Wheat free /Gluten free diet

nm212
nm212 Posts: 570 Member
Hey, Anyone out there had success with this diet?

I'd like to hear your story!
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Replies

  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    If you don't have a medical reason to do it: DON'T!

    That is, unless you enjoy spending ridiculous amounts of money on food that doesn't taste good, has hard and rough textures and costs 3-5x as much as it's gluten-filled counterpart.

    As for weight loss: It doesn't nothing you can't do while eating gluten.

    I eat (mostly) gluten-free now because I have a gluten allergy. I would give anything to be able to eat gluten again (among other food allergies). It's so not worth it if you don't have to do it.
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    If you choose to not go with an unnecessary elimination diet (assuming as pp stated, you don't have an allergy or intolerance). Here's a great link that steered me in the right direction

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • RenaTX
    RenaTX Posts: 345 Member
    Unless you are doing it for health reasons I don't see the reason to be gluten free.

    I'm gluten free. I'm do it because of PCOS. I have found that by going gluten free many of the hormone issues I was dealing with had greatly subsided . This is my reason for being gluten free . Regarding pricey substitutes for gluten. I found it easier to just not eat it or it's gluten free substitute.
  • marekdds
    marekdds Posts: 2,233 Member
    I agree. Don't do gf unless you have to. I do, and haven't had a decent piece of bread in years. GF is expensive and usually nasty. I did shed a few pounds giving up bread, but you can do that w/o gf.
  • nm212
    nm212 Posts: 570 Member
    Well, I started yesterday and I am feeling great, so I am all for it! My mind is more clear, I have energy, and no cravings! My stomach pains have gone away and just feel lighter. I even dropped .4 lbs ..compared to the day before. I was hoping for some positive responses but I respect all of your opinions and experiences. I'm reading the Wheat Belly book and it makes sense to me. I'm not saying I will never eat bread again but I can definitely tell the difference in the way I was feeling prior to how I feel now....and it's only been one day!
  • luca15306
    luca15306 Posts: 111 Member
    I am gluten free through choice, though some tests I had taken showed that I had a wheat-intolerance, though I have heard there are no medical grounds to back this up. I eat gluten free 99% of the time, apart from the odd treat maybe every few weeks to monthly. Since going gluten free/wheat free, and properly looking at ingredients in foods about 18-24 months ago, I have lost over 3st, or 50 lbs whichever you prefer. I do feel much better when I don't eat it, less bloated and overfull, like feeling I have eaten too much. I do use some gluten free substitutes, though it is important to remember that these mostly don't have a less calorie advantage, in fact in some breads and biscuits the calories are slightly higher. I tend to have wheat free bread and pasta, around once a week each, and some biscuits each evening as a treat, while fitting into my daily calorie allowance.
    I do believe there are some positive health benefits, but unless you have to, I don't recommend cutting it out completely, as this could lead to a greater intolerance overall, like if I don't have wheat/gluten for over a month, I tend to feel quite sick the next time I do, but this passes. Best of luck with your journey/decision :)
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    I am gluten free through choice, though some tests I had taken showed that I had a wheat-intolerance, though I have heard there are no medical grounds to back this up. I eat gluten free 99% of the time, apart from the odd treat maybe every few weeks to monthly. Since going gluten free/wheat free, and properly looking at ingredients in foods about 18-24 months ago, I have lost over 3st, or 50 lbs whichever you prefer. I do feel much better when I don't eat it, less bloated and overfull, like feeling I have eaten too much. I do use some gluten free substitutes, though it is important to remember that these mostly don't have a less calorie advantage, in fact in some breads and biscuits the calories are slightly higher. I tend to have wheat free bread and pasta, around once a week each, and some biscuits each evening as a treat, while fitting into my daily calorie allowance.
    I do believe there are some positive health benefits, but unless you have to, I don't recommend cutting it out completely, as this could lead to a greater intolerance overall, like if I don't have wheat/gluten for over a month, I tend to feel quite sick the next time I do, but this passes. Best of luck with your journey/decision :)
    Cutting out Gluten has nothing to do with your weightloss. All it means is that you were eating at a calorie deficit.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    Hey, Anyone out there had success with this diet?

    I'd like to hear your story!

    Eating a gluten free diet is certainly no less healthy than eating gluten.

    If you are curious to see if it makes a difference to how you feel then give it a go.

    maybe do a 30 day study of one, If you feel better at the end of the 30 days stick with it. If you notice no difference add the gluten back.

    With gluten or without gluten the key to successful weight loss is eat in a deficit.
  • berry987
    berry987 Posts: 11 Member
    We are gluten-free in our house, but that is because my son had chronic stomach pains for a year and eliminating gluten got rid of them. He does not have celiac, though - just some sort of intolerance. So the rest of the family is mostly gluten free to make it easier. I haven't seen any weight loss from being gluten-free, but I do feel better not eating gluten, although I pretty much steer clear of processed gluten-free things too (there's a ton of gluten-free junk food out there).
  • Bernadette60614
    Bernadette60614 Posts: 707 Member
    You'll find a wide variety of advice here from many wise and experienced people.

    IF you're interested in the gluten free approach, you may want to check out two pre-existing groups: Perimeter Shoppers and Clean Eating.

    Best of success on your journey whatever path you take!
  • MaryJane_8810002
    MaryJane_8810002 Posts: 2,082 Member
    I recently found out on an allergy test that I was allergic to wheat and rye. It was the reason why I was having some medical problems. This month I got serious and cut gluten out of my diet. I feel better and my weight has stabilized.

    Now the real deal: It kind of sucks. There are so m any foods I can no longer eat because they contain wheat, even some brands of french fries. I even have to avoid soy because it gives me as bad a reaction as wheat. I would love to have real toast but I have to deal with brown rice bread which is like a spongy brick.

    Now I say this just to say that you really should not follow this diet unless you have a legitimate medical problem. Following a fad is just not cool.
  • luca15306
    luca15306 Posts: 111 Member
    I am gluten free through choice, though some tests I had taken showed that I had a wheat-intolerance, though I have heard there are no medical grounds to back this up. I eat gluten free 99% of the time, apart from the odd treat maybe every few weeks to monthly. Since going gluten free/wheat free, and properly looking at ingredients in foods about 18-24 months ago, I have lost over 3st, or 50 lbs whichever you prefer. I do feel much better when I don't eat it, less bloated and overfull, like feeling I have eaten too much. I do use some gluten free substitutes, though it is important to remember that these mostly don't have a less calorie advantage, in fact in some breads and biscuits the calories are slightly higher. I tend to have wheat free bread and pasta, around once a week each, and some biscuits each evening as a treat, while fitting into my daily calorie allowance.
    I do believe there are some positive health benefits, but unless you have to, I don't recommend cutting it out completely, as this could lead to a greater intolerance overall, like if I don't have wheat/gluten for over a month, I tend to feel quite sick the next time I do, but this passes. Best of luck with your journey/decision :)
    Cutting out Gluten has nothing to do with your weightloss. All it means is that you were eating at a calorie deficit.

    I think that everybody works differently, I had previously followed a calorie controlled diet, weighing and logging with MFP, along with exercise and experienced little to no weight loss.. a pound here and there etc. I had also tried atkins, and slimming world, with no weight loss. Gluten free for me has been positive and I do believe it has contributed to my weight loss...My weight also increased when I introduced it again briefly to 'test your theory' while still eating at a deficit.
    Different ways for different bodies :)
  • apriljackss
    apriljackss Posts: 96 Member
    The only way to know if you are sensitive to gluten (not celiacs - they actually have a legitimate test for that) is to cut it out of your diet completely for about a month and then evaluate how you feel.

    I have a condition stemming from inflammation and too much free androgens (PCOS) and gluten is a known trigger of inflammation. I cut it out of my diet 3 months ago and I won't ever go back. The first few weeks sucked, but it's no more expensive than eating any other way unless you're determined to buy all of the boxed and processed "gluten free" crap that's out there (the counterparts of which are also crap, so there's no difference there). If you stick to the perimeter of the grocery store (with a few exceptions) you're good to go. I eat all the fruit, veggies, meats, nuts, seeds, rice, quinoa, lentils, dark chocolate that I want and I never feel hungry or deprived. On a somewhat unrelated note, I'm also lactose intolerant and sensitive to soy, and one of my new favorite things is coconut milk ice cream. Who needs milk or gluten?
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    Well, I started yesterday and I am feeling great, so I am all for it! My mind is more clear, I have energy, and no cravings! My stomach pains have gone away and just feel lighter. I even dropped .4 lbs ..compared to the day before. I was hoping for some positive responses but I respect all of your opinions and experiences. I'm reading the Wheat Belly book and it makes sense to me. I'm not saying I will never eat bread again but I can definitely tell the difference in the way I was feeling prior to how I feel now....and it's only been one day!

    You can tell all that in a day?
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    I am gluten free through choice, though some tests I had taken showed that I had a wheat-intolerance, though I have heard there are no medical grounds to back this up. I eat gluten free 99% of the time, apart from the odd treat maybe every few weeks to monthly. Since going gluten free/wheat free, and properly looking at ingredients in foods about 18-24 months ago, I have lost over 3st, or 50 lbs whichever you prefer. I do feel much better when I don't eat it, less bloated and overfull, like feeling I have eaten too much. I do use some gluten free substitutes, though it is important to remember that these mostly don't have a less calorie advantage, in fact in some breads and biscuits the calories are slightly higher. I tend to have wheat free bread and pasta, around once a week each, and some biscuits each evening as a treat, while fitting into my daily calorie allowance.
    I do believe there are some positive health benefits, but unless you have to, I don't recommend cutting it out completely, as this could lead to a greater intolerance overall, like if I don't have wheat/gluten for over a month, I tend to feel quite sick the next time I do, but this passes. Best of luck with your journey/decision :)
    Cutting out Gluten has nothing to do with your weightloss. All it means is that you were eating at a calorie deficit.

    I think that everybody works differently, I had previously followed a calorie controlled diet, weighing and logging with MFP, along with exercise and experienced little to no weight loss.. a pound here and there etc. I had also tried atkins, and slimming world, with no weight loss. Gluten free for me has been positive and I do believe it has contributed to my weight loss...My weight also increased when I introduced it again briefly to 'test your theory' while still eating at a deficit.
    Different ways for different bodies :)

    Of course your weight is going to increase when you introduce carbs back into your diet. Your body retains more water to break it down. It doesn't mean you gained fat just from eating bread again.
  • LVCeltGirl
    LVCeltGirl Posts: 473
    I say try the Wheat Belly Diet, mainly to see if you get any added benefits (like you've observed, more energy, clearer head, etc). If you don't have a proven wheat allergy, I would consider adding wheat back into your diet just not as much as you used to eat.

    I actually did this and did enjoy how much better I felt without the wheat but I found I was missing the pastas I liked (I've never been a big bread eater so giving up bread wasn't a problem, pasta, and flour tortillas is another matter entirely). I don't care for the gluten free pastas on the market, so getting my pasta that way didn't work. And I still love my spaghetti squash so it's not like I didn't like any alternatives to pasta out there.

    Since cutting back on the wheat in my diet, I don't suffer from allergies like I used to even on extremely windy days. My mind is clearer and I do have more energy. I did not lose a bunch of weight when I went wheat free. I've lost more weight just logging my food and exercising than I've done with any "diet" out there. I lost maybe a couple of pounds and then stalled out (until I found MFP). Granted it was not a long time between wheat free and joining up on MFP.

    I will not advocate cutting any food or food group for weight loss reasons unless it is for medical issues However that said, if you do cut a food or food group out and see other advantages to it, as well as have the knowledge that you can "live without that food and not get horrendous cravings for it", then don't eat that food or food group. It's as simple as that to me.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
    Well, I started yesterday and I am feeling great, so I am all for it! My mind is more clear, I have energy, and no cravings! My stomach pains have gone away and just feel lighter. I even dropped .4 lbs ..compared to the day before. I was hoping for some positive responses but I respect all of your opinions and experiences. I'm reading the Wheat Belly book and it makes sense to me. I'm not saying I will never eat bread again but I can definitely tell the difference in the way I was feeling prior to how I feel now....and it's only been one day!

    There is a difference between not eating bread and avoiding all gluten and it is done for different and often personal reasons. For example I have active Lupus as well as RA and I do not eat any white bread, because it increases the inflammation in my body due to the mix of the ingredients in commercial bread ( the processed flour, processed sugar, often cheap fat and additives to prolong shelf life ). I do eat on occasion home made bread with whole flour, grains made with olive oil and just enough sugar to make the yeast rise. And the reason for eating more natural bread only on occasion is because bread is a trigger food and eating it twice a month is my way of practicing " moderation ".
    Commercially baked bread makes my hands, elbows and knees swell and it has nothing to do with gluten I think, because I can eat other natural foods that have gluten and I am fine.
    Something similar might be true for you and that does not constitute a reason to avoid a whole group of foods you might otherwise enjoy without consequences.
  • Teenie71
    Teenie71 Posts: 52
    Well, I started yesterday and I am feeling great, so I am all for it! My mind is more clear, I have energy, and no cravings! My stomach pains have gone away and just feel lighter. I even dropped .4 lbs ..compared to the day before. I was hoping for some positive responses but I respect all of your opinions and experiences. I'm reading the Wheat Belly book and it makes sense to me. I'm not saying I will never eat bread again but I can definitely tell the difference in the way I was feeling prior to how I feel now....and it's only been one day!

    You can tell all that in a day?

    hehehe I was thinking the EXACT same thing LMAO
  • kelleyblas
    kelleyblas Posts: 8 Member
    I am grain free/sugar free, never felt better in my life. I have ZERO cravings for processed foods and junk. I have lost almost 40 lbs since 2/26/2014. I have about 70 left and it is falling off, not to mention I sleep great, have no more pain in my feet and legs and my skin looks amazing.
  • MapleFlavouredMaiden
    MapleFlavouredMaiden Posts: 595 Member
    No. The only time I tried low carb I had no energy at all. Just lift the things and eat the food and have PATIENCE! No need for fad diets unless there is a medical reason.
  • KeepGoingKylene
    KeepGoingKylene Posts: 432 Member
    If you don't have a medical reason to do it: DON'T!

    That is, unless you enjoy spending ridiculous amounts of money on food that doesn't taste good, has hard and rough textures and costs 3-5x as much as it's gluten-filled counterpart.

    As for weight loss: It doesn't nothing you can't do while eating gluten.

    I eat (mostly) gluten-free now because I have a gluten allergy. I would give anything to be able to eat gluten again (among other food allergies). It's so not worth it if you don't have to do it.

    ^^^THIS!

    I was originally told by my doctor that i might have a gluten intolerance when we were trying to figure out what my issues were, turns out it was dairy, but for that bit of time i was eating gluten free it did nothing for weight loss and tasted gross and cost too much money, so ya, don't do it unless you have too!!
  • darkangel45422
    darkangel45422 Posts: 234 Member
    Personally I say ignore those who are basing their responses on an instant dislike of "fad" diets without regard for its health effects.

    The evidence for and against gluten, wheat, etc. being harmful or not to our health is mixed so you can't say for sure one way or the other that it's definitely ok or good, or that it's bad. That said, there's absolutely no damage cutting these things out of your diet can do to your health physically; about the worst thing that can happen is you find it unsustainable given your lifestyle, in whcih case you simply go back to eating gluten, wheat, etc.

    Personally I say try it out and experiment for yourself. Do you want to go completely gluten and wheat free or just cut out some big offenders? Personally I've been trying to cut out grains, focusing for the moment on breads and processed foods. Bread was easy as I never horribly enjoyed it (other than good bakery bread like baguettes, which were always a rare thing), and processed foods are a work in progress. I love pasta but don't mind the grain free versions like brown rice pasta so I'm perfectly happy with that switch as well. But I wouldn't substitute for a product I didn't like; I'm fine with a moderate approach of still having some grains when I feel like it.

    As for those who say gluten free doesn't taste good, has bad texture, is ridiculously expensive, etc. - gluten free doesn't require you to simply substitute gluten filled products with their heavily processed gluten free replacements. You can totally enjoy gluten free or grain free, etc. by simply avoiding those kinds of products entirely or for the most part - just eat vegetables, fruits, meats, seeds, nuts, etc. etc. rather than swapping normal bread for gluten free bread, etc. If that's the only problem you have with gluten free I think the OP is fine to try it out for herself.
  • pita7317
    pita7317 Posts: 1,437 Member
    I stopped eating gluten (99%) about 5 years ago.
    Feel so much better ! Lost 10 lbs after the first five weeks.
    No more bloated, painful stomach.
    And a list of other things as well.
    I don't buy GF bread, pasta, etc.
    If I really want those things I will eat a little and always reminds me afterwards why I stopped.
    You might want to try this. I was amazed.
    Make a list right now of health related concerns that you think about on a daily basis ex bloated stomach, fatigue, weight gain, sinus issues.... rate each thing on a scale of 1-10 on how often you think about it. 10 being constantly. Put the list away. And pull it out a couple months from now and do it again.

    I know a lot of people advise against this or don't even know what gluten is.
    But, if it works for YOU and you feel better, why not ?
  • Holly_Wood_888
    Holly_Wood_888 Posts: 268 Member
    I am gluten free for 2 years now and should have been most my life! It causes terrible pain and discomfort and bowel issues...being gluten free has helped me drop/keep weight off because empty carbs have gluten in them !
    which means I don't eat donoughts, cake, bagels, etc....

    I agree with many people above when I say don't go gluten free if you don't need to - however you can start eliminating carbs and focus on good carbs that are in veggies !
  • nm212
    nm212 Posts: 570 Member
    Thanks all. YES I do feel a difference already, believe it or not! I initially wanted to try this because I have a sensitive stomach and the past few weeks was cramping, bloated, bowel problems (actually have battled with this my whole life on and off), and just feeling sick after eating bagels sometimes. At first I thought it was what I was putting on my bagels or bread...like cheese ( I don't drink milk but I eat cheese...Milk not good for me) but then I realized maybe it could be an allergy to wheat or gluten. I did have an allergist tell me once that I was allergic to wheat but this was several years ago and I pretty much ignored it.

    You don't have to get your carbs from bread! I'm eating rice and vegetables and protein, nuts, beans...etc..

    I just feel a difference, even though I just started this yesterday! I woke up with energy, did not even want my coffee...had tea instead. I have an egg and cheese omelet for breakfast. I feel alert, my stomach feels more relaxed , and I actually lost .4 lbs...but my main reason is not just to lose weight but also to feel good!
  • skygirll
    skygirll Posts: 32 Member
    I have Celiac disease and have been gluten free for 10 years. I have been a little overweight most of that time. However, I have done paleo the last month and lost 10lbs. I have lots of other food allergies too and paleo works better for me than just being gluten free. If you're trying gf for weight loss you have to be careful because a lot of it is higher carb or calories. If it's for medical reasons try paleo. I wish I had known about it a lot sooner!
  • Strokingdiction
    Strokingdiction Posts: 1,164 Member
    Thanks all. YES I do feel a difference already, believe it or not! I initially wanted to try this because I have a sensitive stomach and the past few weeks was cramping, bloated, bowel problems (actually have battled with this my whole life on and off), and just feeling sick after eating bagels sometimes. At first I thought it was what I was putting on my bagels or bread...like cheese ( I don't drink milk but I eat cheese...Milk not good for me) but then I realized maybe it could be an allergy to wheat or gluten. I did have an allergist tell me once that I was allergic to wheat but this was several years ago and I pretty much ignored it.

    You don't have to get your carbs from bread! I'm eating rice and vegetables and protein, nuts, beans...etc..

    I just feel a difference, even though I just started this yesterday! I woke up with energy, did not even want my coffee...had tea instead. I have an egg and cheese omelet for breakfast. I feel alert, my stomach feels more relaxed , and I actually lost .4 lbs...but my main reason is not just to lose weight but also to feel good!

    I'm glad the placebo effect is so strong for you. Congratulations on your .4 lb loss and good luck.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    If you don't have a medical reason to do it: DON'T!

    That is, unless you enjoy spending ridiculous amounts of money on food that doesn't taste good, has hard and rough textures and costs 3-5x as much as it's gluten-filled counterpart.

    As for weight loss: It doesn't nothing you can't do while eating gluten.

    I eat (mostly) gluten-free now because I have a gluten allergy. I would give anything to be able to eat gluten again (among other food allergies). It's so not worth it if you don't have to do it.

    I don't recall my omelette and bacon I had for breakfast this morning to be spending ridiculous amounts on food or not taste good.............

    The meatballs and salad I had for supper last night was pretty tasty too.

    The banana and Noosa yogurt I ate earlier didn't have any rough edges on it.

    <roll eyes>

    If people learned how to shop there wouldn't be ridiculous amounts of money being spent on food.
  • nm212
    nm212 Posts: 570 Member
    lol I should have expected some arguments on here because it is MFP forums...

    For me, I am going natural. I'm not eating any pre-packaged "gluten-free" versions of bread or substitutes. I guess it's a mix between Paleo and GF. I haven't spent any more money on foods than I have before...Why? Cause I already have fruits, vegetables, in my diet...I'm just cutting out the wheat....NO biggie really!

    To all the haters out there, do your research. If genetically modified food is good for you, then go ahead and eat all the wheat you want. If you don't have an intolerance then it won't hurt you, but I'm all about being healthy and putting foods in me that are pure and clean. The Wheat Belly book was written by a Cardiologist! It's not a diet fad. It's based on scientific evidence! Whether you believe in this diet or not, this is a fact.