Magpiezoe

Hello, I tried diet, but not a specific diet like Atkins or Ornish. I just basically used my own by using a table, I found in a fat free cook book, that gives the cal. and amt. of total fat for 10% and 25% in grams for different weights of men and women. I also have a big food values book. I started off with a food diary until I got used to eating low-fat and knowing how many calories are in what. I try to stay close to 10% total fat and try to choose "good" fat over "bad" fat. The first thing I did was cut down fast food and take-outs to once a month. (That includes restaurant food.) My cholesterol before my diet was 239 in Feb. 2001. I lost my papers, so I can't tell you what everything else was. The cholesterol was what stuck out. When my doctor told me I was one point away from medicine and I had to watch what I ate, I listened. (I weighted 118 lbs., so I am thin to begin with.)I started off looking at meat as evil. (I am not trying to start a debate!) I cut out all poultry, (including my duck!)meat, eggs, milk, and whole milk products. I only ate fish, (Lots of broiled salmon.)vegetables, (Mostly raw) fruit, pasta, a little rice, potatoes, vegetarian meat substitutes, low-fat string cheese,and bread. (Surprise, I ate more carbs than I did before...I used to go on those 3 day diets to loose 5 lbs. to stay slim before. Now I eat lots of food.) By April 2001 my cholesterol went down to 193, trigycerides were 105, HDL was 60, LDL was 112, VLDL was 21, and glucose was 79. Then I breathed a sigh of releif and thought I'd bring meat and poultry back into my diet in small quantities, because it's cheaper then vegetarian products and they've finally come out with fat free and low fat meat products. Now I am still on the same diet, but I eat meat or poultry about 3-4 times a week. (Single serving - 3 oz., round or loin and no skin, broiled.)Everything is broiled. I also use the fat free dressings instead of the regular and occationally buy the fat-free Butterball luncheon meats. The funny thing is that I got so used to the vegetarian stuff, that I don't like Banquet's real fat free chicken. I get the Morning Star Buffalo Wings instead. I use seasonings and spices to give things zip. My last blood test was March 2002 and now my cholesterol is 176, triglycerides are 90, HDL is 61, LDL is 97, VLDL is 18, and glucose is 82 and I'm 113 lbs. I'm proud of myself. My sister's cholesterol was 240 last year. She had a lot of trouble getting it down. Finally she listened to me and tries to keep total fat intake to 10%-20%, but went the extra mile and won't touch anything that is 50% or more saturated fat. Her cholesterol finally dropped to 196. I'm proud of her too...She's a lot older than me. I'm 39. Hope this helps.

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Magpie

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Magpie