Blog: Theatrical Milestones
Tracking: Charlotte
Niche: Cooking, Health, Spirituality, and Social Responsibility
Health goal: Managing my cholesterol and my weight, but hell, I'd rather not have a heart attack than be super-skinny.
Charlotte's story:
I lowered my skyrocketing cholesterol avoiding pills!.. I've always been proud of my German genes. My grandma's father died at 93; my grandma is 85 and in relatively good health. My mother's body is beginning to show the consequences of 40 years of smoking—and of the high blood pressure she inherited from Grandpa.
I inherited something from Grandpa, too: November 2006 was
the second year in a row in which my annual blood panel came back with my
cholesterol through the roof and my blood sugar close to borderline
high—despite regular exercise and a BMI around 25. I was a size 6 with
frosting in her veins!
I began both 2005 and 2006 with
the biblical Daniel Fast, a 21-day commitment to eat only fruits, vegetables,
legumes, grains, and nuts, which focuses on physical cleanliness as the path to
spiritual strength. Spiritually, I became stronger. But physically, that was another story because...
...Whatever you're doing, it's working. ...
I always returned to the taco salads from the roach coach and to managing the frustration with my job and my past relationship with a mentally unstable man with large amounts of chocolate. No wonder that my blood turned to lard.
This year is producing different results. I am
currently fasting again (at a slightly higher BMI of 26.5)--but because of
business travel, my 2007 blood panel happened only last week, in the middle of
my fast. When my physician, who had brought up statins during the
physical, called with the results, all she mentioned was a high white count
pointing to my current cold. "Nothing else?" I wondered.
"No, nothing else."
"What about my cholesterol
numbers? The glucose? The extra insulin test you ordered?"
"Oh, everything is normal.
Your LDL is at 117, HDL at 54, and total cholesterol at 171. Glucose at
85—congratulations! Whatever you're doing, it's working."
"So, no pills?"
"No pills."
I danced.
What one thing has helped you the most in
working towards your health & fitness goal:
Developing the awareness that I'm compensating for the spiritual work I
should be doing with chocolate and fatty foods, and the discipline to
say "no" for a predictable amount of time.
What one thing you would like more help with:
The self-discipline and the accountability. Once my fast is over, I
know I'll be eating chocolate again--and I would like to know how to do
so with moderation. Any tips?
Visit Charlotte's blog: Theatrical Milestones