Gluten free to help weight loss?

littlemissdrea85

Hello!

Someone suggested to me to go gluten free to help weight loss, however after a quick internet search I have seen varying opinions. Some saying that going gluten free did aid, others saying it is a waste of time and money as gluten free is only beneficial for those with an issue with processing gluten and if anything more sugars and additives are in GF foods to make them taste better.

Has anyone tried? I figure can't hurt to give it a go but not going to waste my time if it is just a load of bullocks.

Anyone who has tried would love to know your story!

fushigi1988

NO

Novus175

Technically, a gluten free diet is not a weight loss plan but something one does for medical reasons - Celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or wheat intolerance. People with these conditions eliminate the food products they cannot eat and instead substitute ones that they can eat. Often, gluten free items contain more calories and carbs than the ones they are replacing.

If you choose to eliminate products containing gluten and/or wheat for weight loss reasons rather than medical reasons you would actually be following a low carb or Paleo way of eating.

On a low carb diet, many people find that eating fewer carbs enables them to eat fewer calories per day because they are eliminating a highly caloric food group and because eating higher amounts of protein curbs hunger. It is not strictly necessary to eat a ketosis-inducing level of carbs like on the Atkins diet. You can most likely have results from severely restricting portions of grains and starches and reducing your daily carb amount to less than 100 grams.

The Paleo diet eliminates grains as well as a lot of other foods like dairy, legumes, and peanuts. The Paleo diet produces weight loss for many of the same reasons as does a low carb diet. It also encourages lifestyle changes for overall health, like strength training (but not cardio), adequate sleep and sunshine, minimizing stress, etc.

I would suggest researching low carb or Paleo and consider following one of those if you are serious about reducing/eliminating grains from your diet.

Jodsmission

From personal experience -- I have celiac's and was diagnosed after severe damage to my gastro track last year- going gluten free is extremely expensive and doesn't cause weight loss. The previous poster is right . Paleo or Adkins do. Having said that there are glutens in everything so if you go paleo you have to watch for hidden glutens. But the gluten free snack and breads and crackers that you will live off of will pack it on not take it off.
I now live carb free meaning I consume no rice ,potatoes , wheat or corn or products there of and I have lost weight and feel better.
Paleo is easy for celiac's folks because we really equate bread with pain.

ChrissyC1985

I am intolerant to gluten, cows milk and eggs and over the last two weeks have made some drastic changes to my diet.
due to me loving cheese and pasta etc and many things I shouldn't have I allow myself a day or two each week to have some of the items that would have triggered bloating/discomfort before because i was eating so much of them.

now I have oats for breakfast,fish and rice/cous cous or some other high protein food like chicken for lunch, and meat with veg and some form of carbohydrate for dinner.

making these changes has worked for me so far because I shouldn't be eating large amounts of the trigger foods and I have seen the benefits all ready and don't plan on reverting back to my lazy ( for me) choices before.

I am not certain unless there is a medical reason as to why going gluten free would aid weight loss

marykpfist

Just wanted to concur with what's already been said.... eliminating a food group will not make you lose weight. If you are considering changing the way you eat, and if you are intolerant to gluten or pre-diabetic/diabetic, or possibly celiac, a short period to test if your body does better without gluten can be helpful.

My doctor had me remove gluten (I do not substitute with gluten-free products, by the way.... I just do not eat these types of things. ) It made a world of difference for me, because I had an intolerance. The Paleo lifestyle follow a way of eating which attempts to eat things that are healthy for you... and not eat things which are processed and have artificial ingredients and preservatives. Following this lifestyle (I use lifestyle, because it is like being vegetarian... it's not something you do for a few weeks...) has helped me avoid gluten. I wouldn't call it low-carb, however. But definitely gluten free.

A lot of people who choose to follow Paleo do lose weight, but it's more about eating the most healthy foods possible. (Which is a choice.) and to move more and push your body. Just cutting out a food group is not a "fix" for weight. However, if you are interested in seeing if you are glucose intolerant, Google Whole9 or Whole30.

For the record, he also had me remove dairy, soy, corn, and a host of other things... so not just gluten. I eat pretty simply now -- a typical day might look like bacon, eggs, and fruit for breakfast with coffee, lunch of fish or chicken with veggies, and dinner is a reasonably sized piece of meat with veggies or salad. I drink plain tea, and I do have a little cream in my coffee, despite the lactose intolerance.

The biggest thing for me has been that I COOK a lot more. (This is so I can control the grains.) Since I'm avoiding soy and corn, that is also a lot of commercial oils. Cooking at home I think has really forced me to take a look at portion sizes and THINK about what I am eating. So, for me at least.. I think that has made more difference than the fact that I don't eat certain things anymore.

WalkingAlong

Hello!

Someone suggested to me to go gluten free to help weight loss, however after a quick internet search I have seen varying opinions. Some saying that going gluten free did aid, others saying it is a waste of time and money as gluten free is only beneficial for those with an issue with processing gluten and if anything more sugars and additives are in GF foods to make them taste better.

I lost a lot of weight once on a plan where bread and baked goods were very restricted. But that's because those are high calorie foods that are not very filling. So I think if you just stop eating bread and baked goods, you could lose weight and possibly even feel better. But not if you substitute with gluten-free bread and baked goods. You'd be subbing 'GF foods' such as produce and lean protein, ideally.

Tora32

Sometimes you'll see celiacs start losing weight after going gluten-free, but that's more because they're eating something that doesn't mess up their digestive system rather than some magic with the diet itself, and even then the effect on weight varies a lot. Personally, I'm GF due to an intolerance of some sort, and I didn't notice any real effect on my weight after switching. I've both gained and lost since, but in looking back, it always came down to the basics of calories in/calories out rather than where those calories actually came from.

And yep, a lot of the popular GF substitutes for things aren't exactly better for you unless you're intentionally sticking to the organic stuff (and even then, I'd imagine you could get the same benefit from most whole grain alternatives out there, GF or not). Technically you could probably lose going GF if you're simply cutting out the breads and pastas without replacing them with anything since you'd basically be cutting those calories (which I've seen some people attempt), but there are plenty of healthier ways out there of accomplishing the same thing. I second the suggestion that if you really want to try that route, to look into something like Paleo. I can't speak to it much myself, but I gather it's a similar idea that's more geared toward healthy living and might work better for you.

WW_Jude_V2

I actually put on 7 pounds after being diagnosed as celiac back in December. It hit me like a sledgehammer and I wasn't prepared.

I was a very (and I mean very) dedicated high-fiber whole grain eater. To suddenly have that taken away left me feeling a little panicked. I started eating the GF foods and sure paid the price. No fiber to speak of in that cr@p (pun intended) and after some pretty uncomfortable weeks, I found my way back to eating properly and healthily.

I'm now pretty much back to the pre-diagnosis weight - which is fine for my age etc.

I suspect if you plan to go GF you might not have this same type of experience but I thought I'd chime in.

DebTavares

I am also diagnosed with celiac disease. When I went gluten-free I actually gained weight as I was now finally absorbing nutrients. Previously, I was spending a whole lot of time in the washroom.

littlemissdrea85

Thanks everyone for your replies - definitely won't be going GF

Wynterbourne

I am intolerant to gluten, cows milk and eggs and over the last two weeks have made some drastic changes to my diet.
due to me loving cheese and pasta etc and many things I shouldn't have I allow myself a day or two each week to have some of the items that would have triggered bloating/discomfort before because i was eating so much of them.

now I have oats for breakfast,fish and rice/cous cous or some other high protein food like chicken for lunch, and meat with veg and some form of carbohydrate for dinner.

In case you weren't aware, couscous is not a grain. Couscous is pasta. You're substituting pasta with another pasta.

Meerataila

The food industry has helpfully made lots of gluten free goodies for celiacs to spend their money getting fat on. That said, there is no reason I know of to eat bread and so forth. So if you want to stop, go for it, but don't think you can buy the substitutes and still magically lose weight.

Saramelie

Big difference between eating the packaged GF crap and lowering or eliminating grains.... The first is CRAP, not the second IMO... That said, just watching your caloric intake should do the trick.

mooglysmom

NO.

And I'm Gluten free. On purpose. Because gluten does things to my body that make it very, very unhappy.

Eating WHOLE, healthy food, and staying away from processed garbage - PLUS staying within your caloric allowance WILL help you lose weight. Pre-packaged GF food is ridiculous. Most of it is garbage - high calorie, high starch, high fat. Sticking to natually GF food is the only way I lose. Meat, fruits, veggies.

alsimon816

Do not do a gluten free diet just for weight loss especially since whether you lose or gain after going gluten free varies widely on your body as well as the type of gluten free foods you eat.

A common misconception with the "gluten free diet" is that because it's called a diet, people automatically associate it with weight loss and it becomes a fad or trend. For people like myself with celiac or gluten intolerance, it is not even close to that. it get's irritating when people find out you have that issue and treat it like a joke or just doing it for attention.

There are a lot of gluten free foods that compare to other mainstream goodies like oreos or double fudge ice cream but the only ingredient that is traded out is the one that contains gluten-not the sugars or fats.

With that said, if you are just looking to lose weight, unless your body has an actual reaction to gluten, don't bother cutting it out. Instead simply switch to whole wheat organic past and bread and cut your portion sizes. Add in more fruits, veggies and lean meats.

Going gluten free due to an intolerance actually takes a lot more work than most think and a lot of label reading because gluten is hidden is so many things--you have to be very careful (depending on the severity of you gluten intolerance meaning just a sensitivity as compared to celiac). It's even in soy sauce, some caramel colorings and a lot more alcohol than just beer. Needless to say, there is a lot that I can't have.

I will say that before I was diagnosed with celiac, i was trying a number of different diets because I was slowly but steadily gaining weight and had made no major lifestyle changes to warrant it. I figured it was because I was getting older and i needed to watch what I ate. I tried a gluten free diet but it was also organic (super expensive by the way) and i really didn't eat much meat, if any (yeah, try calling it the skinny ***** diet....it sucks but it works).

I lost about 13 pounds in less than two weeks and was not even watching calories because the stuff I was eating was so low in calories that I ate as much as I wanted and only ate when I was hungry. I started incorporating wheat back into my diet and just watched my portion sizes and limited myself. I maintained my weight loss for a while but it started creeping back up. Not noticing the connection, i gave up and ate what I wanted but still controlled portion size.

In the midst of all this, I was dealing with daily headaches, sometimes migraines and it started to get worse--I was always tired, groggy, had major joint pain, numbness in my hands and feet, and Keratosis Pillars (chicken skin) on my arms and thighs, constant abdominal bloating and cramps (I mean it never went away), among other things. I attributed the majority of it to a bad car accident where I sustained disk and tissue damage--the KP I've had most of my life.

I started to think back to when I went gluten free and how awesome and energetic I felt and did some research of my own of course (who doesn't?). I decided to go to my doctor. Long story short the only way to really find out if you have a gluten intolerance is by elimination.

I've been gluten free for the last month--no headaches, more energy, a good 60% of my KP has cleared, no bloating, cramps, numbness, anything and I've lost 16 lbs.

My diet since I started this again has consisted of veggies, fruit, quinoa, rice, bbq chicken, fish, terra veggie chips, pop chips, yogurt, nuts, gluten free beer, gilato (in moderation), hummus, flax crackers and rice cakes. You can season your food without issue because there are a lot of them that don't have gluten, like my bbq sauce and sriracha.

Basically, if you are going to go gluten free and don't have an intolerance, do it and mean it or just eat healthy, whole and moderate. Don't eat the gluten free goodies like they are health food because they aren't and you will in fact gain weight. If you are serious, I would also get a list of all the different ingredient names that gluten is hidden under and take it with you to the grocery store. Make a day trip out of it, actually--because it will be.

alsimon816

I am intolerant to gluten, cows milk and eggs and over the last two weeks have made some drastic changes to my diet.
due to me loving cheese and pasta etc and many things I shouldn't have I allow myself a day or two each week to have some of the items that would have triggered bloating/discomfort before because i was eating so much of them.

now I have oats for breakfast,fish and rice/cous cous or some other high protein food like chicken for lunch, and meat with veg and some form of carbohydrate for dinner.

In case you weren't aware, couscous is not a grain. Couscous is pasta. You're substituting pasta with another pasta.

True story...couscous is made from ground semolina which is wheat.

canadjineh

now I have oats for breakfast,fish and rice/cous cous or some other high protein food like chicken for lunch, and meat with veg and some form of carbohydrate for dinner.

Just note that couscous is a type of North African semolina in granules made from crushed durum wheat. If you are doing without gluten - DON'T eat this.

kvansanity

Please don't be that annoying person that orders gluten free pasta at a restaurant when they don't have celiac disease.

Kalikel

My sister had to go Gluten Free long before it was popular. We are thrilled by the fact that there are so many more gluten-free options for her, now that everyone wants it.

If you want to try it, go buy some!

Although she now has to deal with people who assume she is being a flake, much like people with real, life-threatening allergies get looked at since it became the cool thing to have, the up-tick in gluten-free food is awesome.

I support buying it, if just for my sister.

But I doubt it will help.

bethanytapp

After going gluten free (for medical reasons) I gained 50 pounds and then lost 68 a few years later. Like many others have said, just going gluten free you'll be tempted by all of the processed stuff with the 'gluten free' labels and likely end up eating a lot more. Just concentrate on eating all things in moderation and stay below your calorie goal and you'll be fine. You don't want to cut out foods unless you have to.

georgiagreeneyes

NO

HAHA I love this response and I fully support it. There is NO REASON WHATSOEVER to go gluten free unless you have been diagnosed by a medical doctor, following adequate testing, to avoid gluten. If you are having an immune response to gluten antigens you would very likely suffer from unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects each time you eat gluten containing products. So many people got swept into the "gluten sensitivity" fad and there is no medical evidence to support that gluten sensitivity even exists. Furthermore, in order to be tested for Celiac's disease (gluten intolerance) you still need to have gluten as a part of your normal diet in order for the test to be diagnostic.

Enjoy a gluten filled diet!! There is no reason to preclude gluten from your diet when its medically unnecessary--- it certainly won't make weight loss any easier. At the end of the day it's calories in vs. calories out!!

georgiagreeneyes

Please don't be that annoying person that orders gluten free pasta at a restaurant when they don't have celiac disease.

I wish there was a like button for MFP posts!! Totally agree!! :bigsmile:

7elizamae

I cook for a caterer. When we make our gluten-free baked goods, we are always adding more sugar -- quite a bit more -- to mask that icky, gooey, rice-y, gluten-free flavor.

We also usually add more icing or frosting or whatever -- all to mask that no-gluten flavor.

I can't imagine going gluten-free would help weight loss.

gizmo_2014

A gluten free diet does not equal weight loss. There is no need to go gluten free unless you have an intolerance or are celiac. There is nothing bad about gluten for the average person.

I lose weight perfectly fine and eat a lot of gluten as it is in a lot of vegetarian meats and I use gluten flour to make my own seitan.

Gluten free foods do not mean less calories and a calorie deficit is what leads to weight loss.

Flab2fitfi

Another coeliac here and have been for over 20 years. I was also 100lb overweight when I joined the site so for me gluten free does not equate weight loss.


Some people do lose weight especially if they don't replace bread etc with the gluten free options - we all should lose weight if we decided to replace 2 cookies with 2 apples.