Gluten free and weightloss

GEE1241
GEE1241 Posts: 32 Member
Hi my doctor suggest that i go semi gluten free. How does that work with weightloss?

Replies

  • knittnponder
    knittnponder Posts: 1,953 Member
    Just like any other food; you watch what you eat. :) Some people will have a weight loss from going gluten free but not everyone. And gluten free doesn't mean calorie free. When we first switched over I was experimenting with baking different GF things and gained a couple of pounds. But I hadn't been eating cookies, muffins and that type of thing (or very rarely anyway) so adding that stuff in as GF foods upped my calories. Now that I've backed off and my calories are back where they need to be the weight is dropping again.
  • Funsoaps
    Funsoaps Posts: 514 Member
    I've been gluten-free for years. Total weight loss due to it= zero. I don't do it for that reason, though.
  • sweet110
    sweet110 Posts: 332 Member
    I know some people think gluten free is an answer to weight loss. But not really. If going gluten free means that you have to eat at home most of the time, can't eat processed foods, and can't "impulse eat" desserts because you have to plan, plan, plan (and usually end up making it yourself) to have a gluten free confectionary...then yes. It certainly can work. But its not the lack of gluten that did it. And there are easier ways to "have rules" to help yourself lose weight. Believe me.

    On the flip side, if going gluten free means eating lots of processed gluten free foods, eating lots of cheese and soda (you know, cause its gluten free!), and becoming a groupie at your local, gluten free, artisanal bakery...then, not so much. When I first went gluten free, I didn't lose anything, because I was still eating too much of the wrong things.

    So, the answer is...going gluten free can sometimes make it easier, harder, or have no effect on weight loss. I do think, however, that it takes more planning (especially around meals) and you have to remember to be mindful of all the gluten-free food out there that is high calorie, processed, and unhealthy...the temptation can be to "just let yourself have it" because there is so much that you *can't* eat, that it can sometimes make you want to splurge too often on the things you can eat.
  • mooglysmom
    mooglysmom Posts: 319 Member
    If you a: stay away from premade gluten free food (which largely has no nutrition to begin with, and is typically high in calories and carbs), b: eat mostly real food from scratch, and c: stay away from dessert dishes - then yeah, you'll lose weight.

    I only lost weight after going gluten free because I wasn't so freaking bloated from the gluten foods. But I possibly have Celiacs, that's why.
  • ResilientWoman
    ResilientWoman Posts: 440 Member
    I had to be 100% gluten free and then grain free to have health which led to my sustainable strength and weight loss. Check out my profile and if it sounds like what I'm doing would be helpful to you, friend me. I love supporting those who are serious about optimal health.
  • pdworkman
    pdworkman Posts: 1,342 Member
    I put on weight when I went gluten free. I am quite capable of gaining weight on any restricted diet! I really have to watch portions and calorie dense treats (even if they are whole unprocessed foods!) But if you are overweight because of inflammation, water retention, and because your body isn't getting the nutrients it needs due to celiac gut damage, then yes, going gluten free can help you lose weight.

    My dad, who was wasting away with celiac disease, was happy to put on 30 lbs when he went gluten free.
  • I'm going gluten free this week (I started yesterday). My diet is like that described by sweet110 - I'm going gluten free so that I stay away from bagels, muffins, sugary cereals, and bread - food that sneaks its way into my diet even though I'm healthy. This is just a way for me to keep it out of my diet for good!