Are there any coeliacs who struggle with weight loss issues

This topic contains 6 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by wiseoldowl 8 years, 8 months ago.

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wiseoldowl

6:32 pm
20 May 15
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Hi, I’m in my early 50s and I’ve had coeliac disease for 4 years now. Most people expect coeliacs to be thin, but I’m not. I eat a really, really good diet but I’m getting fatter and fatter. Are there any other coeliacs out there?

sharonMH

4:08 pm
19 Apr 16
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Hi wiseoldowl, I was diagnosed celiac(ha ha American spelling) 5 years ago just started the 5:2 diet. I’m 49 and have put on 20 pounds since diagnosis. Part of that weight gain is due to less activity after I had knee surgery for osteoarthritis (which I can only attribute to years of undiagnosed celiac disease). I also have thyroid disease and take levothyroxine. I’m curious to know if you are still doing the 5:2 diet and if it is working out for you. I’m starting my second week and I have to say the fast days are really hard. I have a headache and major fatigue on the fast day and the day following. I’m walking and swimming 3 days/week. I lost 2 lbs the first week, but don’t know if I can stick with it. It’s especially hard cooking for my family on fast days!

simcoeluv

9:40 pm
19 Apr 16
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Hi Sharon and welcome:

Make sure you drink enough water – that usually takes care of headaches. But as you also are active, you must include enough salt on you diet days. Drinking a cup of bullion or adding salt to your food should help a lot. Here are some other tips: https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/the-basics-for-newbies-your-questions-answered/

Good Luck!

wiseoldowl

6:28 am
20 Apr 16
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Hi Sharon,
you have my sympathies! Celiac disease is a complicated old thing isn’t it. I’ve been trying for the last 5 years to sort my diet out (btw I have several other problems, like you, but I have RA rather than OA). I gained about 20 pounds, and despite eating a ‘clean’ diet, that was completely GF, found it didn’t work. I tried the Fast diet, but alas, it’s too hard for me. What I am finding works, and I’m doing it right now is to cut EVERYTHING with the minutest trace of gluten out. I don’t know about you, but I have a really sensitive coeliac, and can’t eat the ready prepared stuff anyway. So I did some more research and found the issues I seemed to continue with: fatigue, headaches and anger (very bad anger) was still down to gluten. So. No more alcohol (it has gluten in it 5ppm for wine, 3 for the fruity ciders I loved), no more grains of any kind (for at least 3 months i.e. corn flours and such like) no processed foods, no citric acid, glucose fructose syrups (these are sometime sourced from wheat, especially in Europe), no E150d (colas) and no dairy. I’d gone lactose free, but needed to take out all milk (I do coconut milk and thats ok). Now, I eat: meat, fish, eggs, fruit and veg. If I need something sweet, I have a fruit tea. The weight is coming off without effort (!) the fatigue and anger have gone!!!!!
I now this diet is probably a bit drastic for most people, but as a coeliac you’ll understand the illness you feel if you eat gluten. To me it’s worth it. I’ve dropped about 10 pounds in 2 weeks, but much, much more importantly, I am feeling happy, and the anger has gone.
Hope you get on okay. I found the FD too hard when having to prepare food, and I really hate being hungry, so as much as I know it works for some people, it really wasn’t for me.
All the best W.O.O. aka Sue.

sharonMH

6:07 pm
20 Apr 16
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Hi Sue,

Thank you for your reply. I’m bummed to hear the FD diet didn’t work for you…I’m not as hopeful now as initially after reading the book and hearing of other’s success. I have tried cutting out grains and dairy, but again, it’s very hard. I especially miss the grains. My celiac teen daughter can eat all she wants of the gluten free bread, pasta, cereal etc and is stick thin. I don’t even want to know that wine has any gluten in it! Sometimes that is the only thing I can count on safely consuming at social events. I’m curious to know where you found that information? I’m glad to hear that you have been able to lose weight and are feeling better. I too can feel angry and thought it was the menopause, but maybe it is still gluten getting into my diet and rearing it’s ugly head! Thanks for your thoughts! And good luck with continued success.
Sharon

sharonMH

6:08 pm
20 Apr 16
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simcoeluv,

Thanks for the tips!

wiseoldowl

6:27 pm
20 Apr 16
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Hi Sharon, it’s an odd disease, every person who has it is different! I found out about the wine initially from a friend whose daughter is coeliac who happened to know about wine making. Then I searched and found an American site that covered some research that had been done. The did an ELISA test (once i knew what this meant, but have forgotten) and they came up with a level of 5ppm, which for the States is the limit. I know they have a cut off of 5ppm as do Aus and NZ. I found out about cider by looking at the websites. I spent 5 years pretending that wine, and Prosecco in particular, had no effect on me. I gave up mostly due to the anger, the deep deep anger. It is working but so far I have not been out socially. It’s going to be hard, and I will probably have a glass (or 4) and blow the consequences!!
Good luck with the diet, It does work for some people, but I just hate being hungry!
Sue