Lady Gaga to Russell Crowe: Major Stars Go Gluten-free to Shed Pounds, Shape Bodies

Going gluten-free does NOT make you lose weight. In fact, as a person with celiac disease, I don't recommend it unless it is a medical necessity. If you eat the same amount of a gluten-free product as you would a regular product (like pasta) you get almost double the calories. Over an extended period of time of eating high glycemic index foods, you will develop diabetes. Notice that we are talking about two stars here, both of whom have nothing better to do than work out like fiends for half of their lives, and most likely have private chefs. I wouldn't be surprised if these two were just doing this because they want to be "trendy". These two have no clue of what they are doing, so they shouldn't be glorified for their "diet results" that are not the product of being "gluten free".

Going gluten-free does NOT make you lose weight. In fact, as a person with celiac disease, I don't recommend it unless it is a medical necessity. If you eat the same amount of a gluten-free product as you would a regular product (like pasta) you get almost double the calories. Over an extended period of time of eating high glycemic index foods, you will develop diabetes. Notice that we are talking about two stars here, both of whom have nothing better to do than work out like fiends for half of their lives, and most likely have private chefs. I wouldn't be surprised if these two were just doing this because they want to be "trendy". These two have no clue of what they are doing, so they shouldn't be glorified for their "diet results" that are not the product of being "gluten free".

Did you consider the idea that perhaps they are not replacing the gluten-containing items, or perhaps they are replacing them with healthier versions?

I have to agree with Pat. I've been gluten free for over 5 years and I actually gained weight in the beginning by eating gluten free versions of deserts, breads, and pastas. The are indeed more calorie laden. I have since lost 30 lbs and kept it off for the past year but that was due to eliminating sugar, starchy foods high in carbs, eating only meats, fish, fruits and vegetables. I also walk 3 to 4 miles each day and initially worked with a trainer for the first 6 mos. If people eliminate sugar, salt, high carb foods and exercise every day they will be healthier and lose weight. Going gluten free has nothing to do with it!

I have a lot of reservations about the promotion of the gluten-free diet by celebrities. The problem with them adopting and promoting a gluten free diet when it isn't medically necessary is that, rather than raising awareness of celiac disease, they simply make the diet trendy. This results in many restaurants and other food service establishments offering "gluten-free" items, which, in fact are not truly gluten-free as no precautions have been taken to ensure that there is no cross-contamination, making these products dangerous for unsuspecting celiacs. As a classic example of this, I had quite the argument with the owner of a local bakery and restaurant who offers some "gluten-free!" (exclamation mark his) bakery items in both establishments. When I asked what precautions were taken against cross-contamination, I was told that it was impossible to take any, as there was "flour everywhere" in the bakery. In spite of this, he insisted that he was quite correct in labelling the items as gluten free, as none of their ingredients contained gluten, and, in a further example of his lack of understanding of the reasons one has to folow a gluten free diet, added, "Well, if you are "THAT sensitive, then don't eat them".

Those who follow a "gluten-free" diet because some celebrities do, or it is trendy, or because they think they will lose weight either aren't aware of, or don't care about, cross-contamination. Promoting gluten-free without a proper understanding of all the ramifications is irresponsible.

The people who are losing weight while sort of following the diet are most likely doing so because they are also exercising more and focusing on fruits, veggies and protein. If they are simply replacing some foods with gluten free ones, as Pat pointed out, they are actually eating foods with higher fat and more calories; hardly a recipe for weight loss.

Why would you go on a gluten-free diet if you didn't need to? Not only is it an expensive diet because gluten-free foods cost more, but it is also fattening! Jennifer Esposito does have a problem with gluten obviously, but Russell Crowe and Lady GaGa are just trying to be trendy. People don't understand that some of us need to be on a gluten-free diet or we get very ill. It's not a choice, it's a necessity.

Eating "largely gluten-free" and "where possible gluten free" isn't living a gluten-free diet. Low carb maybe, but not gluten-free. Jennifer Esposito has a compelling story with which those of us with celiac disease can empathize. I cannot sympathize, however, with Russell Crowe or Lady Gaga, whose handlers are tossing around the term as freely as they once did "South Beach."

I don't really know what the point of this story is, quite frankly, and why it is in this newsletter. "Lose pounds, shape bodies"? Seriously? If I want to read about the latest diet fads of the stars, I'll catch it in line at the grocery store. That's not why I read the Celiac.com Update.

Going gluten-free does NOT make you lose weight. In fact, as a person with celiac disease, I don't recommend it unless it is a medical necessity. If you eat the same amount of a gluten-free product as you would a regular product (like pasta) you get almost double the calories. Over an extended period of time of eating high glycemic index foods, you will develop diabetes. Notice that we are talking about two stars here, both of whom have nothing better to do than work out like fiends for half of their lives, and most likely have private chefs. I wouldn't be surprised if these two were just doing this because they want to be "trendy". These two have no clue of what they are doing, so they shouldn't be glorified for their "diet results" that are not the product of being "gluten free".

Going glutenfree is not just a complicated diet, but it is a much healthier way of living, you make everything from scratch, therefore you know exactly what nutrients to choose from - gluten isn't good for anyone - almost everybody who tries avoiding gluten will feel a big difference in their health. So it's not so strange that this is something that star coaches will start to adapt. One of the most successful biking teams in Tour de France has already skipped gluten and milk from their diets for the very same reasons.

I lost 40 pounds the first year I was gluten free. The reason I was overweight was because I was malnourished and my body had gone into "starvation" mode, hanging onto every pound. But once I got rid of the gluten, I was able to process nutrients properly and my weight normalized. The excess weight never returned, and it has been seven years now. I have no personal trainer and can do little exercise due to other medical conditions.

Uhm, I have a feeling these celebs weight loss is due more to the their grueling workouts rather than their "gluten-free" diets.

Also it sounds like they are having very few carbs period. Eliminating bread from your diet, goes a long way to eliminating gluten, but it doesn't make a "gluten-free diet"

Now the Jennifer Eposito story/link sounds like a compelling story!

I think what's going on is more or less ignorance to facts. The stars are taking out gluten and glucose, cutting down on the typical foods that contain them like the breads and pastas, etc. and not replacing them with gluten-free versions, but replacing them with fruits and vegetables. They are labeling it mainly gluten-free instead of carbohydrate-free. It does sound healthier, I suppose, not as worn-out as "carb free". That's just a little bit of my opinion.

Going gluten-free does NOT make you lose weight. In fact, as a person with celiac disease, I don't recommend it unless it is a medical necessity. If you eat the same amount of a gluten-free product as you would a regular product (like pasta) you get almost double the calories. Over an extended period of time of eating high glycemic index foods, you will develop diabetes. Notice that we are talking about two stars here, both of whom have nothing better to do than work out like fiends for half of their lives, and most likely have private chefs. I wouldn't be surprised if these two were just doing this because they want to be "trendy". These two have no clue of what they are doing, so they shouldn't be glorified for their "diet results" that are not the product of being "gluten free".

I agree with you. They probably don't realize that gluten is in other products such as soda, condiments, and preservatives. It is a hard diet to follow so just not eating bread is not going to put you on a gluten free diet. How about all the food they eat and they don't know there is gluten in it. I'm sure the alcohol they drink contains a great deal of gluten in it. So stars make sure you know what is gluten free or not before you acknowledge you are on a "gluten free" diet. I'm sure you eat some sweets also. How about that birthday cake or those donuts which have gluten. For a complete list of gluten free products you need to read every label carefully. You are just touching the surface with gluten free foods unless you have a diet from a doctor and those aren't even fool proof. I agree with the above posting. The loss of weight doesn't come from the diet it comes from the nutrients you lose from foods you cannot eat.