Why Am I Gaining Weight? Soooo Confused

[deena647]

I started the gluten free thing a few months ago. I was doing atkins and figured out I was celiac, was tested positive in March. I lost weight and felt better than I have in years. I still feel good, but now I am gaining weight and I am not eating as much as did before I was tested.....I am so confused....can someone hepl?

I LOVE JESUS too!

[ehrin]

You're gaining weight because as your villi heal they are absorbing the nutrients in food, whereas before you went gluten-free your villi were hardly, if at all, absorbing any of the nutrients. It's frustrating, believe me. I was already overweight and have put on about 15 pounds. Some here say they lost weight when going gluten-free, I'm just not finding that the case for me and I've been on Weight Watchers for 2 months (I've been gluten-free for 8 months). I'll go down a couple of pounds one week and I'll be back up 3 the next, down and back up...it's so frustrating. Typically Celiac's are underweight and have a serious need to put weight on. Kinda stinks for those of us who are A-typical!

[Turtle]

I have the same prob...up and down, up and down...one day my clothes fit the next day they don't...it's so flippin frustrating....at times it's down right depressing for me....plan to try WW myself...I've heard many people on here say it's helped them...we shall see...in the meantime, I feel LARGE and in charge!

[trents]

I'm not so sure it is correct to say that "typically, Celiacs are underweight". I think that might be true for those who have the classic symptoms of the disease, esp. frequent diarreah and dumping when they eat gluten, but we now know that most Celiacs don't have dramatic GI distress. If you read this board topic about weight issues, there are an awful lot of Celiacs who are struggling to get weight off. I think many of us over eat because we aren't absorbing nutrients properly. Apparently, we still get the calories out of it, however.

Steve

[gfp]

  trents said:

I'm not so sure it is correct to say that "typically, Celiacs are underweight". I think that might be true for those who have the classic symptoms of the disease, esp. frequent diarreah and dumping when they eat gluten, but we now know that most Celiacs don't have dramatic GI distress. If you read this board topic about weight issues, there are an awful lot of Celiacs who are struggling to get weight off. I think many of us over eat because we aren't absorbing nutrients properly. Apparently, we still get the calories out of it, however.

Steve

Absolutely agree...

The body only has 2 methods of telling us we are hungry or missing something, even if that something is caffine or tobacco. If you are celaic and eating and not adsorbing the nutrients your body tells you its still "hungry" so you eat more but still don't adsorb nutrients.

When we go gluten-free then our villi heal, we adsorb even more calories and we often stick to routine interms of eating times, serving size etc. food is habit forming!

Many celiacs because of childhood issues may avoid sport and exersize. This doesn't help.

The only real answer is only to buy healthy stuff (and i doubt I need to list it on this forum)

I frequently get up mid post and walk to the fridge, open the door and pour a glass of water instead of the food my body was demanding...and make sure I have nothing in the fridge which is unhealthy and easy to prepare.

By far the most effective method if you can do it is to everytime your body asks for food and you know you don't *NEED* food is to do some exersize instead.

Plan every meal so you kow you are getting nutrients and then everytime your body lies to you ignore it and distract it. The hunger pangs usually last 1-2 minutes and repeat every 20 mins or so for the short term mechanism and every hour or so for the long term one.

If you work at home this is easy but not so easy in an office environment .. but the secret for me is making sure I know I have eaten sufficent and then distracting myself instead of eating.

[deena647]

I agree...but I have always been thin and was able to eat what I wanted....since I have been Celiac I eat alot less and very healthy....I also exersize 5 days a week...I think it is carbs, when I stay away from rice and potatos and the gluteen free cereal I do not feel as bloted and fat......Deena

[BRUMI1968]

I avoid all gluten replacement products. They are all refined grains (I mean the flour-based things, not cooked quinoa and the like). No more cookies for me. And it's helped.

[emcmaster]

Yep, I echo that it's easy to gain weight if you're eating all gluten imitation products. I believe Ener-G brand makes english muffins that are 400 calories and 19 grams of fat per muffin! Practically anyone would gain weight eating that crap!

You're not going to gain weight eating fresh fruits, vegetables and lean meats. Try that for a while.

  deena647 said:

I agree...but I have always been thin and was able to eat what I wanted....since I have been Celiac I eat alot less and very healthy....I also exersize 5 days a week...I think it is carbs, when I stay away from rice and potatos and the gluteen free cereal I do not feel as bloted and fat......Deena

How old are you? Our metabolisms slow as we get older. You might also have intolerances to other grains, which could cause you to be bloated.

[graindamage]

  deena647 said:

I agree...but I have always been thin and was able to eat what I wanted....since I have been Celiac I eat alot less and very healthy....I also exersize 5 days a week...I think it is carbs, when I stay away from rice and potatos and the gluteen free cereal I do not feel as bloted and fat......Deena

Hi, Dena,

I highly recommend that you read the information on this website. It's by far, the best source of information about Atkins and why we lose weight with certain foods.

Open Original Shared Link

Good luck,

Scott

[Green12]

  deena647 said:

I started the gluten free thing a few months ago. I was doing atkins and figured out I was celiac, was tested positive in March. I lost weight and felt better than I have in years. I still feel good, but now I am gaining weight and I am not eating as much as did before I was tested.....I am so confused....can someone hepl?

I LOVE JESUS too!

I ate an atkins type diet for 3 years, just meats, vegetables and fats. I didn't intentionally eat this way, I was having candida issues and all grains/starches were making me really sick, so it was out of necessity. It really messed my system up, my bowels completely stopped, I lost an alarming amount of weight, I had no energy, my heart beat really slowly, my brain function was off, I was irritable/moody, I felt like walking death. If I regret anything in life, it is following an eating plan like this.

Once I started to add grains and starches back in my diet I blew up like a balloon. If you read up on the high protein/low carb diets they explain why when you go off of one you gain weight almost three fold because your body is rehydrating and absorbing a lot of water that was pulled from your body. It took my system 2 years to normalize and eventually I stopped gaining and my weight normalized, I could handle starches and grains in small amounts.

That being said, I will also blow up like a balloon if I eat too many processed packaged gluten-free goodies, as others have mentioned. I personally think they are maybe more processed than even the gluten filled stuff since most of the products are made with a blend of several gluten-free grains and starches, imo anyway.

[elye]

I can relate to the weight gain issue for sure...I've gained a good ten to fifteen pounds since going gluten-free. To complicate matters and make it more difficult to lose the weight, I am a tightly controlled type one diabetic. I have hypoglycemia regularly, as I'm keeping my blood sugars between 4 and 6 before meals. So, that means the consumption of sugary calories that I don't "need", but I've got to have. It's really lousy, and sometimes I get quite depressed when I think about this weight that I can't seem to get off....

[deena647]

I am 37....I do not know if I am having problems with anything else....How do I figure that out? Deena

  emcmaster said:

Yep, I echo that it's easy to gain weight if you're eating all gluten imitation products. I believe Ener-G brand makes english muffins that are 400 calories and 19 grams of fat per muffin! Practically anyone would gain weight eating that crap!

You're not going to gain weight eating fresh fruits, vegetables and lean meats. Try that for a while.

How old are you? Our metabolisms slow as we get older. You might also have intolerances to other grains, which could cause you to be bloated.

[ehrin]

  elye said:

I can relate to the weight gain issue for sure...I've gained a good ten to fifteen pounds since going gluten-free. To complicate matters and make it more difficult to lose the weight, I am a tightly controlled type one diabetic. I have hypoglycemia regularly, as I'm keeping my blood sugars between 4 and 6 before meals. So, that means the consumption of sugary calories that I don't "need", but I've got to have. It's really lousy, and sometimes I get quite depressed when I think about this weight that I can't seem to get off....

Elye - Have you thought about an insulin pump?

You are not restriced to eating at certain times with the pump - I can go all day without putting one carb/calorie into my body! It's the best thing I've done in my 26 years with this disease. I regret not getting one sooner.

[elye]

Ehrin,

You know, I have contemplated the pump a number of times, but never seriously enough to really explore it. My blood sugars have always been under great control with my two usual insulin injections a day ( I exercise daily, so that keeps the needles down). I've never had reason to consider another maintenance method. But now that I have this weight that I just can't lose, it could well be worth reconsidering, seriously this time. Thanks for the suggestion!

[sparkles]

I know where you are coming from....went gluten-free lost weight 30# and 4 years later have gained back 30# plus 10#!! It is really confusing and discouraging. My doc says I am eating way too much and yet I have diabetis and my blood sugars are really good.....the 3 month blood test proves it....so I know that I am eating the right things or else blood sugars would show that I am eating lots of crap. I would like some kind of information to give to doc so that she would take me seriously that I am trying to lost weight. Anyone have some info that a doc would accept as truth....not just our testimonials!!!!

[ehrin]

  elye said:

Ehrin,

You know, I have contemplated the pump a number of times, but never seriously enough to really explore it. My blood sugars have always been under great control with my two usual insulin injections a day ( I exercise daily, so that keeps the needles down). I've never had reason to consider another maintenance method. But now that I have this weight that I just can't lose, it could well be worth reconsidering, seriously this time. Thanks for the suggestion!

Hi Elye -

If you want to PM me about the pump feel free.

I am not a shy person so I will answer absolutely every question you have -

what I found most helpful, when I was contemplating the pump (it took me FIVE years to get the courage up!) was a saline run. My CDE let me borrow a pump for a few days and fill it with a saline solution, that she provided, so I could see if I truly wanted to go for it. You maintain MDI while you do this. You mention you exercise daily - the pump makes exercising so much easier!!! FYI - I've always had great A1c's too...in the 6's - but I haven't had an A1c over 6 in 4 years now, they are mostly in the low 5's!!!

[elye]

Hey, Ehrin,

I know what you mean about fear and apprehension...I guess this is what's held me back from exploring the pump further. Interesting that you were that way too before you finally took the plunge. I don't want to get too far off the posted topic, but have you explored the Edmonton protocol? (they've essentially "cured" type one diabetes in a program at the main hospital in Alberta through injection of encapsulated islet cells)...wow, can you imagine...NO MORE DIABETES???!!

[Mayflowers]

It all comes down to the amount of calories you're eating I think. You should write down everything you eat to see just how many calories you're eating you might be surprised at all the hidden calories. A Starbuck coffee Drink with the whipped cream is almost 600 calories

Also have to include your activity. Are you less active? Exercising less?

[dhramos2003]

  deena647 said:

I started the gluten free thing a few months ago. I was doing atkins and figured out I was celiac, was tested positive in March. I lost weight and felt better than I have in years. I still feel good, but now I am gaining weight and I am not eating as much as did before I was tested.....I am so confused....can someone hepl?

I LOVE JESUS too!

I had the same problem when i got diagnosed i had lost basicly all the weight i gained from my pregnancy in like 4 months (50 lbs) then i whent on the gluten free diet and have gaind so much weight i always think how much easier it would be to stay thin if i just ate all the stuff i am not supposed to but that was so hard with a baby around and ending up in the hosp. from sever infection in my intestion and that is the only reason i try and stay on the diet but its so hard with a 2 yr old

[shanni]

  gfp said:

Absolutely agree...

The body only has 2 methods of telling us we are hungry or missing something, even if that something is caffine or tobacco. If you are celaic and eating and not adsorbing the nutrients your body tells you its still "hungry" so you eat more but still don't adsorb nutrients.

When we go gluten-free then our villi heal, we adsorb even more calories and we often stick to routine interms of eating times, serving size etc. food is habit forming!

Many celiacs because of childhood issues may avoid sport and exersize. This doesn't help.

The only real answer is only to buy healthy stuff (and i doubt I need to list it on this forum)

I frequently get up mid post and walk to the fridge, open the door and pour a glass of water instead of the food my body was demanding...and make sure I have nothing in the fridge which is unhealthy and easy to prepare.

By far the most effective method if you can do it is to everytime your body asks for food and you know you don't *NEED* food is to do some exersize instead.

Plan every meal so you kow you are getting nutrients and then everytime your body lies to you ignore it and distract it. The hunger pangs usually last 1-2 minutes and repeat every 20 mins or so for the short term mechanism and every hour or so for the long term one.

If you work at home this is easy but not so easy in an office environment .. but the secret for me is making sure I know I have eaten sufficent and then distracting myself instead of eating.

Hello,

This is my very first post! I was diagnosed in January of this year with Celiac. My mother and sister are Celiacs too. I have found that as frustrating as it is for me, I am also the one helping them with finding things to eat and new recipes.

The biggest problem for me was weight loss. I played sports all through high school and have had muscle tone all my life. I lost around 35 pounds total when I was diagnosed as having a parasite (from my Italy trip a year prior). Then after another year of weight loss and other symptoms, I was diagnosed with Celiac. (I also lost most of my muscle mass.)

Well, now I am gaining weight. This, is worse! I feel like there is nothing I can do to stop it. I work out 5-6 times a week and I don't eat very much. Maybe WW is the way to go? Very frustrating. I like your advice about the body and when and how it tells us we need something.I am going to try to tune into that for a while and see how that goes.

I thought I would be skinny forever with this disease!!!!!! No LUCK!

I am living in Binghamton, NY (northern) and have had no luck in finding a support group.

If you have any suggestions about the above, PLEASE let me know!

[shanni]

  gfp said:

Absolutely agree...

The body only has 2 methods of telling us we are hungry or missing something, even if that something is caffine or tobacco. If you are celaic and eating and not adsorbing the nutrients your body tells you its still "hungry" so you eat more but still don't adsorb nutrients.

When we go gluten-free then our villi heal, we adsorb even more calories and we often stick to routine interms of eating times, serving size etc. food is habit forming!

Many celiacs because of childhood issues may avoid sport and exersize. This doesn't help.

The only real answer is only to buy healthy stuff (and i doubt I need to list it on this forum)

I frequently get up mid post and walk to the fridge, open the door and pour a glass of water instead of the food my body was demanding...and make sure I have nothing in the fridge which is unhealthy and easy to prepare.

By far the most effective method if you can do it is to everytime your body asks for food and you know you don't *NEED* food is to do some exersize instead.

Plan every meal so you kow you are getting nutrients and then everytime your body lies to you ignore it and distract it. The hunger pangs usually last 1-2 minutes and repeat every 20 mins or so for the short term mechanism and every hour or so for the long term one.

If you work at home this is easy but not so easy in an office environment .. but the secret for me is making sure I know I have eaten sufficent and then distracting myself instead of eating.

Also, my docotrs seem like they just researched celiac on the website just prior to my visit...

Is there anything I should be asking them to do? How often should I get the gluten test? And are there ways to make sure I am getting all of the nutrients I need?

[Nancym]

  deena647 said:

I agree...but I have always been thin and was able to eat what I wanted....since I have been Celiac I eat alot less and very healthy....I also exersize 5 days a week...I think it is carbs, when I stay away from rice and potatos and the gluteen free cereal I do not feel as bloted and fat......Deena

Yup, you got it right. The gluten-free replacements for gluten-containing food usually have a LOT more calories and less fiber. I noticed the bread I had was 120 calories per slice whereas the gluten containing bread I usually bought was 40 calories per slice.

If you stick to a diet of meat, veggies and fruit and limit the starchy/sugary stuff your weight will do happy things. Be sure to eat plenty of protein too. It is very satiating and sticks with you a long time.

Now... if I could just follow my own advice.