• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • New? Start Here!

RunToTheFinish

Online Running Coach for All Paces, All Ages

  • Training
    • Beginner Half Marathon Training
    • Sub Two Half Marathon Training
    • Marathon Training
    • New Runner Tips
    • Low Heart Rate Training
    • Group Run Coaching
    • Nutrition for Runners
  • Running Injuries
  • Gear Reviews
  • Work Together
    • Virtual Run Club
    • 1-1 Coaching
    • Brand Partnerships
  • Courses
    • Book
    • IT Band Solution
    • LHR Training Plans
  • Blog

Should You Go Dairy Free? Benefits, Tips and Calcium Sources

97shares

My love for veggies is widely known thanks to my frequent usage of the term freggies and my weight loss tips to aim for 7-9 servings. This has lead to a lot of folks assuming I’m vegan.

I’m not.

But when I travel, vegan options are at the top of my list because I am dairy free and egg free…mostly. I mean I NEED pizza in my life and when a chocolatier in France offers you a three layered slice of heaven, you eat it and deal with the bloating later because LIFE!!

Another thing that happens when I travel is the ongoing conversations as to why I’m dairy free, what changed, how do I feel and what do I eat?!Tips for going dairy free - how to get calcium, protein and understanding optionsIt’s understandable because so much of our American Diet is steeped in dairy. The idea of giving it up can be scary and confusing…but potentially a massive game changer in your energy, skin, and weight.

I’m not getting political here or talking about animals, this is solely focusing on health.

Should You Go Dairy Free?

I’ve gone in depth on the difference between food allergies and intolerances previously, so I won’t rehash that here. When I was in the midst of trying to figure out why I felt so bad in Miami, a holistic doctor recommended removing dairy and eggs to help with my constant stomach pain.

An added bonus for many runners is that it helps to alleviate runners diarrhea! No one wants to talk about it, but that’s such a common issue!

Within 10 days of taking them out of my diet:

  • My nose acne cleared up. – It was never bad, but I was always broke out along the sides of my nose and had begun fighting it on my chin. I tried ProActiv with no results because the issue wasn’t my skin, it was my gut. Now only break out after having too much sugar or dairy/eggs {usually when traveling}.
  • My whole body is less bloated. – Weight that I was baffled about over that year of feeling unwell seemed to just go away and all of my clothes got looser. That I’m so stuffed feeling also went away, so I could enjoy my food.
  • My energy skyrocketed. – I hadn’t had that much energy in the previous year. While I had been sleeping 9-10 hours a night for a LONG time, suddenly 8 was plenty.
  • In other words, I knocked out the constant inflammation in my body and I simply felt better overall.

Let’s take a few steps back…

What is dairy?

Food that is made with milk products from a cow. The easiest of which to spot is a cartoon of milk or a block of cheese, but I find when I say dairy free a lot of other foods are forgotten (especially dining out):

  • Cottage cheese
  • Cream cheese
  • Butter
  • Many protein shakes
  • Yogurt
  • Latte’s, Half and Half
  • Custard, ice cream, mousse, gelato
  • Most dressings and dips are a dairy base
  • Scrambled eggs and oatmeal often include milk
  • Whey protein
  • Kefir
  • Chocolate (YUP!! I stick to one’s like Green and Black’s which are dairy free)
  • Nutella (checkout my alternative)

Eggs are not included in the dairy list, though some think they are. It’s two separate allergens.Hidden sources of dairy

Why does it bother some people?

About 75% of people actually have some level of lactose intolerance, they just don’t realize that dairy is what’s causing their stuffy nose, bloating. lethargy or too full feeling.

Lactase is the enzyme needed to digest the sugar in milk and most people simply stop producing as much of this enzyme. Others notice it after hormonal changes (raises hand) or major gut dysfunction.

Could going dairy free clear up your skin? Help you lose weight? Find out Click To Tweet

Can’t you take something?

Since I’ve now gotten this question from every person I’ve talked to about going dairy free, let’s address it.

While I am taking a high quality pro-biotic, this is not a cure all or a free pass to eat dairy. It does seem to allow me to have a cookie or my beloved classic crust sausage pizza slice once in awhile without stomach pains later. However, I have found that my face still breaks out a little and I will notice a dip in energy a couple days later.

I’m ok with that trade off for now because it means feeling good and not deprived ever.

Should Everyone Go Dairy Free?

I’m not of the mindset that any one dietary shift is good for everyone (besides vegetables). I think each of us needs to see how our body feels when we make changes, especially a change that eliminates an entire food group.

Giving up dairy wasn’t awful, BUT I believe that’s because I had a lot of information to go with it. I am a person who likes facts and science to prove that the decisions I’m making are the right one’s for me. There are alternative foods like Daiya on the market (tastes awesome), but I’m aiming to stick to whole foods and not try to replicate it with fake foods.

BONUS — Read more about why our digestion impacts our health, mood and more >>

What about calcium?

Calcium and protein are two of the biggest concerns when we opt out of a food group that so many find integral to a healthy diet. I mean it takes up a whole spot on the government’s healthy food chart!Dairy Free Calcium Options

In fact, research has actually shown that we better absorb calcium from plant based sources! Say, what?!

Not all calcium that we consume is absorbed, in fact we only absorb about 32% from milk products. So you aren’t in the hole by choosing not to have dairy, instead you need to have a good variety of plant based calcium foods in your diet.

The recommended daily allowance is 1,000 mg for men and 1,200 mg for women. Here are some ideas for upping your intake:

  • Spinach, kale, leafy greens, bok choy
  • Bone Broth
  • Fortified cereals (like Cheerios)
  • Figs, oranges
  • Beans
  • Almonds, sesame seeds, tahini
  • Chia seeds
  • Canned Salmon or Sardines (for the non-vegans)
  • Milk alternatives

Can’t we just supplement?

Do so with caution, there is a lot out there to say that calcium supplements aren’t actually beneficial to bone health and can cause a number of other problems (like that bloating we just got rid of).

Easy ways to get your calcium sans milk! #dairyfree tips for better absorption Click To Tweet

Bonus Tip

It’s not just about eating the calcium sources, you actually need to ensure you have adequate levels of Vitamin D and Magnesium to ensure your body can process the calcium. Turns out the low Vitamin D was likely one of my own issues for absorbing calcium.

Resources

Lucky for me, my friend and expert on dairy free living, Alisa was kind enough to mail her book Go Dairy Free…freaking amazing! Tons of information about how allergies manifest, how many people are effected and so much more…including of course recipes and products that are dairy, egg and gluten free!

Read Next:
Dairy Free Alternatives for Beginners >>
High Protein Dairy Free Meal Plan >>

Looking for ideas? All the recipes on RTTF are dairy free and geared towards fueling athletes.

Are you dairy free?

Do you have any food intolerances?

Other ways to connect with Amanda
Instagram: RunToTheFinish

Facebook: RunToTheFinishRunning_motivation_thumb

Get more Dairy Free Recipes on Pinterest

Sign Up to Receive a Weekly Newsletter with Top Running Tips

97shares

Posted by amanda Categories: dairy free, Guides and Tips

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ivanna says

    July 13, 2017 at 7:28 am

    Thank you SO much for this. I mean this came right on time. I just learned that I have to go COMPLETELY dairy free and this post is so refreshing to read and makes me hopeful. Great information here. Thanks Amanda

    • amanda says

      July 13, 2017 at 9:56 am

      Yes it can feel completely overwhelming at first!! Let me know if there is anything at all I can help with!! You’re so great with following plans, i have no worries it will feel easy to you soon

  2. Tracie says

    July 13, 2017 at 8:31 am

    Such good tips! I think, for a lot of people (myself included), it takes a really long time to realize and accept that they’re lactose intolerant. And we probably don’t want to admit we’d feel much, much better if we gave up the cheese. :) But going dairy-free seriously helps with skin conditions, bloating, and even allergies. Definitely worth it!

    • amanda says

      July 13, 2017 at 9:58 am

      Truly if that dr hadn’t recommended it and I hadn’t felt so bad, I would have blown it off. But once I tried it there was no denying I felt better.

  3. Katie says

    July 13, 2017 at 10:48 am

    I definitely pay attention to vegan options anytime I eat out because I’m mostly vegetarian but also dairy free. I’ve had to be dairy free since I was a kid and truthfully, as I got older, the less and less I could tolerate it in any amount. Now, I basically have to avoid it like the plague because it can lead to such brutal side effects. I also appear to have an intolerance to gluten and soy, but thankfully those aren’t nearly as severe. I don’t necessarily think that everyone needs to avoid it 100% but I do think people need to pay better attention to how it effects them and know that there are other ways to enjoy pizza, ice cream, or mac and cheese that don’t have to entirely rip apart your digestive system.

  4. Laura @ This Runner's Recipes says

    July 13, 2017 at 1:57 pm

    Great information! I’m not lactose intolerant, but I definitely am sensitive to it and try to avoid it for hormonal reasons. It made a world of difference for my stomach when I cut out milk and ice cream. I’ll eat fermented dairy like yogurt and certain types of cheese that are low in lactose (like sheep and goat), but cheese is a treat. It is so true that other foods can provide calcium and by incorporating those into my diet, I probably have healthier bones than when I was younger and relied just on milk.

  5. Irina says

    July 13, 2017 at 4:45 pm

    I love this post! Thanks for sharing all this info:)

    irinathayer.com

  6. Mary says

    August 23, 2017 at 11:32 am

    I had similar results when I gave up high glycemic index carbs. More energy, less sleep needed, and fewer stomach aches for sure. I do still get the occasional breakouts though. Maybe eliminating dairy and eggs as well will turn me into some sort of super human!

Primary Sidebar

Filter by Category
  • Select a Category
  • 10 miler
  • 10K
  • 13.1 marathon series
  • 15K
  • 30 Day Challenge
  • 5k
  • About ME
  • Abs
  • Active Travel
  • alaska
  • Amanda Brooks
  • Arizona
  • Asics
  • Austin
  • Baltimore
  • barefoot running
  • beauty
  • Biking
  • birthday
  • bloggers
  • blogging tips
  • body fat
  • body image
  • body weight exercises
  • book reviews
  • Boston Marathon
  • breakfast
  • California
  • Camping
  • Canada
  • Caribbean
  • chicago
  • ChiRunning
  • Clean Eating
  • cold weather training
  • colorado
  • compression
  • Costa Rica
  • Crockpot
  • cross training
  • CrossFit
  • dairy free
  • dessert
  • egg free
  • electrolytes
  • emotional health
  • Europe
  • family
  • Fit Together
  • fitness gear
  • Fitness Tracker
  • fitness vacation
  • florida
  • foam roller
  • food sensitivity
  • Fort Lauderdale
  • France
  • Funny Running
  • Gift Guide
  • Gluten Free
  • GPS Watch
  • Green Smoothie
  • Guides and Tips
  • habits
  • Half Marathon
  • Hawaii
  • HBBC
  • health coach
  • healthy eating
  • Healthy Home
  • Healthy lifestyle
  • Heart Rate Training
  • HIIT workout
  • hiking
  • hiking
  • Hip Strength
  • Hoka One One
  • Holistic Health
  • Hormones
  • hydration
  • Iceland
  • injury
  • inspiration
  • instagram
  • Ireland
  • IT Band
  • IT Band Recovery
  • Jerusalem
  • key west
  • knee injury
  • Kona
  • Love
  • low heart rate training
  • Maffetone
  • main dish
  • Marathon
  • marathon training
  • marriage
  • meal planning
  • Meditation
  • Memphis
  • mental marathon training
  • Mexico
  • Miami
  • Motivation
  • New York City
  • New York City Marathon
  • New York City Marathon Training
  • NYC marathon
  • Oregon
  • Orlando
  • Palm Beach
  • Philadelphia Marathon
  • physical therapy
  • podcasts
  • Prague
  • Product Review
  • Race
  • race costume
  • race medal
  • race photo
  • race report
  • Ragnar
  • Recipe
  • recovery
  • recovery meal
  • relaxation
  • relay race
  • resolution run
  • review
  • Rock N Roll
  • run club
  • Runner's World
  • running accessories
  • running books
  • running coach
  • running form
  • running fuel
  • running gear
  • Running Group
  • running motivation
  • running music
  • Running Shoes
  • safety
  • salads
  • san diego
  • Saucony
  • Seattle
  • skin care
  • Soup
  • South Beach
  • South Carolina
  • South Florida
  • speed work
  • sports nutrition
  • Stand Up Paddle Boarding
  • Steamboat Springs
  • Strength Training
  • stretching
  • sugar reduction
  • Thanksgiving
  • trail running
  • Training Group
  • training plan
  • travel
  • travel running
  • treadmill
  • treadmill workout
  • triathlon
  • ultrarunning
  • vegan
  • Vegas
  • vegatarian
  • vegetable
  • virtual run
  • wedding
  • weight loss
  • winter
  • women's running
  • workout
  • workout motivation
  • workout schedule
  • Yoga

5 Secrets to Improve Your RUn

Start Making Quick Progress on Your Goals (I swear it's easy) no matter your current fitness level. The tips I share with the runners I coach.

Recent Posts

  • Running Workouts to Improve Speed and Stamina
  • What to Eat Before a Run | Best Pre Workout Snacks
  • Budget Friendly Workout Gear |That Fits and Works
  • Running Twice a Day | Pros and Cons
  • 30 Day Core Challenge | Abs, Glutes and Hips

Must Have Gear

Comparing GPS Watches

Best HR Monitor for Running

Best Foam Rollers

Best Running Books

Running Jackets for Every Condition

fitness partners

Please note that affiliate links {such as Amazon} may pop up on RTTF from time to time. They do not cost you anything to use, but are a huge help to support the ongoing content creation process. Click here to do your shopping!

Welcome!!

Hello runners! I’m Amanda Brooks, a certified personal trainer and running coach. I’ve been coaching over a decade and distance running since 2002. My philosophy is that running isn’t about your pace or the distance or your body. It’s about showing up for yourself, loving the process and doing it injury free!

 

online running coach

Footer

Get the Free 5 Day Better Runner Challenge

Start Making Quick Progress on Your Goals (I swear it's easy)

About Amanda Brooks

Amanda Brooks is a Certified Running Coach, Certified Personal Trainer and long time distance runner with a passion for every facet of running, which leads her to do more reading, research and running than necessary. Find all the tips, tricks and tools you need from this running coach for your best injury free running. Read More…

Popular Posts on RunToTheFinish

  • Piriformis Syndrome Exercises: Alleviating a Pain in the Butt
  • 17 Funniest Running Memes – Which One’s Do You Relate To?
  • Why Your Workout is Causing Weight Gain
  • Best Virtual Races and 11 Reasons You Need to Do One
  • T25, P90X3, PiYo – Can it Improve Your Running? Complete Comparison

runtothefinish

Amanda Brooks : Run Coach
SHARE THE ONE that resonates most with you. 🏃‍♀️🏃🏾🏃🏽‍♂️
 
It’s true, I’ll never stop talking about the warm up 😂. But right now the idea that running is HOPEFUL really strikes a chord.💜
 
We show up mile after mile always looking to what’s ahead and what’s possible.
 
Which one hits home for you?
.
.
.
#runningmotivation #runninginspiration #medalmonday #fitnessmemes #runningmemes #runningquotes #runnerslife #runnerlife
AVOID HITTING THE WALL (save this and review befor AVOID HITTING THE WALL (save this and review before races) -AKA  Bonking. UK friends giggle at that, but it’s a term just like fartlek.
.
It’s that painful moment when your mind tells your legs to stop and it feels like there’s nothing you can do to turn the tides. It leaves emotional scars!🥵
 
WHAT TO DO!
1️⃣Train differently - seems obvious, but consistent training that follows a plan which progressively and smartly builds your miles and strength and speed...ya it works.
 
2️⃣Fuel, fuel, fuel - force yourself to eat before races and long runs even if not hungry.
.
Starting fueling sooner than you think you need to and keep doing it. During races your body is running on more carbs and needs that steady flow of energy. 
.
🧠 Your brain functions on CARBS, stop depriving it or it will tell you to stop running. If food while running is an issue for you, checkout something like @genucan.
 
3️⃣Pacing - Stop going out too fast because you’re excited, it absolutely catches up to you. Ideal is even pacing start to finish.
 
4️⃣Pay attention to your brain. @fitzgerald.matt in How Bad Do You Want it does a great job of showing how the brain can limit performance if you don’t know what’s happening up there.
 
5️⃣Recover better - Stop over training and give your body tools to help it destress from all the work...the best one is SLEEP. I also love @resiliencecbd to help with nerves prior to a race and quality sleep during training.
 
❓❓Helpful?? Have more race day questions?? Or an epic story of hitting the wall?? I wanna know.❓❓
.
.
.
Thanks to @moxie82co for capturing this weird moment, it worked great for this post.
HIT THOSE HIPS!!! I’ve given you a couple hip mo HIT THOSE HIPS!!! I’ve given you a couple hip mobility workouts, now we add strength!
//
🥳For the next 30 days in the Virtual Run Club we’ll be going hard on all the pre-hab work for hips, glutes and abs. Because running isn’t just about the miles.
//
That’s one of the reasons I’ve been consistently doing @insidetracker bloodwork since 2015.
.
It’s helped me identify low Vitamin D causing fatigue or catch my wayyy high cortisol to embrace easy runs as key part of the process.
📌 (Save this post because the last screen has a 25% off discount code and you can get free access to the 30 Day March Challenge.)
👉LINK IN BIO FOR BOTH
✅✅✅✅
3 CORE MOVES
|||
You can use these as a progression or do all three, they’ll target the hips, glutes and core in different ways with each variation.
 
Aim for 15 reps prior to a run or do multiple rounds as part of a workout!
 
1️⃣Side Plank Kneeling Hip Raise - Really focus on your core engaging to raise up and keeping your elbow under your shoulder.
 
2️⃣Side Plank Kneeling Leg Raise - Again core should be tight to keep hips lifted, not sagging towards the ground. Then focus on your hip and glute to raise the top leg.
 
3️⃣Straight Leg Side Plank Leg Raise - Engage the core to keep hips high and press the bottom foot in to the ground to really engage your glutes. Slow and steady to remain stable while raising and lowering top leg.
❓❓❓❓
Talk to me!!!
Who’s in for 10 min a day in March?
Who’s gotten blood work to improve their health?
Who’s excited it’s almost spring?
👉👉Me to all 3! And more info in stories!
 
 
 
#runtothefinish #insidetrackerpartner
RUN DAYS ARE THE BEST DAYS😊 I had training tips RUN DAYS ARE THE BEST DAYS😊 I had training tips planned to share today, but really just wanted to say I hope you get in some miles today and they make you smile.
 
Let go of the pace.
Let go of the distance.
Let go of HR for a day.
Just run.
We GET to.
 
Where in the world are you running today?
.
I’ll be embracing one warm day before snow here in Boulder, CO.
EMOJI POLL: Round or no? ⏰ give me whole numbers EMOJI POLL: Round or no?
⏰ give me whole numbers
👍wherever I stop, it stops
🙃I don’t use no stinking watch
||
THAT’S A LIE 😂. I can’t do it. I need the round number and when I get that close to a whole number...I need it!
Follow on Instagram
Website written, managed and maintained by Amanda Brooks, a certified running coach and personal trainer. Any advice should be taken as general information and not a personalized plan. All opinions, tips and reviews are based upon her personal life experience and the experiences of those she has coached. View our full privacy and review policy.

Copyright © 2021 RunToTheFinish

Copyright © 2021 · RunToTheFinish V2 on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in