Wanna lose weight? Think like a celiac.
Ever since I was diagnosed with celiac disease, I have less patience with people who complain that a diet is just too hard to stick to. Or that just can’t seem to give up their favorite foods. Or their willpower just isn’t strong enough. They are unhappily overweight, but can’t make the necessary changes to better themselves.
If you want to lose weight, think like a celiac.
And I don’t mean you should go on a gluten-free diet. Going gluten free does not guarantee weight loss. But what you need to do is mentally submerse yourself in our lifestyle and you will lose weight.
See, when you have celiac disease, eating certain foods IS NO LONGER A CHOICE. If we continue to eat foods that are poison to our system, we can die. Plain and simple (and quite dramatic!)
You need to have that same mentality regarding foods that are unhealthy; foods that are causing you to gain weight. While the foods may not exactly be “poison” to your body, in essence, they are killing you.
I know it’s easier said than done. If I did not have celiac disease and wanted to lose some weight, and somebody told me I should give up bagels and beer, I’d fight it tooth and nail. “I enjoy them too much,” I would have said. “There must be an easier way.” (Of course that’s one of human nature’s problems…we are always looking for shortcuts to our solutions.)
But if you change the words “should give up” to “must give up”, it changes everything. Once you realize you “can’t” have something, you’re whole thought process begins to change and before you know it, you realize that you can indeed survive without your favorite foods.
Is it easy? Hell no. Do I still miss bagels and beer five years later? Sometimes. But it’s amazing how our bodies and our minds were built to adapt. And before you know it, you will be saying no to foods that you once couldn’t imagine living without.
So the next time you are at a birthday party, and somebody offers you a piece of your favorite cake, you CAN’T have it.
When you’re going for that piece of pizza, you CAN’T have it.
When everyone at the dinner table is ordering ice cream sundaes for dessert, you CAN’T have it.
And then one day you’ll wake up, you’ll hear the bacon sizzling downstairs, and you’ll realize that you just don’t WANT it. And that will be a great day!
Erin S.
181 days ago
This is an interesting post. As I have gotten older and diagnosed with a second auto-immune disease, I have been doing a lot of reading on things I “should give up” in order to balance me out a bit. These foods do not give me the same reaction as gluten so I never really adopted a “must give up” attitude. I have been working to cut things out, but have not yet gone 100%. This gives me something to think about…
The Gluten Dude
181 days ago
If I can give up milk in my coffee and cheese in my omelets, anything is possible.
Barry
180 days ago
Right on! And I’ve given up cheese and eggs in my omelet
The Gluten Dude
180 days ago
Which leaves you with…
Marcelina
179 days ago
I have 20 lb left to lose after having my second child 8 months ago. I know losing weight is all in the mind. I’ll try this thinking. My husband is celiac and I’m sure he’d agree with everything you wrote. By the way, you write very well for the web. Clear, concise and engaging!
The Gluten Dude
179 days ago
Appreciate the kind words Marcelina. You can do it and you WILL do it. It really is 95% mental. Keep me posted on your progress.
anne
129 days ago
You are so right. I have been to many birthday parties where I just know I can’t have the cake or the pizza, it is not even a second thought, and it no longer makes me sad. Being being sick and in agony is just not an option. But since I know dairy doesn’t have the same effect, it is more difficult to say no and be as careful. And bacon…mmm…smells so good!
The Gluten Dude
129 days ago
If it helps, I feel so much better since I’ve been dairy free. I got tested and wasn’t allergic or intolerant, but after Mrs. Dude kept suggesting it, I finally gave it a go. Give yourself 30 days and see if you notice anything. And yes, I think the sound and smell of bacon is actually better than the taste.
Margret graf
101 days ago
Hi,
Just wanted to tell you that I enjoy your mail! always something new in there. I started gluten free only3 weeks ago after having dealt with an enormous belly full of gas after eating almost daily…feel so much better but still have a lot of rumbling going on every time I eat gluten free, so I added soy, milk and eggs to see if the ‘war’ inside my belly will stop…any other suggestions? I don’t trust a doctor to tell me anything, they just give me stomach pills!
The Gluten Dude
101 days ago
I would just take one item at a time. Give up dairy for a month and see if you feel better. Then soy. Etc. Giving up dairy was huge for me. Both in the fact that I actually did it and the fact that I feel a lot better off it.
Oh…and find a good GI who will take you seriously.
Melissa Booth
88 days ago
lol. I cannot imagine life without cheese and cream. Fortunately, I have never had dairy issues with my celiac! Although, I react to nightshades. Go figure. Ironically, since we are on the subject of eating. The Atkins plan works very well for me as a basic eating plan that was easy to translate to GF. Not sure what I would do without eggs. Deviled eggs are the best snack ever!
The Gluten Dude
88 days ago
If you can give up gluten, you can give up anything. Very empowering.
Tabitha
25 days ago
Diagnosed with Celiac Disease 32days ago. I cried grocery shopping for the first time, almost had a heart attack when she told me my total. I’m over the initial shock now. But a beer and a nice juicy cheeseburger from our local brewery sounds amazing right now. But I can’t. Udis’ buns and Applegate turkey burgers are a close 3rd but will do for now.
The Gluten Dude
25 days ago
Now…and forever. Sigh.