Drinking a lot of milk!

[Bdubbs]

Hey everyone! I'm just wondering if it's ok to drink a lot of milk? I drink a lot of lowfat 1%, I can't stand skim milk or fat free. I have a real hard time counting my calories, but recently I'm trying to get atleast 1.5 grams of protein per 1.lb of body weight.

So I'm trying to eat a lot more because I can't seem to add anymore muscle mass in the last 1-2yrs. I'm not losing any that I have, but not adding either. So I'm thinking my diet is to blame, as I train pretty damn hard. I'm not sure on my bf% yet, I have a measuring tool ordered to calculate that. The pic in the avatar is me. I'd also like to lose that mid section body fat! Only thing that bugs me when I look in the mirror! I've started doing more cardio, 15-20 minutes about 2-3 times a week. My heart rate gets up to 150-160 range.

Thanks for any input!

[3day]

Biggest problem with your milk is the added sugar. As long as you keep the fat and sugar within your desired macros drink away.

[Cuz]

milk good for bulking bad for cutting, too much processed sugar in it. Only thing you can do to get bigger and stay lean is eat more clean cals which is extremely hard to do. Cardio needs to last longer, and lower intensity imo, maybe 45-60 mins, 120-130 hr.

[Bdubbs]

milk good for bulking bad for cutting, too much processed sugar in it. Only thing you can do to get bigger and stay lean is eat more clean cals which is extremely hard to do. Cardio needs to last longer, and lower intensity imo, maybe 45-60 mins, 120-130 hr.

I agree eating more clean calories is hard! Maybe I'll start trying longer durations of cardio and lower the intensity. I usually do the elliptical, stair steppers, and biking.

In the 8 or so years of lifting, I've never done cutting before. I seem to always want to be in the bulking stage. Also my body weight has stayed within 5lbs over the last few years. I seriously think I need to start eating a lot more if I want to add more mass.

[BluPhin]

Biggest problem with your milk is the added sugar. As long as you keep the fat and sugar within your desired macros drink away.

OK, I have to call BS on this. Milk does not have added sugar unless you drink flavored milks, i.e. chocolate, strawberry, etc. Milk contains lactose which is a naturally occurring sugar that is present in milk when it comes out of the cow. Milk is a tremendous source of protein and carbohydrates. Approximately 60% of the adult population has some negative response to lactose, so milk clearly is not for everyone. But, if you are not lactose intolerant, then drink up, milk is an awesome food!

[drake4243]

OK, I have to call BS on this. Milk does not have added sugar unless you drink flavored milks, i.e. chocolate, strawberry, etc. Milk contains lactose which is a naturally occurring sugar that is present in milk when it comes out of the cow. Milk is a tremendous source of protein and carbohydrates. Approximately 60% of the adult population has some negative response to lactose, so milk clearly is not for everyone. But, if you are not lactose intolerant, then drink up, milk is an awesome food!

Respectfully disagree. First and most important as you said 60% of the world does not properly digest milk anymore!!!! Why is this ? For the most simplest if answers it is not milk . It is genetically modified, manmade, pumped full of hormones white liquid. I am 100% against Milk it is not what your grandparents drank. Not to mention it raises estrogen and lowers testosterone. Also here are just a few reasons on why milk is crap.

Milk depletes the calcium from your bones
The milk myth has spread around the world based on the flawed belief that this protein and calcium-rich drink is essential to support good overall health and bone health in particular at any age. It is easy to understand that the confusion about milk’s imaginary benefits stems from the fact that it contains calcium – around 300 mg per cup.
But many scientific studies have shown an assortment of detrimental health effects directly linked to milk consumption. And the most surprising link is that not only do we barely absorb the calcium in cow’s milk (especially if pasteurized), but to make matters worse, it actually increases calcium loss from the bones. What an irony this is!
Here’s how it happens. Like all animal protein, milk acidifies the body pH which in turn triggers a biological correction. You see, calcium is an excellent acid neutralizer and the biggest storage of calcium in the body is – you guessed it… in the bones. So the very same calcium that our bones need to stay strong is utilized to neutralize the acidifying effect of milk. Once calcium is pulled out of the bones, it leaves the body via the urine, so that the surprising net result after this is an actual calcium deficit.
Knowing this, you’ll understand why statistics show that countries with the lowest consumption of dairy products also have the lowest fracture incidence in their population (there’s more on this later).
But the sad truth is that most mainstream health practitioners ignore these proven facts. I know it firsthand because when I was diagnosed with osteoporosis, my doctor recommended that I drink lots of milk in addition to taking Fosamax.
Fortunately, I did neither, because I knew that…
Cow’s milk is custom-designed for calves
Thanks to our creative ingenuity and perhaps related to our ancient survival needs, we adopted the dubious habit of drinking another species’ milk. Nobody can dispute that cow’s milk is an excellent food source for calves. Weighing around 100 pounds at birth, a calf typically gains approximately eight times its weight by the time it is weaned. But unlike humans, once calves are weaned, they never drink milk again. And the same applies to every mammalian species on this planet.
Also, each mammalian species has its own “designer” milk, and cow’s milk is no exception. For example, cow’s milk contains on average three times the amount of protein than human milk which creates metabolic disturbances in humans that have detrimental bone health consequences.
It’s important to bear in mind that mother’s milk is excellent nourishment for human babies, but its composition is very different from cow’s milk.
Scientific studies show that milk increases fracture risk
Many scientific studies contradict the conventional wisdom that milk and dairy consumption help reduce osteoporotic fractures. Surprisingly, studies demonstrating that milk and dairy products actually fail to protect bones from fractures outnumber studies that prove otherwise. Even drinking milk from a young age does not protect against future fracture risk but actually increases it. Shattering the “savings account” calcium theory, Cumming and Klineberg report their study findings as follows:
“Consumption of dairy products, particularly at age 20 years, was associated with an increased risk of hip fracture in old age. (“Case-Control Study of Risk Factors for Hip Fractures in the Elderly”. American Journal of Epidemiology. Vol. 139, No. 5, 1994).
And the 12 year long Harvard Nurses’ Health Study found that those who consumed the most calcium from dairy foods broke more bones than those who rarely drank milk. This is a broad study based on 77,761 women aged 34 through 59 years of age.
In the authors’ own words:
“These data do not support the hypothesis that higher consumption of milk or other food sources of calcium by adult women protects against hip or forearm fractures.” (Source: Feskanich D, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA. Milk, dietary calcium, and bone fractures in women: a 12-year prospective study. American Journal of Public Health. 1997).
Shocking statistics ignored by mainstream medicine
In the Save Our Bones Program one of the topics I discuss is the complete disregard of scientific evidence that discredits milk and dairy products as the best source of calcium.
One exception is Amy Lanou Ph.D., nutrition director for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, D.C., who states that:
“The countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis are the ones where people drink the most milk and have the most calcium in their diets. The connection between calcium consumption and bone health is actually very weak, and the connection between dairy consumption and bone health is almost nonexistent.”
Surprised? You shouldn’t be, because as I mentioned earlier in this article…
Milk is an acidifying animal protein
Like any other animal derived protein-rich food, milk has a positive potential renal acid load (PRAL) which triggers a protective biological reaction to neutralize all the damaging acidic protein before it reaches the kidneys.
The body is designed for survival, so it sacrifices bone density to protect the kidneys and urinary tract because the latter are essential to survival. And the most readily available source of acid neutralizer is in the bones. So even though milk contains calcium, it ends up sapping your bones of that crucial mineral. But that’s not all because…
Today’s milk is a processed food
Until the end of the 19th century in Europe and the beginning of the 20th century in the US, milk was consumed unpasteurized or raw. Later on, homogenization became the industry’s standard. These processes further alter milk’s chemistry and actually increase its detrimental acidifying effects.
Raw milk advocates claim that if cow’s milk is left “as is” it is a healthy and wholesome drink. It is true that raw milk is less acidifying than processed milk and that pasteurization and homogenization may cause a long list of digestive and other health problems, but I still don’t recommend drinking any kind of cow’s milk.
Nowadays, milking cows are given antibiotics and most are also injected with a genetically engineered form of bovine growth hormone (rBGH). A man-made or synthetic hormone used to artificially increase milk production, rBGH also increases blood levels of the insulin-growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in those who drink it. And higher levels of IGF-1 are linked to several cancers.
This should not be ignored, especially in view of recent information by Samuel Epstein, MD, Professor of Environmental Medicine at the University of Illinois School of Public Health, and Chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition. In an article titled “Monsanto’s Hormonal Milk Poses Serious Risks of Breast Cancer, Besides Other Cancers” (Monsanto's Hormonal Milk Poses Serious Risks of Breast Cancer, Besides Other Cancers, Warns Professor of Environmental Medicine at the University of Illinois School of Public Health, June 21, 1998) Dr. Epstein concludes that:
“Drinking rBGH milk would thus be expected to significantly increase IGF-1 blood levels and consequently to increase risks of developing breast cancer and promoting its invasiveness.”
Even though organic milk is from cows that are not given antibiotics or rBHG, if you truly care about your bone health and your overall health, you should…
Avoid drinking cow’s milk
As I explain in the Save Our Bones Program and contrary to mainstream recommendations, drinking milk and eating lots of dairy products are not the answer to reversing osteoporosis. And while in the Save Our Bones Program no food is completely off limits, I strongly recommend that you explore the different milk substitute options that I will list for you here.
But first, I’d like to clarify that unsweetened fermented or cultured dairy products such as yogurt, kefir, and sour cream are acid neutral. Yogurt in particular is chock-full of beneficial qualities. As is the case with milk, organic yogurt does not have rBGH, but even several of the most well-known yogurt brands have stopped using the bovine growth hormone (rBGH). You should call your favorite yogurt company to confirm. One more clarification: when I say unsweetened I mean without sugar or any artificial sweetener. However, you can add honey or stevia, a zero calorie plant-derived sweetener that is delicious and alkalizing as well. I like to carry around stevia packets in my purse so that I’m always able to sweeten food or drinks when I’m on the go.

[BluPhin]

^Again, I have to call BS with regards to farmers using rBGH. I am a dairy farmer, so I speak with some authority on the production of milk. I speak on behalf of myself and every single farmer in our 200+ member cooperative. We do not treat our cows with any type of hormones including rBGH to enhance production. There are several studies to support the theory that rBGH increases stress on cows to the extent that production gains are erased by increased mortality, reproduction problems, and a host of health related issues, etc. As a dairy producer, I would never introduce something harmful to my animals or the consumers of my products. As a business man, I have crunched the numbers on rBGH and have determined that it is not financially viable in my operation. To the best of my knowledge, there are very few producers (<20%) using rBGH and most of them are in California.

My advice to the OP is to continue drinking as much milk as your macros support. Its good source of protein and carbohydrates. If it makes you feel better, buy milk that is labeled rBGH free.

[teezer33]

Biggest problem with your milk is the added sugar. As long as you keep the fat and sugar within your desired macros drink away.

Agreed, I only drink milk with protein and only after workouts

[bdos]

Badger milk.

[Bdubbs]

Some interesting responses! I usually drink my milk in the mornings with breakfast and when taking in a protein shake. I've never had any bad effects with milk and actually enjoy the taste of it. I always thought of it as a good source of protein and carbs.

EDIT: I have two different types of milk brands, and both labels say "from cows not treated with rBST".

[swithuk]

^Again, I have to call BS with regards to farmers using rBGH. I am a dairy farmer, so I speak with some authority on the production of milk. I speak on behalf of myself and every single farmer in our 200+ member cooperative. We do not treat our cows with any type of hormones including rBGH to enhance production. There are several studies to support the theory that rBGH increases stress on cows to the extent that production gains are erased by increased mortality, reproduction problems, and a host of health related issues, etc. As a dairy producer, I would never introduce something harmful to my animals or the consumers of my products. As a business man, I have crunched the numbers on rBGH and have determined that it is not financially viable in my operation. To the best of my knowledge, there are very few producers (<20%) using rBGH and most of them are in California.

My advice to the OP is to continue drinking as much milk as your macros support. Its good source of protein and carbohydrates. If it makes you feel better, buy milk that is labeled rBGH free.

fascinating responses from you and drake4243 . your are a dairy farmer !? thats why i love this forum !!!
please tell me if you are aware of u.k dairy producers practices ? are they less or more stringent in regards to rBGH ? (im in the u.k )
also what about drakes other points about milk damaging ones calcium and cows milk being good for calves rather that humans and that all mammals stop drinking milk once they are able ?
also what about other harmful chemicals in milk,any ? as it is more processed/mass produced these days ...
also what type of milk would you suggest for someone who wishes to loose fat and increase lean muscle ? .... i actually stopped drinking milk and swapped to soy milk but maybe i was wrong ....?
sorry for all the questions and thanks in advance

[bigsiv]

Great thread and responses guys keep this updated I think all members would love some more data on the subject

[BluPhin]

fascinating responses from you and drake4243 . your are a dairy farmer !? thats why i love this forum !!!
please tell me if you are aware of u.k dairy producers practices ? are they less or more stringent in regards to rBGH ? (im in the u.k )
also what about drakes other points about milk damaging ones calcium and cows milk being good for calves rather that humans and that all mammals stop drinking milk once they are able ?
also what about other harmful chemicals in milk,any ? as it is more processed/mass produced these days ...
also what type of milk would you suggest for someone who wishes to loose fat and increase lean muscle ? .... i actually stopped drinking milk and swapped to soy milk but maybe i was wrong ....?
sorry for all the questions and thanks in advance

As far as UK dairy producers using hormones, I do not know any statistics on this.

i will not dispute any claims that milk from cows treated with hormones is inferior in quality to "natural" milk. I personally avoid consuming any products from animals that are treated with these chemicals

I will however dispute claims that naturally derived milk is unhealthy. These cult like groups that campaign against the dairy industry with pseudo-scientific studies are not credible. Milk has been a staple in the human diet for thousands of years and now they want you to believe its toxic.

I will reiterate my advice to OP and anyone else that is not intolerant to lactose, drink your milk! Lol

[3day]

Guess i worded it wrong. When counting my macros the sugar from milk adds up fast. So keep a close eye on that.

[Flagg]

It's never obvious till you look at it, but humans are the ONLY animal on the planet to carry on drinking milk beyond infancy, and even then, it's from other species.

I'm not sure I can buy into the stuff you hear that eating too much of this, or drinking too much of that, or eating food out of containers made of this material will raise the chances of you getting "X" by 1 million percent. If no one has noticed, the birth rate is still significantly higher than the death rate. I think when this becomes reversed, then we can worry about plastic containers and what may or may not be in certain foods.

I mean, are we all supposed to just live in a vacuum?

We all know that sausages are way more unhealthy than a 250gram piece of free range chicken. If people are that put off by a certain product, dont buy it, or simply buy free range or organic versions, of said product. Organic tends to be healthier and tastier than intensive, but more expensive.

[BIGTIMEPUSH]

Agreed, I only drink milk with protein and only after workouts

Yep only time I will drink milk.

[BluPhin]

Yep only time I will drink milk.

What does that mean, "only drink milk with protein"? Whether its from a cow, goat or woman's breast, milk has significant protein content. It's good stuff!

[Sgt. Hartman]

Biggest problem with your milk is the added sugar. As long as you keep the fat and sugar within your desired macros drink away.

Most milk has no added sugar.

milk good for bulking bad for cutting, too much processed sugar in it. Only thing you can do to get bigger and stay lean is eat more clean cals which is extremely hard to do. Cardio needs to last longer, and lower intensity imo, maybe 45-60 mins, 120-130 hr.

Specific foods are not good or bad for bulking/cutting hitting your macros is imperative for both. Again milk has no added sugar it simply has lactose which is a naturally occurring sugar that makes up almost 50% of the calories in human breast milk. Lactate lactose it's not a coincidence.

It's never obvious till you look at it, but humans are the ONLY animal on the planet to carry on drinking milk beyond infancy, and even then, it's from other species.

You hear that used as an anti milk argument all the time but what other species has the intellectual capability to refine and drink another animals milk? What other species builds machines that transport them at high velocity across land air and sea? There are many species who are strictly carnivores, lions for example, who I'm not convinced at all would not drink other animals milk given the necessity and ability. There's not many animals who drink/eat other animals blood other than pretty much every carnivore but that doesn't make it unhealthy or wrong IMO.

[Bdubbs]

What does that mean, "only drink milk with protein"? Whether its from a cow, goat or woman's breast, milk has significant protein content. It's good stuff!

Yup I agree. My protein mix is 24 grams, sometimes I'll add 16oz's of milk, then I have a 40 gram shake!

[Cuz]

^ 16 oz of milk has 10g of saturated fats. Which is ALOT, would be pretty hard to fit that in your macros on any diet but if you can go for it. I have taken milk out of my diet entirely for a month, and seemd to drop about 1% in BF. Im still experimenting with my nutrition though.

[BIGTIMEPUSH]

I was saying that 1 cup of fat free milk (which is what I drink) has 12g of sugar... And if I'm going to have the sugar intake why not have it with my protein to make my shake taste better... Milk is great but while cutting I want low sugar in my diet...

[Sgt. Hartman]

I agree with both of you.....hit your macros consistently. But fat free milk has no fat lol.....

If you can do that for lengthy periods of time and don't get the results you want then start experimenting with eliminating certain foods but honestly most people don't ever hit their macros consistently for extended periods of time.

[FONZY007]

^ 16 oz of milk has 10g of saturated fats. Which is ALOT, would be pretty hard to fit that in your macros on any diet but if you can go for it. I have taken milk out of my diet entirely for a month, and seemd to drop about 1% in BF. Im still experimenting with my nutrition though.

When I was younger I was taking 2 shakes a day with 16-18oz of milk I put on fat like no tomorrow

[BluPhin]

We're you drinking fat free (skim) milk?

[baseline_9]

milk good for bulking bad for cutting, too much processed sugar in it. Only thing you can do to get bigger and stay lean is eat more clean cals which is extremely hard to do. Cardio needs to last longer, and lower intensity imo, maybe 45-60 mins, 120-130 hr.

What a load of nonsense.....

Every statement you have made in this post is nonsense....

[Cuz]

What a load of nonsense.....

Every statement you have made in this post is nonsense....

Ok bud, please correct all the posts im all for it. remember I am entitled to my own opinion, and what works for me may not work for others.

[BluPhin]

i'm going to tell you just like my dad told me when I was a kid, "drink your milk, damn it!" LOL

[Negative Knight]

I do a really dirt bulk of 2 pounds o chicken and 1 gallon of chocolate milk a day (sometimes half gallon but always 2lbs chicken or more) and some empty junk food calories before working out for energy

[Mechanic]

i always have drank milk, i dont know if the homogenized stuff in Canada(where i live) is any different then the stuff in the states, but thats what i drink. if you want to put on weight like i did drink 4 liters of the stuff a day and i comes in at around 2300calories and 160 grams of protein, add that to your normal eating plan add a few weight gain shakes(mixed with the milk) and you have a hell of a weight gaining diet, really good for me and guys like me trying to got big for sports like strongman and the upper weight classes of powerlifting.

the only ill effects i have found from years of drinking milk(2%,homo) is yes you will put on fat as there are lots of fats in the stuff, and from the blood work i have had done it says i have a fatty liver, how fat of a liver i dont know but that only came up in my last weight gain binge that took me from 200lbs at 6'2" to 247lbs in a year.

[BluPhin]

I can understand why competitive bodybuilders do not drink much, if any milk. It has a significant amount of natural sugar and some fat (depending if you drink skim, 1%, 2% or whole milk). For the rest of us that tolerate lactose, its an extremely effective source of protein, carbs, and fat. Anyone that takes tracking macros seriously can incorporate milk into their diet and meet their macro goals. I probably depend too much on milk to meet my macros because I like the taste and its easy to consume (no prep/cooking). My opinion is also biased because I am a dairy producer and try to promote my product. So don't listen to me, lol.

[krugerr]

I can understand why competitive bodybuilders do not drink much, if any milk. It has a significant amount of natural sugar and some fat (depending if you drink skim, 1%, 2% or whole milk). For the rest of us that tolerate lactose, its an extremely effective source of protein, carbs, and fat. Anyone that takes tracking macros seriously can incorporate milk into their diet and meet their macro goals. I probably depend too much on milk to meet my macros because I like the taste and its easy to consume (no prep/cooking). My opinion is also biased because I am a dairy producer and try to promote my product. So don't listen to me, lol.

I agree here - I incorporate skimmed milk I to my diet because I love the taste, it's low fat and really quite low on calories if I just use it in tea/coffee and maybe 200ml with oats.
When it comes to contest prep ill probably drop it entirely just because it may effect bloating slightly, not for any nutritional or calorific reasons.

[Cuz]

right, so why in the hell would you drink milk (whole milk that is what I was saying, should've made it clear) if you are cutting down? If I was on a strict cut I just wouldn't include it at all but hell that's just me. with 50 grams a day of fat it would be hard for me to do.

[baseline_9]

Ok bud, please correct all the posts im all for it. remember I am entitled to my own opinion, and what works for me may not work for others.

milk good for bulking bad for cuttingwhy? Any valid reason?, too much processed sugar in it not a valid reason.... And it's false. Only thing you can do to get bigger and stay lean is eat more clean cals which is extremely hard to do staying lean is going to come down to calories in vs calories out and macronutrient breakdown, eating 'clean' has nothing to do with it . Cardio needs to last longer, and lower intensity imo, maybe 45-60 mins, 120-130 hr.i know your saying this is your opinion so I can't say your wrong since an opinion can't be wrong.... But calories burned is by far the most important thing to take into consideration with regards to cardio... Duration and heart rate have little importance.... And if I had to state my opinion it would be exactly the opposite of yours.... Cardio when in a gaining phase should be of shorter duration and at a higher intensity.... Why.... Because you have the work and recovery capacity for it.... It will be more health beneficial (which is a big reason for doing cardio while growing anyway)... And it will help to increase metabolism which will enable you to consume more carbs....

See bold above

[thisAngelBites]

please tell me if you are aware of u.k dairy producers practices ? are they less or more stringent in regards to rBGH ? (im in the u.k )

In the UK rBGH use is banned. It's not too hard to find good quality milk here from cows who graze all summer and eat silage in the winter. It's pretty easy to find unhomogenised (which used to be ubiquitous here - who knows why the hell they started oxidising the fat in milk intentionally?), and unpasteurised milk if you like.

There are unresolved questions about higher milk consumption and prostate cancer (and breast cancer), however:

PCRM | Milk Consumption and Prostate Cancer

[skaz915]

yea buddy!!! At least a 1/2 gallon of skim/fat free or 1% in a pinch, regardless of cutting/bulking

[Xzandr]

6-8 cups whole milk every day for years, never had BF issues.
if consumption=expenditure=maintenance
if consumption>expenditure=bulking
if consumption<expenditure=cutting
It's that simple, regardless of how many % your milk is. We have become so stuck on the smallest imperfections that we forget to look at the big picture. If you drink whole milk you may have to cut down on something else. OR do what I do- WORK HARDER. the rest is semantics.

[Gunsablazin]

I love milk almond milk is also good!!

[hellomycognomen]

"Milk is for babies. When you grow up you have to drink beer." -Arnold Schwarzenegger

[DrewZ]

Badger milk.

High Potency, High Mineral, Mega Amino, Anabolic Body Building Supplement.

[hellomycognomen]

^^ 2x Badger milk.

LMAO!