Keeping your weight down on a gluten-free diet

Losing weight can be a bit of challenge. Not impossible; but challenging nevertheless. It’s a question of cutting out everything you loved from your diet and replacing it with healthier alternatives. Whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, lean meats. Now imagine being told you’re allergic to gluten. Meaning goodbye whole wheat pastas and bread! So what does this leave you with? What can you eat to keep your weight down and make sure it’s gluten free? Let’s find out.

Fish and seafood

Switching to a gluten free diet might not be easy; but it certainly doesn’t have to be so hard. Instead of focusing on what you can’t eat, think about fun and exciting things you can do with what you CAN eat! Fish and seafood are popular choices amongst dieters all across the world. And lucky for you, you can eat as much of it as you like on a gluten free diet! Roast, grill, bake or steam it; the choice is yours! Bass, cod, herring, mackerel, monkfish, salmon, swordfish, basa, crawfish, oysters, scallops, prawns, mussels, shrimp, lobster…doesn’t sound so limiting after all, does it?!

Eggs and poultry

Start your day with a delicious omelet or scramble some eggs with some sizzling turkey bacon! Eggs are always the way to go when on a diet. You can enjoy them with a side of your choice- sautéed mushrooms, onions, spinach, and broccoli, grilled tomatoes with a sprinkling of parmesan, olive oil and fresh herbs. OR you could just stuff your eggs with a filling of your choice. Poultry such as chicken, turkey, quail and Poussin are rich sources of protein AND are lean white meats. Win-win!

Dairy products

The good thing is most dairy products are gluten free. Non-fat cottage cheese, fromage frais, Greek yoghurt, skimmed milk, low-fat sour cream and reduced fat 2% or low fat 1% milk are options to choose from. Always be wary of flavored dairy products and be sure to check the package details before buying anything.

Vegetables and fruits

The good thing about being on a diet and eating gluten free is that you can always eat all the vegetables and fruits you like. You might want to avoid the starchy veggies, but other than that your options are vast! Stock up on green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, cabbage, lettuce, Swiss chard and cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli and bok choy. Eat as much of artichoke, asparagus, carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, pumpkin, and soya beans, tomatoes, beans as you like. Enjoy your veggies in soups or stir-fried with your meat. Remember, it’s important to enjoy your meals, no matter what diet you’re on.

Wheat free foods

Sometimes you just can’t help yourself from craving pastas and freshly baked breads. Even if you’re on a gluten free diet. So what can you do to satisfy your cravings then? Allow yourself a treat day. One day when you indulge your cravings and eat some pasta or maybe some pizza. And lucky for you, there’re plenty of wheat free foods in the market today. Almost everything- bread, pizza, cake, cookies- is made with gluten free substitutes. Just check the label to be sure that the food you’re buying is, in fact, gluten free and then go crazy!

Being on a diet isn’t easy. And if you’re gluten intolerant, you might find it tougher to keep your weight in check. Hopefully these suggestions will help you make better choices about what you can eat on a gluten free diet while keeping your weight down.