anyone tried gluten free?

The Gluten Free section at our regular market is pretty weak.  I tried a box of crackers and they were like rocks.

What is gluten free turkey?  Is it based on what the turkey was fed?

She may be referring to lunch meat.  Most lunch meat has more crap added to it than you think.  If lunch meat isn't labeled gluten free it could have gluten in it.

I don't like most of the gluten free products you find at the store...I lean towards just not using them.

I do like the cookies made by Enjoy Life (and actually, I like most of their products).  They are totally allergen free (no gluten, dairy, nuts, or soy) and actually taste good.

I don't doubt the gluten free diet is helping your weight loss...it's twofold...partially that gluten does cause many people to be puffy especially around the abdomen, and partially that when there is a ton of stuff you cannot eat you kinda tend to eat less.

I've been gluten free for 33 years (Celiac Disease) - let me know if you have any specific questions on products or cooking/baking. I'd be glad to share.

EDIT: A quick note that there are substitutions for literally every product out there. Just beware, for weight loss, sometimes these products can be MORE carb/calorie heavy and dense than their glutened counterparts. I'm specifically thinking breads, pastas and baked goods/mixes.

But the good news is, there is also gluten free beer 

Depending on what gluten-free (GF) products you're eating, it's likely not diet alone. You have to be aware of the nutritional value of GF products, and not just assume they are healthier because they are gluten-free...particularly when it comes to snacks, many of which are made with flours like white rice, tapioca, etc. A GF cupcake is still a cupcake, and not any healthier because it's GF. I know that's an extreme example, but it can be applied to any GF product - GF crackers are not necessarily better for you simply because they're GF.

However, when you limit yourself to eating meat, veggies and fruit, and avoid a lot of processed junk that contains gluten, you should automatically be eating healthier. If you're making your own salad dressing from EVOO and Balsamic instead of using gluten-containing salad dressings that are processed and bottled; or if you're avoiding things you can't pronounce (many of which contain gluten) you're eating healthier.

If you're eating less bread because you're now eating GF, for example, your weight loss could be attributed to diet. But, if you're eating the same amount of white-rice GF bread, you're probably just wasting money on expensive bread, and losing weight for other reasons. In fact, if you switched from a whole-grain bread to a white rice GF bread, you're probably eating worse. Unlike their glutenous counterparts, GF breads are not "enriched", nor do they have any nutritional additives. The same goes for GF pasta, most of which (again) are made with white rice, tapioca, etc.

PS: While I know you're just limiting, and not eliminating for medical reasons; you should be aware that there is gluten in everything you can imagine. (I'm sure Wheat Belly probably tells you this, though I haven't read it). I have found gluten in pretty much everything you can name, from ice creams to fruit juices.

From a Celiac's perspective, there is no benefit to only limiting gluten - it's an all-or-nothing thing. From someone going GF by choice, there is probably some advantage to limiting your gluten intake, but it probably has more to do with being more aware of what you're eating, than just eating the GF counterparts, if that make sense.

Hope that mash of thoughts helped - and I'm happy to answer any questions you have.

I finally struggled to the self realization that gluten was not my friend about 5 years ago.  While I do not test positive for celiac disease, I have a sister and mother with celiac and I have 20+ years dealing with colitis.  I do not have to be as vigilant as most about hidden gluten in processed food, but the longer I go without gluten, the more scrupulous I am about avoiding it. 

Surprisingly, a gluten free diet is not difficult to follow with a little planning.  There are some awesome resources on the internet with blogs, websites and publications.  When I first started, I learned to repeat "no wheat, barley, rye and sometimes oatmeal" and "if my great-grandmother didn't eat it, I don't."  I basically eliminated processed food, except some of my favorite gluten free bakery items that I special ordered.

The other posts are correct - eating gluten free won't make you lose weight, but it will make you more conscious of what you put in your mouth and if you combine that with common sense calorie control, you will lose.