My mom is intolerant to dairy, and I've wondered myself about it. But cutting out gluten is a big deal, and to cut out something else would be even harder.
Because who doesn't think a yogurt cup, a snack cheese, or a bottle of kefir isn't a quick, great snack? Especially for people on the road.
But after reconnecting with an old friend who is gluten free AND dairy free (and a few other things too), I became inspired that maybe I could become healthier.
For example, I hired a trainer and for about 4 months all I could lose was 6 pounds. She was like, "what are you eating??" Like I was sneaking 52 cupcakes every week and leaving it off the food journal.
I was eating greek yogurt all day! Because it is a really good thing to eat. I like dairy. I like cheese, milk, etc. etc.
But this past sunday I quit. I've been eating other things, using coconut milk creamer in my coffee, and had a little almond cheese. Yes, I said almond cheese.
The thing that's been really different, is that I have energy all day and all evening. I can work all day, eat dinner, and then practice the 3 or 4 hours that I really need. I'm not too tired anymore.
And I weighed myself at the gym. Since Saturday, I have lost 2.6 pounds.
Coincidence? Possibly.
But I'm going to go on like this for a while and see. Then inevitably I'll have some dairy somehow, and then I'll really see.
What I don't like about this change is that it puts me one step further out from "regular" food. But I know I can deal with the hassle of telling everyone about being gluten free, and so what's dairy too?
I like the idea of making a positive change for better health. In itself a reward.
Thoughts? Comments? Are you GF and dairy free?
Good for you, Emily! I think it's a great step for you. I lovelovelove dairy like cowboys love horses, but when you think about it, it's so disgusting. How unnatural is it for us to be drinking the milk of another mammal? Bleh! Cows milk was intended for their babies, not for humans, delicious as it may be.
ReplyDeleteI'm not anymore, but about 10 years ago I was a vegetarian and a little paunchy, despite eating very healthy foods. When I became a vegan (also not vegan anymore) and cut out dairy entirely, I seriously lost about 20 pounds in 2 months. I was eating a lot of dairy to add protein back into my diet and it was making me so fat. I bet you'll continue to see a lot of progress (although I thought you looked fantastic when I saw you) in your weight now that dairy is out.
Another added bonus of going dairy-free: I noticed I was a lot less...mucousy? Is that a word? I had a lot of sinus problems before and when I stopped dairy they cleared up.
Hi Emily! I'm also gluten- and dairy-free, and I LOVE it! I also lost weight without doing anything else, and I find that I have more energy, too. And I agree with Allison. Since I stopped eating dairy, I stopped getting upper respiratory infections, which I'd get all the time.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you mentioned coconut milk creamer. I'm crazy nuts for So Delicious French Vanilla coconut milk creamer. And their vanilla coconut milk kefir and chocolate yogurt are pretty amazing, too!
I am gluten free and recently became dairy free because my daughter (who I am nursing) is allergic to dairy. It has not been hard (other than cutting out chocolate) and I noticed a weight change as well. I am nursing, so it could easily be that, but I had plateaued for awhile and when I kicked dairy, the weight started falling off again. I feel like our meals are so much healthier. Lots of fresh veggies/fruits and grilled meats. So many great foods out there that are GF and DF. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThank you guys for your supportive comments! I'll let you all know how it is going!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy you feel like you have more energy!
ReplyDeleteI hope it goes well for you. I have thought about going dairy free myself, but cheese keeps holding me back. I just love cheese.
We'll see but I may have to do it too.
Love the new look of your blog. (it's hard to read the title though, you might want to change the color of it)
Good luck, hope to see you soon.
I cut out dairy starting a few months ago, and I've noticed a positive change. I'm less mucous-y too! But I also had an allergy test performed and actually showed a dairy allergy, so that could be it. Eating dairy, now, causes me to feel really mucous-y and my digestive system slows to a crawl (among other less-desirable symptoms). That's enough for me to stay dairy-free. It's not really much more difficult at home, as I'm already learning to substitute for butter in baking, and I've found that Daiya cheese is darn tasty. It's harder when going out to eat and when friends cook though. best of luck!
ReplyDeleteI clicked over from Allison's blog (hi, Allison!), and the title of this post made me smile with recognition. But what REALLY got me was your description of being "one step further out from "regular" food."
ReplyDeleteI am SO far out from "regular" food, it's not even funny. Or maybe it is. I am gluten-free, vegan, and soy-free. I eat a lot of wonderful food, but I have to cook basically all of it myself, from scratch.
Best of luck with your dairy-freedom!
I eat gluten free, dairy free and sugar free.
ReplyDeleteYou have a great blog and I am going to have to get time to really check it out.
I am your newest follower.
Yes I am gluten and dairy free and have been so for 7 years now. Explaining this to other people can be quite difficult. You may like some of my recipes, reviews and posts on my blog Eat, Drink and Be Gluten-Free. It's still a fledgling but I'd love to hear your feedback.
ReplyDelete