Diet help

Question
Hi,

I am a 28 year old male.  I weigh 245 but I am 6'5. I just had a physical and was told that I need to change my eating habits for the first time of my life.  I was told my cholesterol is high for someone my age. (221 and LDL of 1480 I don't really exercise other than some golf and softball in the summer because I never really thought I needed to.

I am really struggling with this diet change thing and need a little bit of guidance.  I will be the first to admit that I eat pretty poorly.  I am on the road a lot for work so finding a place to eat that is fast is always first on the list.  McDonalds, Wendys, and BK are stops I make about twice a week.  My favorite food is buffalo wings with blue cheese which I probably eat in some variety (boneless, grinder, regular wings) once or twice a week.  My wife works crazy hours so I find myself fending for myself at night.  I am not a great cook so I find myself eating frozen chicken, pasta, pizza, and other quick bites in the freezer or at a take out joint. I love eating meat in any capacity. (steaks, burgers, chicken, hot dogs, etc)

Here is my confusion, now that it's been a week I have been looking at nutritional info on everything.  It seems that everything in my freezer that I know is unhealthy lists cholesterol at 10% of daily value or lower per serving. This also includes pasta, bread, and condiments I have. I understand I need to cut back on the obvious (McDonalds, etc...) but what am I missing with these other processed foods or food in general?  Other than looking at the "cholesterol" label info should I be looking at other label info that may increase my cholesterol indirectly?

I really am lost in this whole process.  My doctor said I need to moderate and not necessarily give up things with high cholesterol but I am struggling to determine what it is other than fast foods. I don't think cutting back on the fast food will be nearly as hard as giving up red meat. I love burgers and steaks or anything I can grille, especially in the summer and really don't want to give that up.

On a side note I do plan on exercising 3 or so times a week from here on out.

Are there any foods that I should make a priority to stop completely? (if you say buffalo wings I may kill myself...kidding obviously but it would be hard.) I look forward to any advice and answers to my questions you may have.

Thanks in advance

Alex

Answer
Hi Alex,

Congratulations on taking control of your health by modifying your diet and exercise habits! That is the hardest part; deciding you will make some changes. From here out it will only get easier :)

First of all, my best advice to you is to find a local dietitian you can meet with two or three times to get personalized information. I can only give general advice regarding diet changes (over the internet!) Most hospitals have outpatient dietitian visits available. Find out which hospital your physician uses, and he can write you a prescription for a diet (which will likely be "low cholesterol" and possibly "weight loss" as well). Many times health insurance will pay for a dietitian visit.

Secondly, you will need to clarify your lab data: The LDL level is a portion of the total cholesterol level, so it can't be 1480--I'm not sure if this is a typographical error or if one of your blood levels (such as Triglycerides) is really that high. This number will make a difference in your treatment plan, so bring the lab printout with you when you meet with your clinician.

Probably the best thing to observe is the calories you're eating, even moreso than the cholesterol content. My guess is you'll have to watch portion sizes and eat smaller amounts than you have been. You wouldn't have to give up steak, but if you've been having 16 oz servings you'll need to cut these in half, at least!
There are many websites that can assist you in tracking your food intake and calorie level. FitDay.com, SparkPeople.com and TheDailyPlate.com are a few; LoseIt is a smartphone app so you can keep your food diary portable.

Your doctor gave great advice: Moderating what you eat is the way to go. When people try to give up too many things in their diet, or cut back to ridiculously low calorie levels (like a 1500 calorie diet for man who is 6'5") it won't work--it's just too frustrating and it's also unnecessary. One McDonald's quarter pounder isn't going to make or break it: consider how much you eat in a fast food meal and what can be modified: could a large order of fries be replaced with a small order? (or, in the best scenario, a salad?). Could a large soda be replaced with a small one (or, even better, a diet soda, or water?)

Every small diet change will add up to make a significant difference in the long run. For most people, losing just 10% of their body weight will have a big effect on conditions like high cholesterol, high blood pressure or high blood sugar levels. This would be 24 pounds for you. And the recommended time span for this loss is 6 months. Do you think you can do that? One pound a week, that's all!

Let me know how it goes. I have a feeling you are going to be very successful in this endeavor!

Laurie  

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