Milk??

marchegt

Hi there,

I've been on MFP for a few months now. I am 5'6 and 138 lbs, which I think is pretty healthy, and I enjoy keeping track of what I eat. It is helping me to lose a little bit of weight and feel good about myself. I am having a problem though. I love to drink milk, but having 2 or 3 glasses a day puts me waayy over my calories and carbs, which means that if I want to drink milk then I have to cut back on other stuff-- actual food!

This doesn't seem right at all to me. Oh, and the milk I drink is skim so there isn't an issue with fat intake. I just don't see why drinking milk should mean that I have to limit my food intake even more than I already do. I only consume roughly 1400Cal/day if I am not working out... I don't drink pop or juice or anything else.

Can anyone tell me... if I just stop counting my milk would that actually work against me? I cannot imagine that it would. I would just really like some other people's insight. I've never posted on here before but I've read others and it seems as though everyone is very helpful.

Thank you so much in advance.

Sincerely,
Taryn

LJCannon

:noway: I have had the same problem with Milk. In order to keep my calcium up to range I drink a glass of fat free milk with breakfast and dinner. At lunch I usually have Soy Milk. I LIKE milk, but it does use up a big portion of your calories.

Mindful_Trent

Hi there,

I've been on MFP for a few months now. I am 5'6 and 138 lbs, which I think is pretty healthy, and I enjoy keeping track of what I eat. It is helping me to lose a little bit of weight and feel good about myself. I am having a problem though. I love to drink milk, but having 2 or 3 glasses a day puts me waayy over my calories and carbs, which means that if I want to drink milk then I have to cut back on other stuff-- actual food!

This doesn't seem right at all to me. Oh, and the milk I drink is skim so there isn't an issue with fat intake. I just don't see why drinking milk should mean that I have to limit my food intake even more than I already do. I only consume roughly 1400Cal/day if I am not working out... I don't drink pop or juice or anything else.

Can anyone tell me... if I just stop counting my milk would that actually work against me? I cannot imagine that it would. I would just really like some other people's insight. I've never posted on here before but I've read others and it seems as though everyone is very helpful.

Thank you so much in advance.

Sincerely,
Taryn

If you stop counting milk it would work against you - milk is not like water - it does have calories. Since part of losing weight is tracking all your calories and learning where your strengths and weaknesses are, you have to log EVERYTHING - by not counting your milk you will be underestimating your calories consumed. Consumed in moderation, milk is good for you - it has protein and natural sugars. However, you definitely should log it and count it as part of your daily food consumption. If you're having trouble sticking to your calorie plan due to the milk, you should probably consider cutting back to a glass or two a day. I don't believe in depriving yourself of things you really enjoy, but you have to remember moderation. Plus, if you're drinking so much milk, you need to remember to make sure you're getting enough water.

Good luck!

Edited to add: It may help if you stop thinking of milk as just a drink, and more as a food. For example, a smoothie is like a drink, but you would still need to count it. I think of all non-water/tea drinks as "food" that has to be logged - whether it be hot chocolate, milk or anything else.

minnesota

I was a huge milk drink up until i basically just switched to drinking water non stop. I find milk to be very important as it is contains Vitamin D and studies show is it helps with building muscle and losing belly fat. I would just keep an eye on your serving size. There is 90 calories in one cup of milk. I only drink milk as a treat with dinner or use a little bit in my cereal. It was hard to switch my way of thinking, but it's been about 3 years since I used to drink 5 glasses a day. They say three servings a day is recommended and that only comes up to be 270 calories.

DrBorkBork

Have you tried milk alternatives like soy, rice, and almond? I have tried all 3, and almond is my favorite. It's low cal, and creamy. I used to drink about 2 gallons of regular milk a week (by myself, we would buy 3 gallons). At my doctor's suggestion, I gave it up. I've noticed an improvement in my digestion now that I don't drink it anymore.

FireRox21

I too, love milk. I only drink fat free milk, but it does have calories and should be added to your calorie intake. My fiance and his little brother both grew up drinking whole fat milk with every meal and then a couple of glasses after that every day! He could not figure out how he'd gained SO much weight before he went into the military! He had to drop about 75lbs before basic training! His DI told him it was all of the milk he'd been drinking. Unfortunately, his little brother is STILL drinking 2% milk; their mother just can't grasp that whole fat milk is LOADED with calories and fat and is not good for kids that pretty much sit in a classroom all day then come home to be glued to the TV for a few hours.

Long story short, I will drink a glass of nonfat milk before bed if I am having the sugar cravings and to fill me up if I have the munchies!!!!