled by these intense cravings for wheat, and perhaps youre consuming 440 less calories per day as a result.
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Youre Eating More Packaged Foods
Another reason you may be packing on the pounds is that youre eating more packaged foods. Packaged foods are often loaded with sugar and refined grains, and theyre deliciously addictive too.
I definitely fell into the junk food trap.
I felt gluten-deprived, and quickly found myself overcompensating for my loss by stocking up on calorically-dense packaged foods at the grocery store along with delicious cakes and cookies at my local gluten-free bakery.
I finally realized that I was eating more cookies, cakes and donuts than I ever ate before, mainly because I was excited that I could eat them again.
I had to remind myself that just because I could eat them doesnt mean I should eat them, and that the sugar and refined carbohydrates were doing nothing to keep me healthy nor help me maintain a healthy weight.
Every newly diagnosed person with celiac disease should know that just because something is gluten free does not mean its sugar-free or calorie-free. Sugar is naturally gluten free, after all.
What Is Gluten Anyway
Gluten is not a protein itself but rather a protein composite composed of the proteins gliadin and glutenin found in wheat , secalin found in rye and hordein in barley , which are elastic proteins.
Gluten exists in the grass-like grains above and provides an elasticity and glue-like ability to hold its flour products together and gives a chewy texture to these grain products.
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Your Brain Isnt In Sync With Your Mouth
Another reason people with celiac disease gain weight is that they were so used to feeling full and bloated after eating, and this painful bloating is what triggered their brains to stop eating.
This is true for me. Id stop eating once the bloating commenced. My painful bloating told my brain to stop eating, so I did. I rarely would overeat because I felt so painfully full all of the time.
After removing gluten, I no longer experienced painful bloating after each meal, so I would continue to eat without realizing I was full.
The truth is, I didnt know what it felt like to feel full without the painful bloating, so I kept eating and eating, and gaining and gaining.
When Companies Eliminate Gluten From Processed Foods Such As Cookies And Crackers They Substitute Other Often Not
People who are newly diagnosed with celiac disease should be aware of the possibility of weight gain and choose naturally gluten-free fruits and vegetables instead of processed foods, high-calorie carbohydrates and fats, Green says.
The thing that sells these products is taste, he says. If take out one of the things that contributes to taste, which is gluten, they often add a lot of the other stuff, which is salt, sugar and fat, to maintain the taste.
EA Stewart, a registered dietitian in Del Mar, California, says a gluten-free diet can be very healthy with proper planning and the right nutrients.
But there are some things people should keep in mind, particularly if theyre also trying to lose weight.
Those who have celiac disease have to avoid a large number of foods, so they should make sure to get enough fiber and other nutrients, especially iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin D and B vitamins, she says. A multivitamin is generally a good idea.
A celiac disease diagnosis is a lot to take in, Stewart says. People who are newly diagnosed have to learn how to deal with issues that range from avoiding cross-contamination to finding gluten-free restaurant options.Putting a super-restrictive diet on top of that makes it even more stressful, she says.
People on gluten-free diets who want to lose weight sometimes make the mistake of cutting or completely eliminating carbohydrates, which provide filling fiber and can prevent overeating, Stewart says.
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Popular Plans: What Can And Cant Work With A Gluten
People with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity would have to make lot of changes for many diet plans to be viable choices, Stewart says. Nutrisystem does not offer a gluten-free plan, a spokeswoman says. The Jenny Craig weight-loss plan is not open to those with celiac disease, according to the companys website.
And Slimfast, which is based on the consumption of diet shakes for several daily meals, discourages gluten-free consumers. Because the ingredients we purchase could potentially be cross-contaminated with wheat or another common ingredient, we cannot guarantee our products are gluten free, the company says on its website.
Low-carb diets, like Atkins or South Beach, and other plans that emphasize protein, fruits and vegetables over grain-based foods, might be easier for someone on a gluten-free diet to follow, Stewart says.
But in general, she recommends a balanced diet over one that is low in carbohydrates.
The Atkins website notes that its diet plan can work well for those who are gluten free because of its emphasis on avoiding foods high in carbohydrates, including wheat, barley and rye.
The South Beach Diet advocates a similar low-carb approach. However a spinoff of the diet, Gluten Solution, it is not entirely gluten-free and not recommended for people with celiac disease.
The Paleo diet is a lifelong way of eating to improve health and wellbeing, and reduce the risk of common chronic diseases and obesity, Cordain says.
Watch Your Total Calories
Many people do find they drop weight seemingly effortlessly when they go gluten-free, but only up to a point. That point, says Dr. Davis, seems to come at about 15 to 20 pounds worth of weight loss for many people.
The truth is, going gluten-free tends to decrease your cravings and appetite overall , and a decreased appetite leads to fewer calories consumed.
To keep the weight-loss ball rolling, you’ll probably need to start counting calories and try to stay within recommendations for your body.
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Something Significant Is Happening If Its Legit
With true Celiac disease, gluten and the improper digestion of it can cause many problems within the body. It can eventually damage the lining of the small intestine. It can wreak havoc on the immune system and therefore cause problems in the short term. If left undiagnosed and untreated, Celiac disease and the symptoms may interfere with the bodys ability to absorb important nutrients from the foods that you eat. This is a cause and effect and it can become worse over time if you dont get the proper diagnosis and help.
Lets be real though most of us arent suffering from these symptoms, nor do we suffer from Celiac disease. Many of us got on this diet to lose some weight or because it sounded like the hottest new health trend. It was interesting! A gluten-free diet may result in weight loss, but thats not the sole purpose of it. The reality is that avoiding gluten may help somebody with Celiac disease to eat comfortably in the here and now. It may also help to prevent further complications in the future.
So if you are focusing on a gluten-free diet just to lose weight, then stop it already! If you are doing it because it helps to eliminate pain and discomfort such as bloating, excess gas, diarrhea and constipation, and even nausea and vomiting them you are likely doing this for the right reasons and may have a legitimate health condition here.
You Could Be Reacting To The Gluten Free Grains Youre Now Eating
A sensitivity to gluten increases the chances that youre also sensitive to many of the foods youll turn to on a gluten free lifestyle including sorghum, millet, tapioca, amaranth, quinoa, rice, hemp, corn, and potato. These foods do not contain gluten but may still be a problem for you, this is called gluten cross reactivity.
And if youve got a gluten issue, Ive got some really bad news: coffee and chocolate are among the most common cross reactors. Tragic, I know. Consider a grain free diet and utilize non-grain based starches such as sweet potato, pumpkin, squash, and legumes
Cyrex Labs offers a gluten cross reactivity panel if youve committed to gluten free and wondering which grains, etc might be good alternatives for you. Visit www.cyrexlabs.com and look at Array 4.
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I Am Not Gluten Intolerant Nor Do I Have Celiac Disease Is It Safe For Me To Go For A Gluten
Yes, the gluten-free diet is safe. When done properly, it can provide you with a structure to eating healthier food options and adopting a healthy lifestyle. When you go for gluten-free foods, you have to take vitamins and mineral supplements as the gluten-free diet often lacks them. You can consume a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
Can You Lose Weight By Going Gluten Free
Eating gluten free may result in weight loss, however, its not a diet rather, the gluten-free diet is a way of life for millions of people coping with celiac disease and gluten sensitivities worldwide.
If youve implemented a gluten-free diet and have found yourself losing weight, way to go. It means youre probably eating plenty of vegetables and whole foods and have finally rid your body of that excess inflammation weight.
If youve gained weight after employing a gluten-free diet, its totally normal and reversible. You may need to adjust how much youre eating , plan your meals more carefully , as well as navigate the gluten-free junk food trap a bit better.
Remember, its important to note that losing weight and healthy weight management practices extend well beyond the elimination of one food group rather its about making good food choices, eating plenty of anti-inflammatory foods, eliminating foods causing inflammation, and practicing self-care every day.
I encourage you to contact a health professional specializing in the gluten-free diet to help you transition to a healthy, gluten-free diet that works for you.
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You Don’t Eat Enough Whole Grains
In some cases, cutting out gluten means inadvertently lowering the intake of heart-healthy whole grains, which offer cardiovascular benefits, according to a study published in BMJ. The reduced intake of whole grains could increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, and the study’s researchers said gluten-free diets for people without celiac disease are not recommended.
Going gluten-free isn’t necessarily harmful, as long as diets focus on lots of vegetables, fruits, high-quality proteins, healthy fats, and slow-burning carbs from legumes and starchy vegetables, and don’t include too many processed foods, Foroutan reminds us. She recommends that people speak to a dietitian or nutritionist to help them find a healthy enjoyable diet.
“You can throw yourself into a tizzy trying to avoid all of the things that you’re trying to avoid,” she says. “But focusing on avoidance is less enjoyable than focusing on what to eat more of, and if you’re not one of those people who must avoid gluten 100 percent of the time, it’s helpful to kind of get some clarity around that.”
Will Eating A Gluten
Have you noticed how Gluten-free seems to have become a fad in recent times? Everywhere you look, whether its on social media, T.V commercials, newspapers, or magazines, you see influencers and celebrities endorsing Gluten-free food. They say this is because gluten-free food has numerous benefits, one of them being weight loss.
But how is going Gluten-free and weight loss related? No matter how many sources endorse Gluten-free food for weight loss, you must understand its basics before concluding.
To understand and affirm if Gluten-free and weight loss are related, let us begin by understanding the relationship between the two.
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