Dieting for blood pressure

Question
 I am a 41 year W/F recently diagnosed with high blood pressure. I weigh 188 & doctor wants me to lose 6 lbs. by my next visit, which is 2 weeks away. I only eat a healthy cereal, fruit & milk for breakfast. Lunch is a SlimFast & fruit. Dinners are salads only. I have lowered my daily sodium intake. I also work out by riding a stationary bike at least 20 mins. daily. I loss a few lbs. in the beginning, but recently have gained the weight back even though I am not eating. My husband is concerned I have given up eating meat & the affects this may cause. How can I keep the weight off & keep the nutrients I need to stay healthy?

Answer
Doris,
What you really need is to see a dietitian for personal instruction.  I cannot tell you exactly what is happening without knowing exactly what and how much you are eating.  You could be eating too little, too much, unbalanced, etc...  Eating too little can actually slow your metabolism so first of all make sure you are eating enough calories for your age, size, exercise, etc...  Plenty of people don't eat meat and that is not a problem as long as you are getting your protein from other sources.  You can lose weight and keep the nutrients by eating a healthy diet that includes all of the food groups and watching how much you are eating!  And as I said before, if you don't want to eat meat that is fine as long as you substitute with other non-meat sources from that group.  
Make sure your exercise is challenging enough to be an aerobic workout (unless your doctor has instructed you any differently) and make sure you are drinking plenty of water throughout the day!  Watch for hidden calories that you might not be aware of like drinking too many soft drinks or over indulging on "fat-free" foods.   You can check out www.mypyramid.gov to find out more about how you should eat.  You can also check out www.americanheart.org to find info on high blood pressure.
Kim Tessmer, RD LD
www.Nutrifocus.net

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