On this week's Biggest Loser, Jillian conducts one of her usual blatant advertisements, this time for fat-free milk.

While Jillian is describing all the reasons someone who is working out should drink milk she says the calcium and protein are the building blocks to a leaner body.

I've always thought that drinking milk would work against my weight loss efforts, as I've always been told that dairy can add unecessary calories and carbs to my diet.

So, I did a little investigating, and here is what I found:

According to this article from e How, the dairy industry has published reports that say that individuals who consume milk generally weigh less and have an easier time losing weight (granted these are reports FROM the dairy industry).

Other studies show that milk can cause weight gain and show no correlation between weight loss and consumption of dairy products.

On the Lose Weight Diet blog, the author disputes the theory that milk has anything to do with weight loss, and says that any food, consumed within a reduced calorie diet, could be considered to be a part of a successful weight loss effort.

So does milk help you lose weight or not? The answer doesn't seem so clear. But what is known is that milk does provide some valuable nutrients that don't hurt the body. So if it's a choice between a glass of milk and a bar of chocolate, I'd say the milk would be more likely to help you lose weight ;)

http://www.theloseweightdiet.com/blog/40/milk-the-weight-loss-miracle-drink/

http://www.ehow.com/about_5211776_can-milk-weight-loss_.html