Reluctantly removing dairy…again

  

Delicious Goat Milk

I love the taste of butter, cheese, goat milk, yogurt and ice cream just as much as the next guy. After a less than amazing day, I love eating ice cream out of the tub while watching some good ‘ole Netflix. Is that great for my fitness goals? Not exactly. Is it delicious comfort food? Definitely! So, having said that, I want to explain why I am reluctantly removing dairy… again, identify why I relapsed, and offer suggestions of how to change as well.

I do not feel dairy is essential in my personal diet.

In reflection, and since I am currently on a back-to-what-worked-last-time approach, I feel cutting dairy will monumentally help me lean back out again. I say again, because the last time I cut dairy, I was able to achieve the level of aesthetics (10% body fat) and performance I wanted to. So, to match and then surpass that, I again choose the path of no dairy. Is it fun? Once you adjust. Is it effective? Definitely!

My relapse with dairy.

Relapse is a word I feel most commonly associated with addictions - which is exactly the right word for it. I feel I relapsed with dairy again for two reasons. The first was because I read about and wanted to test the benefits of organic grass-fed butter. Having had been off dairy for many months, I decided to try it again and see if anything changed for me. This was a gateway for me to start introducing more dairy back into my diet. The second was because of how addictive it became again once back in the regular, daily diet. I think it is very easy to rationalize food behaviour based on cravings – actually I know it is.

Eating dairy daily again, I definitely noticed bloating and inflammation around my midsection. My 'abs' went from protruding to hugging an extra layer. Ironically, although I originally added dairy back to get stronger, I feel I had a decrease in my overall strength. That is a loose speculation, as there could have been many other factors involved there. Mentally and emotionally, my moods were the same. Except for when I would feel down, where cravings would kick in for ice cream. So, why would I keep ingesting it? I think I was just at a point where I wanted to enjoy more foods for a bit. A temporary diet pause, as they say.

On a side note, food behaviour is something I find very intriguing because it is at the root of many decisions and outcomes we experience every day. This is something I will write my opinion about in greater length another time.

A few ways to switch off dairy.

If you cook with butter, switch to coconut oil.

If you eat ice cream, switch to a coconut frozen dessert.

If you drink milk, switch to almond or coconut milk.

I do not have an alternative to cheese. 

As you can see, some switches are easier than others.

While I am not saying dairy is bad, it might not be for everyone. Everyone’s body reacts to dairy differently, based on many different variables. Some people can ingest loads, and feel and look great. Others may have a couple sips of milk and be bloated for days. For me personally, removing it allows me to lean out more quickly and effectively. If you are wondering about how dairy does you, there are tests you can do. In my opinion, I prefer the elimination method. Essentially, you do not eat any dairy for a certain amount of time (I would say a few weeks), then eat some, and see how you feel. Pretty simple. Also, you may notice yourself saying bye to some extra weight too – which is a nice bonus.

I think the most important thing to understand here is it does not have to be absolute. Is it ideal to completely cut off dairy to be lean and potentially healthier? I would say yes. However, life happens. If you have pizza once a month, it is not the end of the world. Having said that, swapping coconut oil for butter when you cook or use as a spread can make a huge difference. It is all about finding the method that best works for you to live lean, strong, and of course happy.

Take care and stay fit