Do Dairy Products Cause Weight Gain?

I have never decreased dairy products in my diet before this past week. It is actually very difficult to do, especially if you are like me and you eat chocolate, yogurt, milk and cheese every day. I normally would never choose to decrease these foods from my diet, but I am nursing a newborn who may have an allergy to milk protein. So I have given up my favorite foods for the moment to see if that helps.

During this time, I can see how a dairy-free diet could assist with weight loss! Can you think of many junk foods that have no dairy in them? Cheeseburgers, chips (yes--most chips have mild products), ice cream, pizza, nachos, etc. And desserts are nearly impossible to find without dairy unless you like hard candy or sour patch kids, which I don't! Almost all pre-packaged cookies and crackers also have dairy. I've had to catch myself before taking a bite several times this week, forgetting that I can't have these products right now.

So what have I been eating instead of milk products?:

1. Almond milk, which actually tastes good (at least the vanilla flavored one)! It also has a lot of calcium!

2. High-calcium foods, such as spinach, turnip greens, baked beans and soybeans.

3. Raisins, for my sweet tooth.

4. Nuts, for when I have the munchies.

5. Peanut butter and jelly (with the kids) instead of grilled cheese.

6. Fruit popsicles (instead of my preferred chocolate ice cream).

7. More natural and homemade foods.

Another recent change in my diet is that I am eating to prevent acid reflux. So now I cannot eat tortilla chips with salsa (already I had eliminated the queso), tacos (even without the cheese), pizza (from both dairy and acid), etc. The benefit to combining both of these diets is that I am eating less simply because there is less to choose from and because the tastiest foods are eliminated. In that sense it is becoming less enjoyable to eat, which normally would bother me. But right now I would like to quickly lose my baby weight and fit back into my non-maternity clothes! So maybe these 2 unexpected diet changes will help me with that! 

In general, the reason so many of us are overweight is simply because we either love food too much or are addicted to food. I was reading the Bible today, and I read a verse that talked about food. "Jesus said, My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work" (John 4:34). The context is that Jesus' friends were telling him to eat because they were all very hungry and had not eaten in some time, but he obviously had other priorities.

So next time you are tempted to eat something you shouldn't, just remember: eat to live; don't live to eat.

Protein Bars: Are They Really That Good For You?

The other day as I was leaving the gym, my 3-year-old spotted a box of free goodies on the front desk, so he ran straight to it to, somehow knowing the ingredients included chocolate. They were chocolate mint "Builder's" protein bars. Having never tasted a protein bar before, I was curious to try it and was sure to steal a bite from each of my toddlers. To my surprise, it looked and tasted like a chocolate bar. Had I eaten it without seeing the wrapper, I would have assumed it was some form of candy. Only later did I look at the ingredients and nutrition info to see if it was healthy at all.

You would assume protein bars are healthy, right? While they are packed full of protein and vitamins, I would not consider them healthy for most of us, and here is why. The biggest rules of healthy eating are to eat fresh and lean: fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, lean dairy, and whole grains with minimal sweets and fats. The only things from this list that fill protein bars are sweets and fats. Processed foods are full of preservatives and a ton of questionable ingredients that you have never heard of. So if you are new to eating and cooking fresh, the first step is to shop around the perimeter of the grocery store (fresh breads, fresh produce, fresh meats, fresh dairy). A strict, fresh diet would exclude all processed foods and pre-made frozen meals. So, unfortunately for chocolate-lovers, protein bars should probably not be a regular part of your diet. Instead, get your protein from lean meats, legumes, nuts and dairy. And get your vitamins and minerals from a fiber-filled, balanced diet.

There are a few groups of people that could likely benefit from regularly indulging in protein bars. These tasty  bars could be a decent meal replacement for those who are extremely busy. They provide protein, vitamins, calories and fat to hold you over until your next meal. Protein bars also may be a good addition to the diet of someone who is calorie-deficient, such as an elderly person who does not eat well. Obviously hard-core athletes could benefit from the extra protein and calories. Athletes trying to gain weight might want to add protein bars to their high-calorie diets.

In many ways, a protein bar is similar to an "Ensure" shake or a "Slim Fast" shake if it is used as a meal supplement or replacement. But if you are using meal replacements (such as a protein bar or protein shake) to lose weight, you may need to consider which weight loss program will be most effective long-term. I would argue that a healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise will more likely help you to lose weight and keep it off than eating a protein bar every day for lunch. Likely you may enjoy the taste of a protein bar as I did, but I recommend you spend your grocery money on salmon and avocados.