2% vs 1%/Skim Milk

[educationrulz 18]

Does anyone have any thoughts about the type of milk we should be drinking right now? I'm thinking about this because when I came home all I had in the house was 2% since that's all I buy for me and my daughter. My preop diet does call for skim/1% but late one night during my full liquid phase, I really wanted some milk. I was weak and thristy, so I drank the 2%. It tasted like heaven!

I just didn't think about it much after that and continued to occasionally drink the 2%. I probably drink about 1/4 cup every other day, if that much. I actually drank it a couple of times because I was getting SOOOO little fluids and food in that it seemed like a good source of nutrients for my body. At least it has some substance to it. I'm still strugglng with eating and drinking and not getting enough of anything in on a regular basis. I know it's more calories and fat, but I feel like my body needs something more right now.

I finally bought some skim yesterday, but went to put it in my Cereal this am and it was totally unappealing to me - as it always has been. So, I poured it out and put the 2% in there. I wanted to try the skim now so that I could bump up to 2% as needed when I hit the maintenance phase but I couldn't bring myself to drink it.

This is honestly the only thing I've strayed from on my postop diet. Does anyone know of a reason this might be a problem to just continue with the 2%?

BTW, I think I'm going to fess up to my surgeon at my 2 week followup this week and see what he says. I can just imagine.

[NtvTxn 1,262]

Does anyone have any thoughts about the type of milk we should be drinking right now? I'm thinking about this because when I came home all I had in the house was 2% since that's all I buy for me and my daughter. My preop diet does call for skim/1% but late one night during my full liquid phase, I really wanted some milk. I was weak and thristy, so I drank the 2%. It tasted like heaven!

I just didn't think about it much after that and continued to occasionally drink the 2%. I probably drink about 1/4 cup every other day, if that much. I actually drank it a couple of times because I was getting SOOOO little fluids and food in that it seemed like a good source of nutrients for my body. At least it has some substance to it. I'm still strugglng with eating and drinking and not getting enough of anything in on a regular basis. I know it's more calories and fat, but I feel like my body needs something more right now.

I finally bought some skim yesterday, but went to put it in my Cereal this am and it was totally unappealing to me - as it always has been. So, I poured it out and put the 2% in there. I wanted to try the skim now so that I could bump up to 2% as needed when I hit the maintenance phase but I couldn't bring myself to drink it.

This is honestly the only thing I've strayed from on my postop diet. Does anyone know of a reason this might be a problem to just continue with the 2%?

BTW, I think I'm going to fess up to my surgeon at my 2 week followup this week and see what he says. I can just imagine.

You'll get use to the skim milk, it will just take a while. Pour the 2% down the drain. There is very little difference between it and whole milk....the doctor told my daughter that nobody over the age of two should drink anything other than skim! I was stuck at DFW airport, my flight was canceled and I ended up getting 1% milk from Wendy's because that is what they had. It tasted wonderful, but I felt GUILT!!!! I do not want to sabatage (sp??) myself. It is easy to justify something as harmless as milk, but a little here and a little there...then it's a lb here and a lb there. =) I'd ditch it like a cheap date!

[brittu 42]

The calorie difference is so minimal between skim and 1% that I just drink what I like. I don't think the minor bit of fat hurts - your body uses sugars to store fat, not fat anyway.

I either go for 1% with acidophilus or a deluxe skim I can sometimes find that has extra added Protein. I love that, it's like 2% in taste and texture.

[NtvTxn 1,262]

The calorie difference is so minimal between skim and 1% that I just drink what I like. I don't think the minor bit of fat hurts - your body uses sugars to store fat, not fat anyway.

I either go for 1% with acidophilus or a deluxe skim I can sometimes find that has extra added Protein. I love that, it's like 2% in taste and texture.

My doctor says skim or 1% - but 2% and whole are off limits. I've just been drinking skim for about fifteen years now, drinking anything else feels like cheating. =)

[educationrulz 18]

I've tried skim milk off and on over the years and just haven't been able to get used to the taste and texture. I can't drink whole milk either because it's too rich. I haven't talked to the doctor about it yet but when I talked to the nurse about it she said that unless I'm drinking alot of it (which I'm not), it's not going to make much difference. She equated it to the fact that some people have surgery and eat regular cheese and yogurt instead of the low fat options and do just fine. She did acknowledge that the doctor would still recommend the skim milk.

I think I'm going to focus my energy on making sure that I don't drink other kinds of high calorie drinks since those were a problem for me before surgery. I could drink enough soda and sweet tea to choke a cow before surgery, so I'll have to stick to low calorie options post op. Those types of slider drinks will add many more pounds than a half cup of 2% milk here and there.

[eriadne 6]

Skim milk all the way, although it took me about 2 years of stepping down from 2% to 1% and then 1% to skim for me and my husband to get used to it.

Now that I'm used to skim milk, when I get 1% or 2% somewhere, it tastes so awfully rich to me now -- like there's just a coating of fat in my mouth, ugh.

[NtvTxn 1,262]

Skim milk all the way, although it took me about 2 years of stepping down from 2% to 1% and then 1% to skim for me and my husband to get used to it.

Now that I'm used to skim milk, when I get 1% or 2% somewhere, it tastes so awfully rich to me now -- like there's just a coating of fat in my mouth, ugh.

That's funny, you did it exactly how my family and I did it years ago. From whole to 2%, then 1% before we went to skim. By then, even our girls didn't complain. Now, I'm like you, it feels like a coating of fat in my mouth. Really rich.

[wannalise 15]

Your body absorbs the nutrients in skim milk better then the other varieties, dunno why but it may be a part of your consideration. But...you also have to find ways to get things you enjoy in your day or you will feel deprived and have a more difficult time succeeding.

[pcindy 8]

For what my 2 cents are worth: Do skim for a couple of weeks no matter how icky you find it. Then go back to 1%. I have been drinking skim for so long that 1% tastes like 2%, 2% tastes like whole milk, and whole milk tastes like heavy cream. After suffering with skim (i happen to like it) for a while, that 1% will taste great.

You mentioned that you feel like you need something more. You know your body (and probably know when you are or aren't deluding yourself). Your doc isn't your confessor or a police officer; don't elevate him to the rank of God. Be honest with him so he can be fully informed and thus treat you more effectively. If drinking skim is a better choice than 1% or 2%, fine, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's strictly verboten either. Your body may very well be telling you what it needs right now. Higher milk fat isn't going to strain your suture line any more than skim. If you have high cholesterol though, that might be a reason to cut back.

We as women and as patients need to stop being SO self-critical and SO contrite all the time. We are adults. Let's stand up straight and trust ourselves and our ability to reason and assess our own situation.

In the long run, skim vs 1% vs 2%... post VSG, how much milk per day are we really talking about? More than a cup or 2 a day? If not, life is short. If it rocks your world to drink a small percentage more milk fat and lose a lb or 2 less per month, in the long run, who gives a damn? If you're making healthy food choices in general and the weight is coming off, enjoy your goddamn milk, girl! :thumbup:

Edited July 16, 2010 by pcindy

[Oregondaisy 2,020]

I am surprised you can drink milk at all. I can eat yogurt and cheese, but milk sends me back and forth to the bathroom and I get terrible gas from it. I literally double over from the gas pains.

It's pretty common for sleeve surgery to make us lactose intollerant so I am amazed that you can drink any kind of milk.

[breezy 8]

I drink 1% in my morning Protein Shake. I got used to it years ago. I could use the skim in the shake, but I also like milk in my morning coffee and skim just doesn't cut it there -- I might as well be adding Water. I don't drink milk other than that. I feel like 1% is a happy medium between 2% and skim, so I'm good with that.

[dbernier01 0]

I too am in the buy skim milk habbit -- based on the 10,001 diets I've been on over the years. But in reality - I did not get "fat" because I drank too much whole or 2% milk. So I don't drink it unless it's mixed in ceral or a Protein Shake -- and I think I would drink more if it was whole or 2% -- becasue in all my 30+ yrs of dieting I've never gotten used to skim milk. So thanks for starting this post - I am going to buy me some good non-skim milk today and drink it!!