Trying to lose weight and lower cholesterol
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carolhempsteadslute
Posts: 2
I was told back in November that I need to lose weight and lower my cholesterol. Since then I have lost 13 pounds and 2 inches in my waist through diet and exercise. My problem now is I seem to be stuck and cannot lose weight no matter what I do. I have increased my cardio and strength training. I have cut sugar out of my coffee. I track my food diary on MFP and it seems no matter what I eat and how much I seem to still be eating too few calories. I have tried to add more protein to my diet but I admit to being a bit of a picky eater and am having difficulty finding good sources of protein without hindering my efforts to lower my cholesterol. Any one have any suggestions for me? I am 42 years old, currently weigh 147 pounds and am 5ft 2 tall. My ultimate weight loss goal is to be between120-125 pounds. There is no real time limit for my ultimate goal but I would really like to lose 15 pounds by the first of June when I go back to my doctor to have my cholesterol checked. Thank you.
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Replies
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Hi, I have slightly high cholesterol which as you know it tied to your weight. When I hit a plateau it's time for me to change my routine. I do this by either introducing another method of exercise or swap a type of exercise. We have two dogs and love walking them on long walks but if that isn't enough I'll start swimming every week or play tennis in the summer months to give my body that push. I find natural food that lower cholesterol work just as well as the fancy (and in most cases expensive) drinks and butters etc you get in the shops. I eat lots of spinach, garlic, oats (porridge breakfast), salmon, beans and occasionally snack on certain nuts as a treat. If you use oil to cook use a little olive oil instead of sunflower or vegetable. I like spinach in green smoothies as well as cooked in bolognaise, stirf-fry and stews. Olive oil on lovely salads is also nice too and helps to vary the diet. Maybe reduce your intake of red meat to 2 times a week and eat fish and chicken for the rest of your meals. Unfortunately healthy eating for someone who's picky means being creative but it's fun to experiment with food and helps to keep your metabolism working effectively :happy: 0
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How many calories are you currently consuming a day?
What is your BMR? Your TDEE? Eat between these too numbers and you will lose weight!
Try cottage cheese, Greek yoghurt, Eggs, Chicken, Fish, Seeds, Nuts, Protein shakes/bars/ Turkey slices
Why don't you mix up your exercise routine, maybe your body has got used to the same old workout?
Up your water consumption?
Eat more yummy fruits & veg??
Just options.......Hope this helps!0 -
5"4, 152 lbs, a high cholesterol level and iron deficient here.
When I saw the nurse for my last test (last month) only to find that my levels had increased again I was told that whilst I was not an ideal weight, I was not considered a weight risk and given my levels of activity there was nothing i could do over and above what I was. At the end of the day my problem is hereditary and whilst I do all I can to hold back the levels, there is not really all that much I can do.
I was also refused for giving blood because my iron levels had dropped below the acceptable level, but was advised that this could be because I am a "heavy tea drinker" and apparently tea prevents the iron from your food being taken in by your body.. even healthy caffine free tea!
Since then I have cut out drinking tea when I eat, so my first cup is at 10am and my second is about 4.00pm. I drink coffee at 8.30 with breakfast and about 1.30 with lunch. The rest is all water. I have also started to measure out everything I eat rather then guessing "about 100g" and pretty much cut potato out of my meals, why I have done this I couldnt say as I'm not really sure myself.
Last year, as a whole, I lost 6lbs. Not a problem as im only worried about being healthy.... This year already I have lost 8 lbs and 6/7 of those have been in the last 3 weeks...
Different things work for different people, but this seems to have worked for me on the weight front. As for cholesterol, your body produces cholesterol and its that that does the damage, not so much the cholesterol we injest. Watch your food, but if you dont take any in, the body will produce higher levels to compensate.0 -
... there was nothing i could do over and above what I was. At the end of the day my problem is hereditary and whilst I do all I can to hold back the levels, there is not really all that much I can do.....As for cholesterol, your body produces cholesterol and its that that does the damage, not so much the cholesterol we injest. Watch your food, but if you dont take any in, the body will produce higher levels to compensate.
Nope! What you eat most certainly DOES have the ability to jack up your cholesterol (and not only eating saturated fats. Eating processed carbohydrates, notably refined flour, can do this as well. This "it is just my genes" attitude is a cop-out for 99% of the people out there. It is defeatist attitude and only for the people who would rather go on statins than try to control their diet.0 -
I'm 45, 5'5" tall, am 11 stone and have extremely high cholesterol - 9.7 was the reading before I had to take statins.
I had been tested 2 yrs ago and had a reading of 7.2. At this point my doctor gave me a diet with foods to avoid etc. Stuck to it well - admit a few failures, but I figure 90% good, 10% bad. Still my cholesterol readings only got higher.
So my doctor said it was genetic, my diet was not helping and therefore the only option was statins. I'd prefer to take statins than risk a stroke or heart attack.
I drink a lot of tea but have a very high iron count. Was tested for Haemochromatosis as my mother is a carrier, but no. I'm clear - just carry a lot of iron. So need to watch that as high iron can cause issues in soft organs such as heart, liver and kidneys.
Because I'm on statins for my cholesterol does not mean I have decided to forgo my diet. I'm still on the "diet". But to me its just what I eat - not a "diet" persay.. I love veggies, love fruit, can take or leave carbs, but do include them in my diet as I feel I need them. Eat plenty of protein. Rarely eat processed or fast food.
So, while diet does have a huge effect on your body, not everything is caused or fixed by your diet. Sometimes genetics do win.. But genetics are no excuse for eating badly, being excessively overweight, not keeping fit, not taking part in life.. So don't write off people who do take medicine to correct issues as diet and exercise don't always fix everything!! 0 -
There is nothing wrong with eating good saturated fats, such as coconut oil, omega-3's, eggs etc.
Unless you have a serious medical condition, ignore the cholesterol scaremongering.0 -
I had this exact same problem. Doctors prescribed me to take Lipitor for the rest of my life at the age of 36 because my high cholesterol was hereditary. So for 5 years I took that crap! After monitoring what I eat on here, and I mean documenting EVERYTHING, and changing my preferences to watch my cholesterol intake I quickly realized that I was eating over 1000 grams of cholesterol daily. Lipitor was only masking the real problem...... my diet. After changing my diet to consume less than 300 grams of cholesterol a day, I was removed off of Lipitor after 4 months and ALL of my blood levels went to optimal.
My advice to you is this; 1. Control your diet first, 2. Eat at a calorie deficit, 3. Continue strength training, 4. Focus on lower carbs and higher protein, 5. Take before and after pictures for motivation, and most importantly 6. Never give up!
The weight loss will come and you will be sculpting your body at the same time. You can add me if you like to get ideas of what foods to eat to maintain a low cholesterol diet. You can do this, but YOU have to do this, we can advise, but YOU must put in the work to get the results. I'm now completely drug free. Doctors took me off of 7 medications at the age of 41. ~ Loving Life!!1 -
This "it is just my genes" attitude is a cop-out for 99% of the people out there. It is defeatist attitude and only for the people who would rather go on statins than try to control their diet.
This maybe a cop-out in your eyes mactaffy, but in my case a cop out provided by a medical practitioner. I sure as hell dont want to rely on drugs for control and given my diet and fitness regime there actually is nothing else I can do, but I havent given up trying.
Like I said before, watch your food but its not the be all and end all. It does not matter if you are talking cholesterol, weight loss, depression, iron level, whatever, its about shifting your attitude and lifestyle to suit you and your needs. Portion control, exercise (weight and cardio), rest, relaxation as well as what you eat is what will make the difference.
The problem is we look to others for answers and "others" dont know us as well as we know ourselves. "others" and can only provide their story for guidence and guidence alone.
Two different experiances in this thread alone, Big Snicka, put on tablets but had not stopped and looked at the diet and lifestyle choices first. Took a step back, considered their lifestyle choices and is now tablet free (GREAT JOB by the way) I have changed my lifestyle first and am still increasing in my count, so I have changed from gym work to include running for longer and taken up Ceroc dancing (low impact great cardio), I'm trying new things to assess the results.0 -
... there was nothing i could do over and above what I was. At the end of the day my problem is hereditary and whilst I do all I can to hold back the levels, there is not really all that much I can do.....As for cholesterol, your body produces cholesterol and its that that does the damage, not so much the cholesterol we injest. Watch your food, but if you dont take any in, the body will produce higher levels to compensate.
Nope! What you eat most certainly DOES have the ability to jack up your cholesterol (and not only eating saturated fats. Eating processed carbohydrates, notably refined flour, can do this as well. This "it is just my genes" attitude is a cop-out for 99% of the people out there. It is defeatist attitude and only for the people who would rather go on statins than try to control their diet.
really, a cop out?
http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/When-high-cholesterol-is-a-family-affair.shtml
I'd like you to show me your evidence that it's a cop out and that if I just stop eating processed carbs it'll all get better.0 -
Refined carbs and sugar lowers cholesterol levels. Check Harvard if you like.... there was nothing i could do over and above what I was. At the end of the day my problem is hereditary and whilst I do all I can to hold back the levels, there is not really all that much I can do.....As for cholesterol, your body produces cholesterol and its that that does the damage, not so much the cholesterol we injest. Watch your food, but if you dont take any in, the body will produce higher levels to compensate.
Nope! What you eat most certainly DOES have the ability to jack up your cholesterol (and not only eating saturated fats. Eating processed carbohydrates, notably refined flour, can do this as well. This "it is just my genes" attitude is a cop-out for 99% of the people out there. It is defeatist attitude and only for the people who would rather go on statins than try to control their diet.
really, a cop out?
http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/When-high-cholesterol-is-a-family-affair.shtml
I'd like you to show me your evidence that it's a cop out and that if I just stop eating processed carbs it'll all get better.0 -
Obviously there's some debate on cholesterol levels and how diet effects them. OP, I suggest talking to your doctor about this and not expecting real info from a bunch of strangers on the internet (unless they post actual credible info sources). And/or seek out a nutritionist for specilized advice.
I personally have a mix of genetics and not 100% great eating going on so some years my levels are pretty great and some years they're borderline. I've also heard that as you lose weight, improve diet, etc, the testing can be tricky as your body adapts to the changes.
The part in your post that stood out to me is wanting to lose 15 pounds in two months time. Not really healthy or likely possible to be honest. Set a realistic goal of 1 pound per week and go with that.
As far as advice with upping calories... Avoid "diet" foods and eat the original versions instead. Eat more nuts, seeds, trail mix, whole eggs, meats, etc. It's hard to give specific advice since you're picky. Maybe google calorie dense foods and see what appeals to you from the lists that come up?
Good luck with your doctor's appointment!0 -
Getting the diagnosis of elevated cholesterol was what got me started on this lifestyle journey. I did all the right things to get off my lipitor. Lost the weight & was weaned off my statin. Watching my intake is so ingrained now but, after several months off lipitor the levels went back up despite my watchdog mentality. Had to restart the lipitor. Genetics play a real role but, I still have to continue my adherence to make good food choices & exercising to maintain my overall good health & a good dose of vanity to boot. Stay committed to you. I have had plateaus but, switching up food choices & your exercises routine helps. Never give up. Still at this going on more than 2 yrs.0
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My whole family is obese. It's genetics! ... I lost 100 lbs anyway.
My whole family has high cholesterol. It's genetics! ... But somehow I got my LDLs below 100 anyway.
My whole family has type 2 diabetes. It's genetics! ... But my blood sugar numbers are normal now anyway.
I want to applaud you for taking your doctor's advice and working towards health. I like what you said about not having a time frame. Just keep that in mind, ok? That it's a goal with a moving target. And you don't have to accept what the people around you accept as "normal" or "how it is in our family."
15 lbs. is a lot by June. Shoot for half a pound per week. And make sure to eat lots of the unsaturated fats and a few servings per day of whole grains and complex carbs. Watch the beer and sugary drinks. And your numbers will improve. They really will.0 -
Op -total cholesterol isn't the biggest issue when it comes to figuring out if it may present a problem. You want to look at LDL and HDL cholesterol separately. E.g. Recommendations are that overall cholesterol does not exceed 5.2mmol/L but the recommendations for each type of cholesterol make this a deceiving way to determine cholesterol health. LDL should be between 2.6 and 3.3mmol/L and HDL above 1.6mmol/L - the higher the better. Now I'm a good example of why total cholesterol is not a good indicator of good cholesterol health. My total cholesterol is 5.9mmol/L, but my LDL is 2.7mmol/L (in ideal range) and my HDL is 2.2mmol/L (above ideal). But you add them together and you get a high cholesterol score when my HDL (good cholesterol) is excellent. LDL particle number is another factor but doctors rarely give you these numbers unless you ask for them. The thing that increases particle number is too many triglycerides in the blood which causes your body to have to create more LDL particles to carry them. Elevated triglycerides are caused by diets high in refined carbohydrates - many studies have shown this. Saturated fat does NOT increase bad cholesterol and in fact has shown to improve cholesterol levels. I have been eating a diet high in saturated fat for years and yet I have perfect cholesterol levels and perfect triglyceride levels.
Also, despite what many people think, not all animal products are made up of mostly saturated fat. Skin from chicken and duck (where most of the fat is) is actually mostly monounsaturated fat. But saturated fat isn't the enemy and never was. There are studies coming out regularly showing the common belief that sat fat causes high cholesterol and heart disease is not true.
Cutting out sugar is a really good step. Lowering refined carbohydrate overall will not only make weight loss easier for many people, but will also help to improve cholesterol and reduce cravings. I saw some good suggestions of protein sources above, but you want to make sure you get levels that aren't too high and aren't too low. Protein also has a higher thermogenic effect than carbs and fats so it will help increase your energy output slightly by increasing consumption. There's also the benefit of lowered hunger and preservation of lean body mass. If you're a picky eater it's hard to give suggestions without knowing what sort of things you like to eat, but you want to be getting good amounts of oily fish for omega 3s, avocadoes, plenty of non-starchy veg, low sugar fruits, small amounts of nuts, high quality meats, healthy fats (avoid highly processed vegetable oils and trans fats).
You've done really well so far but it's hard to give much more advice without knowing exactly what and how much you're eating. I am studying to be a Nutritionist so if you want some more specific advice you're more than welcome to send me a PM and I'll try help you out 0 -
Nope! What you eat most certainly DOES have the ability to jack up your cholesterol (and not only eating saturated fats. Eating processed carbohydrates, notably refined flour, can do this as well. This "it is just my genes" attitude is a cop-out for 99% of the people out there. It is defeatist attitude and only for the people who would rather go on statins than try to control their diet.
Interesting opinion. I eat a very healthy diet, exercise 6 days a week, have lost lots of weight and I still have high cholesterol. My husband on the other hand eats everything I don't: fried foods, ice cream, cookies, candy and all manner of junk and he could be the poster boy for perfect cholesterol levels. Something other than diet is at play here.
While I do not doubt that what you eat plays a role, I think the effect of food on cholesterol levels is overstated. If your opinion was correct, my cholesterol would be low and his would be high. Individual body chemistry and/or genetics clearly play a BIG role.0 -
Nope! What you eat most certainly DOES have the ability to jack up your cholesterol (and not only eating saturated fats. Eating processed carbohydrates, notably refined flour, can do this as well. This "it is just my genes" attitude is a cop-out for 99% of the people out there. It is defeatist attitude and only for the people who would rather go on statins than try to control their diet.
Interesting opinion. I eat a very healthy diet, exercise 6 days a week, have lost lots of weight and I still have high cholesterol. My husband on the other hand eats everything I don't: fried foods, ice cream, cookies, candy and all manner of junk and he could be the poster boy for perfect cholesterol levels. Something other than diet is at play here.
While I do not doubt that what you eat plays a role, I think the effect of food on cholesterol levels is overstated. If your opinion was correct, my cholesterol would be low and his would be high. Individual body chemistry and/or genetics clearly play a BIG role.
You may have some good points there. I'm sure there are many factors and high cholesterol doesn't always lead to heart disease either, it's just a risk factor. Plus it's possible that your "good" cholesterol is high, thereby raising your total cholesterol whilst your husband's "good" cholesterol could be very low, decreasing his total cholesterol.0 -
Nope! What you eat most certainly DOES have the ability to jack up your cholesterol (and not only eating saturated fats. Eating processed carbohydrates, notably refined flour, can do this as well. This "it is just my genes" attitude is a cop-out for 99% of the people out there. It is defeatist attitude and only for the people who would rather go on statins than try to control their diet.
Interesting opinion. I eat a very healthy diet, exercise 6 days a week, have lost lots of weight and I still have high cholesterol. My husband on the other hand eats everything I don't: fried foods, ice cream, cookies, candy and all manner of junk and he could be the poster boy for perfect cholesterol levels. Something other than diet is at play here.
While I do not doubt that what you eat plays a role, I think the effect of food on cholesterol levels is overstated. If your opinion was correct, my cholesterol would be low and his would be high. Individual body chemistry and/or genetics clearly play a BIG role.
You may have some good points there. I'm sure there are many factors and high cholesterol doesn't always lead to heart disease either, it's just a risk factor. Plus it's possible that your "good" cholesterol is high, thereby raising your total cholesterol whilst your husband's "good" cholesterol could be very low, decreasing his total cholesterol.
No such luck. My "good" cholesterol is low and his "good" cholesterol is high. My mother (who has always been thin and active) has the same high cholesterol issues I do. Coincidence? I think not.0 -
To the original poster: I was on statin drugs (zocor) for about 5 years. I started to have side effects (bad skin rash) that would not go away. My Dr took me off the statins and I attempted to lower my cholesterol strictly by diet and exercise.
Here's what worked for me
Diet: Fish Oil, very little red meat, lots of fish, turkey, chicken, lots of fiber, oatmeal everyday, flaxseed, nuts, lots of beans, lots of peas, high fiber breads, lots of veggies, egg whites, avocados, + I Iost about 15 lbs
Exercise: For me I did a lot of walking and jogging, 5 days a week about 60 minutes each time
I was able to lower my cholesterol even more than when I was on the medication
I believe everyone is different but this worked for me. My current levels are 130 Total, 87 LDL, 30 HDL, 77 Tris0 -
My husband and all his family have high cholesterol despite being thin and fit. He was offered statins at the age of 35 but experimented with his diet and managed to lower his ldl to recommended limits by changing what he eats.
What worked for him was eating half a grapefruit a day (check for medication interactions) oats for breakfast, certain nuts, apples, lots of veg and cutting out butter and cheese and cakes, sweets, sugar in tea etc. 6 months later he retested and all good. We were already eating lots of things like beans and tend to only have meat a couple of times a week (because we can't afford it not particularly by choice). Just saying what gave him results not what is right or not for everyone! But it isn't always linked to being overweight and can be worth looking at what you eat to see if you can make some small changes that might help.0 -
cutting back on carbs lowered mine. My last blood work my cholesterol was down 20 points and my triglycerides 89 points. I'm eating 60% fat and the only fat I avoid is trans fats.
I do think there is some genetics involved in those who have really high numbers, but diet and exercise can certainly help bring it down.0
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