Don’t you hate it when you wake up one day and you’ve put on around 7 lbs. all of the sudden? In the immortal words of Brittany Spears, “Oops, I did it again!” Yep, I went on a dairy binge around Thanksgiving and it put a nice bit of padding on my frame seemingly overnight.
The last time I did this was 3 years ago when we started up our home delivery service from a high quality, hormone-free local dairy and I remembered why I used to love cottage cheese so much. Turns out, my daughter loves it too, so I started getting it regularly — “for her.” A few months and 15 lbs. later, I was reminded as to why I feel better — and thinner!– when I stay dairy-free.
This time, it started off innocuously with a couple slices of pizza here and there. Nachos at a business lunch. Ice cream with the kids after dinner for a few weeks. Cheese and crackers for a few snacks. Before I knew it, I was eating dairy products almost every day. Then I noticed I was sporting a “cheese baby” — Eeeeks!
My stomach in September, 2008.
I never used to gain weight in my belly until two 50-lb pregnancies left me with some extra skin (imagine that!) and 2 c-sections sliced through all my stomach muscles. Three years of dedicated ab work at Jazzercise usually keeps most of it held in, but a little bit of dairy and the first thing that happens is I get a pooch that resembles a 2nd trimester pregnancy.
Sheesh.
I knew I was playing with fire while I was savoring each bite of melted, gooey cheese, but I also had a hope that this time my digestive enzymes would save me from the weight.
No such luck.
Don’t you sometimes do things that you know are self-sabotaging? I was thinking, “I’m feeling so good and fit and strong and healthy. I can handle a little cheese and not have it show up later.” Obviously, I was a bit delusional. I blame it on the endorphins.
Since we returned from our holiday trip on January 5th, I’ve been sworn off of dairy, am eating more leafy greens, and am back to working out regularly. Less than two weeks later and the dairy belly is just about a distant memory. Phew. Gotta catch these things at the beginning, when the weight is still “on loan” but you don’t really “own it.” It’s much harder to get rid of weight you’ve had hanging on for a while, I think.
See more of my painless weight loss tips in the Weight loss category of this blog.
PS: Can you name the movie with the line: “Are you sure you’re pregnant? Maybe it’s a food baby?”
No related posts.
Cheese may as well come with Velcro attached so at least you can decide where it will settle
I can either be cheese-free or have the cheese cravings that gnaw at me. I think it must be like smoking – either you are a smoker or you are not, no in-between. There is something there, not terribly good for you, that seems to satisfy something. I have often wondered about this along the path of my dietary life. It is hard to navigate social dining as a vegetarian and not have to fall off of the wagon, and once I do it is a long fall.
The film is Juno (http://cli.gs/zNtGD9). I have never seen it, I’m just a good researcher
Some funny quotes on that site, looks worth a watch sometime.
Juno: I’m pregnant.
Leah: What? Honest to blog? Maybe it’s a food baby, did you have a big lunch?
Juno: This is not a food baby all right? I’ve taken like three pregnancy tests, and I’m forshizz up the spout.
Juno = cute movie
Cheese = delicious, but no friend of mine.
[...] which is another good way to get live cultures and probiotics, but as I’ve mentioned before, dairy products go right to my hips and stomach so I try to avoid them whenever possible. Written by Elizabeth on February 4, 2009 at 9:12 am and [...]
Elizabeth, thanks for your great column! Re: dairy adding weight to your middle, does that apply to raw dairy as well? What about organic butter and whole, plain yogurt which I’ve been taught are health foods for most of us?
Thanks,
Susan Mead
http://www.SusanEMead.com
Dairy products including milk are essential component of everyone’s diet. They supply fat, protein and carbohydrate-lactose along with minerals and vitamins. The fat and lactose do contribute to the weight gain when consumed in excess and watch your calorie when indulging in dairy products
So cottage cheese does not make u gain weight??
You ought to actually think about working on creating this blog into a serious authority on this market. You certainly have a grasp of the subjects everyone seems to be interested in on this site anyhow and you might even earn a buck off of some affiliate products. Only a thought, best of luck in whatever you do!
I omitted dairy but held on just to plain natural yogurt because of the probiotics that are so good for us. I knew some fermented products also contain probiotics, like soy sauce, but I don’t eat soy. I began making my own sauerkraut at home to assure a most natural, unpasteurized food. It is very very easy to make.
So now with a spoonful or two of pickled cabbage at dinner or lunch, I have no need for any dairy products anymore!
You are sadly mistaken. Cheese will NOT make you fat. That is if you avoid CARBOHYDRATES. Those are your enemy. Eat all the FAT you want. No carbohydrates Here are some simple equations: FAT + CARBOHYDRATES= WEIGHT GAIN.
FAT-CARBOHYDRATES= WEIGHT LOSS. FOR, CARBOHYDRATE= WEIGHT GAINER. Now, that you understand this, you should know you ALWAYS had carbohydrates with your cheese. Chips, sugar, crackers, pizza!!! Honey, its not the DAIRY making you fat. So eat all the cheese you want and ditch the carbs you will be amazed at your results.
Thanks for the great column. Dairy can make you fat and the danger is not only in carbs. I have exactly the same problem. When I eat dairy products (no sodium added cottage cheese and plain yougurt), I am a pound heavier in the morning. And the weight accumulates around my mid-section. I have to say that I am a very thin person and this weight gain is very noticeable. So ladies, when someone tells you that you can eat as much cheese as you like and you won’t gain weight, do not believe that.
I have suffered from acne for over 20 years now. I recently had the stomach flu and could only eat plain rice, bananas,chicken soup and flavored seltzer water. To my surprise I had not one flaw on my face it was the clearest it has ever been. Once I was better I started eating back to normal which inclued dairy that i was not able to eat during that time. Over night I had about seven pimples on neck and jawline.I thought what is this about and why? Also all the weight that I lost during that time I wanted to try and keep off plus lose more. I thought well I was sick but it was a good head start for reaching a weight loss goal.I understand it was alot of water weight but I continued to cut calories and still gained weight back. So I decided to see if that I cut the dairy out again if my face will clear up. Well, I have been on the attempt to do so and it is not easy att all. Dairy is hidden in everything! crackers, bread, fiber bars,pasta meals,pop tarts,cereals,frozen healthy meals,ramon noodles,breaded fish and chicken, frozen french fries, I could go on and on. Not that those items are my normal diet but I find myself checking the ingredients in everything and was pretty surprised of how hard it is to avoid dairy. Since I started to try and avoid dairy I have no new acne formed and I have lost about two pounds. i know two pounds isnt much but i havent been doing it that long ,less than a week.I am going to go foward with this plan for about a month and see if there is truth in this theory.I was able to find alot of information on the internet anout dairy and acne.
I forgot to add to my post above that I do take a calcium suppliment and drink one special k protien shake a day because of the fiber suppliment that is in that shake. I have found that that it works the best for being regular better than fiber pills or powder. Special K does have the protein water packets with the same amount of fiber but I find it hard to get it to mix with my cold filtered water.