I'm a pretty average male, 19 years old, 5'5", 121 lbs. I work out 3 times a week, running for 25 minutes and then circuit training for 45. I eat sort of, kind of healthy, meaning I try my best to eat healthy for most meals, but then I have a lapse and I eat something unhealthy, and these lapses occur maybe once every couple of days. Still, I usually eat healthy, and have been doing so for a couple of years now. The reason I watch what I eat is because my TC is 246, my LDL is 169, and my HDL is 53, so I'm trying to improve all of these numbers.
Today, I feel really bad, in fact, terrible, because I had four slices of pizza, and I don't know why. One was the frozen kind, two were Domino's, and the other was from a local pizzeria. My mom told me that that's not good because it's never good to eat too much of anything (she's a doctor so she probably knows what she's talking about).
I have a few questions:
Should I be worried about what I did? Is it really bad?
Next, my blood pressure is 120/68, and my resting heart rate is 53. Also, I have no genetic history of high cholesterol. And you've seen my weight and my level of activity. My mom thinks the test was wrong. What do you think?
Also, off topic, but why do I have prominent veins on my hands, arms, legs, and feet? They're usually big and wide, so is this is a bad thing?
I wouldn't worry about what you did since it was only one time, but I wouldn't repeat it! Most pizza has quite a bit of cheese, so it is high fat, high cholesterol. Plus the crust is high carb, which tends to increase one's blood triglycerides. (You didn't say what your trigs were, so I really don't know if that is a problem or not.)
Since your mom is a doctor, I'm sure she'll give you more specific advice. But if it were me, I'd eat more fish and vegetables, cut down on high-fat dairy products and meats and try to make dietary lapses no more than once a week instead of every few days. Then I'd have another blood test in 3-6 months and see if it has made any difference.
First of all the reason your veins are so prominent is probably the circuit training. My husband is a body builder and that is the look he likes to achieve. That vascular look makes your muscles appear larger.
As far as eating 4 pieces of pizza no it's not good but as long as you don't do it every day you'll probably be fine. You don't need to harbor bad feelings about it. That's how eating disorders start.
Comparing your Total Cholesterol to your HDL(your good cholesterol) it makes your ratio 4.64. When it starts getting above 4 is when you need to start getting concerned. I'm not saying you need to go to a doctor now but if you continue to go in that direction with your numbers years down the road you could begin to have some problems. I think right now you have nothing to worry about. With the numbers you've given that would make your triglycerides 130. That number should be below 160. One way to improve that ratio of 4.64 is by doing more of a cardio workout. That should help raise your HDL. If you are doing only weight lifting it's good but it doesn't raise your heart rate and keep it up there for an extended amount of time.
The formula used to figure the numbers is Total Cholesterol=HDL+LDL+Trigs/5. To figure your ratio Total Cholesterol/HDL.
I'm a pretty average male, 19 years old, 5'5", 121 lbs. I work out 3 times a week, running for 25 minutes and then circuit training for 45. I eat sort of, kind of healthy, meaning I try my best to eat healthy for most meals, but then I have a lapse and I eat something unhealthy, and these lapses occur maybe once every couple of days. Still, I usually eat healthy, and have been doing so for a couple of years now. The reason I watch what I eat is because my TC is 246, my LDL is 169, and my HDL is 53, so I'm trying to improve all of these numbers.
Today, I feel really bad, in fact, terrible, because I had four slices of pizza, and I don't know why. One was the frozen kind, two were Domino's, and the other was from a local pizzeria. My mom told me that that's not good because it's never good to eat too much of anything (she's a doctor so she probably knows what she's talking about).
I have a few questions:
Should I be worried about what I did? Is it really bad?
Next, my blood pressure is 120/68, and my resting heart rate is 53. Also, I have no genetic history of high cholesterol. And you've seen my weight and my level of activity. My mom thinks the test was wrong. What do you think?
Also, off topic, but why do I have prominent veins on my hands, arms, legs, and feet? They're usually big and wide, so is this is a bad thing?
As long as you don't make a habit out of it you will be fine. Eveything in moderation is the key. I would not worry and listen to mom she knows best even if she wasn't a doc. Lisa
Eliminate as much processed sugary type foods as possible and replace your starchy carbohydrates from breads, pasta, potatoes, pizza etc. with green leafy type vegetables, avocados, tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli etc. and low glycemic fruits like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries etc.
Use olive oil in your salads and for cooking and eat more tree nuts (almonds, filberts, pecans etc.) and seeds (sunflower, pumpkin etc.) for some good fats in your diet. Take a fish oil supplement or eat fatty type cold water ocean fish. Full fat plain yogurt with least 5 active cultures is good also.
Lisa
Linear Mode
