Dairy Free Diet

- Dairy Free Diet
Cutting out dairy from your diet might sound more pain that gain but trust us, if Megan Fox can look this good 3 months post pregnancy, a dairy free diet might just be a genius idea.

Traditionally the dairy free diet was championed by lactose intolerant ladies and gents around the world - not everyone's digestive systems get along with diary. But instead of a dietary requirement, the dairy free diet is set to be the next biggest weight loss wonder to come out of Hollywood.

Yes, that's right, Megan Fox herself has said that the secret to her post baby weight loss is cutting dairy out - pure and simple.

That means no milk, no cheese *sheds a tear*, no chocolate (gasp) no butter, no cream - basically anything that comes out of a cow, sheep or goat -it's all strictly off limits.

She's reportedly said in the Daily Mail: "If you want to gain weight, eat dairy. If you don’t, don’t eat it."

So if we want to take her advice, and for the sake of that body we do, then here's everything you need to know about going dairy free!

How it works:
The idea of the diet is pretty simple, cut out dairy products and you'll lose weight as well as feel a multitude of other benefits.

It is no coincidence that cheese, butter and cream have some of the highest amounts of fats and sugars in them so avoiding these may seem like no genius move.

But for those of you with an intolerance to dairy, cutting it out will have an almost miraculous effect. Dairy products are known to cause bloating, gas, tiredness, skin problems, asthma, diarrhea, nausea and even anxiety for really extreme cases.

You might not even realise you have an intolerance until you cut it out and see if any of your ailments improve.

Depending on how severe your intolerances are or how much weight you would like to lose, it is up to you how much you stick to the 'no dairy' policy, but a complete ban on lactose products is recommended to really notice the benefits of the diet.

Things to stay clear of:
It might seem obvious but it's good to know exactly what products you can and cannot eat on a dairy free diet. For example many people think that eggs are counted as dairy - they aren't - so scramble away.

The foods that you should stay clear of are milk, cream, crème fraiche, butter, cheese, yoghurt and ice cream as well as anything else containing these.

If you're looking to buy ready meals then be sure to read the contents as you'd be surprised how much dairy products feature in your day to day foods.

Instead you can opt for substitutes like Soya milk, Soy margarine, Soy cream cheese, Almond milk, Rice milk and Coconut oil and Coconut cream. Some people even prefer these to normal milk so try not to think of it as losing out on one, but just rather gaining something else.

Typical day:
A typical day on a dairy free diet will not be a hard one to adjust to if you're a big dairy fan with the multitude of other options out there. It might just be worth doing a lot more home-cooking to control what goes into your food.

Breakfast: Cereal or porridge with milk-free substitute like Almond milk or opt for fresh fruit.

Lunch: Home-made butternut squash soup or grilled chicken and avocado salad with cherry tomatoes.

Dinner: Vegetable couscous or black bean chicken stir-fry or sausage casserole.

Results:
Results will vary from person to person and on their own personal goals. Bethany Eaten, Nutritional expert in going dairy free and founder of Coyo Yoghurts says:

"By cutting out dairy I have found in myself and in my clients that it can improve issues such as constipation, bloating, acne and excess mucous.

It is hard to say exactly how much weight can be lost as everyone is different. For example, if someone is eating a lot of dairy and they react to it and suffer with constipation etc. then by removing it from their diet, helping alleviate symptoms, the body will shed excess water weight it has been holding on to and this could mean a drop in weight.

No matter what there will be a change and the best feeling comes from seeing your waist again and getting a flatter stomach."

Plus points:
Going dairy free will have a huge effect on your body. You energy levels will increase and your waistline will decrease without having to do any sort of exercise (though you should be doing this anyway).

By removing these fatty foods, your calorie intake will reduce and therefore so will that waistline.

As well as this you will feel more healthy. If you suffer from the previous mentioned symptoms like bloating, acne, anxiety, diarrhea, nausea, gas or tiredness then you should feel an immediate difference.
Downsides:
Apart from having to eat milk free chocolate and resisting the temptation of that cheese board there are a few minor downsides to the dairy free diet.

Whenever you cut certain foods that provide you with the vitamins and nutrients that you need you will have to replace them.

Bethany says: "People worry that by cutting out dairy they will not get enough calcium, and yes dairy is very high in calcium. However, calcium is also abundant in other foods, so it is just a matter of eating these, ie. lots of fresh leafy green veg."

So this means that when you cut out dairy you will need to replace the levels of Calcium, Zinc and B Vitamins. You can either take specific supplements to do this or you can eat things that contain these vitamins.

It can also be a bit inconvienient at points, especially when eating out but this can be easily be overcome with a little forward planning.