By the request of my sister today's topic will be about my weight loss journey. She claims I am a "health nut" and says I need to drop some knowledge about health and exercise. I'm a "yo-yo" (weight constantly going up and down) so I can't help but to be a "health nut". Welp....this is me my freshman year of college. Still in shape from sports in high school.
Toward the end of college this was fat and unhealthy me.
After graduating from college, I went to the doctor and he said I was overweight and had high cholesterol. Knowledge ---> There are two types of cholesterol LDL (bad cholesterol) and HDL (good cholesterol). My LDL and HDL were high probably because I had not been working out, ate unhealthy foods all the time (Bojangles, McDonalds, Popeyes, Wing Zone, Wendy's, Jimmy Johns, Pizza America, Red Lobster) and was overweight! Later, the doctor said it had something to do with heredity as well. Knowledge ---> Nonetheless, I needed to do something about this quick because high cholesterol can cause things like chest pain, cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, and strokes...and I am too young for all that! So this is what I did.
2007 - 2009
Weight Watchers and working out three times a week...one day was with a trainer. Sometimes, I would do the Boot Camp program my job sponsored after work. Also, walking during my commute to work aided in weight loss. Results: Weight loss and normal cholesterol.
2009 - 2010
I got off Weight Watchers because I felt I could eat healthy on my own without having to pay that monthly fee. I found myself gaining some of the weight back, so I downloaded a free app to my phone called My Fitness Pal to track my caloric intake. I also did Beachbody INSANITY 60 day program. When I finished the program, I started going to the gym again 3 times a week. My routines consisted of the following:
Day 1:
Weight Training
Erg a.k.a. Rowing Machine (30 min)
Day 2:
Spinning Class (1 hour)
Day 3:
Weight Training
Run on Treadmill or Walk on Treadclimber or Elliptical (30 mins)
Results: 5 pounds of weight loss, but cholesterol was extremely high. The doctor wanted to put me on medication, however, he said I was too young to be put on medication. High Cholesterol is also hereditary, therefore, it might always be high for me but I still need to do things to prevent it from being extremely high.
2011
I went on a strict diet...drastically started cutting back on foods high in cholesterol (cheese, eggs, ranch dressing, fried foods, mac n cheese, shell fish - especially my beloved shrimp, UNCLE JULIOS queso, pizza, salami, etc.) I still used the My Fitness Pal app on my phone, but this time around I not only tracked calories but cholesterol and fat intake too. Knowledge ---> Why fat??? When choosing fats, your best options are unsaturated fats: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. If you use these fats in place of others it can reduce your total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels in your blood. Try to stay away from the saturated and trans fats. Saturated Fats raise total blood cholesterol levels and LDL cholesterol levels; saturated fat may also increase your risk of type 2 diabetes. Trans fats raise your bad cholesterol and lower your good cholesterol. Additionally, my breakfast always consisted of cholesterol lowering foods, such as, grapefruit (do not eat if you are on medication for high blood pressure), oatmeal, and Cheerios. I also started using Extra Virgin Olive Oil instead of Vegetable Oil, turkey bacon instead of thick sliced pork bacon, baking foods instead of frying them, butter with no cholesterol (Country Crock has 0mg), less salads drenched in my favorite dressings and more steamed veggies, sometimes having beans instead of meat, eating leaner meats and fish, etc. And yes you got it, I got tired of going to the gym AGAIN! So, I did Beachbody Turbo Fire 90 day program. Results: Weight loss and cholesterol was borderline high; not extremely high as it was before.
Currently, I am doing Beachbody P90X for toning and monitoring caloric and cholesterol intake using My Fitness Pal app. No, not tracking fat so much these days because it was getting to be over kill...overit.com *Tamar voice*
Knowledge --->
How I determined my daily caloric intake:
How I determined daily my cholesterol intake:
The doctor recommended that I try to intake less than 200 mg daily. You would have to talk to your doctor about this.
How I determined daily fat intake:
Too much? Yea, it is a lot of calculating. That's why my sister calls me a "health nut". I have gotten used to it and YES sometimes I do just "live" and eat what I want but I don't get crazy with it. O yea and you see how Beachbody got me?!?! They definitely roped me in. Anywho, my advice is to just set small realistic weight loss goals and try to incorporate some sort of exercise regime into your daily life. Also, try to surround yourself with healthy people. I think that was my downfall in college.
Joliza, my sister, my friend.....this is for you.....KNOWLEDGE DROPPED!!!
