A growing body of evidence indicates consuming calcium-rich dairy foods three to four times a day equates to the burning of about 100 more calories of body fat per day––or about 10 pounds of fat per year. Certainly, you can get calcium from nondairy sources (broccoli, calcium-enriched orange juice, supplements), but calcium from (preferably lowfat) dairy foods is most effective.
Given that calcium-rich diets are helpful for not only weight management but also for regulating blood pressure and keeping bones strong, you’ll do your health a favor by boosting your calcium intake. The trick to consuming more calcium-rich dairy is to be sure the calories are within your daily calorie budget and not excessive. That is, you cannot start to guzzle gallons of milk and expect to lose body fat! For help with learning how to balance more milk and yogurt into your daily diet,
consult with a local sports dietitian: go to www.eatright.org and put your zip code into the referral network.
Source: From ACSM Fit Society® Page, Summer 2004
