[lifesalaugh]

Hi! My skinny sister (weighs 105 and has 7 kids) and I were recently diagnosed with Celiac disease. I am embarrassed because I am nearly three times her size (278) but according to the disease experts, I'm malnourished! What? Since June 25 2007, I haven't eaten pizza, donuts, Hostess cupcakes, cereal, gravy, licorice--anything with wheat gluten in it--and I've gained weight. Wait a freakin' minute! I thought the weight would melt off. Obviously I'm eating more of other things, but I'm wondering if anyone else is in my situation. Support? Ideas? Bring it on!

[mandalinn82]

Hey there, and

Having celiac doesn't necessarily mean that the celiac was responsible for your weight, or that cutting wheat will make you instantly lose weight. It may have been a contributing factor, but weight loss is basically calories in vs. calories out.

Sure, you may be eating less calories from things with wheat, but what are you replacing them with? If you're eating more than you were before, you'll still gain weight, even if you aren't eating anything with gluten. Total intake counts, even above and beyond all dietary restrictions.

So what does a typical day of eating look like for you now?

[lifesalaugh]

Thanks so much for the welcome! You're absolutely right-I know I'm eating way more of two things than I ever did: chips and chocolate. Nachos have replaced pizza as a comfort/fun/it's-been-a-long-day-and-I-deserve-a-treat food. I also will just eat plain potato chips - something I don't even really like. Chocolate has also been much more of an issue. I really wasn't a chocoholic before, but sometimes I feel like I'll go crazy if I don't get some. Weird. I know I'm an emotional eater...and I'm working on a better eating plan. I'm also a social eater, and most social events aren't celiac friendly, so I 'reward' myself later with ice cream (another thing I usually wouldn't even buy).

[Puncezilla]

Hi. lifesalaugh,
I have ceiliacs too, I have to be very carefull of what I eat too, and I understand wanting to fill the pizza void with other non healthy items. In the beginning I ate a lot off junk food just to keep myself from feeling deprived. Aside from not losing weight how do you feel on the celiac diet? I don't know how long you've been on so I'll just say do as much research as possible on it and be sure to avoid all grains that contain gluten not just wheat (you probably already knew that) and real all labels very carefully. I also have hypothyroid and find it very hard to lose weight, I find following a diet low in simple carbs realy helps with my craving for bread/pasta etc. Being on a celiac diet alone won't help you lose the weight but it will make you healthier and feel better.
Feel free to PM me if you want.

[Mel]

Hi lifesalaugh

I have Celiac's (and also my son) as well. I've found that even eating healthy, the substitutions for wheat are higher in calories that the wheat version. My solution has been to just get rid of any kinds of baked goods or gluten free breads or crackers. Rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch and bean flours are higher calorie that wheat. The only thing I miss is good old Fiber One cereal!

Try to get you nourishment from whole foods: Fruit, vegetables, lean meats, fish, healthy fats. You can be overweight and malnourished. Another possibility is that now your gut is healing and you are absorbing the nutrients (and calories) in what you eat and it's just too many or way more than your body was used to when everything went through you.

How are you doing in terms of the Celiacs? Has a gluten free diet helped you?
We have good days and bad days still, and it's been almost a year and a half. It's tough- but with all the new media exposure, at least more people are aware and labeling is getting better.

Feel free to PM me if you need any help.

Mel

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