Gluten. Dairy. Sugar.

I suspect that I have a dairy/wheat intolerance, and googled it to see if there were meal ideas out there for this kind of diet, and this forum popped up. I read the op's success story, and then several of the ignorant, rude responses. Don't all of you want to lose weight (it looks like some of you have already done so- good for you!)? Why on earth wouldn't you be supportive of someone who found something that worked for her?
I find it odd that people who have gotten themselves to the point of being overweight and then lost weight would be so scathing towards a person on a similar path.
There is so much information out there that supports what the op has experienced. You don't have to read medical journals to find it, either. Just pick up a mainstream magazine or find a high quality information source. Ever heard of gut bacteria and how changes in your intestinal flora can lead to obesity or weight loss? Dairy and gluten sensitivities are both results of bacterial activity- and guess what? Everyone's intestinal flora profile is DIFFERENT! It is not as simple as calorie deficit + exercise= weight loss for all bodies. Get your heads out of the 1980's and inform yourselves before you tear into some person who is sharing what helped her. I have never been overweight myself (I guess I am a "special snowflake" to quote a pp :eyeroll), but I can appreciate that the op, and several other posters who have been treated with similar disdain, found something the works for her body and is sharing that.
I would NEVER recommend this board to ANYONE. I suggest that you lovely folks find something better to do with your time and energy than spreading 1980's era weight loss "facts" and advice online. There's a lot of new research out there. Educate yourselves, and maybe even evolve a little.
Asshats.

It's called the intestinal microbiome. Experiments have shown that changing your diet can cause rapid changes in the intestinal microbiome. Not surprisingly, there's a 3-way correlation between diet composition, microbiome composition, and weight gain/loss. There's no evidence to the best of my knowledge that shows that differences in the microbiome cause or even influence weight gain or loss.

If you don't have a peer-reviewed reference that shows otherwise, I'll be generous and assume that you've mistaken correlation for causation.

FYI - there are plenty of people on this board whose job it is to keep up with the most current scientific research in various fields, and others who do it as a hobby. Better come with peer-reviewed references if you want to challenge 'old' research.

Really not here to debate and defend my position.

Ahh right. You want to be able to say things and not have them called out, criticized, or questioned in any way.

I think you meant this to be a blog post, not a forum post. Forums are for discussion.

So.. what "chemicals" are in processed sugar that aren't in bananas?

Really not here to debate and defend my position.

Ahh right. You want to be able to say things and not have them called out, criticized, or questioned in any way.

I think you meant this to be a blog post, not a forum post. Forums are for discussion.

So.. what "chemicals" are in processed sugar that aren't in bananas?

Putting the sugar aside... with fruits and vegetables... you're not only getting sugar... you're getting vital nutrients and vitamins... things you don't get from say, Oreos or Ice Cream. So, if you had to choose between a donut or an apple... the apple is the better choice because you're getting something from it whereas the donut is all empty calories and sugar.

IMHO, there is no such thing as an "EVIL" food.

wrong.

exhibit A. brussels sprouts
exhibit B. asparagus
exhibit C. black licorice

Okay evil for you maybe. If that's the case, coconut is evil for me because I hate it.

What I was trying to say is that people label food as evil because of some bogus claim about it.

Clearly that got lost in translation.

Really not here to debate and defend my position.

Ahh right. You want to be able to say things and not have them called out, criticized, or questioned in any way.

I think you meant this to be a blog post, not a forum post. Forums are for discussion.

So.. what "chemicals" are in processed sugar that aren't in bananas?

Putting the sugar aside... with fruits and vegetables... you're not only getting sugar... you're getting vital nutrients and vitamins... things you don't get from say, Oreos or Ice Cream. So, if you had to choose between a donut or an apple... the apple is the better choice because you're getting something from it whereas the donut is all empty calories and sugar.

For me, the donut is generally the better choice because if I want a donut and eat an apple, after I finish the apple I'll still want a donut.

I was not able to drop much weight until I quit these three evils. Then it came off fast, and without even exercising.
30 lbs in two months, bam, gone!

No because...Donuts! Im eating all 3...right now and losing fat.
Well I think all 3...do donuts have dairy?...some would!
Either way evil is delicious...

I am fairly sure that by taking out sugar it implies refined sugars and leaves room for fruit and things like agave and honey. When you're commenting on others experience keep in mind that you might have to illuminate these things because they are actually INTOLERANT to them, not just to shed pounds!