recent gluten intolerance...

So within the last few months I was told I had a gluten intolerance.  Once I switched my diet around I felt a million times better than I have in years!  (which is awesome)  I am currently trying to maintain my weight after a 35 pound weight loss.  I am eating the same way I always have and I have started exercising (yes I lost my weight with only sit-ups) and yet I see myself gaining weight.  I have gained about 4 or 5 pounds since January.  I have tried eating 1400 calories with running and such and have not seen a difference.  So, my question is, for those who are gluten intolerant, did you start gaining weight when you stopped eating gluten?  

I am a female college student 5'3", and currently weigh 118 pounds, some days bouncing up to 120.  I used to weigh 114 pounds.  My maintance goal is 1600 calories a day sedetantary and I jog about 2 miles probably 3 times a week. 

Thanks so much for your help -- CarCar

Hey there. I too have a similar problem except I'm not gluten intolerant, I have Celiac, so I'm gluten-free all the way. Some people report gaining some weight when they go GF, but usually there's weight loss. Eating gluten when you aren't supposed to causes weight gain because of water retention and other issues, so going GF should help. One issue could be that when you start leaving out starches and wheat, you replace too much of that with protein and too much protein means weight gain. Try keeping a food journal and examine your protein to carb ratio. I also have found many yummy GF things that are filling and good on calories if you want a list =] Good luck!

I'm actually really lucky that my dinning hall has a few gluten free options, but again most days its either a turkey sandwich on a brown rice wrap, salads, a piece of grilled chicken with veggies on the side, or pizza or stir-fry I make for myself in my dorm...

A list would be fantastic when you get a free moment.  I also have an extremely severe peanut, nut, and legume allergy.

I have found that a lot of gluten free recipes have a high dairy content.  I am also lactose intolorant, so I can't eat those either, but if you are increasing your cheese and cream intake, that could be  causing weight gain since they are calorie dense.

For breakfast I eat egg whites with spinach and GF salsa, lunch is usually a salad with tons of veggies and tuna.  I have replaced salad dressing with salsa, or some rice vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.  Some dressings have gluten, you have to be careful.

snacks are usually fruit or veggies dipped in salsa, hot sauce, or mustard.

dinner is usually a chicken breast, salmon filet or other lean meat with veggies and some sort of starch. (rice, potatos, or TVP (textured vegetable protein))

there are a ton of soups you can make in the crockpot with veggies, meat and chicken stock.

try myrecipes.com, you can search by omitted items.

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinde r.dyn?action=advancedSearch

You really just have to start experimenting.  there are so many options now days with flours made out of different grains and stuff.  I like garbanzo flour.

Hi CarCar-- just wondering what your symptoms were? How long until they resolved?  I also notice it's been quite a while since you posted initially--  has the weight gain resolved itself?  I too suspect I am gluten intolerant (b/c of a test from enterolab).   I tend to lose weight b/c I have more energy to workout and, also, I do less emotional eating from feeling bloated and miserable.

My friend did not gain any weight.  I've never asked her, but I wonder if it's because she's limited on some of her favorite carbs that she used to eat (ex: certain breads and pastas).

Carcar-

I am not gluten intolerant but I have Ciliac's and I know between when I first had symptoms 2002 to when they made the official diagnosis and I learned about it in 2005 I went from about 130 to 95 pounds and put all of the wieght back on when I began effectively following the GF diet, according to my doctor due to the extreme circumstances of my case this was to be somewhat expected. If you are maintaining the 4 to 5 pounds you began gaining in jan. I would look to what has changed in your diet of other than gluten ie what is in the GF products that you might not have been eating before or eating in such high quantities.