A Diet that REALLY (No Kiddin') Works!
Yes, I had read that about Italians - the Irish have high numbers of Celiacs as well; must be tough to have CD in Great Britain and not be able to drink any of the beer......(Interestingly, though, whiskey and rye are considered "safe", as they are distilled and not brewed like beer!)
I was excited to see that a lot of the articles that you reference in your blog are the same ones that I ran across a few months ago - namely, the ones touting the benefits of high-fat eating. I still can't convince anyone that low-fat is actually BAD for you!
The nice thing about the GF diet that Celiacs follow is that the only carbs that are restricted are the gluten-based ones. We eat potatoes, rice, and corn on a regular basis, and I am still drinking Cokes and having the occasional Snickers bar and cup of ice cream. I keep on losing weight, so I am more convinced than ever that the reason that the low-carb diets work is not because ALL carbs are scaled back, but because as a result of carb restriction the gluten-based carbs are essentially eliminated. I have a feeling that most people on low-carb diets could add back all but the gluten-based carbs and still have a net weight loss!
The weight loss on a GF diet is slower than on a no/low-carb diet, but I will have to say that it is much easier to STAY on a GF diet since you don't have to restrict carbs per se. Since I wanted to "prove" my theory about GF being the only thing needed to see long-term weight loss, I decided that I would do my own experiment. When I started this experiment, the ONLY thing that I did differently was to eliminate gluten from my diet. I wanted to see how much of a change I would see simply by cutting out that one ingredient. I knew that if I added exercise or eliminated any other food "type" from my diet, that I (and everyone else) would never know WHICH thing contributed to my weight loss!
So far, I have lost 38 pounds in 10 months, and I STILL haven't been able to convince some people - I don't know how much more I am going to have to lose to finally convince them....... I know that it is just killing some of them to have to admit (even if it is only to themselves) that I might be right, especially since my figure has changed so dramatically without any exercise whatsoever!
As I said, this is without a doubt the EASIEST "diet" that I have ever been on, and since I have been diagnosed with the skin manifestation of CD, I will have to stay on it for life. Fortunately, that isn't going to be all that difficult; I feel so good since going GF that I wouldn't quit eating this way anyway!
Teresa K.
I was excited to see that a lot of the articles that you reference in your blog are the same ones that I ran across a few months ago - namely, the ones touting the benefits of high-fat eating. I still can't convince anyone that low-fat is actually BAD for you!
The nice thing about the GF diet that Celiacs follow is that the only carbs that are restricted are the gluten-based ones. We eat potatoes, rice, and corn on a regular basis, and I am still drinking Cokes and having the occasional Snickers bar and cup of ice cream. I keep on losing weight, so I am more convinced than ever that the reason that the low-carb diets work is not because ALL carbs are scaled back, but because as a result of carb restriction the gluten-based carbs are essentially eliminated. I have a feeling that most people on low-carb diets could add back all but the gluten-based carbs and still have a net weight loss!
The weight loss on a GF diet is slower than on a no/low-carb diet, but I will have to say that it is much easier to STAY on a GF diet since you don't have to restrict carbs per se. Since I wanted to "prove" my theory about GF being the only thing needed to see long-term weight loss, I decided that I would do my own experiment. When I started this experiment, the ONLY thing that I did differently was to eliminate gluten from my diet. I wanted to see how much of a change I would see simply by cutting out that one ingredient. I knew that if I added exercise or eliminated any other food "type" from my diet, that I (and everyone else) would never know WHICH thing contributed to my weight loss!
So far, I have lost 38 pounds in 10 months, and I STILL haven't been able to convince some people - I don't know how much more I am going to have to lose to finally convince them....... I know that it is just killing some of them to have to admit (even if it is only to themselves) that I might be right, especially since my figure has changed so dramatically without any exercise whatsoever!
As I said, this is without a doubt the EASIEST "diet" that I have ever been on, and since I have been diagnosed with the skin manifestation of CD, I will have to stay on it for life. Fortunately, that isn't going to be all that difficult; I feel so good since going GF that I wouldn't quit eating this way anyway!
Teresa K.
Incidentally, any doctor who tries to tell someone that a GF diet is extremely difficult and hard to stay on obviously hasn't done his/her homework! My dermatologist - an extremely smart and well-read lady - still thought that the Celiac diet consisted of lamb and rice and nothing else. My goodness, someone needs to tell these doctors what a wonderful array of foods are "allowed" on a GF diet!
If they still don't believe you, have them go to www.glutenfreegirl.com and look at all of the mouthwatering pictures of the foods that can be eaten on this "difficult" diet........
Teresa K.
(Yeah, I'm really suffering, folks!)
If they still don't believe you, have them go to www.glutenfreegirl.com and look at all of the mouthwatering pictures of the foods that can be eaten on this "difficult" diet........
Teresa K.
(Yeah, I'm really suffering, folks!)
I am requesting a list of foods to avoid on a gluten-free diet. I happen to love raisin bran, spoon-size shredded wheat, Cream of Wheat, whole grain hot cereals (which probably have wheat in them), whole grain breads (containing wheat, probably), homemade buckwheat pancakes with margarine and syrup, whole grain bagels with peanut butter, whole wheat or whole grain pastas, Hamburger Helper, etc. It would be a terrible emotional change for me, and I would have to give up a whole lot of foods that I love. The only physical problems I have are obesity, minor arthritis, and some back problems (from being obese and doing too much lifting). I have no diabetes, no high blood pressure, no high cholesterol, but I do have a major mental illness which runs on my dad's side of our family - I have schizoaffective disorder with depression, which is well controlled (no symptoms, minimal side effects) by my two medications. I am currently using a CPAP machine, because I recently found out I have severe sleep apnea, which is a direct result of my morbid obesity.
I feel the main reason why I am so obese is my compulsive overeating, which started when I was eight years old, as a result of a disastrous interaction between my father & I. He told me I wasn't a planned pregnancy, and my mother seemed angry that he'd gotten her pregnant by not using birth control (condom) as usual. I mistook her angry for not wanting me, and as a result, starting overeating from then on. I do not blame my obesity on medications, nor on CD, but on my emotional issues from childhood. For me, the large change to a gluten-free diet would be a terrible emotional strain for me, which is why I'm not particularly receptive to another diet change in my life right now.
I went on 20 to 25 weight loss diets in my life, and I am burned out on diets as well as large changes in my eating. I can only handle tiny changes, and the massive changes I'd have to undergo just to completely eliminate gluten from my diet just seems abit much for me to handle emotionally, at this point. I'll talk with my doctor and sister (who knows someone who was recently diagnosed with CD) some more, then talk with my OA sponsor about it, as well. One of my OA friends, who has been in program for 30 years, has seen me drive myself crazy going from one diet to another, and recommends that I avoid any more massive diet changes. Right now, I agree with her.
Denise Phares/kitties4
I feel the main reason why I am so obese is my compulsive overeating, which started when I was eight years old, as a result of a disastrous interaction between my father & I. He told me I wasn't a planned pregnancy, and my mother seemed angry that he'd gotten her pregnant by not using birth control (condom) as usual. I mistook her angry for not wanting me, and as a result, starting overeating from then on. I do not blame my obesity on medications, nor on CD, but on my emotional issues from childhood. For me, the large change to a gluten-free diet would be a terrible emotional strain for me, which is why I'm not particularly receptive to another diet change in my life right now.
I went on 20 to 25 weight loss diets in my life, and I am burned out on diets as well as large changes in my eating. I can only handle tiny changes, and the massive changes I'd have to undergo just to completely eliminate gluten from my diet just seems abit much for me to handle emotionally, at this point. I'll talk with my doctor and sister (who knows someone who was recently diagnosed with CD) some more, then talk with my OA sponsor about it, as well. One of my OA friends, who has been in program for 30 years, has seen me drive myself crazy going from one diet to another, and recommends that I avoid any more massive diet changes. Right now, I agree with her.
Denise Phares/kitties4
Denise,
Hard as it may be to believe, EVERY single item that you listed has a GF "counterpart"! I haven't stopped eating "bread" products, I've just stopped eating bread products which contain gluten. I make muffins practically every weekend, I will occasionally make cookies for my dear hubby, and there are plenty of cereals and pancake mixes out there that don't taste much different from the ones with gluten. The good thing is that the food industry is starting to sit up and take notice - the GF market had the highest increase in products last year! My friend's husband is in the food marketing industry, and he went to a convention a couple of weeks ago where there were lots of GF items on display. He brought back a brochure that said "Gluten-Free is not a trend, it is a market shift". That tells me that GF is going to be a lot more mainstream in the next couple of years!
If you don't feel like you can make this change right now, that is fine. I am simply putting this information out there for anyone who may be interested. I certainly don't want anyone to feel like I am pressuring them to follow this lifestyle. I just know that I feel SO good since I went GF, and the weight loss has been literally effortless; I want everyone to know what a great (and lasting) diet this can be!
The important thing is that you now have the information, and if you ever decide that you want to try this, you will know where to go if you have any questions. I will ALWAYS be available to answer questions, whenever you may have them. Since I have the skin manifestation of CD, I will be on this "diet" for the rest of my life - as will my daughter (and my husband, too; he is loving all of the foods he gets to eat and still lose weight). The nice thing is that it isn't going to be difficult at all!
Love to you and yours,
Teresa K.
Hard as it may be to believe, EVERY single item that you listed has a GF "counterpart"! I haven't stopped eating "bread" products, I've just stopped eating bread products which contain gluten. I make muffins practically every weekend, I will occasionally make cookies for my dear hubby, and there are plenty of cereals and pancake mixes out there that don't taste much different from the ones with gluten. The good thing is that the food industry is starting to sit up and take notice - the GF market had the highest increase in products last year! My friend's husband is in the food marketing industry, and he went to a convention a couple of weeks ago where there were lots of GF items on display. He brought back a brochure that said "Gluten-Free is not a trend, it is a market shift". That tells me that GF is going to be a lot more mainstream in the next couple of years!
If you don't feel like you can make this change right now, that is fine. I am simply putting this information out there for anyone who may be interested. I certainly don't want anyone to feel like I am pressuring them to follow this lifestyle. I just know that I feel SO good since I went GF, and the weight loss has been literally effortless; I want everyone to know what a great (and lasting) diet this can be!
The important thing is that you now have the information, and if you ever decide that you want to try this, you will know where to go if you have any questions. I will ALWAYS be available to answer questions, whenever you may have them. Since I have the skin manifestation of CD, I will be on this "diet" for the rest of my life - as will my daughter (and my husband, too; he is loving all of the foods he gets to eat and still lose weight). The nice thing is that it isn't going to be difficult at all!
Love to you and yours,
Teresa K.
Most Active
Recent Topics
