Fat Free Dried Milk

[debknott]

Hi,

I am very much enjoying my journey so far with the McDougall plan. I'm shocked and delighted that I have lost eight pounds in my first week on the plan!! I know one cannot depend on such good losses continuing, but I sure am happy! I have fought cravings for all my life, but I don't crave anything right now. It's as though someone flipped a switch for me, and the cravings are turned off, at least for now. This is wonderful!

I have a question about milk. I gather that fat is the main enemy here. If so, would reconstituted fat free dry milk be okay for me to use, just on oatmeal, not to drink? I'm trying almond milk, but I don't like the texture or taste.

More questions will come later, but this is my focus right now. Thanks for any help!

Deborah

[Willijan]

Hi,

I am very much enjoying my journey so far with the McDougall plan. I'm shocked and delighted that I have lost eight pounds in my first week on the plan!! I know one cannot depend on such good losses continuing, but I sure am happy! I have fought cravings for all my life, but I don't crave anything right now. It's as though someone flipped a switch for me, and the cravings are turned off, at least for now. This is wonderful!

I have a question about milk. I gather that fat is the main enemy here. If so, would reconstituted fat free dry milk be okay for me to use, just on oatmeal, not to drink? I'm trying almond milk, but I don't like the texture or taste.

More questions will come later, but this is my focus right now. Thanks for any help!

Deborah

Congratulations on your weight loss! It is always satisfying to see the numbers on the scale go down. I am glad you are feeling so good. As far as milk, and fat as the enemy, excess protein is also a danger, especially excess animal protein. It's been a few years since I reread T. Colin Campbell's book, The China Study, but I remember that he discussed research that uncovered the dangers of consuming milk. I'd suggest reading that book. It is really interesting. Another good book re: protein is Dr. Garth Davis's Proteinaholic, where he discusses specific research findings on consuming animal protein. Here's a link to just one of Dr. McDougall's writings on this site re: the consumption of milk:
https://www.drmcdougall.com/2014/11/01/ ... t-disease/

So, it's not really just fat that is the problem in our diets, but animal products in general. What I'd suggest is to try soymilk. To me, it tastes richer and thicker. It has more fat grams per cup than almond milk (4 g), although it is lower in fat than almond milk as a percent of calories. In any case, it is a processed food, so one shouldn't be consuming lots of it, but in moderate amounts it is much better than cow's milk.

[PJK]

Dr McDougall is quite clear on this point. As part of following his diet, drink no animal milk of any kind or in any form.

Don't like almond milk? Then why not try other types of nondairy alternatives - rice, soy, etc.

[roundcoconut]

Cows milk is not health food. Unless you are a calf. I’m going to assume you’re not.

But feel free to eat whatever you want to eat, except that these forums are only really a good place for the people who are following Dr McDougall’s general ideas and recommendations. Here would not be the place to be like, “Oh well, I’m going to eat mother’s milk from other species, because it’s really only about x, y and z.”

If you are willing to invest the time, you will be that person who becomes good at understanding the best recommendations of plant-based professionals and implementing them.

If you are not willing to invest the time, then no harm — your mistakes will come back to roost, right on your head. Not on mine, and not on anyone else’s.

Generally, you will want to try to go deep with Caldwell Esselstyn’s writings, and Jeff Novick’s writings, and Dr McDougall’s podcasts, and Dr Klaper’s videos, just to name a few. You gotta be a big grown-up, and see past some of the conflicting rhetoric, and go past much of the fluff even in these sources.

Well, I must say that it is only a rare person who is willing to figure things out. Most just wanna be off the hook and be told that diets don’t work, and their various health conditions aren’t their fault.

There y’go. Cynicism at its finest!

[Vegankit]

I add water to my oatmeal, let it sit a minute and it forms oatmeal milk so I find there is no need to buy any "milk". If you add a little sweetener and some fruit or other flavors then you won't even know the milk is missing.

If you still feel you need "milk" you could try blending a ripe banana with some water to make a milky addition to your cereal. Or you can mash a very ripe one in your cereal bowl, thin it out with a little water before adding your cereal.

There are recipes on this website and others to make great tasting breakfast oatmeal.

[kirkj]

I like my oatmeal chewy, so I don't put anything on it. But, if I did, I'd use soy milk. Both almond and rice milk taste watery to me.

[debknott]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate your explanations. I'll just have to experiment to see what tastes okay to me.

Deborah

[viv]

I have always had milk in my tea and oatmeal, and non fat milk was the last thing I gave up. I hated the taste of plant based milks. But I was determined to stay on the McDougall Plan even though it meant a little milk. I tried everything, but then one day out of the blue I liked the taste of almond milk. That was five years ago. So stick with the McDougall Plan and your tastes will eventually change.

Fantastic that you are on your way to your very best health!

Viv

[debknott]

Viv,

Thank you for your kind encouragement. I do not intend to stop eating the McDougall plan. I'm just still finding my way on a few items. So far the plant based 'milk' tastes weird and has an odd texture to me, but I will persist in hope that I will learn to actually like it, like you did!

[Willijan]

Viv,

Thank you for your kind encouragement. I do not intend to stop eating the McDougall plan. I'm just still finding my way on a few items. So far the plant based 'milk' tastes weird and has an odd texture to me, but I will persist in hope that I will learn to actually like it, like you did!

Deb,
Just remember that the adjustments you are going through on this diet are similar to what many or most of us went through when we started. You are doing great! Just don't get discouraged, and don't give up if you can't be perfect, especially at the beginning. You are a perfectly normal beginnning McDougaller.

Before I was on the diet, I tried rice and other plant milks at my step-daughter's house. I was like, afraid to take a taste it sounded so weird. Luckily, I liked all of them right away. Now cow's milk sounds weird to me. Even if I didn't care anything about my health, I wouldn't quit eating this way, because it tastes so good--also, I like being thin, and I feel much better. But it took awhile to get totally used to what I eat now.

[debknott]

willijan,

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm keeping on. I feel good and have lost nine pounds! I hope to lose lots more. I have been on countless diets over the years including lots of protein diets. I finally realized that the diets always caused me a net gain in the long run, so my weight kept climbing. I was too afraid to diet for many years, but at least my weight was mostly stable, though high.

This program feels very different. So far I have no cravings, something I have long prayed for. Could this is my answer to prayer? I guess I'll know the answer to that as time passes. I feel very hopeful!

Deborah

[debknott]

Well, I finally solved my milk issue. I drank a half gallon of almond milk (gagging all the way) on many bowls of oatmeal. It doesn't taste bad, but it's thick and I dislike the texture. Yesterday I finally bought some plain soy milk, and it's fine! I don't like the idea of soy, as I'm not sure it's altogether healthy, but it is meeting my cereal need, so I'm pretty happy with it. Problem solved.

Thanks to those who advised me!

Deborah