How to Lose Weight With a Wheat-Free Diet

If you've been diagnosed with a wheat allergy, or you've decided to cut wheat out of your diet for another reason, you still have plenty of healthy food choices for a low-calorie weight-loss diet. Several other grains can take the place of wheat, and you can supplement those with fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, low-fat dairy and healthy fats to help you lose the weight you want without sacrificing good nutrition. Exercise is also an important part of healthy weight loss.

Weight Loss 101

Whether you eat wheat or not, weight loss occurs when you create a caloric deficit, meaning you consume fewer calories than you burn on a daily basis. This encourages your body to start burning its fat stores. You can do this by reducing your calorie intake, exercising more or a combination of both. To lose 1 to 2 pounds a week, you need to create a caloric deficit of about 500 to 1,000 calories per day. Cutting out wheat products can help you reach this number. You may also notice that you feel slimmer after cutting out wheat because a sensitivity to wheat can cause bloating for some people, according to the NHS Choices website.

Removing Wheat From Your Diet

You'll need to stop eating a range of foods and ingredients on a wheat-free diet. The FDA requires the foods it regulates to be labeled "contains wheat" if the food contains wheat. But not all foods are regulated by the FDA, so you need to know what to look for in the ingredients list. Some of these foods and ingredients include wheat, whole wheat, wheat flour, farro, couscous, bulgur, durum, durum flour and durum wheat, einkorn, semolina, sprouted wheat, wheat berries, triticale and wheat bran and germ. These are obvious sources, but many foods are hidden sources of wheat, such as malt vinegar, malt, malt flavoring, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, salad dressing, ice cream, surimi, vegetable starch, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, maltodextrin and monosodium glutamate. Some foods, such as oats, may be contaminated with wheat during processing.

Wheat-Free Vs. Gluten Free

The availability of gluten-free products is rising as gluten-free diets become more common. Use gluten-free labeling to help you identify products you should avoid. Any product that says it's gluten free will also be wheat-free. However, just because a product is labeled gluten-free doesn't mean you should eat it; some gluten-free products, like crackers and prepared meals, can be high in calories because manufacturers have to use high-calorie ingredients to achieve a similar taste and texture as gluten provides. Eating these isn't going to help you lose weight. Stick to eating unprocessed, whole foods as much as possible.

Healthy Wheat Substitutions

Certain weight-loss diets claim that cutting out all grains will help you lose weight. But grains, particularly whole grains, are good sources of essential vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Getting enough fiber on a weight loss diet is crucial, because it helps fill you up and slows digestion to keep you feeling full. In fact, according to a review published in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" in 2013, dietary fiber intake is associated with lower body weight. Substitute wheat with brown and wild rice, amaranth, quinoa, millet and gluten-free oats. These are all whole grains, which means they retain their nutrients and fiber during processing.

Wheat-Free Weight-Loss Lifestyle

The foundation of a nutritious low-calorie weight-loss diet should be fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly non-starchy vegetables. At each meal, fill half your plate with fruit and vegetables and fill the other half with one-quarter whole grains, such as brown rice, and one-quarter lean protein, such as light meat chicken, fish, beans or tofu. Have a little bit of low-fat dairy with your meal as well. Track your calories each day to make sure you're staying within your daily goal. Add in a couple of days of strength-training exercise each week to build lean muscle mass and engage in at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise at least five days a week.