Dairy

[jhawkchick75]

So one of the many factors in my weight loss stalling right now is that I eat too much dairy. Since it's lent, i'm not religious but thought i'd take it as a time to give up dairy. I'm not completely giving it up, if something is baked with a cup of milk or a little butter no biggie, but otherwise i'm going no dairy. I'm allergic to milk and lactose intolerant and it does a number on my body anyway. After lent i'll probably have it again in moderation, but not to the point I was I eat wayyyy too much dairy right now!!!

So, just wondering if any of you do low/no dairy diets and how you are adjusting? I'm taking calcium suppliments but wonder what else to do. My protien shakes are soy milk and those are fine, but if tried to drink soy milk on its own and about barfed. A coworker told me about a food called tofudy (sp??) and they have a tofu cream cheese and sour cream i'm going to try. I crave dairy sooo much and love it so this is gonna be hard, but I really think it can help me get this last bit of weight off.

Anyhoo, i'll keep you all up to date on how it goes, but wanted to see if anyone else has tried to reduce their dairy intake and how it went.

[AngieB]

So one of the many factors in my weight loss stalling right now is that I eat too much dairy. Since it's lent, i'm not religious but thought i'd take it as a time to give up dairy. I'm not completely giving it up, if something is baked with a cup of milk or a little butter no biggie, but otherwise i'm going no dairy. I'm allergic to milk and lactose intolerant and it does a number on my body anyway. After lent i'll probably have it again in moderation, but not to the point I was I eat wayyyy too much dairy right now!!!

So, just wondering if any of you do low/no dairy diets and how you are adjusting? I'm taking calcium suppliments but wonder what else to do. My protien shakes are soy milk and those are fine, but if tried to drink soy milk on its own and about barfed. A coworker told me about a food called tofudy (sp??) and they have a tofu cream cheese and sour cream i'm going to try. I crave dairy sooo much and love it so this is gonna be hard, but I really think it can help me get this last bit of weight off.

Anyhoo, i'll keep you all up to date on how it goes, but wanted to see if anyone else has tried to reduce their dairy intake and how it went.

Oh....you are my hero. I hope dairy and I NEVER break up! LOL I love it too!

[janellody]

Yes! This is excellent, dairy can be so bad for us. Very fatty and just NOT made for humans (it is made for cows ). TOFUTTI is the brand, and they made excellent cream cheese and sour cream, they taste just like their dairy counterparts in my opinion. I use a vegan butter, so it is dairy free and also tastes just like margarine, it is called Earth Balance or something like that.. Some soy milks are gross, but I like Pacific Brand ULTRA soy milk, it is fortified with a ton of stuff and tastes yummy to me.

Good luck, this is a great decision!

[Red]

Hey Jhawk!

This is part of an article I read:

[Myth: Starches are fattening and should be limited when trying to lose weight.

Fact: Many foods high in starch, like bread, rice, pasta, cereals, beans, fruits, and some vegetables (like potatoes and yams) are low in fat and calories. They become high in fat and calories when eaten in large portion sizes or when covered with high-fat toppings like butter, sour cream, or mayonnaise. Foods high in starch (also called complex carbohydrates) are an important source of energy for your body.

Tip: A healthy eating plan is one that:

■Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.

■Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts.

■Is low in saturated fats, trans fat, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.]

There is a lot of research that confirms low fat dairy can actually help us lose weight. I buy lactose-free milk because I can be negatively affected by regular milk, and I eat eggs once or twice a week. They say it is better to get your calcium from the real thing rather than supplements, because they are doing studies that indicate there may be a link between calcium supplements and heart related issues in older women (like me!). However, the verdict is still out on that. So anyway, not preaching! Just thought you might want to consider NOT giving up dairy. I can't. I'm addicted to it

[jhawkchick75]

Yes! This is excellent, dairy can be so bad for us. Very fatty and just NOT made for humans (it is made for cows ). TOFUTTI is the brand, and they made excellent cream cheese and sour cream, they taste just like their dairy counterparts in my opinion. I use a vegan butter, so it is dairy free and also tastes just like margarine, it is called Earth Balance or something like that.. Some soy milks are gross, but I like Pacific Brand ULTRA soy milk, it is fortified with a ton of stuff and tastes yummy to me.

Good luck, this is a great decision!

I just looked at their website and oh my goodness! They have ice cream too! Have you had that? I'm going to get some and experiment w/ some dips this weekend. Do you recommend any vegetarian cheeses? I've been told some taste very good. I'll check out the butter too - I don't cook a lot, but when I do I need a bit of spray b/c my pans aren't that great.

You are all great thanks for your input!

[CanadianBandster]

I have a slight addiction to milk lol...I drink almost a carton a day, it didnt seem to affect me getting to goal. The devil for me is bread. When I was too tight and couldnt eat it, I lost like crazy. When I got my unfil and could eat it again I stopped losing. I didnt go back to eating much of it though (it still takes me forever to eat it) - maybe a few times a week. Too bad our bodies werent all the same so we would just know what would work lol

[janellody]

I just looked at their website and oh my goodness! They have ice cream too! Have you had that? I'm going to get some and experiment w/ some dips this weekend. Do you recommend any vegetarian cheeses? I've been told some taste very good. I'll check out the butter too - I don't cook a lot, but when I do I need a bit of spray b/c my pans aren't that great.

You are all great thanks for your input!

I have only found 1 cheese I like and that is also tofutti brand, but it is HARD to find and it is only in slices like American cheese, that I have seen! It is super good, though and tastes just like cheese. But there are a lot of other people who like some other brands that I don't, so maybe it is just me!

The ice cream is super good, seriously, I think it tastes just like regular ice cream!! SO good.

Dairy is not usually the best source of calcium for a couple reasons. 1) it is alkaline and our stomachs are acidic, meaning that even though it has a large amount of calcium, a lot of it just goes through our bodies. Other sources of calcium such as veggies are better because we actually get to use most of the calcium they have. 2) Vitamin D and magnesium are also needed to help our bodies absorb the calcium, so without these, there is an even lower chance that you will get a lot of calcium out of the milk.

And dairy is very fatty. Milk comes from cows, it is very fatty and full of nutrients so that the baby cows grow strong and healthy (just like baby humans). To continue drinking milk once you are past the baby stage is a little strange and that is why it isn't always the best choice as a grown, adult human. Limiting dairy is definitely a benefit, but not if you ask the HUGE dairy council that has lots of $$$ to pay to make people think otherwise.

[jhawkchick75]

I went to the store last night and bought some tofutti as well as some non dairy shredded cheese I found I think it says it is made out of rice. Anyhoo, I decided to see if I could replicate my buffalo chicken dip and i'll tell ya it tastes pretty good! Doesn't taste exactly like the real deal, but pretty good! I'm gonna go this weekend to a store that will carry much more of their line and get some other stuff. There is a store not far from me that it looks like has most of it. I'm gonna attempt to make a couple other things this weekend. I'm testing out the chicken dip on some folks tonight.

So far i'm doing good! The very first day I totally forgot and ordered something w/ cheese and didn't realize it until about halfway through it! But since then i've been 100% good. I'm excited and hope this will kick start things!

[Lindsay]

This is an interesting and debatable topic

The different types of dairy that one might include in a diet include milk, cheese, yogurt, and cottage cheese.

The protein in these dairy foods is roughly 80 percent casein, and 20 percent whey. I’m sure you will recognize both of these as very high quality proteins, with casein having a relatively slow digestion rate, and whey a bit faster. They both contain a high amount of branched-chain amino acids, including leucine, an amino acid with a number of metabolic roles that is also the key trigger to protein synthesis in skeletal muscle.

Dairy foods are also a great source of calcium, which not only serves an important role in bone health but may also aid in fat loss (although the direct mechanism is not yet known).

So dairy foods definitely have a lot of good things going for them.

What are some of the negatives of dairy?

Lactose, the milk sugar found in dairy products, is probably the biggest downside. Some people simply can’t digest it very well, and some are allergic to it. Those that can’t digest it very well can take a lactase supplement to aid in digestion, but if you’re eating dairy, you’re still consuming calories (from the lactose) that in my opinion would be better “spent” elsewhere, such as on a higher quality complex carbohydrate like oats or rice.

When calories are limited, such as for a lap bander, you want to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck with the ones you do eat. In such an instance, I would rather consume whey protein and/or casein protein on their own, and get my carbs elsewhere. You’ll still be getting all the benefits of dairy (the great amino acid profile, the calcium, etc.) but without the “trash calories” from lactose.

For those looking to lean out but not looking to gain lean weight, foods like milk, cheese, and yogurt can definitely be part of the diet. Just remember to count the carbs, and take a lactase supplement if you have an issue with lactose tolerance.

[janellody]

I went to the store last night and bought some tofutti as well as some non dairy shredded cheese I found I think it says it is made out of rice. Anyhoo, I decided to see if I could replicate my buffalo chicken dip and i'll tell ya it tastes pretty good! Doesn't taste exactly like the real deal, but pretty good! I'm gonna go this weekend to a store that will carry much more of their line and get some other stuff. There is a store not far from me that it looks like has most of it. I'm gonna attempt to make a couple other things this weekend. I'm testing out the chicken dip on some folks tonight.

So far i'm doing good! The very first day I totally forgot and ordered something w/ cheese and didn't realize it until about halfway through it! But since then i've been 100% good. I'm excited and hope this will kick start things!

It all sounds very yummy!!!

[jhawkchick75]

Also tonight made a dip with the tofutti sour cream, ranch dressing powder and some spinach and it is very good! Would like it to be thicker but I can play with that next time it tastes really good though!

I've done much better than I thought I would on this. Excited to see what recipies I can come up with.

I agree a moderate amount of dairy can be could for some, but not for me. Being lactose intolerant and allergic to milk they are a bad deal for me. According to my scale i've already lost almost 3 lbs this week, so i'll take it!