Poll: Gluten-Free Weight Gain or Loss
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Mar 19 2012

Poll: Gluten-Free Weight Gain or Loss

There are all kinds of opinions out there about weight gain/loss and the gluten-free diet.  Some people claim it helps them lose weight, which has led to the gluten-free diet being labeled a “fad diet” in some media outlets.  Others say that it has caused them to gain weight, whether that weight was needed or not.

Some people that are diagnosed with Celiac Disease are underweight because the villi in their small intestines have not been able to properly absorb nutrients.  Once the gluten-free diet is started and the healing begins, those people will begin to absorb nutrients properly & gain the weight their bodies need to function properly.

Another common reason for weight gain on the gluten-free diet is the tendency to eat gluten-free replacement foods that are higher in calories than their gluten-filled counterparts.  There may also be the temptation to eat more, just because they are gluten-free.  Gluten-free doesn’t always equal healthy.

Those that have lost weight on the gluten-free diet, or are using it as a “diet plan” may do so for several reasons:

  • No longer eating processed foods that are often higher in calories and/or fat.
  • More focused on eating whole, naturally gluten-free foods that are good for you.
  • Increase in exercise if the goal is to lose weight.

When I first started the gluten-free diet, I certainly found myself wanting to eat more “junk” than I normally did.  For a short period of time, I had the mindset that if it was gluten-free, I could eat it.  Everything else went out the window.  Now I try to focus on whole, naturally gluten-free foods with the occasional splurge.

Participate in our poll below & share your story in the comments below, if you like.

 

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Article Written by:

Kimberly Bouldin is a gluten-free wife, runner & blogger with two children in Columbus, Ohio. After her celiac diagnosis in 2006, she has made it her mission to embrace an entirely new approach to nutrition in a gluten-free world, exploring options that run the gamut from "made from scratch" homemade bread to sampling and reviewing the gluten-free prepared foods that are continuously being introduced to the market. While navigating the waters of becoming gluten-free, Kim shares her experiences and passes along valuable product reviews in addition to helping other moms of celiac kids develop healthy menus that are kid-friendly and palatable. Kimberly is a valuable resource for those who are newly diagnosed, as well as for the more seasoned gluten-free veterans. Follow @KBouldin on Twitter

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  • Aurora Rylander

    My younger sister on the other hand we put her on a gluten free diet because she is severely over weight and nothing else seemed to be fixing it, and I though maybe it was gluten being the bad guy once again. I had just read an article about sometimes how gluten can make you gain weight if your body cant handle it, so we tried taking her off it for a couple of weeks. She is 12 and weighs almost as much as me at age 23; she is 147lbs when she starts. Less then two weeks later she is 132lbs. It was just dropping off her. Needless to say we are now having her tested for Celiac.

  • Joan

    I had lost almost 30 pounds before being diagnosed but now have gained it all back plus more.

  • Judy

    Yes I gained weight but also my hair stopped falling out, my fingernails are now stronger, I have more energy, I’m more clear in my thinking and I am sooooo much happier. What’s a little weight gain among friends?