Cutting dairy for weight loss?

I think when something has as much as a hold on me as dairy does, it can't be good. But I want this to be a lifestyle, not a diet, and a life without cheese and cream in my coffee is too much to bear sometimes. *sigh*
I am wondering if it is stalling my weight loss and causing bloating. Some say it can cause estrogen increases, and I already seem to have hormone imbalances anyway. Opinions?

Replies

  • FitFabFlirty92
    FitFabFlirty92 Posts: 384 Member
    If you've been eating dairy and have been able to lose weight, I"d say don't bother cutting it out. Unless you have a medical condition (allergies, intolerance, etc.), I don't think eliminating any one food group is the answer with weight loss. As long as you're eating it in healthy amounts and netting at your goal every day, the weight should come off. Whether or not you eat dairy has no impact on that. :)
  • sweetpeas2000
    sweetpeas2000 Posts: 42 Member
    Definitely don't cut out dairy. It's important for bone health. However, if you're looking to cut back on calories go with fat free or low fat options. If you can't go that route maybe try less of the cheese and cream. I'm having issues with flavored coffee creamer myself. I don't like plain coffee and sugar free syrups just don't give the same flavor for me...it's something I'm working on. As for bloating, I'm not sure if dairy is a cause of this. I know salt has some influence on bloating. I've read that soy milk can cause fluctuations in estrogen, but I haven't heard the same for regular milk products. Sorry if this isn't helpful.
  • marissafree2
    marissafree2 Posts: 9 Member
    All advice is helpful! Thank you!
  • refinley2
    refinley2 Posts: 52 Member
    If you cut out milk, cheese, and yogurt, and replace these with water, fruit, and some spices, you'll lose weight faster. However, I'm with you and could never see myself going the rest of my life without cheese. I'm currently vegan for weight loss reasons and plan on slowly incorporating my lovely delicacies back into my diet at the end of this journey. However, I will indulge in the good stuff at family parties and special occasions. I guess the best thing for me is weaning myself off of processed, fattening foods until I can live everyday comfortably without them. But there's nothing wrong in a scoop of ice cream a few times a month or steak Sundays.
  • jamszy
    jamszy Posts: 123 Member
    I don't see anything wrong with a little dairy, except it may cause some bloat. In terms of weight loss, it hasn't hindered me at all and it's a good source of protein. The high calorie content has encouraged me to switch to skim milk and fat free cottage cheese.
  • dena789
    dena789 Posts: 165 Member
    Adding dairy products to your diet while cutting calories can help you lose more weight than if you simply eat less, the February 2004 "Obesity Research" reports. In the study, a group of 32 obese volunteers were assigned to a low-calorie diet that either did or did not contain three servings of low-fat dairy products, like yogurt, per day. Those who ate dairy during their diet lost 70 percent more weight than those who didn't eat dairy.

    I don't think dairy is a bad thing at all, in fact, it sounds like it can help your weight loss efforts!
  • jeme3
    jeme3 Posts: 355 Member
    If you've been eating dairy and have been able to lose weight, I"d say don't bother cutting it out. Unless you have a medical condition (allergies, intolerance, etc.), I don't think eliminating any one food group is the answer with weight loss. As long as you're eating it in healthy amounts and netting at your goal every day, the weight should come off. Whether or not you eat dairy has no impact on that. :)


    This. 100%