Lose weight with a wheat free diet : Wheat-free dieting tips
Lose weight with a wheat free diet is my account of how I managed to shed pounds and keep them off. There's also information about the three things that successful dieters do. By successful I mean those who manage to lose weight AND keep it off.
How many times do we try to lose weight in the New Year only to give up by Easter because we just cannot continue with the calorie and/or carb counting and because, let's be honest, we are so fed up with it all? We become disheartened, we feel hungry all the time and all we think about is what we can and can't eat.
In 1996 and 1998 I had more babies. I already had two children but I had remarried and Hubby Number 2 did not have any children of his own. So, despite my advancing years (well in the eyes of the doctors I was positively geriatric!) we decided to have a baby. Note: "a" baby! But I ended up having two, only 21 months apart! Result: I went up two dress sizes in two years.
It was tough. I had always been naturally slim, due to small bones, a healthy diet (well most of the time) and being above average height for a UK female at 5ft 5. I had never had to worry about losing weight before. I was also very conscious of the age gap between me and my "younger man" and of course trying to lose the baby flab was tougher because of my age. It did not help that I had only just got back playing tennis when I found out I was pregnant again - although I did carry on playing until I was nearly seven months gone with baby number 4.
Becoming pregnant when you have a 13 month old is hardly the best way to get your body back into shape. I never got back to my normal size 10 (US: 8) between baby number 3 and 4 and having a nine pounder the last time (AND it was a home birth) did not exactly help either. It was not until two years ago that a suggestion by a Homeopathic doctor set me on the path to permanent weight loss and I finally got back to a UK size 10 and it did not cost me a single penny (cent)! So how did I do it? I went on a wheat-free diet.
I was tired and bloated all the time
Lack of energy was a problem
I was consulting a Homeopath who had cured my asthma. Up until 2006, the only way I could control my asthma was with steroid inhalers but this Homeopath sorted me out and it is now four years since I have ingested any steroids.
However, my overall health was still not brilliant. I was low because I just could not shift the final half a stone I wanted to lose. I was bloated a lot of the time. I was permanently tired and sometimes I thought I could belch for England! Not very ladylike I know but there you are!
My "normal" Doctors would just tell me that having had two children so close together and "at your time of life", as well as working was the reason why I was tired all the time but I know my body and I just knew something was not quite right.
So I took myself off to my Homeopath and we went through everything - that's the thing about Homeopaths - they leave no stone unturned. They wont treat the symptoms until they have worked out what the cause is.
Finally, she said: "Hmm, have you tried giving up wheat?"
Well, actually no and that was that. I became wheat-free and I lost that eight pounds. More importantly I kept it off!
Was it easy? NO! It certainly took some adjustment to make my diet wheat free, but here is how I did it and you may be able to do it too!
Oh no, not another diet
A great fridge magnet!
Why try a wheat free diet to lose weight??
Why will it help you?
In an article in The Independent, Dr NIck Avery, a former General Practitioner who now runs the Centre for the Study of Complementary Medicine and is the consultant for Boots (UK Chemist) on homeopathy said:
You have to remember that Stone Age man didn't eat wheat. It was introduced only 10,000 years ago with the cultivation of crops. Which is relatively recent compared to the diet of millions of years ago, for which our bodies are better adapted - nuts, berries, fruits. We overdose on wheat and end up eating it for breakfast, lunch and dinner - toast, sandwiches, a pizza. It's too much.
Dr Avery believes that not enough is yet known of what exactly in wheat is triggering the symptoms he sees in his patients, but like many practitioners of Complimentary Medicine he is suspicious of the chemicals used to grow wheat today, as well as modern processing and the preservatives that are used in British bread-making. He also said:
My patients give up wheat and feel a lot better, then they go to Paris for a romantic weekend, eat baguettes - and say they're OK! Over there baguettes are baked fresh twice a day; here you can get a loaf that keeps for seven days in the supermarket.
For some "wheat free" is essential for their health
And it is not necessarily to lose weight
Some people have no choice but to cut out wheat, rye and barley from their diet as they have an intolerance to gluten, which affects roughly one per cent of the population. Professor Jonathan Brostoff, co-author of 'The Allergy Bible' (Quadrille, £9.99) believes that ten per cent of the population may have some level of wheat intolerance.
As Dr Avery said, man did not evolve to eat wheat. Man evolved to eat fruit, vegetable nuts and berries. Bread did not exist when man first walked the earth!
What can go wrong?
Your fibre intake is very important
Wholemeal bread and pasta are among the best sources of fibre in a balanced diet. Wheat is also a good source of carbohydrates, antioxidants and some vitamins. If you stop eating these foods you must replace them with other foods that will give your body the fibre and nourishment it would normally get from wheat or you could find constipation and lack of energy a real problem.
To be on the safe side you could try cutting out wheat and gluten for a week or two and if you find yourself feeling better for it, then provide you make sensible adjustments, by including other nutritious grains such as rice, corn, quinoa, millet and buckwheat in your diet you could try it for longer. However, be aware that a few days after you stop eating wheat, headaches can occur but they should disappear quite quickly.
But to lose weight you must monitor your calorie intake, as you would with any weight loss diet!
As with any change of diet or weight loss programme, if you are receiving treatment for any medical conditions you should consult your Doctor.
A healthy diet is a balanced diet
which means keeping everything in the right proportion
If you cut any food out of your diet you have to be aware of the nutritional benefits you could be losing. Fibre is an extremely important foodstuff and if you stop eating wheat then you must make sure you get your fibre from something else.
A varied diet ensures you are getting all the nutrition your body needs. But not only is the variety important, it is also crucial to get the proportions right. You need to eat the right amount from each of the five food groups: carbohydrates, protein, fruit and vegetables, dairy (or the equivalent) and sugars and fats.
CARBOHYDRATES - should provide around 50% of your food intake. Carbs give us the energy we need. Choose foods that are un-refined and fiber-rich, such as oats, rice and potatoes.
FRUIT AND VEGETABLES - should form approx one third of our intake. They are the crucial sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Increasing your intake of fruit and veg could help compensate for the loss of fiber that wheat provides in your diet. In the UK the recommended intake of fruit and veg is five portions a day but there is constant debate about what constitutes one portion!
PROTEIN - fish, meat, poultry, nuts and seeds are key foods for vegetarians and carnivores alike and should form around 10-15% of our daily food intake. They are important for building and repairing our bodies.
DAIRY - these exclude butter and margarine, which are classified as fats. Dairy foods are an important source of calcium (important for healthy bones) and protein. If you are intolerant of lactose, or you choose not to consume milk, then goat's, sheep and soya milk are good alternatives. If you are controlling your fats and/or calories, choose reduced fat products.
SUGARS AND FATS - should be eaten sparingly. Some fats are vital to health so it is important to know the different types - you need to keep saturated and trans fats, as well as refined sugars, to a minimum.
Extra help with your Wheat Free Dieting
Heather Bestel
OK, so you have decided to try wheat free dieting. But are you one of those people who starts out on a new Diet with good intentions, only to falter after a couple of weeks?
Could you do with some extra support?
Heather Bestel is a well respected and fully qualified hypnotherapist and psychotherapist, who is also a NLP Practitioner, Lecturer, Author, Indian Head Masseuse and Reiki Master. Heather has worked with hundreds of clients since 1994 helping them to lose weight and keep it off - for good. Many had tried various diets, managed to lose weight - only to put it all back on.
One of the reasons dieting fails is because although dieters try to change their eating habits, they do not manage to change their thinking. Heather helps her clients to change their mind set using visualisation and other proven techniques.
Heather has now put together all her techniques into an mp3 download of a daily 17 minute programme that you can plan around your personal lifestyle.
How to substitute the wheat in your diet, with other alternatives
Breakfast
How do you avoid wheat cereals? Muesli? Toast?
Eat cornflakes! Try porridge, add fresh fruit and you will not feel hungry until lunchtime. Make your own muesli using oats, dried fruit and nuts. Have fresh fruit with yoghurt.
Lunch
If you have got into the habit of having sandwiches or pitta bread with fillings, then think about having a baked potato instead. Be imaginative with the fillings. And if you can't remember to stick the potato in the oven, then microwave it instead.
If you do not have access to a microwave then make yourself a salad with cold potatoes that you have cooked the night before, to bulk it up a bit and then add meat,fish, eggs or cheese.
Or you could use rice paper wraps and fill with your favourite sandwich fillings.
Buy wheat free bread and you can still have sandwiches for lunch!
Dinner
I thought giving up pasta would be the hardest part of reducing my wheat intake, but actually, it was not so hard after all.
My family loves pasta but these days I tend to make sauces that I can either eat without the pasta, or that I can eat with rice or I have rice pasta.
Buy flour substitutes
Many of your favourite recipes can be adapted to become wheat free if you substitute normal flour with wheat-free flour or cornflour.
Foods to avoid
Dont worry - there's plenty of food you can still eat!
Forbidden foods (sorry!)
Bran
Bread
Breading, coating mixes
Communion wafers (yes, honestly!)
Couscous
Croutons
Granola
Farina
Flour or cereal products
Pasta
Pastry and pies
Pizza
Semolina
Soy sauce
Spelt
Teriyaki sauce
Wheat breakfast cereals
Wheat free muesli
A great recipe
(1 cup = approx 8 ounces)
1 cup barley flakes
½ cup soy grits
1 ½ cups rolled oats
½ cup rice flakes
1 cup rice bran
1 cup flaked almonds
¼ cup sesame seeds
½ cup flaked coconut
1¼ cups mixed chopped fruit
Preheat the oven to moderate 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Place all the ingredients except the dried fruit in a large non-stick baking dish and mix together well.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the almonds are toasted. Stir occasionally to ensure even cooking.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Stir in the mixed dried fruit, then transfer the muesli to a large airtight container
You can vary the recipe by omitting some of the ingredients and replacing them with other nuts and/or seeds.
A very easy sauce recipe
You can have this with or without pasta
Vary quantities according to number you are cooking for
Take some diced chicken breast, fry in olive oil and butter, add sliced mushrooms and then a tub of tomato and mascarpone sauce. Season with black pepper and serve with parmesan cheese.
My family has this sauce with pasta and I have it with salad. You could also have it with rice.
Wheat free bread
This recipe needs no adapting
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Wheat free flour
Substitutes are easy to find
Adapt your favourite recipes to make them "wheat-free", so you can still enjoy them and lose weight at the same time!
heat free bread making tip
Removing gluten from flour means that wheat free bread could end up as a solid lump!
One product that greatly aids gluten-free baking is xanthan gum. This will, to some extent, replace the elastic qualities that gluten-free flours lack. Adding a little to your gluten-free flours will make the bread less crumbly. It's available in specialist health food stores and in some supermarkets.
What 3 things do successful dieters have in common?
Clue: it is NOT the diet!
There is no one single diet and/or exercise programme that is more successful than any other. However, more people are beginning to realise that there's just three factors common to the most successful dieters. Lots of people can lose weight quickly by following one of the millions of diet programmes that are available. But successful dieting is not only about losing weight but KEEPING IT OFF!
I was pleasantly surprised when I checked out what these factors are, as they all apply to me and I have been successful in losing 10 pounds in the last year and managing to maintain my weight.
Do YOU know what three things successful dieters have in common?
Successful dieting tip #1: Eat breakfast!
Eating a healthy breakfast is crucial to successful dieting!
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. When you wake in the morning, after a lengthy period without food your blood sugar levels will be low. Low blood sugar levels lead to cravings for sweet food and you'll probably end up snacking on unhealthy food to give you a quick sugar fix.
It IS possible to start the day with a wheat-free but filling and nutritious meal and you will give your metabolism a kick start. You'll feel full until lunch time and there will be no rumbling tummy leading to the temptation to eat snacks in the morning.
Aim for foods that are high in carbohydrates, but low in fat. Good wheat-free breakfast options are:
Porridge
Oat cereals
Fruit
Wheat free breakfast ideas
If you don't like porridge then try these
Amazon Product Description
The hardest thing about staying on a Grain-Free or Gluten-Free Diet is breakfast! What do you eat if you are tired of scrambled eggs? How do you satisfy your craving for toast with your coffee in the morning? What about waffles, pancakes and cereal? This book is the solution to your problem.
All the recipes are grain and gluten-free. Many are milk-free or egg-free as well. Only recipes that passed stringent requirements can be found here. For one thing, each recipe had to pass the rigorous taste tests of our kids, aged 13, 11 and 2 and my husband (who adores baked goods). In addition, the recipes had to be easy to fix.
Most of the recipes were originally tested in the kitchen of our fifth-wheel camper while we were out on the road, exploring this great country with our kids. This kitchen had only one foot of counter space and a teeny-tiny stove and oven,
Successful dieting tip #2: Weigh yourself every day!
Yes! Weigh yourself every day!!
The majority of Dieting "gurus" and weight loss websites, tell you NOT to weigh yourself every day and they always have lots of reasons to justify that advice. They say you could get discouraged and point out that there's always day to day fluctuations due to fluid retention, monthly cycle, weekend binges etc
However, when you think about it, not only are you trying to lose weight but the trick is to MAINTAIN your weight loss. And how can you do that if you only weigh yourself once a week? Weight increase and loss over seven days can be due to a combination of factors!If you gain, how can you pinpoint the exact cause and then make the correct adjustments.
Weigh yourself at the same time every day. It does not matter if it is after you go to the bathroom first thing in the morning, or just before you go to bed. Make sure you wear the same thing every time (such as a bathrobe) or do it naked.
Successful dieting tip #3: Have some exercise equipment at home
Anything from simple weights to an exercise bike to a multi gym!
Not everyone can afford an annual membership to a health club but those who regularly use exercise equipment will be more successful in not only losing weight but keeping the pounds off.
Although I reached my target weight loss in 2009 I want to lose just four more pounds in 2010 and also tone up my legs. Luckily I was given an exercise bike by my Mum - at 81 she is finding climbing onto the saddle a bit beyond her these days!
To lose weight just remember.......
......whether you are on a wheat-free or any other diet.......
Losing or gaining weight can be summed up by one simple scientific equation:
If calories consumed = less than calories burned you will lose weight
BUT
If calories consumed = more than calories burned then you will gain weight
