For those of you who have given up wheat...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what do you munch on, PP? Considering a diet overhaul...love my wheat but weight loss has been impossible.

Tons of stuff!

I always have a nuts hanging around, popcorn, hummus with celery, GF chips, GF gingersnaps, tons of cold salads, banana and PB, Indian junk food (found at Asian groceries), and absolute ton of stuff. I find it pretty easy to eat GF, however, I do a ton of cooking and am militant about avoiding processed foods, so it was not that difficult. I still have my vices (see above). I'm also trying to lose 10lbs to go from normal to thin and for that, unfortunately I need to actually reduce calories, which I'm not sure if I'm ready to commit to any amount of hunger.

I'm confused. You are militant about avoiding processed foods but you eat GF chips and gingersnaps, and Indian junk food? Do you make all of that stuff from scratch at home?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what do you munch on, PP? Considering a diet overhaul...love my wheat but weight loss has been impossible.

Tons of stuff!

I always have a nuts hanging around, popcorn, hummus with celery, GF chips, GF gingersnaps, tons of cold salads, banana and PB, Indian junk food (found at Asian groceries), and absolute ton of stuff. I find it pretty easy to eat GF, however, I do a ton of cooking and am militant about avoiding processed foods, so it was not that difficult. I still have my vices (see above). I'm also trying to lose 10lbs to go from normal to thin and for that, unfortunately I need to actually reduce calories, which I'm not sure if I'm ready to commit to any amount of hunger.

I'm confused. You are militant about avoiding processed foods but you eat GF chips and gingersnaps, and Indian junk food? Do you make all of that stuff from scratch at home?

These are not my normal snack foods. Probably go through a bag of each every 2 months. I consider that pretty militant considering these are the only processed foods I eat. I don't think many people could declare that they eat zero processed foods, unless they are living like the uncontacted tribes in the amazon.

I'm quite unusual, in making my own yogurt, hummus, canning tomatoes for salsa and sauce, grinding my own meat, making jerky, making my own lunch meat, cold smoking my own salmon, making Kombucha and I have backyard chickens...so yes, I do eat processed foods, foods I process myself. I do not suggest that anyone try to live like this, I just happen to use food as my creative outlet and I truly enjoy the culinary arts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:since you aren't convinced 100% gluten free is the way you want to go and your driving force is weight loss, have you considered doing something between doing what you were before and giving up 100%?
if you were eating processed, bleached, white flours before, switch to 100% whole grain. some meals find a gf alternative and others enjoy the whole wheat option.
cut back without cutting out. it might be a more realistic option to maintain and still help with weight loss.

I had already been eating whole wheat for years before I went GF.

Results speak. After giving up wheat, my belly that always looked about 4 months pregnant deflated. Additionally, my seasonal allergies have completely vanished. I used to be miserable 6 months out of the year.

I really see no health benefit to eating GMO processed wheat products. I eat a ton of other grains, such as quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice and then of course lots of legumes such as lentils, chickpeas, and black beans.

A lot of cultures don't eat wheat at all. If you have ever shopped in an Asian grocery, you are hard pressed to even find wheat products.

As someone with Celiac disease this is untrue. Asian grocery stores have tons of products with wheat/gluten, like soy sauce and the other sauces have barley!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:since you aren't convinced 100% gluten free is the way you want to go and your driving force is weight loss, have you considered doing something between doing what you were before and giving up 100%?
if you were eating processed, bleached, white flours before, switch to 100% whole grain. some meals find a gf alternative and others enjoy the whole wheat option.
cut back without cutting out. it might be a more realistic option to maintain and still help with weight loss.

I had already been eating whole wheat for years before I went GF.

Results speak. After giving up wheat, my belly that always looked about 4 months pregnant deflated. Additionally, my seasonal allergies have completely vanished. I used to be miserable 6 months out of the year.

I really see no health benefit to eating GMO processed wheat products. I eat a ton of other grains, such as quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice and then of course lots of legumes such as lentils, chickpeas, and black beans.

A lot of cultures don't eat wheat at all. If you have ever shopped in an Asian grocery, you are hard pressed to even find wheat products.

As someone with Celiac disease this is untrue. Asian grocery stores have tons of products with wheat/gluten, like soy sauce and the other sauces have barley!

I buy mainly rice products, dried legumes, seaweed, fermented soy, nuts, and spices. Never ventured into the sauces, other than fish sauce and a few different chili pastes. However I do not have celiac, just an intolerance, so stuff like soy sauce does not bother me.

[Anonymous]

Sounds to me like your body doesn't respond that well to wheat, so it might make sense for you to give it up / restrict it further. But no reason you can't do this for a while and then test it back with foods.

As to your specific question, i don't really have an answer. I haven't noticed any real significant changes, but I also didn't give it up for myself (my kid was diagnosed with Celiac so we've gone GF to make our lives easier and in solidarity, i.e. I don't eat things in front of her that she wants but can't have.) And to be fair I also haven't completely given it up all together, especially when eating out, though do have plenty of days where I don't have any since my house is GF.

[Anonymous]

I exercise a lot and eat healthy but couldn't get the extra weight off. I gave up all grains just to see what would happen, and I lost 20 pounds in 3 months. I didn't change anything else.

This was shocking to me! A few years ago I trained to hike down/up the Grand Canyon with a 6 and 8 year old kids in tow, and was terrified that I would be "the weak link" so was for 4 months became an exercise addict trying to get the extra weight off--I think I only lost 4 pounds.

So to me, giving up grains is no gimmick.

Also, I'm not hard-core--I'll eat it here and there--it's just not part of my *usual* diet. Instead of oatmeal in the morning, I have a hard boiled egg or two, and/or some ham slices, along with an apple or banana. (remember eggs aren't dairy). I know OP is dairy free but just for fyi I eat yogurt and cottage cheese...and tons of the baby carrots.

The interesting side-effect is that before, I couldn't shut off my hunger, and now, I'm rarely hungry and it's much easier to do portion control.

I hope this helps!

[Anonymous]

I only get sluggish when I give up all carbs at once (sugar, wheat, rice, etc). When I just give up wheat, I feel like I've regained my digestive system -- in that it doesn't hurt any more, I'm totally 'regular' and no more heartburn.

[Anonymous]

OP,

4 lbs in 4 days is probably water weight fluctuation. If you aren't gluten intolerant and/or have celiac--choose healthy way to you can stick with. going gluten free isn't proven to lose weight; it's just another fad promoted by celebs like Gynneth Paltrow who have personal chefs and trainers.

carbs aren't bad for you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gimmickgimmickgimmicktrendytrendytrendy. Sheep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gimmickgimmickgimmicktrendytrendytrendy. Sheep.

Nasty people suck.

[Anonymous]

We are doing a gluten free trial w our 12 yr old who has a low grade occasional yet persistent cough and always has tissues nearby. Really hard for her because she craves all things gluten. I think she may have a mild sensitivity, but not all out celiacs for sure. I know quaker oats may have some cross contamination and there are qf oat choices, but how bad can it be. Anyway, its tough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Finally something comes out against the whole wheat lovers. Many people do not respond well to wheat -- in fact only Northern Europeans really eat it.

Huh? So Italians, Greeks, Portuguese etc don't eat bread, pasta, etc?

[Anonymous]

I went GF for breast feeding and while it sucked in the beginning I got used to it quick. Never noticed withdraw. I'm back on it and I see no difference either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what do you munch on, PP? Considering a diet overhaul...love my wheat but weight loss has been impossible.

Tons of stuff!

I always have a nuts hanging around, popcorn, hummus with celery, GF chips, GF gingersnaps, tons of cold salads, banana and PB, Indian junk food (found at Asian groceries), and absolute ton of stuff. I find it pretty easy to eat GF, however, I do a ton of cooking and am militant about avoiding processed foods, so it was not that difficult. I still have my vices (see above). I'm also trying to lose 10lbs to go from normal to thin and for that, unfortunately I need to actually reduce calories, which I'm not sure if I'm ready to commit to any amount of hunger.

I'm confused. You are militant about avoiding processed foods but you eat GF chips and gingersnaps, and Indian junk food? Do you make all of that stuff from scratch at home?

These are not my normal snack foods. Probably go through a bag of each every 2 months. I consider that pretty militant considering these are the only processed foods I eat. I don't think many people could declare that they eat zero processed foods, unless they are living like the uncontacted tribes in the amazon.

I'm quite unusual, in making my own yogurt, hummus, canning tomatoes for salsa and sauce, grinding my own meat, making jerky, making my own lunch meat, cold smoking my own salmon, making Kombucha and I have backyard chickens...so yes, I do eat processed foods, foods I process myself. I do not suggest that anyone try to live like this, I just happen to use food as my creative outlet and I truly enjoy the culinary arts.

Do you have a job? Kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Finally something comes out against the whole wheat lovers. Many people do not respond well to wheat -- in fact only Northern Europeans really eat it.

Huh? So Italians, Greeks, Portuguese etc don't eat bread, pasta, etc?

Wheat is also the main staple in the Middle East and North Africa. It was probably first cultivated somewhere in the Fertile Crescent ( Iran or Turkey) and then spread to Europe, India and China. It provides more nourishment worldwide than any other food. About 0.5 %-1 % of the population in the US has an inability to digest wheat protein. Eat ( or don't eat) whatever you want, but the current "wheat-free" diet craze is meaningless, except to the profits of the makers of gluten-free food. Americans are fat and unhealthy but not because we eat wheat, We simply eat too much. Many people lose weight when they go "Gluten free" because they replace carbs with vegetables and fruits, so it can be a good thing to do this, but not because wheat is necessarily bad for you. It is sort of a fad.