Happy Halloween! Today I'd like to discuss something that used to really scare me -- my cholesterol levels.
When I first got married almost 16 ago, my overall cholesterol level was 170. I was slim. I was fit. I would soon find out that I was going to be a mom. And once I started having kids, my cholesterol went bonkers.
I remember one result from the hey-day of having kids (nursing a baby too). My overall cholesterol number was 243. Yikes! My HDL was good, and since I was nursing (which can raise blood cholesterol levels), I was told not to worry about it. But I did anyway.
Back then I was practicing low-fat dogma. And I couldn't imagine where I would possibly cut more dietary cholesterol or reduce more fat.
Even after I no longer had a babe in arms, my cholesterol levels stayed elevated. Here are the numbers that I have recorded:
10/2/06 Total cholesterol: 227 / HDL: 62 / ratio: 3.7
11/2/06 Total cholesterol: 228 / HDL: 56 / ratio: 4.0
9/5/07 Total cholesterol: 255* / HDL: 66 / ratio: 3.9
*Note: I was so excited to have this cholesterol test done. I'd joined Weight Watchers and had lost 40 pounds. I was just sure that my cholesterol levels would have dropped. Wrong. They went UP by 27 points. Urgh!
2/2008 Total cholesterol: 187 / HDL: 59 / ratio: 3.2
February 2008 marked the first time that my cholesterol levels were normal since I'd had children. The catalyst? Fish oil tablet. Three a day.
Which brings me to the results of the cholesterol test I took this week.
10/29/08 Total cholesterol: 195 / HDL: 84 / ratio: 2.3
Get a load of that HDL level. An 84! I am estatic!
The funny things is, on the back of the sheet with my results they offered some ideas for lowering cholesterol thru diet. They recommended limiting . . . butter, eggs, cheese, high-fat meats, whole or 2% milk. What a crock! Those are exactly the things that I was doing when my levels were elevated. Not until I added more oil to my diet in the form of fish oil tablets did I see my cholesterol levels drop.
And I'm attributing the tremendous amount of HDL I saw in this week's test to the low-carb eating lifestyle I've been practicing since the end of August. It's not even from weight lifting or exercise, as all I've been doing lately is moderate walking. And, get this, I have 1/3 cup of half and half over frozen raspberries at least five times a week. Half and half!
I think even my husband is coming around to the misguided mindset of low-fat eating. I'm excited to see what a full year of low-carb eating will do for next year's health screening tests. Just imagine what the scale might read?!
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Daily Menu -- October 30, 2008
8:30 AM
2 eggs fried in 1 tsp. bacon fat
12 pistacios (1)
small apple (14)
12:00 PM
3 homemade baby dills (4)
1:00 PM
salad with 3 oz. turkey, 2 slices bacon, 1 oz. grated cheddar cheese & ranch dressing (7)
2 c. of homemade chicken vegetable soup (9)
3:30 PM
12 pistacios (1)
Halloween gummi candy, 1 - 2 oz. (30)
1/4 c / 38 almonds, (2)
4:00 PM
1 c. frozen raspberries (6)
1/3. c. half and half (4)
packet of Splenda
6:30 PM
5 oz. petite sirloin steak
1 Tbsp. A-1 steak sauce (3)
1 c. green beans (6)
==========
Total Net Carbs: 87
Quote of the Day:
"If you risk nothing, then you risk everything." -- Geena Davis
Showing posts with label results. Show all posts
Showing posts with label results. Show all posts
Friday, October 31, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Four Hours of Intense Yard Work
I hope I didn't overdo it this morning. As fall is approaching, I wanted to weed my front flower beds and get them ready for winter. I started at 8 AM and finished up around noon.
Remember the wheel-hoe I wrote about a few days ago? Well, I put mine to good use this morning. No wonder those Amish folks are slim -- manual labor is hard work! Sweat dripped from my face, and I got filthy! (So much for my early morning shower. I had to take an afternoon one too.)
Here is a photo of the finished product. In addition to weeding this berm in front of our house, I also raked it. And left no footprints. Zen beauty!
I can tell that I'm getting in better shape and that cutting the carbs is really helping me. Four weeks ago this morning's activity would have sent me to bed for an afternoon nap. But I did it, and I'm still up and functioning! Hooray!
Remember the wheel-hoe I wrote about a few days ago? Well, I put mine to good use this morning. No wonder those Amish folks are slim -- manual labor is hard work! Sweat dripped from my face, and I got filthy! (So much for my early morning shower. I had to take an afternoon one too.)
Here is a photo of the finished product. In addition to weeding this berm in front of our house, I also raked it. And left no footprints. Zen beauty!
I can tell that I'm getting in better shape and that cutting the carbs is really helping me. Four weeks ago this morning's activity would have sent me to bed for an afternoon nap. But I did it, and I'm still up and functioning! Hooray!
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Helpful Low-Carb Diet Tips
I'm on day four of my new low-carb lifestyle. The following tips are helping me stay on track. I've dropped 1 1/2 lbs. already. I can tell it's water weight. (I didn't have to take a dieuretic this morning. Yippee!)
1. Keep carb consumption at dinner LOW, because you won't be burning them off.
2. Write down what you eat. Not only does it help you know how many carbs you've eaten, but it can also come in handy for future menu ideas.
3. Go grocery shopping only once a week. I already try to do this, but like how it prevents me from buying impulse goodies. This tip saves money, gas, and time.
4. Plan, plan, plan! Not only do I write down the week's dinner menu, but I also stock up on easy snacks: natural PB on celery, cottage cheese with non-fat yogurt, fresh fruits and veggies -- mostly veggies. (It really helps that our garden is supplying lots of peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, carrots and onions.)
5. Practice preventative eating. I try to eat little snacks between meals so I don't get ravenous and then chow down on whatever is readily available (like cereal, bread, etc.)
6. Read labels. Instead of focusing on fat content, note the total carbohydrate content and how much of it is fiber (can be subtracted from the total to get net carbs) and sugar. Avoid products with lots of sugars.
7. Remember that only lean and active people can tolerate a lot of carbs. That's not me . . . YET! (And even when it is, I'm not going to overdo the carbs like I used to.)
8. Follow the plan 90% of the time, and treat yourself to a favorite food 10% of the time. I can still enjoy a Dove dark chocolate, but when I do, it will be earlier in the day instead of in the evening.
9. Stay motivated. This blog is a big part of my motivation. I have to practice what I preach. I try to also focus on positive results of my new lifestyle: weight loss, more energy, less water retention.
So far, so good.
1. Keep carb consumption at dinner LOW, because you won't be burning them off.
2. Write down what you eat. Not only does it help you know how many carbs you've eaten, but it can also come in handy for future menu ideas.
3. Go grocery shopping only once a week. I already try to do this, but like how it prevents me from buying impulse goodies. This tip saves money, gas, and time.
4. Plan, plan, plan! Not only do I write down the week's dinner menu, but I also stock up on easy snacks: natural PB on celery, cottage cheese with non-fat yogurt, fresh fruits and veggies -- mostly veggies. (It really helps that our garden is supplying lots of peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, carrots and onions.)
5. Practice preventative eating. I try to eat little snacks between meals so I don't get ravenous and then chow down on whatever is readily available (like cereal, bread, etc.)
6. Read labels. Instead of focusing on fat content, note the total carbohydrate content and how much of it is fiber (can be subtracted from the total to get net carbs) and sugar. Avoid products with lots of sugars.
7. Remember that only lean and active people can tolerate a lot of carbs. That's not me . . . YET! (And even when it is, I'm not going to overdo the carbs like I used to.)
8. Follow the plan 90% of the time, and treat yourself to a favorite food 10% of the time. I can still enjoy a Dove dark chocolate, but when I do, it will be earlier in the day instead of in the evening.
9. Stay motivated. This blog is a big part of my motivation. I have to practice what I preach. I try to also focus on positive results of my new lifestyle: weight loss, more energy, less water retention.
So far, so good.
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