Gluten free newbie

[lizziep]

Hi all

I have 4 stone to loose and have been trying for what seems like forever. When I first put on weight I was diagnosed with underactive thyroid and I take medication for that. I am also Coeliac so have a Gluten free diet. The more weight I put on the less I eat but I know that doesn't work really but keep doing it. Although I eat a small amount it is not the right stuff. I will eat gf porridge for breakfast and add evaporated milk ! Soup for lunch followed by a chocolate bar and something like roast chicken for dinner but with mash and a gf Yorkshire. I know where I'm going wrong but I can't seem to change my habits. Any ideas gratefully received please !!

[YellowRose55]

Morning lizziep

Welcome to the weight loss forum.

Take a look at the Welcome Newbie post in the Pinned post section at the right hand side or at the bottom if your on a mobile. Have a look at the nhs 12 week plan, many members have had success following this plan. Use the BMI checker to work out your daily calorie allowance.

Have a look at the Daily Diary which you can find on the Home page in Events. It is where all the members are sharing their daily plans on what they are eating and any exercise they are doing. This thread will give you some ideas on how to start.

Below the Pinned posts are the Topics where members share a range of weight related subjects.

Take your measurements at the start together with a photo so you can see the changes on the days the scales don't move.

We have daily weigh ins so why not come along and join us today. You can find the weigh ins on the Home page in the Events section on the right. Just click on the post in Events and record your start weight and any loss/gain or maintain for the week.

To get the most of the forum be active, share tips, recipes and experiences. Read some of the posts they are very motivating.

Have a good first week.

Rose

[Hidden]

You need to go on a food adventure lizziep when I joined the site I was getting some stomach problems addressed and was advised to avoid wheat and dairy, 2 years on I'm still 'low wheat' but things have improved a lot since getting myself healthier. I found more success looking at different cuisines that rely less on bread, pasta etc, rather than trying to replace like for like with gf bread etc. It seems you're seeing the limitations in this approach too. Look at Thai, Indian, or mezze/tapas type recipes. You need to slowly introduce new flavours and different kinds of ingredients. Also if you're not aware of it Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall wrote a cookbook called Light n Easy which is full of gluten free and dairy free ideas. Check out all the things Yellow Rose has listed too especially the recipes in the pinned posts. Just start with small changes, eventually it all adds up. Good luck

[victoria-anne]

Hey lizziep ! Welcome! I am Coeliac too, so I know how difficult eating can be, and how much stress it can cause! How long have you been diagnosed for?

For me, I try to avoid just substituting with GF alternatives as they are so high in calories without much nutritional value, and have let go of eating what is considered 'normal' British meals, as they need so much tweaking to be OK to eat! I eat allot of veg based meals, bean chilli, japanese rice bowls, LOTS of egg and fish, rice noodle soups/broth.

I do not eat any dairy either, as I was so contaminated with Gluten over the years my body just cannot handle it - without knowing it was making me sick and overweight. I lost almost two stone when I first cut it out. Maybe it is worth a try?

Another thing I have found, is that I feel much more positive, energised, healthy, and clear headed when I make sure I am not being contaminated at all, ie, a different toaster, different jams and butter, utensils, chopping boards, and making sure my partner and kids wipe down where they've been eating and themselves after eating Gluten.

It sounds overwhelming, but you get used to it, and I really can't tell you how much of a difference it has made to my mental well being and my energy levels! There is another group here for us GF'ers, healthunlocked.com/glutenfr... that may help if you're new to it all!

Good luck with your weight loss, everyone here is wonderfully supportive and helpful, I really do encourage you to get involved!

[HubbysMissMouse]

Hi lizziep when I first joined here I couldn't lose weight on any diets that I done. I was informed on here that the problem I was doing was not eating enough calories that I should to lose weight. Do make sure you check the NHS bmi calculator to find out that you are eating somewhere between the right amount of calories that this advises you to be able to lose weight. If you don't eat somewhere in between these amounts, your body will think that you are trying to starve it so it turns what you do eat into body fat and this weighs more than eating the extra calories does so it stops you from losing weight and sometimes means you put on weight instead. Please don't make this mistake as I made this mistake for years and when I found this out I ate the extra calories and have now lost 2st. Good luck with your journey.