Gluten free--spinoff losing weight/bigger belly thread

[Souzan]

Well, five days into eating gluten free and I really do feel better. Less bloated feeling. Lost a pound. Even if I do not have gluten/wheat intolerance or Celiac or wheat allergy, I think this is a good way to go right now and it gives me one more reason not to indulge in snacks, cookies, etc.

I have a serious shellfish allergy (like I could die serious) and since that developed a yeara and a half ago I have not even been tempted one little bit to eat shrimp or lobster. Yes, I know going to the ER after eating shrimp was an example of one trial learning (like touching a stove when you were a kid) but now I can use the knowledge that I can "just say no" when it comes to other foods like sweets and bread and pasta--my comfort foods.

There are many gluten-free grains and flours out there--buckwheat, quinoa, rice, cornmeal, potato flour, oatmeal--and we humans were not meant to eat just one thing. We have this wheat bread monoculture because wheat grows well in North America and so is plentiful and cheap. In other parts of the world traditional breads are made from a variety of grains.

So I will report back as the experiment progresses, but here is a highlight for today: I stopped at Kryspy Kreme to get some of their good coffee and didn't even look twice at the hot, fresh doughnuts.

[OMullaney]

Souzan- Thank you so much for sharing. Three dear friends are Gluton Free now due to allergies. They have such postive things to say about the change in diet. I do know it is difficult to find restaurants that are Gluton free. Please keep us posted, I may try this. Melissa

[GenevieveOfAtlanta]

Kudos on passing up the hot Krispy Kremes! That takes some seriously admirable self restraint!

[Mintaka]

There are many gluten-free grains and flours out there--buckwheat, quinoa, rice, cornmeal, potato flour, oatmeal--and we humans were not meant to eat just one thing. We have this wheat bread monoculture because wheat grows well in North America and so is plentiful and cheap. In other parts of the world traditional breads are made from a variety of grains.

Yes, absolutely, I couldn't agree more.

I have been gluten free for eight years now and I really feel much healthier then I did before. If you need any recipes or food advice during your transition period feel free to PM me.

[Asim]

For the last two months, I've been pretty much without any starches at all -- whole grains included. And it's made a serious change in my lifestyle, for the better -- I have more energy, I need less sleep, I think more quickly and clearly, etc.
(I also spend less time on Bhuz, but not every side-effect is positive. ..g.:)

I've lost some weight, but I'm more into muscle development, as this is part of re-training for dance. But as someone who was REALLY, and I mean intensely skeptical, of the whole Adkins ideas -- well, this isn't it for one! But yes, the removal of these kinds of foods from your diet really seems to work wonders for a significant variety of people. And as someone who was famous amongst his friends for his love -- nay, adoration -- of French fries, I can say I've been able to put them behind fairly well, overall.

It's not prefect, and there's still a lot of tweaking to be done. But the benefits to me, at least in this span of time, have already outweighed the trouble.

[_Tanya_]

As per my doctor I have had to alter my diet severly.
None of the following:
Wheat (I can eat whole grain but it must be whole grain not whole wheat or enriched wheat)
White Rice
Fried food
Preservatives
Sugar
High fat meats

As such it's been problematic finding foods late night after dancing or out with friends but it has helped me feel better both physically and mentally. I have discovered replacements for many of these foods, Agave for sugar and spelt (cheap weak substitute, nothing is as good as the real thing) for wheat and pasta.

[Souzan]

Asim, not a big french fry eater (or freedom fries for that matter) but I do have a weakness for pastries and cookies. I did Atkins several years ago and lost quite a bit of weight but unfortunately getting put on Paxil for anxiety put all the pounds right back on again. I have been off Paxil completely since January and am down 30 lbs without too much change in my diet or exercise level.

[saheli]

I've been gluten free for almost a year now and I must say I feel better and have more energy. It was hard at first but once you realize what contains gluten, it does become easier to watch what you eat and find better alternatives.

OMullaney,

If you are looking for restaurants that serve gluten-free foods check out this site:

Gluten Free Registry™ - Resources for finding Gluten-Free Restaurants, Gluten-Free Dining, Gluten-Free Bakeries, Gluten-Free Grocers, Gluten-Free Caterers, Gluten-Free Travel, Gluten-Free Pizza* by State

It's a list and a map of restaurants all over the country that have gluten-free menus or carry or make gluten-free items. It also has reviews for each restaurant. As far as national chains go, Outback Steakhouse has a gluten-free menu in many of their locations. Unfortunately I can't vouch for them because the Outbacks here in Atlanta don't offer the gluten-free options. However, I've heard from other celiacs that their gluten-free items are pretty good.

I was so excited to find gluten-free pizza. There's an organic restaurant called Pizza Fusion (they're in the registry) and they have stores at different parts of the country. Their pizza is good and can get kinda pricey, as the gluten-free pizza costs more than the regular pizza, but it's a nice treat for when you get that pizza craving. They also have gluten-free beer there.

[Azhia]

You all are in LUCK:
Everything gluten free at LIZ LOVELY is on sale!

[caasious]

mmm - one of the shops here carries their cookies - my mom loves the lemon poppyseed!

[ssipes]

For the last two months, I've been pretty much without any starches at all -- whole grains included. And it's made a serious change in my lifestyle, for the better -- I have more energy, I need less sleep, I think more quickly and clearly, etc.
(I also spend less time on Bhuz, but not every side-effect is positive. ..g.:)

I've lost some weight, but I'm more into muscle development, as this is part of re-training for dance. But as someone who was REALLY, and I mean intensely skeptical, of the whole Adkins ideas -- well, this isn't it for one! But yes, the removal of these kinds of foods from your diet really seems to work wonders for a significant variety of people. And as someone who was famous amongst his friends for his love -- nay, adoration -- of French fries, I can say I've been able to put them behind fairly well, overall.

It's not prefect, and there's still a lot of tweaking to be done. But the benefits to me, at least in this span of time, have already outweighed the trouble.

Asim, you have my sincere admiration. I know such a diet would be good for me too, but I can't seem to move past the "somewhat reduced starch" kind of diet.

Humans didn't evolve eating a starch-based diet, and I think many of us are ill-adapted to it.

[meissoun]

When I started eating wheat-free I was amazed how difficult it is to find food without wheat. They put it into EVERYTHING!

I'm not religious about it, but avoiding wheat really helps me. I also avoid acids like orange juice, vinegar etc. because they will make me fart ;-)

But lately it's been easier to find gluten-free foods, there's a big chain in Switzerland that has a whole range of gluten-free breads (although some taste like grey cardboard...).

From time to time I eat "normal" stuff, especially since I tend to lose weight on gluten-free food. There is just a point where I don't want my boobs to become any smaller Well, and there's always chocolate to help!

MEISSOUN

[Souzan]

This is the 6th day into gluten free and I've lost 3 lbs. Of course that could change tomorrow and I would be up two pounds, but I'll take it for now. Big thing is that I feel better. Need to measure my belly. That was the impetus for this. I've 30 lbs this year but my belly is exactly the same and sometimes larger than when 30 lbs heavier. Wierd.

[Suzana]

"Why are you eating that chocolate?"
"Gotta feed my boobs!"

Congratulations, Sue. It's fantastic that this change has made you feel better so fast! I know that it would be next to impossible for me to give up wheat products entirely, but when I'm most careful about my intake I definitely do see a difference.

[1shadylady]

Thank you for the reminder ladies! I do better when avoiding gluten (and dairy), but stress has me craving bread.

[Zumarrad]

I suspect I have some level of wheat allergy because I just about go crazy if I can't have any. But I am certainly better if I eat less of it.

That's the chief problem I have with gluten free (and gluten free eating is quite common here) - if I don't get actual bread I just keep eating and eating and eating. If I *do* get actual bread or pasta I can also just keep eating and eating. A bit less bread/pasta/couscous and a bit more protein suits me well. But I can't cut it out. I'd eat off my own arm for a slice of bread if it's banned.

[Bellydancingcaroline]

I suspect I have some level of wheat allergy because I just about go crazy if I can't have any. But I am certainly better if I eat less of it.

I've got a friend who has a lot of allergies, and his nutritionist told him that people are sometimes very attracted to eat foods that make them ill/they are intolerant to.

The following is taken from this webpage - Food Allergies - Sensitivity - Intolerance - Allergy

"Something else really worth mentioning and something that really puzzled me for quite some time is the commonly asked question "why are we so attracted to the foods which we are most sensitive to?" In fact, the problem foods are usually not "attractive", they are CRAVINGS! A good friend of mine and a lifetime medical pediatric allergist explained it to me this way: when we consume a food or beverage that we are allergic or intolerant to, the body produces immunoglobulins and other immune system components to combat the offending proteins. Well, the body does not make EXACTLY the right amount of immune "compliment" to ward off the antigens. It works more on a negative feedback loop much like insulin… one the invaders are reduced or eliminated, the immune system begins to slow and eventually stop its reaction. As consequence to the whole event, there may be excess compliment throughout the body with no antigen to fight. What this means is now the excess immune compliment can make us feel sick and we begin to crave the offending food… the offending food actually becomes a MEDICINE, in that eating it can reduce the immune compliment and make us less symptomatic. I guess this can also explain kicking an addictive drug such as alcohol, tobacco or heroin. Going "cold turkey" can produce a lot more symptoms but works quicker than a gradual cutback of the addictive chemical. In fact, I have had patients that I have found to be A/I/S to certain food(s), removed it from their diet an they actually had withdrawal symptoms. They would have shakes, cramping, headaches and severe cravings. I usually had them use a little of the offending food a time or two in small quantities to reduce the reaction. Pretty amazing!"

[saheli]

They would have shakes, cramping, headaches and severe cravings. I usually had them use a little of the offending food a time or two in small quantities to reduce the reaction. Pretty amazing!"

Hmmmm. I don't know if this would work for me and I'd be too afraid to try. But I can see how this makes sense. The reason I had to give up gluten was because eating it cause me really bad knee and shoulder pain to the point that I couldn't dance, kneel, walk, stand, sit, or lift my arms (forget about doing snake arms). I thought I'd never be able to dance again until I found out that gluten was the culprit.

Before I went totally gluten-free, I'd crave them and would eat very small amounts of gluten foods occasionally or eat foods with gluten in them without having checked the ingredients. I began to realize that the longer I went without eating it, eating even the smallest amounts left me in debilitating pain. So I definitely see where he's coming from. I'm just too afraid of the pain to even try eating it to build up my immune system.

[Souzan]

All of the above are great points. Trying to eat gluten-free has been a sort of ephiphany for me. As I mentioned in the original thread, my entire family save one sister and myself are diabetic (both type I and type II). My dad died of diabetes related renal failure when he was younger than I am. I take Metformin, a medication for type II diabetes, to help prevent going the way of my 4 diabetic siblings, nieces and nephews, dad, and grandfather. With Metformin I need to eat every 2-3 hours to keep my glucose from dipping too low. If it does all I want is bread, bread, bread. A biscuit or muffin or slice of bread calms the nausea and stops the shakes.

For the past week I've substituted a couple of dates when feeling shaky.

Last night my husband remarked that maybe he should go gluten-free too until I reminded him that he is a big time beer drinker and that gluten-free beer is hard to find and most likely much more expensive. But eating breads from grains other than wheat wouldn't hurt him either.

This morning we are having buttermilk buckwheat johnny cakes (johnny cakes are a southern thing--pancakes made from cornmeal instead of flour). I've been using quinoa pasta off and on for several months and now I'll just use it exclusively.

Eight days to go on the gluten-free test two weeks. I will measure myself at the end of the two weeks to see if my belly has reduced any. I do feel less bloated alredy.

This is actually no worse than the induction phase of South Beach or Atkins diets.

Souzan

[clueless23de]

Go Souzan! I am happy that you are feling better!

[saheli]

This morning we are having buttermilk buckwheat johnny cakes (johnny cakes are a southern thing--pancakes made from cornmeal instead of flour). I've been using quinoa pasta off and on for several months and now I'll just use it exclusively.

This is actually no worse than the induction phase of South Beach or Atkins diets.

Souzan

I tell my friends who are considering going glute-free because they see it's making me lose weight that it's not much different from the Atkins diet.

Souzan, I'm sure you know this but make sure that when you use corn meal it's not self-rising, as that has flour in it.

I'm glad it's working for you too. Keep up the good work!

[Souzan]

I tell my friends who are considering going glute-free because they see it's making me lose weight that it's not much different from the Atkins diet.

Souzan, I'm sure you know this but make sure that when you use corn meal it's not self-rising, as that has flour in it.

I'm glad it's working for you too. Keep up the good work!

Yep, finely ground plain yellow cornmeal and some 100 percent buckwheat flour. Gluten free baking powder. Made double recipe and will put leftovers into the freezer. Taken em out and warm in the microwave.

[Devora]

Good news on the beer! Gluten-free beer isn't that hard to find - if you have a Bevmo near you, they usually stock about 3 different brands. Trader Joe's usually stocks some also. And the even-better news is that when I bought some for my SO (who was also having Celiac-like symptoms), he was pleased to report that it tastes pretty darn good.

"Bard's" is the brand of GF beer he liked a lot, and now even Anheuser-Busch makes a gluten-free beer, "Redbridge," which is getting good reviews

And I was pleasantly surprised that the store clerks (at least at Trader Joes, Whole Foods and Bevmo) didn't give me weird looks when I asked for gluten-free beer (or any other gluten free food items) - once I got into it, I found that going gluten-free is a lot more common than I would have imagined.

Here's another website with lots of GF stuff foods you can order:
glutenfreemall.com - gluten-free foods for your celiac disease diet

-Devora

[Mintaka]

Heineken is gluten free as well. Quoted form an email with the company-"The WHO guideline for gluten-free food is that it must contain less than 0.02% gluten (200mg/l). Heinekens gluten levels are way below this level, at 0.0005% gluten. We recommend that coeliac patients check with their doctor before trying Heineken."

[RaqOn]

I try to be GF too, I just feel better in general. Go Souzan!

[Souzan]

Here is the one week gluten free update. I feel so much better. The bloated feeling is gone. So are the abdominal cramps. Will weigh in tomorrow at work (trying to use the same scale to track weight) but my tape measure shows that my belly has gone down 2 inches measured at the navel since last Sunday. Yes, I still have an apple--thats where my body stores fat--but a smaller and softer one. More a jiggly fat belly now. This is enough to keep me going.

Thanks everyone for the encouragement!

[cbarros]

I suspect I have some level of wheat allergy because I just about go crazy if I can't have any. But I am certainly better if I eat less of it.

That's the chief problem I have with gluten free (and gluten free eating is quite common here) - if I don't get actual bread I just keep eating and eating and eating. If I *do* get actual bread or pasta I can also just keep eating and eating. A bit less bread/pasta/couscous and a bit more protein suits me well. But I can't cut it out. I'd eat off my own arm for a slice of bread if it's banned.

I know this one well!!! and bread is my downfall. Right now, I am trying very hard not to eat any bready products except for this wonderful bread call Seeduction from Whole Foods (lots of good seeds in this stuff). Don't think it is gluten free but I noticed they have gluten free bread so maybe I will pick up some of that to try.

Thinking gluten free made me wonder, so I bought some peanut butter cookies in the cafeteria when I went out to the office. Love PB cookies . . . wow, I should remember how these make me feel bad and not buy them anymore. Could it be the gluten/wheat?? I think I'll take another look at the GF PB cookie recipe.

And while I am at it, I'll look for some recipes for the garbanzo bean flour that I bought after someone I know told me they made hummous using it . . . it is GF of course. Bean bread anyone??

[1shadylady]

Cbarros....easy peanut butter cookies

1 c. peanut butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla (optional)

Mix. Roll out into little balls (about a tbsp.). Flatten with a fork... and bake at 350 f for about 10 minutes. Allow to cool...and enjoy!

BTW...I´ve added chocolate chips with excellent results too.

[_Tanya_]

Cbarros....easy peanut butter cookies

1 c. peanut butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla (optional)

Mix. Roll out into little balls (about a tbsp.). Flatten with a fork... and bake at 350 f for about 10 minutes. Allow to cool...and enjoy!

BTW...I´ve added chocolate chips with excellent results too.

Is there an option without sugar? Can I use Stevia or Agave?

[1shadylady]

I know the sugar can be substituted for splenda...and other nut butters (almond, cashew) can be used instead of peanut. Let me see what I can find for other options.