[nitrus29]

I have a qs related to MILK! I have read many a success stories on this forum where people have said they would have cereal without milk for breakfast. I have also read on other fitness websites to cut out milk from your diet if you're trying to lose weight.

Is this really true? Anyone know from experience?

I am asking this cause I LOVE MILK ! I mean I cannot imagine my breakfast without milk. Some nights I need to drink a glass of milk before bed. I mean all my life if there was one thing you would find in my fridge, it would be milk!!
I will WALK with my knees burried in snow to get milk from the kwik mart during snow storms! I will place a pillow between my cereal bowl and my cat but I will never share my bowl of milk !
(You guys get the picture!! )

I am worried that I might have to cut it off from my diet to help me lose weight. Ever since I started on this weight loss journey, I buy the 2% instead of whole. I tried switching to fat free but it's more like water less like milk!

Is milk bad for me? Please say it isn't so !

[bunnabear]

I'm certainly not a nutrition expert, but I can speak from my own experience. We went from whole to 2% to 1% and eventually to skim over time and now I'm fine with skim (whereas before it would literally stimulate my gag reflex). I've had milk be a big part of my diet and have eliminated it and didn't really notice anything significant either way since I included it in my calorie count when I drank it. The one thing that did stand out to me in your post was your very apparent love of milk, which makes me wonder how successful you'll be in the long run if you completely eliminate it. I would recommend being mindful of your intake, how that contributes to your calories (as well as protein, fat, etc) and work to gradually step back to 1% or even skim over time.

[nitrus29]

yeah I do count it within my daily calories but I am just wondering if it is entire necessary to cut it out completely? It is a good source of protein and calcium isn't it?

I want strong bones!! I don't want osteoporosis when I grow older <- that's me talking myself out of giving it up!

[amandie]

I still have it from time to time, only up to 1 cup at a time though and it is 2%. I honestly don't think you have to completely eliminate it but maybe reduce your intake a bit? I mean if you're counting calories and you can fit it in, why not? Another suggestion would be to try almond milk.

[amandie]

Originally Posted by nitrus29

yeah I do count it within my daily calories but I am just wondering if it is entire necessary to cut it out completely? It is a good source of protein and calcium isn't it?

I want strong bones!! I don't want osteoporosis when I grow older <- that's me talking myself out of giving it up!

If you have lost 16lbs while still drinking milk then I say stick with it!

[nitrus29]

Oh Yes!! I lost the pounds after I cut out all other sugary drinks and sodas and everything! All I drink is water and milk ! So I think it's not so bad. But again.. I'm here to learn

[kelleyb]

Just make sure it is part of your calorie count/plan and enjoy! why not? There are also plenty of studies about how milk drinkers lose more weight, etc. Could you try to switch to 1%?

[elvislover324]

I agree with the above, you lost 16lbs drinking milk so it's working for you!

If you want milk, work it into your daily allotment.

Once I switched gradually over the years to skim, if I have to have regular milk it feels like I'm drinking cream LOL! I could never go back to full fat milk now!

Enjoy your milk...and share with your kitty too!!

[the shiv]

I share your love of milk! I used to go through 2L of semi skimmed a day! That was when I was maintaining in the 170-180 range with no great effort to lose weight despite the fact I wanted to. I looked at my carton of milk last night and worked out there's 70g of protein in that bottle. So, when I used to drink that every day, with likely other protein added on top, it's no surprise I never had any trouble building muscle, lol!! (Going by 1g per day per lb of lean mass). I think I'll start drinking more milk actually, specifically because of this post

Start with the easy things, honest! Don't cut out something you love just for the heck of it

Oh, and... I LOVE your avatar! I have that pic in my phone Big fan of unicorns

[Silverfire]

Milk is so good. I love it. Not as much as I used to though. When I lived at home with my parents it would be no problem for me to drink at least 8L of milk a week. I still love a tall ice cold glass of 1% milk, but now 2L will last a week or more between the two of us. If it fits into your calories then keep drinking it

[L J]

I bet you would find this article, and the referenced and link studies, interesting:

http://wholesomegal.com/2011/05/23/w...nk-whole-milk/

I have never been big on milk, but I do put it in my coffee, and I eat it with cereal, and I cook with it. I have still lost weight. I'm a calorie counter, but I pay attention to macros and I love the healthy fat in whole milk. I only buy whole milk - as in, if the store is out of whole, we get it at a different store or the next day. That's how strongly I feel about it.

[stella1609]

I've lost 30 lbs. and I eat tons of dairy (mostly 2% milk and cheese). I don't eat much meat so I need it for the protein.

[Palestrina]

I don't eat cereal (wheat!!) and I don't share your enthusiasm for milk. I've used it in recipes and used to put it in my coffee. Occasionally I'll eat some cheese but honestly.... milk is full of hormones that are intended to make baby calves grow up to be giant cows. I'm not an extremist by any means but there is some truth to the argument that we are the only species on earth that drink milk past infancy, and the only species that drinks the milk of another species.

The calcium bit is just a cop out, there are so many good nutritious sources of calcium that you could stop drinking milk full stop and be fine! Dark leafy green vegetables like broccoli and kale are excellent sources of calcium, as are almonds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, spinach, even dried oregano has calcium in it.

I'm not saying you have to give up something you love, I'm just saying don't fool yourself into thinking that it's completely necessary and that it adds nutritional value to your life that you can't get from other sources. As long as you're happy with what you're doing and can find a nutritional value in it who am I to criticize. But sorry, I cannot come up with reasons for you to drink several glasses of milk per day any more than I can come up with reasons for people to drink several glasses of soda per day.

[IanG]

Low fat (1%) doesn't do me any harm. I cut sugar.

[gailr42]

Another milk lover here. I find that when I cut out refined sugar and white flour as I did at the beginning of this journey, I didn't crave milk so much. I wouldn't dream of drinking my coffee without milk.

When I first started, I was pretty hungry all the time and a glass of milk before bed really helped me sleep.

Over the years, I have gone from whole milk to 2% to 1% to skim. I now use the powdered milk that comes in a box at the grocery. The powdered milk has improved greatly over the last forty or so years. Remember, I really am a milk lover and never thought I would get down to skim let alone nonfat dry milk. I started using it when we moved out to the boonies and walking across the desert to buy milk was not an option.

I strongly dislike Almond Milk and soy milk. I just don't get the Almond milk love. It is expensive and has a bad after taste. JMHO, YMMV etc.

Don't give up milk, just treat it like any other food and work it in.