Overweight due to allergies

Hello everyone. I gained 60 pounds over the last couple of years because I allowed a lot of the foods I am allergic to back in to my diet. I have never been overweight before and my friends and family are nervous about how to approach me when they haven’t seen me in awhile and I can see it on their faces how shocked they are at how I look. I am too embarresed to let them know that this recent weight gain is all my fault. I am starting to take my life back now, but I am also afraid of falling back, so I think it would be best not to mention this part of my journey to others. I would like to hear about how others have handled this issue in their lives. I know not everyone has put on this kind of weight and unless you have put on a great deal of weight there is no way of really understanding. So I would like to hear from those of you have dealt with this personal experience in your own life and how you spoke with your loved ones about it and how you approach each day, each hour, each minute mentally. Thanks for allowing me to share a very personal and challenging part of me.

Allergy induced weight gain isn’t fun. I know. Before finally figuring out food allergies, I was gaining 25lbs a year no matter what I did. Can you say blimp? I lost quite a bit just removing my allergens.

First, stop worrying about the weight. It’s not a big deal. You’re still breathing. Thats what matters.

Second, REMOVE those allergens. I know it can be hard. Some allergens are yummy yummy stuff, but when they pack on 20lbs they tend to lose their yumminess. Eating your allergens, especially if they cause you to gain weight, can also lead you to be at risk for some really unpleasant medical conditions such as digestive problems, IBS, heart problems, hormonal imbalances, insulin resistance, and possibly diabetes.

To be honest, I was on the verge of type two diabetes myself, after putting on nearly 75 lbs in 3 yrs. Diets didn’t help (I could gain weight on 1000 calories a day), and exercise didn’t help much either. Avoiding my allergens, I lost 50lbs in the first year. The rest took longer to take off, but the 50 was well worth the sacrifice. My blood sugars also have stabilized and I’m no longer a diabetic risk, I don’t even have the insulin resistance I was first diagnosed with.

Allergies do a lot more in your body than you realize. Allergic reactions cause chaos in your body and your body tries to adapt as well as it can. Help it out, and stop eating your allergens. Period. You’ll thank yourself when you realize how much better you feel and how much more energy you have!

I gained 30 pounds in less than a year and didn’t know why. I had no idea that food allergies could cause weight gain! Now, I’m eating a lot less, because of the allergies… but I’m not losing weight! My next doctor visit will be to check my thyroid antibodies, since my thyroid always comes up in the normal range.

After having a reaction to medication, the food allergies became life-threatening (I didn’t even know I had them, because the symptoms were all gastrointestinal). I can never allow those foods back into my life. My biggest problem is Mustard allergy, because it’s related to Rapeseed, which is what Canola Oil is made of. Food manufacturers and restaurants don’t have to list out which spices they use, os if it says “spices” I can’t eat it. That alone has ruled out 90% of all prepackaged and restaurant food for me. Canola Oil is also in nearly everything! So, there’s no going back. I just want to get this weight back off!
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RadioBabe
in CO

Weight gain! :-( I’m right there with ya.
I have found out, though, that uncontrolled yeast overgrowth (systemic candida) makes it (almost) impossible to loose weight. I say ‘almost’ because I don’t want to be depressing, in case somebody out there is the exception, which is very possible!
So, I’ve discovered that if I really stick to my diet, I might loose a little weight. If I cheat, I actually usually end up gaining weight.

HI all,
I first put on 30 pounds in 6 months back in 1991 when I was being treated for migraines…Over the years I was put on more meds “to try”. Ya and with every try I put on more pounds…. Then last August I broke out on both elbows with itchy water blisters which I discovered was caused by a reaction to eating wheat,barley,oats,and rye… Celiac Disease..When I went to see my my Dr.last Oct.she didn’t believe I could have Celiac as I am so overweight…But she found out that I do and I have the DH kind….Being as GF as I can for a year the DH has not gone away..It seems to have gotten worse…I also had to have all my teeth removed and to get used to dentures…I havn’t been able to eat in weeks. Did I lose weight ? NOPE !! I am not young..in fact a Great Great Grandma….I don’t want to be this fat…there I said it….but I think NO MATTER what happens to me I believe I shall die FAT.

i too went through an enormous weight gain. in 5 years i almost literally doubled in size. to make matters worse, because of all of the terrible GI problems, i went through test after test after test which all came back negative and nutritional counseling with a dietician and STILL gained weight. my GI doctor actually told me off saying my problem is that i eat too much (and at the time i was barely eating) and i need to see a psychiatrist because the only thing wrong with me is my mind. well, after hearing that, i pretty much DID need to see a pdoc because i was so depressed and feeling rotten about myself and his comments pretty much made my self-esteem go down the toilet. i walked out of his office in tears. it was only, FINALLY, at my own insistence that i got my GP to send me to an allergist. he diagnosed me almost immediately. what a huge relief to know there was actually something wrong! in the year and a half since i’ve been properly diagnosed, i lost some weight – then was put on a medication that made me gain it all back in about a 2 week period (WAH!)- and have since lost that same weight and a bit more. i’m convinced it’s from eliminating the allergens as i certainly haven’t made much of an effort to get off my behind. i still have a long way to go and there are days when i can’t stand it. i also sometimes get really down because here i am put in a position where i have to cook practically everything from scratch and it’s so bland – and i HATE cooking! LOL my only advice is: like with others, if i have even a small amount of my allergen, not only do i put on the pounds, but i also crave it like mad and feel like i’m constantly hungry. so maybe if you can find alternative “yummy” stuff, you’ll stop craving the bad foods.

I am new here, and have never replied to any kind of blog, so I am kinda nervous. Funny how talking to strangers can do that. Anyhow, RadioBabe, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism when I was 19 yrs old, but only after several tests came back negative, and I was told that I was simply depressed, given a antidepressant and sent home.
Needless to say the antidepressant never worked.
I found this site because of my breastfed sons digestive issues, but the more I read the more I think there maybe some problems of my own.