See ya later, Dairy

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a great holiday weekend. I spent my Easter playing in the park with my puppy, Henry. Check us out.

Before I let my adorable pup steal the show, I'll get down to business. About one month ago I made a huge decision. Maybe bigger than saying yes to my fiance's proposal, bigger than saying yes to the dress, bigger than choosing the wedding song... I decided to cut out all dairy.

I LOVE cheese. My best gals know I will ditch all plans for a good brie platter. So, this was pretty big for me. But, six months from my wedding day I knew this was the perfect time to make some diet cuts. For me, dairy was my downfall. After a good pizza binge, I'd wake up feeling bloated, greasy, and acne ridden. Have I cut out dairy completely? No, I would say 90%. I still eat the occasional feta in my salad and greek yogurt. Giving up pizza in it's entirety would be criminal, but I have cut all cheese, creamers, and ice cream.

What major swaps did I make?

• Coffee Creamer to Hemp Milk- any soy product will do
• Spreadable cheese to Earth Balance Butter (beware- this is addicting)
• Skim Milk to Almond Milk -- I prefer almond or coconut to soy
• Amy's cheeseless pizza- I was weary too, but it's delicious!

What benefits have I seen?

• Acne free skin! Yes I have the occasional break out, but can say after one month of a dairy free diet the results are truly remarkable
• Room for more nutrients - instead of grabbing a string cheese for a snack, I go for a piece of fruit or nuts
• Bye bye bloat- cutting out milk products has done wonders for belly bloat. I am not lactose intolerant and still see the difference.
• Shredding body fat - excess fat that once seemed impossible to lose, is now starting to look slimmer and slimmer.

Am I suggesting that all of my readers give up dairy? No, but I am absolutely suggesting you limit your intake and recognize some of the benefits.