Gluten free diets are mostly recommended for people with Celiac disease, but the diet has also gained attention in the last few years as a weight loss solution. Pollock Communications, a PR and marketing agency, conducted a poll among 200 registered dietitians, and found out that gluten free is the top approach being considered for weight loss in 2013, even ahead of popular commercial weight loss plans such as Weight Watchers.
A gluten free diet plan is restrictive in some aspects, but that doesn’t mean you should deprive yourself in an attempt to lose weight. You can even satisfy your sweet tooth on this diet through gluten free chocolates, cakes, donuts etc. available through online and brick and mortar stores.
Most online stores offer discounts on gluten free stores, but it’s important that you keep foreign transaction fees in mind when buying anything from an overseas store through a credit card. You can be charged as much as 3% on every dollar spent. Better alternatives are available onNerdWallet in the form of waived foreign fees credit cards, and it saves you from overpaying unnecessarily.
What should you Eat and Avoid?
Foods that contain high amounts of gluten should be restricted on the diet. Experts like Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride says to remove all grains from the diet on temporary basis and add foods with healing powers such as healthy fats and chicken broth. Processed items usually found at stores like bread, pasta, cereal, candy, cookies, fries, fruit jars and similar foods should be avoided as well.
As for the eating part, you’re in luck if you like eating vegetables and fruits; most of them are gluten-free, so you can indulge in them as much as you want (keeping calories in mind). Fresh meat such as chicken, turkey and fish don’t contain gluten as well, but ready-to-cook or already cooked meat can contain ingredients such as sauces that make them unsafe for your diet.
You can also keep up with your calcium requirements as fresh milk is gluten free. It’s recommended that you eat from a variety of allowed food groups and avoid strict low-calorie options because you can suffer from nutritional deficiencies.
Don’t Overwhelm yourself
The point here is that gluten-free foods also contain calories, just like other foods in general. Going over your daily caloric requirements won’t trim down your waist. Furthermore, some gluten free foods may be refined and stripped of nutrients. Your best resort in this case would be to focus on quality and quantity of gluten free food options rather than overindulgence.
Support the Diet
This is perhaps the most important part of losing weight on gluten free effectively. While following thediet can allow you to lose weight, supporting it with exercise can streamline the process.
When you develop lean muscle through physical exercise, you burn more calories in the process. Support your diet by breaking a sweat three to four times a week.
Yes, it’s possible to lose weight on the gluten free diet, but there’s more to it than just falling for labels saying ‘gluten free’. You’ll need some extra effort to achieve best results.
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