Ask Shannon: Fitness and Nutrition Q&A

Posted April 7, 2008 at 07:00 PM by Shannon Clark

Section: Her Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Weight Control

With years of training under her belt, resident fitness and nutrition expert Shannon Clark is ready to help you on your way to a healthy, informed lifestyle. Got a question? her your inquiries, and be sure to check back every week for the latest Q&A.

Q: I’m trying to increase my consumption of dairy products but am a little afraid they will make me gain weight. What’s the truth behind dairy and weight loss?

A: Great question! This is one of the biggest misconceptions about weight loss that circulates around – that dairy products make you gain weight!

In fact, often it’s the exact opposite. There are various studies that actually show that dairy, when correct products are chosen, can aid with the weight loss process.

Not only are they great for promoting strong and healthy bones, but they also contain protein, which is needed to support muscle mass - and this protein is slower digesting.  Because of this fact, it will leave you feeling fuller for a longer period of time, thus helping with calorie control.

At the end of your day, it’s your total calorie intake that determines whether or not you lost weight, therefore the better you control your hunger, the better you will do.

Now, specifically when it comes to dairy, one big reason why it has gotten such a bad rap is because often it’s high in both calories and fat.

If you think about typical products such as ice cream, full fat sour cream and mayonnaise, along with all the varieties of hard cheese out there, it’s easy to see why it can lead to weight gain. When most people consume cheese too, they aren’t consuming one cubic inch, they’re consuming half a block! (Well, maybe not quite…but you get the point.)

This will definitely add far too many calories to maintain a weight loss deficit, thus you don’t lose weight. If you make smarter choices though, then these problems cease to exist.

Low fat cottage cheese, for instance, is an absolutely terrific source of casein protein, which will stick with you for hours.  Selecting low-fat milk products, yogurts (watch the added sugar content with these), as well as light versions of sour cream and hard cheeses, will be a smart move for increasing the calcium content in your diet.

Also, don’t forget that whey protein powders also very often supply a good dose of calcium (since whey is a form of dairy), so these will, without a doubt, help add protein and calcium to your diet if you are open to supplementing with them.

Furthermore, if you are trying to increase the calcium content in your diet, make sure that you are also getting plenty of vitamin D.  Your body needs this vitamin D in order to effectively absorb all the calcium, so it’s not a nutrient you want to run short on.

Most individuals are able to fulfill their vitamin D requirements through exposure to sunlight (fifteen minutes a few times a week should do it), but if you are someone who avoids the sun, try making an effort to consume salmon, mackerel, tuna fish, fortified milk, eggs, and some ready-to-eat cereals (check the labels), as these foods are high in vitamin D.

So, by making a small adjustment to your dietary choices, you should be able to more than effectively get enough calcium in, without throwing weight loss off course.