ajostraat

Having a hereditary disposition toward high cholesterol myself, I made a few dietary tweaks. Quarter teaspoon of cinnamon each day (sprinkle over apples, oatmeal, other cereal, coffee...) Whole grains (Oatmeal for breakfast) Green Tea My overall cholesterol started at 270, in 3 months it dropped to 248, I'm now at 203 with…

Now I'm wanting a Guiness cupcake with Bailey's frosting.

Great analogy! Give it time, consistency, and patience.

Increase your activity. If you watch TV at all, walk in place or do crunches during the commercials. Do you have stairs? Start walking your stairs, do calf lifts, someone else mentioned walking from the front to the back of your house. Do *anything* to get you moving a little more than what you're used to. Also, don't…

Try to have open and full communications with your family. It sounds like there is a certain amount of guilt going along with your situation. Remind your family of your goals and what you want to achieve. If they persist... Tell them exactly how they are not helping you. Peer pressure, especially from family members who…

Thank you for clarifying my statement regarding the replacement of fat & muscle, BUT one still needs to get out the dressmaker's tape and use other tools at your disposal for NSV's. Weight is not everything for the human body. It's just one measurement.

Just because your weight isn't changing doesn't mean your body isn't changing! Pull out the dress-maker's measuring tape and take your measurements! You just may be replacing the fat with muscle. If you've just started, it's too soon to tell. As other's have said, give it time.

I was just relocated to Brisbane about a month ago. Add me if you feel like. :)

Keep an eye on your bowel movements and your sodium intake. It's probably travel-stress induced. Drink a lot more water!

Add Cinnamon and Green Tea to your diet. These lower your LDL's, raises your HDL's, as well as aid in metabolizing your sugars. I lowered by cholesterol from 273 to 203 in a period of 6 months by adding these two items, eating whole grain oatmeal for breakfast, and exercise.

Absolutely! Do this! I'm a 2nd degree black belt and with 38DD's, I HAVE to wear a good quality compression bra to do what I do and for those times when I do go for a good run.

Hi, my main toon's name is Cestryl, and I'm an Alt-oholic on Earthen Ring - Alliance. I do have a couple Horde on Hellscream and Lothor :)

Agreed! Then you can throw a heck of a party! That being said, when I got married it was in a "dry" county, so we gave everyone a heads up so they knew it was a "byob" affair after our alcohol ran out! :D

Kiss My Face - moisturizer that also works great to sooth and heal sun-burnt skin! Biore for my cleanser (combination/oily skin) and exfoliant (pore minimizing scrub).

There is a lot more to eating healthy and exercising than weight loss! How are your clothes fitting? Are you still winded when you walk stairs? hills? How is the intensity of your workout now compared to when you started? Look at the whole picture, not just the corner you don't like.

I agree with this statement! Other tidbits and suggestions: Meditation Yoga Tai Chi Other Martial Arts Mood Stabilizers These have done wonders for me.

I have to agree with this statement. If you're eating mostly fruit and veggies you could be suffering from a deficiency in Iron. Make sure you're getting all of your essential vitamins and minerals. I take an Iron supplement to help with my intake.

Only someone who's truly from the PNW knows that Tully's is the superior coffee! As I have reloacted to the South, I've had to find a more local flavor. Little Lady Coffee and Paneara's Hazelnut coffee here!

Homemade: Equal parts of; Olive Oil Walnut Oil Apple Cider Vinegar Balsamic Vinegar Maple (REAL!) Syrup a smidgen of honey and Dijon mustard and a drop of minced garlic!

Those photos show such an amazing transformation! If it weren't for the smile, I would not know it was the same person! Great job, and one heck of an inspiration!

I tend to get sluggish when my iron is low, so try taking an iron supplement during *that* time. It seems to work well for me. plus you burn more calories when ToM is around.

Agreed! A measuring tape will tell you more than a scale! A pound is still a pound, it's just that muscle is more DENSE than fat. What does that mean? It means your body might actually be getting physically smaller even though your weight hasn't changed. My biggest .02 worth - take your body measurements. Go to a…

Feel free to add me! This site has been great!

You're a work in progress. First, congrats on your achievement!. From my own experience, I saw the beginnings of change in my cholesterol levels when I went in for my first follow-up. If you have a cholesterol plateau, and you need a little extra help to get under that 200 mark, make sure you're eating enough wholel…

Walk. Walking is one of the best exercises out there. My mother has the same issues where her discs are fusing together, and that's about the only exercise she can really get in. I will say, that the best way to strengthen your back is to work on your abs. Fibromyalgia - I've heard that your B vitamins may help (I notice a…

Well said!

My gym bag is made by adidas. I've been using it since 2007 for my martial arts gear (short sticks, daggers, sparring pads, etc...) and I typicallygo to the dojo 4-5x a week. The bag is a nylon, anti-microbial treated fabric with outside pockets for shoes/wet clothing, and a small pocket for personal items (id, keys, etc.…

Make a brunswick stew, or pork chili, and freeze it. Brunswick stew - http://www.food.com/recipe/brunswick-stew-202784 you don't have to used the canned meat mentioned in the recipe, fresh grilled/smoked works just as well. Best part is that this can be made in a crock pot or on the stovetop!

I do the chicken & salsa too. For new ideas, I go to food.com and look up recipes by ingredient or by cooking style. :)

My staple is a Hazelnut flavored grind through Gevalia. Other favs include Ethiopia Sidamo from Starbucks Tully's Newman's Own (Bold) and Thomas Hammer I used to be able to find a "White Zombie" (white coffee/espresso) that was just delicious! But alas, that was when I was living in the Pacific NW where Coffee is it's own…