Milk as a meal replacement

Has anyone attempted to use plain milk as a meal replacement?

One liter (4 cups) of 1% milk is 440 calories, 36 grams of protein, 48 grams of carbs and 10 grams of fat. (which is almost exactly what my meal plan requires).
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Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Sounds fine if you're happy not to chew...

    Is there a reason you need such a low fat plan?
  • sschauer513
    sschauer513 Posts: 313 Member
    Probably could but lack of fiber I'm betting you wouldn't feel full. Never tried but by the macros those aren't too bad of numbers beats my protein meal replacement shakes I'd also worry about the micros over the long term losing a lot of vitamins and minerals. My Meal Replacement Shake is 160 calories / 25 protein / 12 carbs / 3 fat but 8 fiber and a lot of vitamins/minerals.
  • aeloine
    aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
    mark rippetoe recommends a gallon of milk a day for those who are bulking.
    But even he realizes that that is rather boring.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    I think I would be sick. I mean, I do drink that much water on a regular basis, but a liter of milk?
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,384 Member
    I think you'd be awfully hungry and have some digestive issues.

    Why would you want to do that?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Leijing wrote: »

    My body builds muscle very quickly so the bulking is pretty easy, but the waist line is quite stubborn. I think a lot has to do with the type of running i have been doing. Last year was lower heartrate stuff (first time actively running as exercise) and I gained my shape relatively quickly. This year I was doing a lot more at a higher heartrate but as I have been reading that burns muscle while leaving fat. So I'm changing up my running to be lower speed to keep the heartrate down around 140 bpm.

    As a nurse, I have never heard of the body burning muscle during exercise.... The body will burn protein if there are inadequate carbs available, but you shouldn't be burning muscle unless you have really put yourself into starvation mode.

    The higher speed running--usually aerobic heart rate levels of 55-85%--may not burn as much fat as a lower rate, but they strengthen your heart over time. I was taught that the 45-55% range burned more fat, but looking into it now, there's some conflicting information (and my nutrition class that taught this was about 8 years ago, so there's probably new info out since then).

    Low carb diets tend to burn more fat because you aren't supplying the body with easy fuel; it has to burn protein or fat instead. That being said, some level of carbs and healthy fats (think nuts, avocados, etc) are necessary for health, and healthy fats can help you feel full longer, so you aren't as tempted to snack between meals.

    If you're the sort that can drink a liter of milk and be satisfied, try it and see if it works as a meal replacement (since you're only replacing 1 out of 3 meals). I couldn't drink that much milk in the course of a day, let alone in one sitting, but then again, I'm mildly lactose intolerant.

    My understanding: muscle loss due to cardio will only be an issue if one is consuming insufficient calories overall. It isn't going to be created by overall heart rate during exercise.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    Sort of. The 2 days a week that I get up too early to stomach a protein shake, I take a bottle of chocolate milk with me to the gym.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
    Milk doesn't fill me up at all.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
    ^^ This!