is wheat free worth it?

[fionagib]

Has anyone tried a wheat free diet and found is made any difference to enrgy levels, bloating etc? EVERYONE seems to be on this thing. Admit I'm the world's worst faddy person, being convinced that any new thing is worth a try, but have cut out wheat for a couple of days and felt more energetic, not permanently knackered and sluggish and fat bellied as I usually am.

Is this just a coincidience, or does it really work, and is it worth giving up the easiest food ever (pasta, sarnies, toast...) - is there some result?! What do you eat instead? Thanks!

ha! fionagib - Have a read of the thread I started on the Diets/Thin/Fat board a couple of weeks ago about getting rid of wheat!! A couple of friends of mine swear by eliminating wheat and say it's gotten rid of bloating, but I was the opposite and ended up almost propelling myself along, I was farting that much!! After 10 days, I went back on wheat and it stopped straight away. Like you say, it's a big factor in most people's diets/lifestyles and I think you need a bloody good reason to cut out any significant food stuff (e.g. allergies and intolerances, not faddy fashions)!

point taken moomin, will have a look at that thread you mention, ta!

Have just started wheat -free diet myself f(am on second day). Am hoping it reduces stomach bloating. I agree it's really hard to give up such a staple food - lunchtimes are the worst - any ideas anyone?

I was wheat free and dairy free for nearly two years just before I got pregnant with DS. It was the best thing I ever did health wise and weight wise ... I am thinking of doing it again but I dragging my heels as it is really really hard to give up wheat as it is in just about everything.
I went on it as a desperate attempt to clear up my skin after DH and I got engaged. I had suffered for years from a bizarre skin complaint that was only on my neck and when we got engaged I made it a mission to clear it up for wedding photos .... call me vain!
Within a month my skin was the best it had been for years and after being wheat and dairy free for 3 months my problem was gone. I also had the added bonus of losing weight without dieting as I ate loads and loads ....
I lived porridge oats with soya milk for breakfast ... big salads with cold meat and pure rye breads (you can buy that from health food shops and Waitrose did a good one to IIRC) for lunch and meat and veggies with potatoes or rice or corn or rice pasta for dinners.
My treats were crisps and hula hoops, oat flap jacks instead of biscuits ... I didn't drink any wine for all that time but quaffed substantial amounts of vodka when I was out (was off yeast too) ...
I was never ever hungry and was the healthiest I have ever been.
When I got pg with DS I craved all things 'wheaty' and ditched my regime .... I piled on 4 stone but never got my bad skin back (he is now 4 years old).
I am no longer 4 stone overweight and am very healthy thanks to the top notch vitamin supplements I take but my aim is to go back to wheat free when I stop b/fing DD ...
HTH ....

that's so inspiring ghosty! Think will def try to stick to it. Am about 1 stone over weight (10 stone, 5 foot 3). But it's more for energy - had some cous cous last night, felt knackered after it - am gonna give it a try or at least cut down, thanks v much for all your advice (am addicted to oat cakes anyhow).

hi fionagib. I have pretty much cut out wheat and dairy and have lost weight. the main thing for me was getting rid of my permanently bloated stomach which this seems to have done. I measured round the fattest part of my stomach before and after the wheat thing and have gone from 101cm to 95cm. i have rice noodles with stir fry, rice milk on pertwood organic wheat free museli (tesco), porridge made with water, big salads with sun dried tomatoes, or tuna or olives etc and best of all some village bakery wheat and dairy free chocolate orange brownies. previously my favourite thing was crusty baguette with loads of butter. never thought i could give that up! i am not fanatical about it. would not refuse a wheaty dinner at a friends house!! Yes this may seem a bit drastic but i do feel better. may not work for everyone i suppose. maybe you could just try for a couple of weeks and see what happens. good luck x

That's brilliant keziah thank you. Am feeling better after only 3 days. Like you I don't wanna start faffing with wheat free stuff at other people's houses tho...

I've been wheat free for 5 years now. I gave it up as I was suffering from bad IBS and tiredness which is now under control. I'm so used to it now it's second nature and I'm never stuck for something to eat (apart from in fast food places). In supermarkets you can now get wheat free bread, pasta pizzas and cakes so you never have to go without (although this won't help you lose weight!) I've been pregnant twice whilst being wheat free and have just lost 2 stone on the Slimming World plan having eaten heaps!!
Being wheat free is difficult at first, as you have to read all the food labels but once you know what you can and can't have it's no problem. Jacket spuds and rice dishes are my staple alternatives to sarnies, or ryvita if I want something crunchy!

I gave up wheat after consultation with nutrionist. I have to say I was very sceptical and felt like "oh hear we go next she'll be telling me all I can eat is mung beans" but giving up wheat together with controlling my blood sugar level was a revelation. Truly I have tons more energy and don't feel as bleuuurgghh. ( a technical term you know).

Rice pasta, rice noodles, there are loads of wheat free yummy cereals. I'd definitely recommend it.

I have been wheat and dairy free for nearly 2 years now. Like everybody has said nearly all of the big supermarkets do '" free from" foods ie pasta,bread,biscuits etc. I found that the best wheat free breads are the"Terence Stamp" range.
My reason for doing this is because i began wretching and after having many tests nothing was found so it was suggested that i try the wheat and dairy free diet,and thank god it has worked.
I don't whether this has kept my weight down as i've always been slim and as for energy i take an iron tablet.
I think the emphasis should be on HEALTHY EATING regardless what type of diet you follow.

Anyone can suggest a good menu to try out? Would love to try for say 2 weeks and see if it helps my IBS, bloating and tiredness. I tend to lose my way looking all packets etc. A good book that is sensible would be useful. DOes it seem to mirror low carb too - I notice potatoes and rice are still eaten, that will help as I love bread.

and wheat free bread is best eaten toasted

I was wheat and (cow) dairy free for about 6 months while breastfeeding dd as she can't have them. Like Ghosty I lost loads of weight without dieting, although it did mean I couldn't eat lots of my fave foods. Stopped being wf/df when stopped breastfeeding dd and have steadily put weight back on. Am crap at totally denying myself anything I like so am now trying to just really cut down on wheat so only eating it at one meal a day. That makes it easier to accommodate going out for dinner or lunchtimes at the office which I found the hardest.

Did I have more energy? not sure. As I was bf and dealing with general knackeredness of being a new Mum, don't think I felt very energetic.

But defo felt less bloated and less congested.

That's a good point about IBS, I think I suffer from this a bit - chaotic inner workings sometimes - also from your tips it seems it really doesn't have to be too complicated. Am not missing bread at all. Spuds, rice, oatcakes - yum! What I realised was I was eating so much toast/sarnies (quick & easy esp when working and wanting a v fast lunch)that I was troughing half a loaf a day. Gutso!

That carol vorderman detox thing is wheat and diary free isn't it. She's annoying but people do seem to swear by her book, anyone tried it?

I tried this after IBS type problems. My doctor suggested trying to give up various food groups to see if it helped but I didn't know where to start. After food testing at a Holland & Barratt health food store it seemed I was intolerant to wheat. Apparently this is because you "overdose" on it eg. Cereal for Breakfast, sarnies for lunch and pasta at dinner! I lost 2 stone and definitely felt a lot better. I found a book called Lose Wheat, Lose Weight that was quite good and suggested lots of recipes. Also you can make your own wheat free bread if you have a bread maker (or unlike me you can cook!) I have to say that reading all the labels is such a chore at the beginning but you soon get used to the products you can and can't buy.

Have done the Carol Vorderman detox diet, but as well as giving up wheat and dairy, you also have no animal protein (meat/fish), or alcohol. For me the no fish thing was the hardest, and I have to admit I did slip a little on that one (oh yes and on the alcohol) (oh and the chocolate). Having said that, I did loose an inch or so from my waist within a week, and I did feel better. The best thing I found however was a supplement that was recommended - acidophilus - basically healthy bacteria for the stomach that you take in capsule form. I previously suffered from IBS and bloating, but these things seem to have really helped. You do need to persevere though, take them for at least 4 weeks before noticing an improvement. Also, if you're short of recipes, Carol V also has a detox recipe book which has recipes for the pure detox, and those for people on a maintenance plan (where you can eat meat).

fionagib - how about just cutting down on the wheat without totally omitting it from your diet.

I have given up eating as much bread, as was eating heaps of it, at breakfast - as well as finishing off kids uneaten toast, sarnies at lunch and bread with dinner.... I've noticed a massive difference just in 2 weeks, with less bloating and generally feeling better.
lunch ideas - ryvita/crackers with nice spreads (smoked salmon/veggie pates... or marmite & cucumber)... with salad...

Think I'll do that katieR - have had no wheat for about four or five days and I feel like the belly's gone down a bit - feel lighter & less sluggish and loafy. Funny how you really don't really miss bread, God I was hogging so much...

Am sure there's some truth in that point about 'overdosing' on it!

I know what you mean about the bread thing. I didn't realise how much i ate until sat down with nutrionist. toast for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch then I'd have pasta for tea, she said it wasn't surprising I'd developed an intolerance to it.

I didn't eat wheat for a month after getting leaky gut from antibiotics. I lost 5 kilos (sorry don't know what that is in stones) and even though I eat wheat now it's stayed off.