The weight loss industry in the U.S. is big business. In fact, it’s huge and it seems like everyone is looking for the next miracle diet to follow which helps grease the diet world wheels. Several years ago, none of the major diet companies like Nutri-System and Weight Watchers knew anything about the gluten-free diet. If you could not eat gluten and wanted to join such a program, you were on your own to figure out how to get around eating gluten on the programs. Since the Jenny Craig program involves ordering food, there are no options for the gluten-free set with that company.
Skip to a couple of weeks back when Janet Y. Rinehart (Chairman, Houston Celiac Support Group / www.houstonceliacs.org) posted on the celiac listserv that Weight Watchers now has a gluten-free program. Or at least they have guidelines to help people who are gluten-free follow the PointsPlus program. Below is what the new gluten-free flyer says:
“The new PointsPlus program is a great fit, as long if you’re eating GF foods and staying within your daily Target.
1. Have your physician or dietitian assess the program.
2. Choose WW Power Foods: There are many GF choices on the WW Power Foods list. Focus on healthy whole grains such as brown rice, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, and popcorn, as well as the wide array of fruits, veggies, lean proteins and low-fat dairy products. Unprocessed GF whole foods will limit your exposure to processing plants and risk for cross-contamination with wheat, barley, rye and oats.
3. Include GF Substitutes. WW prides itself on being inclusive of all foods, and this includes GF crackers, breads, cereals and desserts. Enjoy them whenever you’d like. Just make sure to track them and to stick within your daily PointsPlus Target.”
While I think this is great news, I know that most of the gluten-free replacement items I like are way too high in calories, fat, and sugar to eat many of if I want to lose weight. I certainly can’t eat them ‘whenever I like’ and expect to lose even an ounce. If I did, I’m pretty sure I’d run out of points pretty quickly each day. My new year’s resolution is to cut way back on replacement foods which I’m already finding hard to do.
The Weight Watchers website now provides a dietary shop. There are also some starchy side recipes as well as several main dish options. We’re having more ‘colder than normal’ weather here and a few of the Weight Watchers recipes look great to take off the winter chill!
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Note: Gluten Free options and Certified Gluten Free options are two completely different things. I have Celiac Disease and WW was the best option for me; however, WW food is not Certified Gluten Free. I called about their food to include their tea and they said that they could not certify their foods and tea as GF and said not to use their products. This is still the best option for those that have the dietary restriction and can be done successfully, but it should be called out about their food products until they can certify that their GF products can be consumed by people with Celiac Disease.