Get Ready for Extreme Makeoverfor The Fat Lady AND Her Blog!

I got a wake-up call last week. I learned that my cholesterol reading is 278. My weight is back up to 248 and that also needs to come DOWN!

The doctor wants me to take Lipitor, a cholesterol reducing drug but I have decided to pursue another plan of action for the time being. I am gong to commence a 60-day plan to reduce my cholesterol naturally by 20%.If that plan works, I will continue the plan in 60-day increments and check my blood levels at the end of each of those periods. Here is the plan:

1. I will exercise for TWO HOURS each day for five days a week, concentrating on low-impact aerobic workouts.
2. I will be highly intentional about each morsel of food that I place in my mouth with thought about the nutritional consequences of each bite.
3. I will check in daily on The FAT Lady Blog and commence a blog makeover at the same time.
4. I will add large measures of prickly pear to my diet. There is much discussion about the cholesterol reducing properties of the prickly pear in books and scientific research. This appears on Care2.com:

"A daily dose of 5 to 9 grams per day of prickly pear fruit pectin may be effective in the prevention or reversal of a hypocholesterolemic condition, though some studies showed that lower doses of 2.50 g of prickly pear pectin demonstrated effectiveness.

"Bulk: The average-sized fruit contains approximately 3.60 g of dietary fiber. Eating 3 fruits per day would double the minimum treatment requirement. This dosage would then not only help to satisfy daily vitamin and mineral nutritional requirements, but would also serve up a healthy dose of flavonoids."

Comments

[Kristal Kraft]

Sounds like a great plan...good luck!

[Bev]

Good luck to you! It's an ambitious plan, but sounds like one that will work if you can stick to it.

[bohemianblogger]

Can we do it together? I just got my blood test back and while my results were good... I still as much as you to lose. And while feeling sorry for myself for something else today, I then started creating a vision board. Well started it a couple of days ago. But I am putting it together and then started looking for words of gratitude and came across your colorful words. And here we are...
I am in California and I go to the gym in the early morning 7AM. I often have to call my friend Brian who talks to me if all else fails while I walk on the treadmill. Anyway... let me know if there is something we can buddy up on.
email me at [email protected]
Judy

[Account Deleted]

Best of luck with your plan. When I'm eating better, one of my best friends is cottage cheese - it tends to fill me up and keep my blood sugar level (an issue for me with the pre-diabetes). I have a sweet tooth so eat it with a little splenda or equal on it, and sometimes mix in fruit. Not sure if that would be a bad idea for cholesterol or not, but if it's OK you might give it a spin and see if it helps.

Fran you are an inspiration! Maybe I'll get back on the plan myself.

[clickmom]

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO LOWER YOUR CHOLESTEROL WITHOUT TAKING MEDICINES ELIMINATE ALL REFINED SUGARS AND SUGAR SUBSTITUTES AND MINIMIZE CARBS TO WHOLE GRAINS ONLY (PREFERABLY NOT WHEAT) THE NO SUGAR THING REALLY WORKS. GOOD LUCK.

[Lipitor Prescription Medication]

My name is Laura Arena and i would like to show you my personal experience with Lipitor.

I am 58 years old. Have been on Lipitor for 6 months now. It did lower my total cholesterol from 235 to 200.

I have experienced some of these side effects-
After three months on Lipitor, I started to feel like an airhead -- slightly dizzy virtually all the time and frequently unable to think clearly. I actually started to wonder if I were developing early Alzheimer's (I'm 58). After five months, I developed severe pain in my thighs and knees and I'm exhausted all the time.

I hope this information will be useful to others,
Laura Arena