Ever thought about cutting off dairy? Due to health reasons? Trying to detox? Intolerance?
Well I tried it for a month and let me tell you… it wasn’t at all easy! For the month of November, I created a challenge of things I wouldn’t consume. Dairy was among those items. I have 5 things that may happen to you during the first month you decide to stop eating dairy.
1. Cravings Will Be On 100
I promise, the day arrived for me to begin my No-November Challenge and so did the cravings for everything I said I wouldn’t have. Prior to the challenge I would have mozzarella cheese in my spinach and egg white omelette, DAILY. It became a staple for my breakfast. The first few days without it was like torture. And if you are like me and love cheese…..November felt like the longest month EVER!
2. You Won’t Have Any Mucus
That actually sounds kinda gross. But it’s true! I thought it was rather odd that I had not one sniffle the entire month of November. No lingering phlegm in my throat. I had always heard people elude to dairy products causing mucus. But never really tested that theory. I had cheese the day after my challenge was over……and lo and behold, phlegm returned.
3. Your Cravings Will Dissipate
I thought that the cravings would NEVER go away. I literally started wanting things I never eat. Little Debbie snacks. Cake. Glasses of milk. Lol. Just silly stuff. I really noticed the impact that our minds can have on us. The things I never want became a desire. And for what??? Perfect example of that saying, “Mind Over Matter.” By day 7, I was good. Cravings were gone and I was in the groove of things.
4. You May Experience Weight Loss
Now don’t go cutting out food groups because you want to lose weight. The weight loss was a byproduct of everything else my No-November Challenge consisted of. The challenge consisted of me cutting several things out of my diet and implementing cardio on a daily basis which helped me create a deficit in my caloric intake and output. But my weight loss wasn’t all that impressive, honestly. I lost a whopping 3 lbs and my bloating had gone down tremendously!
The results would be different for someone who started this challenge who hadn’t exercised regularly, as I do, and didn’t already have a diet like mine. I eat pretty clean on a regular basis and workout OFTEN since I train people virtually. So results would be different for someone who doesn’t. My Husband did the challenge with me and his diet was substantially different than mine before we did this challenge together. He lost 11 lbs.??♀️
5. You Might Become a Tea Lover
During the challenge, I became a Tea lover. I was drinking tea ALL the time. Since I wasn’t having my normal creamer that I would add to my coffee I thought I would try tea for a little flavor and not have to worry about adding anything to it. I got to the point that I don’t even need to add stevia. ? Towards the middle of the challenge My Husband and I came across some delicious Almondmilk creamer. I really just wanted my coffee. ??♀️ But I will continue exploring the different tea options out there. There are so many! Do you have any favorites? Please provide your favorite below!
My reason for doing the challenge was simply to get back on track and create a habit around cardio. I chose not to have dairy because I wanted to see how it would impact my body. I also noticed that I was getting carried away with the amount of cheese I was consuming, and the amount of creamer (Heavy Whipping Cream to be exact) was increasing as well.
So what have I been doing since the challenge?
Well, I love cheese! Like…love it. Even though it smells kinda weird. Have you ever smelled cheese? It’s almost enough of a scent to make me reconsider eating it. But it’s soooo delicious. So I have gone back to adding it to my omelette. In moderation of course. ?
And junk food… I hate to admit but I have indulged in a few. Again, I think it’s all a mind thing because I have “deprived” myself of those items, I REALLY wanted it after the challenge. It’s out of my system now. I think I’m good. ?
So if you decide to try this or any other challenge that requires removing an entire food group know that all of our bodies are different. Your cravings may go away sooner than mine. The mucus thing, may not be of concern to you. Your weight loss experience may be different as well. Again, the no dairy was in conjunction with daily cardio and no junk food. I lost 3lbs and my husband lost 11lbs. Results will vary. Make sure you know your reason for doing it and always listen to your body and consult your doctor before trying anything.
Are you someone who has already excluded dairy from your diet? What made you come to that decision? I would love to hear! Did you try this challenge with me? How did it go for you? I want to hear from you! Share with me below.
Much love!
