Six weeks ago I decided to try a gluten-free diet to lose weight before swimsuit season. At first it was great—I lost 12 pounds and my energy levels skyrocketed. But the past two weeks, the scale has been stuck and I’m tired, gassy and bloated. What gives?
It sounds like you may have inadvertently eliminated most of the fiber from your diet along with wheat, rye and barley. Most gluten-free breads, crackers, cereals and baked goods are made with refined high-starch flours like white rice, potato and tapioca that contain significantly less fiber than their whole-grain counterparts. And if you switch to these gluten-free products without adding new sources of fiber to your diet, you can end up with shortfalls that lead to symptoms like gas, bloat and even constipation.
The good news: Getting your belly back to flat is as easy as adding two to three servings of gluten-free, fiber-rich fare like chia seeds, flaxseeds, beans, nuts, oats, quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth to your daily diet. You should notice more regular bowel movements, less bloat and reduced appetite within 7 to 10 days.
