Cholesterol

Rmiss

Hi, I'm 4'11 125lbs. I know that doesn't seem like a bad size however my figure has gone from tone and fit, to a blob in the front with live handles to match from the back I've just ed turned 45 and have never had any issues with blood work, to my surprise my cholesterol is a little elevated, looking for a simple way to get healthy and a simpl exercise plan. Any suggestions? ?

lynn_glenmont

1) Let MFP calculate your daily calorie goal to lose 1/2 pound a week.

2) Track and log everything you eat and drink, using a food scale whenever possible, and being careful to use database entries that you've checked against package labels or the USDA database (https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods) or that at least have plenty of user confirmations.

3) Get some exercise -- preferably something you enjoy or at least don't hate, at least 30 minutes a day (or build up to 30 minutes a day if you can't do it at first). The number of days a week depends on how hard you are pushing yourself -- if you are challenging yourself, you should build in at least one rest day a week, especially if you're new to exercise and still learning your limits. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Walking is fine, or jogging, swimming, or cycling, but there are all kinds of activities and classes out there if none of those appeal to you, from skating to rock climbing, kick boxing, boot-camp classes, and an almost infinite variety of dance classes. Add in some strength training. You can go to a gym or use a home gym or look up body-weight exercise videos and books. Make sure you give your muscles a recovery day after each strength-training workout--that means if you're doing full-body workouts, as opposed to leg days and upper body days, you should only be lifting 3 or 4 days a week.

4) Log your exercise. Eat back at least some of the calories MFP gives you, because the initial calorie goal it gave you assumes you aren't exercising. Most people believe MFP's estimate of exercise calories are overblown, so try limiting yourself to eating 50% of the calories back.

5) Get enough sleep.

5) After four to eight weeks, reassess. Are you losing weight? Are you losing too fast? Adjust daily calorie goal accordingly. It may go very fast at first because you're shedding water weight as you deplete glycogen stores, or alternatively, it may go slowly at first because you've really kicked up your exercise and your body is retaining water for muscle repair. Or if you're having your monthly cycle, water retention levels due to hormonal cycles can mask or exaggerate weight loss. Stress, both emotional and physical, can also affect water retention, So you need at least four weeks of data (scale weight plus, ideally, tape measure and pictures, how your clothes fit, how you feel) to try to see through the "noise" of water retention and normal weight fluctuations (e.g., the food and liquids you consume will show up on the scale until they pass through your system and leave your body).


In addition to weight loss and exercise, getting adequate fiber, especially soluble fiber (oatmeal, barley, apples with skins, almonds, flaxseeds, legumes, okra, eggplant, brussels sprouts, prunes, etc.), can help improve your cholesterol numbers.