Gluten-free fat loss guide for the UK

Gluten-free is one of the most misunderstood diets. For people with coeliac disease it is essential. For everyone else it is not a fat loss method. I am John, and this guide explains when to avoid gluten, how to eat well without it and how to keep your protein up while lifting weights. It is general information and not medical advice.

Do not cut gluten out without speaking to your GP

If you think you may have coeliac disease or a gluten sensitivity, please see your GP before you change your diet. The NHS and Coeliac UK both advise that you keep eating gluten until you have been tested, because going gluten-free first can make the tests unreliable. A diagnosis matters, because coeliac disease needs a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet.

Gluten-free is not a fat loss diet

I want to be clear here. There is no good evidence that avoiding gluten helps healthy people lose fat. Fat loss comes from eating a little less than you use over time, and the NHS describes 0.5kg to 1kg a week as a steady pace. Many processed gluten-free breads, biscuits and cakes are no lower in calories than the ordinary versions, and some are higher in fat or sugar and lower in fibre. If you eat gluten-free because you need to, the goal is to eat well within that, not to treat it as a slimming tool.

How much protein do you need?

For people lifting weights, a 2018 meta-analysis by Morton and colleagues found that extra protein helped muscle and strength gains up to around 1.6g per kg of bodyweight a day, with the upper end of the estimate around 2.2g. For a 72kg person that is roughly 115g to 160g a day. My calorie and protein calculator gives you your own range, and my guide on why diet matters for fat loss explains the principles.

Naturally gluten-free foods

The easiest way to eat gluten-free is to build meals around foods that never contained gluten in the first place.

• Meat, poultry, fish and eggs (plain, not breaded or in a sauce)
• Milk, plain yoghurt and most cheeses
• Tofu, beans, lentils and chickpeas
• Potatoes, rice, corn, quinoa and buckwheat
• Fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds
• Oats only if they are labelled gluten-free, because ordinary oats are often contaminated with wheat

In the UK, products labelled gluten-free must contain no more than 20 parts per million of gluten. Look for the label or the Crossed Grain symbol, and watch for "may contain" warnings if you have coeliac disease. Sauces, stock cubes, soups and ready meals often hide wheat.

Gluten-free protein sources, with approximate portions

These are approximate, and brands vary, so check labels.

• Chicken breast, 120g cooked: about 35g
• Eggs, 2 medium: about 12g
• Salmon fillet, 120g: about 24g
• Tinned tuna in spring water, one small tin (about 110g drained): about 25g
• Greek yoghurt (0% fat), 150g: about 15g
• Firm tofu, 150g: about 15 to 20g
• Tinned lentils, drained, half a tin (about 200g): about 16 to 18g
• Gluten-free oats, 40g: about 5g
• Quinoa, 100g cooked: about 4g
• Gluten-free pasta made from corn or rice, 75g dry: about 5 to 6g
• Chickpea or red lentil pasta, 75g dry: roughly 15 to 18g, so check the label
• Whey or plant protein powder, one scoop (30g): about 20 to 24g

A day of gluten-free eating, with rough protein

Breakfast

Gluten-free porridge made with milk, topped with berries and a spoonful of Greek yoghurt. About 18g of protein.

Lunch

A chicken, rice and roasted vegetable bowl. About 38g.

Snack

Greek yoghurt (150g) with nuts. About 18g.

Dinner

Baked salmon with new potatoes and green beans. About 26g.

That comes to about 100g, and you can adjust portions to suit your target.

Easy gluten-free meal ideas

1. Omelette with spinach and mushrooms, and a baked potato.
2. Chicken and vegetable curry with basmati rice.
3. Prawn and vegetable stir fry with rice noodles (check the soy sauce, because many contain wheat, and look for tamari labelled gluten-free).
4. Lentil and chickpea chilli with rice.
5. Fish and chips made at home, with the fish dusted in cornflour and baked.

Where my plans fit

My programmes are built on push, pull and legs, set for your level, so the training works whatever you eat. You can choose your programme and start today. This guide is general information, not medical advice. Speak to your GP or a registered dietitian if you have a health condition. The British Dietetic Association can help you find one.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Speak to your GP before starting a new programme.