My Personal Health Goal

Back in December I had blood work done and as usual, my cholesterol and triglycerides were high. The counts were 228 and 205 respectively. This has been a consistent problem for the past year and this last time my doctor said the awful ‘P’ word – Prescription!

I am a tad overweight, ok let’s be honest, 25 lbs is a bit more than a ‘tad’ when you’re only 5′3″ tall. And high cholesterol runs in my family – my daddy who weighs a whole 170 lbs at 6ft tall even has high cholesterol. High blood pressure and diabetes also run in my family, fortunately at this time do I have a problem with either.

A PRESCRIPTION FOR CHOLESTEROL AT 34? I DON’T THINK SO!

This year’s personal resolution is to get healthy. I don’t need to be a skinny-mini, after all that c-section disaster pretty much ruined my chance of becoming a bikini model. But I want to be healthy and full of energy. Not just for myself, but for my son. He deserves to have a healthy mommy that can keep up with him and be around when he has his own children.

My goal is to lose 25 lbs and impress the hell out of my doctor by lowering my cholesterol and triglycerides. How will I do this – I have a game plan.

1. Eliminate the bad carbs – I’m a carb addict! So I will stop eating the ‘bad’ carbs – Coke, white bread, chips, etc. I will limit the amount of ‘good’ carbs I eat – after all I do need my daily dose of Kashi!
2. Cut down my caffeine intake – I was over a pot a day. Not only was that amount of caffeine bad, but the light cream in it has 2.5g of fat per serving. I can’t give up my light cream, I’ve tried in the past. I’ll just enjoy it in moderation.
3. Take my vitamins & supplements – I’ve been very slack on this lately.
4. Limit the amount I eat – Why do I have to clean my plate? Leftovers are OK!
5. Take my time eating – Let my stomach let my brain no when it’s full
6. Incorporate more veggies in my diet – Taking a cue from little man – he loves his veggies
7. Drink more water – We all know it’s benefits, so enough said.
8. Get more exercise – You would think with a toddler boy, I’d be more active. But I need to make it a point to get my heart rate up and maybe do some yoga.
9. Quit smoking – Yes internet, I’m a smoker. I quit when I was pregnant but started up right after little man was born. I might not have started again if the circumstances were different, but that’s another blog post.
10. Laugh more – Laughter reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and boosts you immune system. I’m already quick to laugh, so I’m going to focus on doing it more and wholeheartedly.

So now it’s out there for all to see. Help keep me accountable internet friends. And share with me if you have a personal health goal for 2008!