Gonna do it this time

[BC-SgtMom]

I have a goal to improve my numbers (the cholesterol ones) and a time period to work with - Memorial Day to Labor Day. I joined a gym yesterday. I got the blood drawn today so I will know my starting numbers. I have not chosen an eating plan but have recently heard that is 80% of the battle. I have had success with WW and SBD in the past. I dont know. I have a plan that a nutritionist drew up for me - I just need to get it out, track everything I eat (prob on sparkpeople), and stick to it. I need to lose weight - a lot - but I want to focus on the other indicators of health, like my cholesterol, and hope the rest will fall into place. I will take my measurements this week too. I could use some encouragement and have often lurked on this bb so hopefully this is the place to get it

[burtneysmom]

Good luck! I'm just starting too, and this is a great place for support! Keep us updated!

[BC-SgtMom]

Thanks Shavon - lets keep each other updated and motivated

[BC-KAMILI]

welcome,

yes, you HAVE too keep your cholesterol levels low and exercise & eating right will do that. I for one, do not want to take medication UNLESS I've done everything possible with diet and exercising. my blood pressure has been high (per the websites) and my doc said with my numbers I could go another 20 years. I was almost to the point of buying a blood pressure monitor but with dieting and exercising my levels have went down. Never had a HIGH reading in my life until a few months ago. Doc also said it was prob. anxiety of coming in for a pap exam. or even having to come to the hospital + walking from the car and up a flight of stairs. They do make we sit down and 'rest' and take it again -- much lower.

I have been doing WW for 10 years (on and off) + lifetime member. I have been batteling the same ups and downs for months & then decided to start lowcarbing on April 25th and have lost 3.2 pounds (I will weigh on friday or saturday too see if I've lost anything this week). I had AF last week and an outing with pasta & had a few "slips" here and there but happy about the weight loss. I have been walking up to 1 hour at least 3x's a week and will bump that up in June to 1 hour + = 3x's a week. It's starting too get very hot outside and soon I will be heading to the gym.

Good luck!! Keep us posted!!

Shavon ~ welcome,

[BC-SgtMom]

Kamili - they told me I had high BP a couple of years ago. Starting using a home BP monitor and realized I just had white coat syndrome which I also found out is common among PCOSers. Also I can lower my BP while they are taking it by doing some breathing and biofeedback. So not too worried about that - anxious to see what my starting cholesterol is this time. They told me at my last physical it was high (220 range I believe for the overall) and wanted to put me on meds. I said I would bring it down thru diet and exercise. I'm really ready to lose weight as well. Tell me about which lowcarb plan you are using. Lowcard needs to be a part of any plan I do since I do have the PCOS and insulin resistance and its so easy to gain weight with a single high carb meal. Trying to get myself healthy enough to exercise and have an appt soon - allergies are horrible this year and it has turned into some lingering asthma. Shoot I need to get going since I need to drop lunch at my dds school. Take care.

[BC-SgtMom]

Ok between the drs appt, taking dd and myself to the gym, dropping her around 3:30 with dh then hitting the pharmacy, I am just now getting home. My cholesterol is better than it was a year ago but still high. I really need to work on the ratio of good to bad (LDL to HDL) too. The PA mentioned carbs and exercise. Told her I was on a mission this summer and will hold off on meds. Did get some more modern meds for my allergic asthma so maybe I will be able to breathe (which helps for exercise) soon.

[BC-3boys2luv]

Man, you aren't kidding about the allergies right now! Everyone in my house is now on multiple allergy meds except the one year old, but he was just put on his first allergy med this week. What a mess. I have developed white coat syndrome, too, thanks to a malfunctioning automatic bp machine that gave me a super high reading - enough that they left the room and got people and a wheelchair and totally freaked me out. Then someone was smart enough to check it manually and it was up (after that mess, OF COURSE it was!) but not nearly as high as it had said. Now those stupid machines give me the creeps and it goes up. And why do they act all put out if you just ask them to take it manually to begin with??? (OK, stole your post and turned it into a rant, sorry. ).

I think you've got a good plan and that alone is a great predictor of success. Can't wait for you to be posting in a few months on how much better your bloodwork results are.

And of course, welcome to the bb!!!

Tina

[BC-SgtMom]

Yep the allergies are so bad that after waiting for an hour, the pharmacy told me they are out of singulair and the spacer for the inhaler - UGH! I have a feeling that the cough is actually caused by reflux (which can be aggravated by allergic asthma) and so I will add prevacid back into the mix. The PA is going to ask the primary if its a good idea for me to go off of metformin, on and try to get glucose added to the bloodwork I had done this week. I would prefer to get off the met, but we'll see....

I prefer the manual BP cuffs as well - I didnt ask what my BP was today (done manually) but they didnt say anything so it couldnt have been too bad. When I did the BP study at home I had to then take my monitor in to make sure it calibrated with the one in the office. I know hypertension is a big problem but white coat syndrome is not a reason to be put on meds!

The solution to all my problems (ok the physical ones and maybe some of the mental ones ) is diet and exercise. Oh and getting adequate sleep at night so I have to the energy to do what I need to do. Thanks for the support - I really appreciate it!