A. Nutritionist, B. Gym, C. Diet, D. All of the above?

Question
I'm 42, male, 6'0" and weigh about 240. I probably should weigh around 180 - 190. I am trying to lose weight.  I have  high cholesterol.  I have made several small improvements like drinking only skim milk, choosing chicken over the burgers, eating less fried, not drinking as much beer, drinking tea with Sweet & Low, not using as much salt, etc.  I only exercise 2-3x/wk., part of that exercise is playing double's tennis 2x/wk.  
The problem is that I'm not losing any weight.  Do you think seeing a nutritionist would help?  Or do you think I would benefit more from hitting the gym or dieting?  

I have two other quick questions:
Can you tell me what the top 10 best foods are to lose weight and help lower cholesterol? Can you tell me if the head of the broccoli or the stalk is more healthy?  

thank you,
Landon


Answer
Hi Landon,

The first thing I always recommend is sitting down with your physician before starting any exercise/diet regimen. He or she will be able to help you tailor your plan according to your physical limitations. The doctor also will be able to refer you to a nutritionist, if necessary.

Next, keep a food diary. I recommend My Calorie Counter.com. There you can enter what your daily targets for cholesterol, calories, carbs, protein, etc. should be (from the doc and/or nutritionist), as well as your actual intake. If you're not honest, you won't see true results, so be true to yourself and enter the exact amounts and foods you eat.

Finally, you need to use more calories than you consume in order to lose weight. You must increase your exercise to daily. 2-3x/week will not help you. Dedicate at least 30 minutes to cardio and 30 minutes to weight training per day. I recommend seeking the guidance of a personal trainer, if you can afford it, at least in the beginning to get your regimen down.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the top five foods to lower cholesterol are:

1. Oatmeal and oat bran
2. Walnuts
3. Fatty fish like salmon (for omega 3s)
4. Olive oil
5. Foods with plant sterols (some juices and margarines)

So, start with eating your oat bran with walnuts every morning.

You probably already know this, but cholesterol comes solely from animal sources. The fewer animal products you consume, the better your cholesterol will be. Cut out saturated and trans fats.

Finally, get tested regularly. If your diet and exercise improvements don't subtract from your LDLs, you may need to take medication to control it.

Good luck!

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