Newbie - Any other Coeliacs here?

[nevka]

Hello, I'm new to this group and am currently on week 2 of the programme.

I have 2 year old twins and since they were born I have found it impossible to stick to weight loss programme. I'm very motivated to lose weight as I have a holiday coming up at the end of the year where I'd like to look vaguely OK in a swimming costume (!). I'm tracking everything in MFP (a great tool I've used before) and am managing to do some exercise too.

I wanted to ask if there are any other coeliacs on this board? If so, would you mind sharing with me what your meals plans include? At the moment my breakfasts include a lot of gluten free bread (toast) and lunch sometimes too. It's so unhealthy and full of calories/fat (compared with 'normal' bread but I'm struggling to find quick and easy breakfasts and lunches which keep me going (both meals are so rushed when I'm running around after the kids). Any tips/ideas greatly appreciated.

[Hidden]

Hi, welcome, I'm currently undergoing coeliac testing but I don't think I'm coeliac as since I reintroduced wheat for the testing I have begun to manage okay with it. But during my weight loss process I was wheat and dairy free. I based a lot of meals around oats, rice, sweet potatoes, rice noodles, normal potatoes etc. I didn't get on very well with gluten free bread. Instead I made salads and hummous for lunches and took oatcakes alongside. Breakfasts were generally porridge or homemade low sugar granola. I also had sweet potatoes baked whole with tuna mayo and salad, aubergine bakes with mashed potato topping, and salad wraps where I put some stir fry and a runway of brown rice in baby gem lettuce leaves and wrapped them round, easy way to increase the proportion of salad to carb. It's worth googling salad wraps for more ideas like this. Hope that gives you some ideas to begin with though. Good luck

[nevka in reply to Hidden]

Hi Ruth, many thanks, that's really helpful. Great idea about the wraps with rice/gem lettuce. I'll try that. There is one brand of gluten free wraps with chia seeds which is actually quite nutritious/filling and lower cal/low fat. Had forgotten about them until I read your post, will give them a try too on weekdays. Best of luck with your coeliac testing.

[Hidden in reply to nevka]

I find healthy lunches are easier to construct at the moment of eating, so I keep loads of small pots /small food bags to take separate items. That way you can freeze some things in portions too. E.g. A pot for hummous, another for pre-prepared salad, another for crackers/bread/ your nice chia wraps etc, another for seeds/nuts/extra chickpeas. Also a general snack pot is useful - raisins, nuts, tiny bits of dark chocolate, or small cut up bits of fruit if you're feeling really good

I just had my blood test results today actually, came back negative for coeliacs, and as symptoms haven't returned at the moment they're not going to test further for now... But I've been advised to follow a 'low wheat' diet from now onwards... So I won't be saying goodbye to oats and rice for a while yet! Let me know if you have any more good ideas to share. I'm on the gluten free guerillas forum on here too, but not sure if I belong there, but they may be of use to you

[VickyDLM 2 stone]

Hi Nevka.

Have you tried the Coeliac UK website? coeliac.org.uk/home/

I found it invaluable when my stepdaughter was first diagnosed and I started researching the disease and what she can and can't eat.

I'm surprised the GF stuff is so high in fat! As GF flour blends can't absorb fat the way wheat flour does, you would think there'd be less fat than in wheat based products.

Good luck with your breakfasts! I'd like to suggest eggs. No gluten and you can make them many ways with many different toppings sides.

[nevka in reply to VickyDLM]

Hi Vicky! Yes, I'm a member of Coeliac UK but I'll be honest I haven't checked out their recipes, I will do that now. I know - really surprising about the glutne free bread. Although some brands are not too bad, it's still quite surprising how many extra calories and fat they contain when you do a like for like comparison to normal bread. Good idea on the eggs for breakfast. Maybe with extra tomatoes / mushrooms to fill up on veggies instead of bread.