I’ve had a complete thyroidectomy and also have IBS. Has going Gluten Free helped anyone lose weight? I would like to know from peoples personal experiences 🙂
I understand optimal vitamin levels etc but I’m strictly wanting to know about GF. Thanks 😊
Not releely. I tried it but still have a big tummy. Others may loose wight.
I am on AIP and it’s so good it’s hard but I haven’t felt this good in years my hair grew back and I have lost 1 stone 8lbs it’s been slow but it’s going gluten in my opinion is bad
well done that tis good I hope taht happens to me
I need to try harder
Sadly no. I really hoped it would help. 
I have a feeling that I probably need to cut out dairy as well—well, it’s more than a theory really, my pain levels dropped and other issues improved when I experimented with dairy free a few years back—but I can’t quite bring myself to do it long term.
I know, I love cheese too much ! It’s so hard
Me too (Cheese). Am GF and mostly dairy-free but cheese is the hard one. (And going dairy free also did not help with weight, but with other symptoms)
We had a discussion on the C25k forum recently about cheese alternatives, so not sure you can access this link if you are not subscribed to C25k on HU, but it’s worth a look just for the list of different alternative, dairy-free cheese producers. healthunlocked.com/couchto5....
Jenna5,
Yes & no.
I think going gluten-free made me lose weight but not directly. It is more to do with reducing inflammation and unwanted inflammatory responses that might impair thyroid meds from working well. As soon as inflammation goes down everything stops hurting and works so much better, I just lost weight without really trying.
Now several years later I haven't put on weight but have quite sore thumb joint pain, so am thinking I possibly need to go dairy free too.
I was hopeful of losing weight to begin with, and I did lose about seven pounds - briefly.
But the reason for the weight loss was that I had to learn a lot about how to eat gluten-free and simply didn't eat enough in the first week or two. As soon as I got used to eating gluten free it didn't take long for the weight to go back on. *sigh*
I also do not have a thyroid. I went gluten free 2 years ago and have lost 2 stones so far. I am diary intolerant so had no issues with that. However, in addition to eliminating diary from my diet, I start walking 10km up to 4 times weekly and eat more fruit and veg. It has also helped with pain and inflammation.
I’ve gone gluten free twice and yes, I think I do lose a bit of weight when I’m gluten free. I’m certainly less bloated. Both times I found that for the first week I was desperate to eat sugar and then that passed. When I eat bread made with wheat I find I want to snack all afternoon. This craving for snacks (especially toast) disappears when I’m gluten free and I suspect that is why I lose a little weight. I’ve always made my own gluten free bread as I don’t like all the additives in commercial gf bread, I try to use a mix of gf flours that are not too starchy - I don’t know if this has any bearing on weight loss.
I love bread but I’ve been trying to eat less of it recently, which I’m not finding too bad. It’s pasta that’s the issue 🙈 however I remember when I did WeightWatchers years ago I had lentil pasta and I loved it so might just start getting that again
I just can't work with gluten free flour, how do you make the bread?
I use recipes from the River Cottage Gluten Free book by Naomi Devlin - you might find it in your local library . She has loads of wonderful recipes and other advice on going gluten free. I think she must test her recipes really well because they always seem to work for me. Recipes from other people's books have not always been so successful.
It didn't impact my weight. One thing to know is that GF products (the baked goods) tend to have higher levels of sugar but if you are aware you can make the right choices.
I lost the bloated ‘feeling’, so felt better being GF. It didn’t make me lose weight, but I feel better being GF & when I follow an anti- inflammatory diet.
Yes it did for me. If I have gluten by accident now (i e: a cafe states something is gluten but it has traces), I feel extremely bloated and crampy. I also switched from Levothyroxine to NDT, and I think the T3 helped too. It's worth a try, but you have to do it 100% over a long period of time to see, then have something with gluten and see how you react. All the best!
No, because basically if you eat the wrong things gluten free is just the same as any other type of food you eat - in other words gluten free cakes, biscuits, bread etc are still the same carby, sugary foods.It is quite possible to lose weight though when you are gluten free by being careful what sort of and how much carb laden food you eat. I know grains -GF or regular spike my blood sugar which gets stored as fat. Veg that grow underground - potatoes, parsnips etc store sugar so most of the veg I eat grow above ground.
So being GF isn’t a magic way to lose weight but neither does it mean you put weight on or can’t manage to lose weight. It’s done wonders for my IBS too.
Yes I understand this and generally eat healthy and make stuff from scratch anyway, I would just be cutting out the odd pasta etc
Jenna5,
Try red lentil or green pea pasta. It's great if you have that 'need' of carbs and can really pile 'em high!.
I also cook from scratch so going g/f wasn't difficult as I had already subconsciously cut out a lot of foods that were making me bloated and gassy 😳.
What I found by going gluten free was I became a lot more mindful towards food, planning meals, taking time to investigate new recipes, etc, and once the benefits were felt menu planning for the whole family just became second nature.
I feel I need to go diary free now but am finding that difficult as the alternatives I have tried aren't cutting it for me, ie cheese replacements 🤮.
I agree, I think dairy free would be beneficial too, but I can't tolerate those milk alternatives, they make me feel worse than dairy and taste revolting. Apart from rice, pea & hemp milk 🤢, the others are out anyway (soya & almond suppress thyroid function, and oat milk is gluten & inflammatory to the system). I have early onset osteoporosis and so dairy is even more difficult to stop. I love decaff coffee & tea, but not without milk. Life without a skinny decaff latte is not a nice long life prospect for me 😥😄!
MapleMoose,
Have look at my post I wrote later today ...
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
.
and a useful link provided by SlowDragon ...
healthunlocked.com/couchto5....
I forgot about coconut milk, cheese etc, but I can't stand it and probably allergic to it as it makes me feel really sick when I've forced myself to try it in the past. I think I have exhausted the dairy free aisle without success. I do use Arla Lactose Free Skimmed Milk as much as possible and that helps, but no good if I'm Casein Intolerant.
MM,
I've just bought some Borna Pistachio alternative. I agree it's difficult to know what will taste anything like acceptable.
I've never heard of that. I've certainly not seen it in the supermarket aisles. Wow, they'll turn anything into something they call milk these days 😅😅. It'll be interesting to see how you get on with it.
I buy gluten free pasta for when I feel the need - it’s actually really nice so there’s no need to cut it out. I do weigh it out now and have a ‘proper’ portion rather than just tip the bag into the pan of water like I used to do.
Indirectly going gluten free has resulted in weight loss.
Before going gluten free, Ft3 was always bottom of range. I was very immobile, unable to walk more than 5-10 mins at slow pace
Now I typically walk 8-10k steps per day and lead normal life
Before going gluten free, (and all vitamins optimal) I couldn’t tolerate adding T3
Now prescribed T3 on NHS, alongside levothyroxine.
Eating out, before going gluten free, I would typically choose a high carb meal. Now, on strictly gluten free diet, I find the gluten free choices on menu’s are generally healthier, tastier and lower carb.
As others have mentioned, weight gain due to thyroid problems is not the same as weight gain due to eating too much or eating the wrong foods. You may have to wait until your thyroid medication is optimal, then weight starts to drop off slowly.
A friend of mine who has an underactive thyroid went to weight loss classes. When she followed their instructions but lost no weight she was accused of cheating - they obviously didn't understand about hypothyroidism.
For a recent discussion about weight problems when hypothyroid, try this link
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Hi, yes I understand this. I eat well and my thyroid levels are good, and I excercise so it’s just whether I try Gf or not now
I have no solution, but just saying I’m in the same boat and am watching this thread.
If you look at my profile you’ll see I’m gluten and dairy free, no soy, no alcohol, no chocolate. Plenty of exercise since 2-3 years now.
I think I manage my Hashimotos really well, and feel good, but the one thing I cannot seem to do is loose weight! (Am pretty overweight despite running 2-3/week, rowing daily and yoga!)
I’ve lifted my Levo over the past year, and my next step is (after blood tests tomorrow) to consider lifting FT3 to see if I can loose weight. It has always been in the midline.
So good luck to everyone in the same boat! Keep on discussing here, it’s good to read various solutions people have tried or succeeded with!
CBDB,
Read a book called 'Fat Around The Middle' by Marilyn Grenville. It is an old book so should be cheaply available somewhere.
It explained really clearly how all the hormones (insulin, leptin, cortisol, thyroid hormone) interconnect and need to work together to function best. The commonest reason for not being able to loose weight are unrecognised cortisol issues or leptin resistance which is the hunger hormone, ie tells us when we are full. When out of kilter it tricks the body into thinking we are hungry even when full of dinner inducing a starvation status together with al the negative hormonal changes that retain fat stores.
.
I have just written a long reply (yawn if you wish .. 🤣) to another member about blood glucose issues here ... . healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Thanks for this. I had a short look at her website and the book (I do remember that book coming out), but does it attend to hypothyroidism and Hashimotos, by any chance?
I’ll have a look for a secondhand copy, but I fear, unless it really comes from a knowledge base that includes how hypothyroidism works, I’ve lost trust in following various expert avenues.
In the years that I have had Hashimotos, so much more information has come out, including brilliant guidance from us here in this community.
So huge thanks for the pointer. I will have a look if I have the chance but from what I can see from her website and book reviews, my expectation is not particularly high.
The connection with cortisol I’ve come across before, but just don’t know what that means in practice. Similar for leptin.
( from what I can read in the book reviews, the things I can relate to: I’m pretty much already sugar free, I do have some cold-brewed coffee which is easy on the stomach, I have a daily lemon water in the morning, I’m already gluten and dairy free, and am already low carb. So not sure the book will add anything new? )
But thank you so much for this. It is much appreciated and I’ve made some notes.
Oh tell me. I went to WW for years on and off - one of my sons said he couldn’t understand why I paid £5 a week for ‘ritual humiliation’ as he put it - it wasn’t really have to say.Sometimes I would be so ‘good’ and not eat anything that I shouldn’t have been eating, everything was accounted for - yet I didn’t lose weight. Then the last time I was there I started losing masses of weight and I got vibes from my leader that she thought I was starving myself - it was actually Graves’ disease getting going and I lost so much weight.
I’ve not been back to WW since. Now I just stick to low carbs, well I eat a better type of carbs and that works for me.
Most definitely not in my case!
I wasn’t a thin poorly coeliac before diagnosed nearly decade ago and actually some welcome the weight increase, once starting gluten free diet as so ill with this condition they can’t put weight on before.
I am coeliac and as mentioned the inflammation bit probably can calm things down, along with bloating, but lose weight nope not anything much anyhow.
However choosing naturally gf foods and having a diverse diet does help.
If I get quantities right and do more, I lose weight but I’m an over eater and like my wine at weekends and then add in mobility issues l put weight on, but that is changing I’m doing more and recovery is a lot better thank goodness with additional T3 meds for my muscular issues.
It’s known coeliacs can be poor converters of T4-T3.
I dropped half a stone initially adding T3 in my regimen first 6wks so definitely look at under medicated or conversion problems along with inflammatory conditions and bring inflammation down.
My blood sugar can be high side of normal at times but still normal, and no doubt my muscles issues would improve this further if can move more…no cholesterol issues low if anything (although this is probably genetic) my BP was very good last year and intrigued to see by adding T3 has increased BP and blood sugar as it states in literature it can increase these (if leaflet is up to date) I will be having annual review next month sometime.
Some people will lose weight basically as it can cut a lot of things out eg takeaways.
I only have the odd fish and chips probably 3 times a year, meals out are very few as I tend to stick to accredited places, but that’s my ultra restrictive attitude.
So obviously cutting out the weekly takeaway will help as not many takeaway place that are safe to eat at for coeliacs, well where I live anyway…and probably a good thing.
My advice to anyone thinking about going gf is if you don’t react to gluten and it’s not interfering with anything else.
Just eat gluten.
Yes it can cause inflammation in some even if not coeliac but so can lots of other rubbish and sometimes sorting a cleaner diet might be better, depends on the individual.
Solely relying on the off the shelf gluten alternatives, then I’d hazard a guess most likely put weight on but I guess depending on what eating before, I’d actually say stay clear of the free from aisle as much as possible if you have to go gluten free, choose higher fibre items.
Most of alternatives are full of high glycemic foods, additives to make taste better, high in seed oils (omega 6s) and it’s well known we want that lower these and best to increase omega 3s.
Now not just the seed/nut types of omega 3s these contain ALA-Alpha-linolenic acid and we are poor converters but these do have some benefits so including these is still a good thing just can’t rely on getting all your needs from them.
We want to get omega 3s types EPA- Eicosapentaenoic acid and DHA-docosahexaenoic acid, which comes from fatty fish.. if vegetarian/vegan there’s supplements from algae out there to have… these omega 3s can bring down inflammation.
Dale Pinnock has good information on omega 3s and other nutritional needs.
Coeliac U.K. for good advice on gluten free , diagnosis how to prepare for blood tests etc.
Becky Excell has books out if wanting to cook favourite to gf alternatives for odd treat, and on all social media platforms.
There’s good guides on going abroad from …
My gluten free guide.
Coeliac sanctuary.
I follow these on Instagram, I assume they have Fb other social media platforms and possibly websites.
I found being perimenopausal can upset balance of hormones and probably look at all hormones plus insulin, cortisol as well as thyroid hormones…one gets out of line often others follow.
I think insulin is a big one to watch, but maybe just my experience though.
I should add that I won’t be swapping cakes etc for GF cakes, I don’t really snack and I’m fully aware of the additives and crap that will go into these things.
Yes definitely. But I had my bloods tested for antibodies to foods as I wanted to reduce any other sources of inflammation. My results showed high antibodies to egg and casein (milk protein) so I cut them out. It thereby along with GF cuts out just about everything baked! I now sit between UK size 8-10 at 5’7, eat masses of fruit, veg, nuts, seeds etc. Have bundles of energy, feel positive and enjoy all aspects of life slimmer than I have ever been without trying (other than eating a very healthy, but actually difficult to manage diet because it requires severe discipline to deliver!).
One final point. T3 is not commonly tested for and if you have the gene that does not produce T3 adequately, you will battle your weight no matter what thyroxine or diet you take! This is a shocking fact about how poorly the thyroid is understood and managed in the uk!
I was diagnosed with Celiac disease just before Christmas and have been gluten free since then. I have lost just over 2 and a half stone since last August, when I was put on iron tablets, after my celiac blood test came back with high antibodies, and my iron levels were very low, due to having celiac disease. I have also been put on T3, as I have the faulty DIO2 gene, and I am homozygous. I am still losing weight, and I think my weight loss is a combination of having proper treatment for my Hashimoto's, and Celiac disease, and my body is starting to work properly again. I think my body was carrying a lot of fluid due to my Hashimoto's, and I haven't been cutting back or dieting, and can't do any exercise, as I have poor mobility.
Hi, yes, I lost weight on a gf diet but only because I changed almost everything I ate, including cutting out fluoride in drinking/cooking water and toothpaste etc. chucking out non-stick pans, and had blood tests for allergies. Had celiac antibodies. I was told I had ibs 25 years ago - the specialist said many celiacs are initially diagnosed with ibs. All this in 2018 was following support and advice on this site (for which I will be eternally grateful) and paying for a private consultation after almost 10 years on Levo when I couldn’t get a referral to an nhs endo and had gained about 5 stone. I also take supplements he recommended as they help with fatigue and brain fog.
The weight-loss was a side-effect of trying to overcome how awful I was feeling for years. I lost almost 3 stone over a couple of years, put 1 back on during the first year of covid because I didn’t stick strictly to the changed diet. Being stricter again means I’ve managed to shift half of it in 12 months. When my life is more settled I will go back onto the rigid diet again as I feel much better when I do, but sometimes, even though I know it’ll be with the effort, I just feel bleugh and can’t be bothered with anything. Hypo symptoms still overwhelm sometimes, but far less often.
Good luck.
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