Good news from the doctor!

@ElicBxn (63252)
United States
September 5, 2009 4:10pm CST
Well, I've been talking about this diet I've been on since the first of June. Now, have no doubt, I have been losing weight and I really have to say that its been a few trials, but not a hard diet to follow. But beyond needing to lose the weight, I also had somewhat elevated cholesterol, that the doc wanted me to get down. By somewhat elevated, I mean that he wants it below 200 and it was 208. Now, remember, I'm in my mid 50's, and in the last 20 years I've twice before had it somewhat elevated, and got it down by a change in the diet. The first time was when I went on the rotation diet and cut a lot of red meat out of my diet because I'm allergic to it - only eating beef and pork once a week each. The second time I had been eating a lot of egg salad sandwiches, I cut those out and it went down. But this time... well, I knew I needed to up my fruit and veggie intake, but then we went on the diet about a month after the test was done. I went in for the blood draw on Thursday and got my results in the mail today - I've got from 208 to 155!!! needless to say, I'm happy! I also got my weight and went from 248 the day of the first test to 221 and a half... So, this has been a very productive 3 months! Think I'll go get a sugar-free popsicle to celibate!
6 people like this
23 responses
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
5 Sep 09
CONGRAULATIONS ELIC, U have done really well. I admire your determination. Keep up the good work.
2 people like this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
5 Sep 09
her boss has had it done and she looks awesome!
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
5 Sep 09
it really isn't a hard diet to stick to, sure, we sometimes eat more than we should, but at least we're eating veggies when we do it! And we're stretching the cooking muscles of the roomie, who will soon be eating hardly anything at all - she's having a gastric bypass....
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
5 Sep 09
I wish her alot of luck. my neighbor had it & she has done great.
2 people like this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
5 Sep 09
LOL! That last sentence is hilarious! Congratulations! What kind of a diet are you on? I started seriously dieting last week but I gained a pound!
2 people like this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
5 Sep 09
this is the diet they gave the roomie to lose weight before the gastric bypass lots of fruit, lots of veggies, low carbs, low protein... about 1 oz of protein for breakfast and a snack, 2 oz for lunch and dinner - that includes an egg or slice of cheese per oz... we did a half a can of tuna for 2 oz (tho it might've been a bit more) a teaspoon of mayo or miracle whip, butter any oil for a fat, or a tablespoon of cream cheese a slice of bread is for breakfast, dinner and snack, 2 for lunch, could also be 3/4 cup of dry cereal - we got dark pump or raisin or cinnamon bread for the breads, might as well make it special - I made cheese sandwiches for lunches 2 cups raw veggies or 1 cup cook for lunch and dinner 1 dairy for breakfast and snack - I again used a slice of cheese, but it could be a fat-free yogurt... didn't say about milk, and since I don't touch the stuff I didn't ask a small to medium piece of fruit for the meals but not the snack
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
6 Sep 09
try it for 2 weeks, that's when they did weigh ins for us
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
6 Sep 09
Thanks, I'll try that for a week and see what happens!
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157865)
• United States
6 Sep 09
The improvement in both of those indicators is really good. I am sure you feel lots better as well. Keep up the good work, friend.
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
6 Sep 09
I don't really feel any better, but sure not any worse - and I hope to actually get it to the point where I can start seeing a difference!
@horsesrule (1957)
• United States
6 Sep 09
That is so wonderful! Congratulations! It is always great to lower the cholesterol numbers and losing weight, well that's just a great bonus too! And your idea to celebrate by having a sugar free popsicle, that's great, so often when it is time to celebrate, sugary foods seem to appear, as if by magic and they all talk, saying "eat me, I'm the most chocolatey!" LOL
2 people like this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
6 Sep 09
yeah, tell me about it! I'm doing pretty good about avoiding them tho, not having them in the house really helps
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
6 Sep 09
Way to go gal! Happy to hear this great news of not only lowering your cholesterol but weight as well Is that part of the diet...to be celibate?
2 people like this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
6 Sep 09
already doing that - for the last 50 yrs... so I misspelled it - oh well - celebrate... how about that?
• United States
5 Sep 09
This is great you know it would be nice if you posted some pictures of your progress so you can motvaite some of us other mylotters that are needed a boost when it comes to being on a diet and eating better. I have been on a diet off and on again but I need to stick to something for life, I feel that is so imporant if you want to keep the right weight for good. Right now I am not sure what I weigh but I know it is way more than I should be. Maybe I can feel better about myself but listening to you and seeing where you go with this. Thanks a million for sharing and happy mylotting as well.
2 people like this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
5 Sep 09
honestly, right now you really can't tell any difference - oh, I can feel a bit in the way the clothes are fitting, but I'm basically back down to where I was last summer before the gall bladder surgery, probably will soon have to have a pix taken (from the neck down) but honestly I've worn the same size all this time and have been since I was 215 - so I've still got a ways to go
@agv0419 (3022)
• Philippines
6 Sep 09
Congratulation to your achievement I hope I'm going to lose weight also this month. I want to lose weight because I had a hormonal imbalance and I have liver problem. It is hard to control my eating habits. I'm exercise 4 times a week but for 2 weeks now I'm stop exercising because I had menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding). It is hard to lose weight when the temptations are around. I think I'm going to cut down the sweets and the salty foods because I gained weight easily everytime I ate sweets. I'm also cut down my rice intake and my protein.
2 people like this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
7 Sep 09
Wow! Congrats! That is really good. I should get my cholesterol checked sometime. I don't eat anything with cholesterol in it, so I wonder what mine would be. I know obviously the liver produces it and you need some, but I've just never gone in to see the numbers. How can you be allergic to red meat? That is interesting.
1 person likes this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
8 Sep 09
Wow... my grandmother always says she is allergic to rice, and no one ever believes her. How do you find out what you're allergic to? I only know I am allergic to squash because it has sent me to the hospital with hives. And watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew all give me hives in my mouth.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
10 Sep 09
I've done the allergy elimination diet twice, the second time I eliminated the DIET - everything on it made me sick... Then I went to an allergist (since retired) who did a provocation test and that's where even THEY were amazed at how many things I'm allergic too...
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
7 Sep 09
I'm allergic to the PLANET, that's why my friends call me "The Alien" I'm also allergic to chicken and turkey, but also beans/legumes, rice and DEATHLY allergic to corn. Pretty much anything you eat, I'm allergic to at least a bit...
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
5 Sep 09
Well done I cant stay on fruits and veggies too long Like eggs salad sandwiches alot even Tomatoes and Cheese sada which . But I do throw a good meal in once in awhile meat potaoes and veggis!
2 people like this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
5 Sep 09
I've kind of touched on the diet in response #2
@AmbiePam (85975)
• United States
5 Sep 09
That's terrific. You've done some hard work and it certainly paid off.
2 people like this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
5 Sep 09
thanks, it has been work, sometimes hard, mostly not too bad, but work
@BarBaraPrz (45665)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
5 Sep 09
Celibate?!? Hmmm.... how do you do that with a popsicle? Good on ya though for the drop in cholesterol and weight.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
5 Sep 09
oh come on, OBVIOUSLY I'm one of those who eats - too much, so I'm going to be eating the darn thing! but it is sugar free!
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
6 Sep 09
yeah, well, spelling was never my strong suit
@BarBaraPrz (45665)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
5 Sep 09
I think you meant celebrate...
1 person likes this
@Loverbear (4918)
• United States
6 Sep 09
I am soooo thrilled and proud of you! It is the hardest thing to stay with a diet that is to improve your health so drastically. I don't eat a lot of beef because it is so expensive. I mostly eat chicken or turkey. Maybe once a month I'll suck down a piece of red meat... I also can't eat too much bread or pasta as it causes excruciating abdominal pain. So I am a big veggie and fruit eater. I don't know what it is, but I can't eat any of the sugar free stuff. It leaves a horrible metallic taste in my mouth that I can't get rid of even after brushing my teeth and using mouth wash. And of course because of the abdominal problems I can't drink sodas either, so it's iced tea for me... You think you can come to California and become a personal weight loss trainer for my friend? She weighs about 330 and really needs to get a grip and start working on losing the weight before the weight kills her.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
6 Sep 09
nobody can lose weight unless they WANT to lose weight - my client won't stop eating until she's got every nook and cranny filled (and believe me, there's a lot of them) And it ISN'T because she eats too fast - she's the slowest eater I've ever met.
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
6 Sep 09
been there, done that, but honestly it isn't that hard to change with this diet - if I'm still hungry, go eat some more veggies
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
7 Sep 09
Congratulations! Celebrate! My husband's lowest cholesterol readings are after eating oatmeal, cookies, cheerios, etc.
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
7 Sep 09
that takes tallent I guess, cookies - huh? oatmeal cookies perhaps?
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
7 Sep 09
Yup, oatmeal cookies.
1 person likes this
@camomom (7535)
• United States
9 Sep 09
Very cool! Congrats!!
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
9 Sep 09
Thanks!
@camomom (7535)
• United States
9 Sep 09
You are so very welcome
1 person likes this
@scififan43 (2434)
• United States
29 Sep 09
that is good that you are lossing wieght. that is something I need to do. keep up the good work.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
29 Sep 09
thanks! I'm down a few more pounds too
• United States
30 Sep 09
keep up the good work.
1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
23 Sep 09
Wow!! Congratulations are in order. I know my Doctor was freaking out because I am Diabetic and mine was like 180 the last time he tested. I have been noticing though one time it will be up, or the good one low, and then the next time everything is OK, so for me mine does not know where it wants to be for sure. But I do take a natural suppliment that I need to be more active with from time to time and see if that can help a little more for me as well.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
23 Sep 09
yeah, I was just below the LDL (99) and just above the HDL (41) so he was glad to not put me on meds - lets just hope this time it'll stay down and maybe even improve!
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
9 Sep 09
woooooooooohoooooooooooooo Congrats!!!!!!!!!!! on the weight loss and lowered cholesterol. I, too am suffering from high cholesterol but the doctor put me on meds for it and told me to eat lots of whole grains and fruit/veggies along with exercise. My number is 188..high bad LDL, low good HDL. I need to switch those numbers around and working on it.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
10 Sep 09
see, this diet has me doing that, but my doc wouldn't have been upset by the 188, only over 200... tho my LDL wasn't too bad and my HDL was almost good before, now the LDL is 99, and they want it below 100 and the HDL they want above 39 and I'm 41
• United States
9 Sep 09
Wow, that is wonderful news! Congratulations and keep up the good work! I bet you feel like a million bucks right now too as well you should. It takes alot of control and concentration when doing this and it looks like you are well on your way to eating very healthy, which we all should do. Very, very productive 3 months for you and Congratulations again!
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
9 Sep 09
Long time no see! I am pretty pleased, this is the 3rd time to beat that old cholesterol bug-a-boo...
@iskayz (5420)
• Philippines
6 Sep 09
Wow, those are great results! You have done a good job and you have lots of patience to go on a diet. In my opinion, dieting is one of the hardest things to do for oneself. We need to have the will to do so. I myself have lose weight, gained weight then lose weight and after sometime, again, gained weight. It's just seems like a roller coaster and I'm getting fed up already hehe. I do hope you get the ideal weight and lose the cholesterol your doctor told you. Keep it up and maintain!
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
6 Sep 09
I've still got about 100 lbs to go to get to where I should be, but if I can just get down to 150 I'd be happy
@iskayz (5420)
• Philippines
7 Sep 09
Well, I think it doesn't really matter how much you have lost. You have already done a good job! I wish I can lose extra pounds too. Especially on my waistline. My clothes doesn't fit perfectly anymore.
1 person likes this
@dbabcook (388)
• United States
6 Sep 09
Congratulations! It is difficult to try and lose weight and have to lower cholesterol all at the same time but it sounds like you have done just that and are continuing down a good track. Keep up the good work and I wish you continued success. Have a great day.
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
6 Sep 09
thanks - I've really been working on it, but 3 months and 25 lbs, this time next year maybe I'll be close to where I oughtta be!
@rg0205 (2636)
• Hong Kong
6 Sep 09
WOW! CONGRATULATIONS! Losing weight isn't as easy as it looks. We all know that. It gets harder as we age because our metabolism slows down. Losing weight really means a change of lifestyle or lifestyle adjustments but if you are committed, it is definitely something that can be done. Congrats again and way to go on your perseverance. I hope you continue on your program and that your health improves in the process. Keep going!
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
6 Sep 09
Thanks - we're making veggie soup tonight and I also cut up the cauliflower I'm going to take for lunch during the next week or so. Still need to make my sandwiches, but then I'll be set and I can just grab and go! In some ways its made my life easy because I'm not wondering what I'm going to be eating and worried if I have money to buy it - because 95% of what we are eating is coming from the house.