Cholestrol/Atkins HELP

[angel247]

Hello All-

I have been a member for quite some time and always find alot of useful information even though I rarely post. I recently had something come up and any help or comments on the situation would be greatly appreciated, I think I could get some great answers on what I should do. Little background- I have been overweight since I was about 21. Within the past 6 years I have had 3 knee surgeries and due to the lack of physical activity and lack of eating like I should (probaly just due to me feeling sorry for myself) my weight went up to 344 lbs. For the past month or so, I have somewhat buckled down and started eating lowcarbish and exercising daily (50 mins on the treadmill). Doing so I have gotten down to 309. Pretty great right?
So I am all positive about everything and I go to my DR and have some bloodwork done. Come to find out at 31 yrs old I have high cholesterol.
My numbers are:
total-232
Tri-149
HDL-40
LDL-162
They are giving me 6 months to lower it or I will be put on meds. No one in my family has high cholestrol or is overweight so I really can't blame it on genes. Honestly I have been one of those chronic "on again off again Atkins abusers" and I honestly believe thats what did it. Here is why I say that. Had bloodwork done 2 yrs ago (due to lack of medical insurance till now) and everything was fine. I believe with me eating Atkins-like for a week and then falling off for 3 weeks I was actually eating worse than if I hadn't been "trying" to lose weight to begin with. The one week of eating fatty cuts of meat, creams and butters and then eating sugary bullcrap for the next 3 weeks it had to be doing more harm than good. I Atkins!..I feel great when I stick to it. More energy, lbs flying off, helps with my anxiety, you name it. I lack will power and I love to eat (and trust me I am the one that will try every low carb receipe under the sun to make my meals exciting so there is really no excuse for me not to stick with it). At this point I guess I have been scared straight, hit rock bottom, what ever you want to call it. I am only 31, still want to have children and live a long healthy life and I know what I need to do. I have read several posts on here re cholesterol and see some peoples go up, some go down. What is everyones overall opinion? Can I still eat red meat, butter and cream and as long as I continue exercising and losing weight will my numbers go down? I know its unhealthy to try a low fat version of Atkins I just don't want my numbers to go up. My dr is against the "diet" as she calls it to begin with so I am not getting much help from her. I recently also started taking garlic and fish oil pills. Also, usually once a week when I go out, I have a few drinks. Does alcohol play a factor into this? Once again anybody that has went thru this or any suggestions anybody has would be greatly greatly appreciated....

Angie

[2big4mysize]

There are many medical reasons you could have high LDL too everything from menopause to hypothyroid. Did your doc check any of those? Since you don't have starting numbers from before you began your Atkins just keep going eating on plan and see in 6 months where your numbers are. Your good cholesterol should go up and your triglycerides continue to fall. The increase in the HDL should help lower the bad type of LDL. adding the resistance part of your Atkins will also help raise your good stuff. Then in 6 months you can adjust if you need to.

COngrats on the 50 min on the treadmill. I loved my treadmill and used it all the way to goal weight with adding resitance training in the form of the BFL ligting program.

[Fizgig]

I'm 31 and have you WAY beat in the cholesterol department - a few weeks ago I had mine tested and it was 324 after three months on Atkins. (Had been 210 the year before).

I don't have the answers yet, but my plan is to go on South Beach. From the reading I've done, some people process fat differently and I just don't think I can handle the high saturated fat content on Atkins. South Beach focuses on limiting the sat fats, so hopefully that'll do the trick.

[LustfortheMoment]

Your numbers aren't that terrible and will most certainly improve with weight loss regardless of the diet regimen which you choose.

I know its unhealthy to try a low fat version of Atkins

Not true . I agree with your doctor about the risks associated with a high saturated fat diet. There certainly are ways to do a "modified Atkins" eating leaner meats and fish rather than "steak, eggs, bacon, and butter". I thrive on a low-fat LC regimen without any loss of energy. Take a look at the "Other Plans" threads.

Best of Luck to you!!!! Congratulations on your weight loss to date.....!!!!!!

[Leo41]

The most obvious reason for your numbers is that fact that you say you've been doing Atkins seriously for ONE MONTH and have lost a good deal of weight. Your blood is temporarily saturated with lipids from this process.

In his writings, Dr. Atkins tells people NOT to have bloodwork done until they've been on the program at least 6 months because of this phenomenon. You should be OK.

HOWEVER, I'm disturbed that you write that a lower fat version of Atkins is "unhealthy." You've internalized misinformation.

I HAD TO lower my fat intake for medical reasons several years ago, and I knew the basic principles of low carb eating (which I need to do for both health and weight loss). I have fat, but it is from wild salmon and tuna and olive oil. I eat a lot of fish and leaner meats--grass-fed bison and free-range chicken. I eat green veggies, but I can't have egg yolks, so I use the eggwhite things (Eggbeaters).

I lose slowly, but that's due to my age and the fact that I'm hypothyroid. But because I am hypo, I have my blood checked regularly, and this WOE has been very healthy, based on my results. My blood pressure, cholesterol, and other factors are ideal and amaze my doctors.

I'm not saying that YOU should lower your fat intake, but please don't believe that it will be "unhealthy" if you do so.

[LustfortheMoment]

Originally Posted by Leo41

HOWEVER, I'm disturbed that you write that a lower fat version of Atkins is "unhealthy." You've internalized misinformation.

I'm not saying that YOU should lower your fat intake, but please don't believe that it will be "unhealthy" if you do so.

THANK YOU, LEO, for being another VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS...

[frogfarm]

Originally Posted by LustfortheMoment

THANK YOU, LEO, for being another VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS...

Truth is truth, regardless of how many believe it.

[bizbuyer]

I started Atkins (LC) in January 2007...Given the fact that I have a genetic predisposition towards diabetes and heart disease, I'm particularly in awe of the change in triglycerides which resulted from an LC lifestyle with a little exercise mixed in...

Date----------Weight--- Cholesterol--HDL-----LDL---Triglycerides


10/10/2002-----------------297----- n/a------n/a------594
9/9/2003 -------------------231-----55-------130------227
1/13/2005------------------213----- 61-------99-------263
1/13/2006---------185.0--- 232------52-------101----- 396
8/8/2007----------156.0--- 189------50-------125----- 72
8/11/2008---------140.0--- 191------52-------121----- 91

For the record, I didn't weigh anything before 1/13/05...

I'll have my next physical in a couple of months...I'm hoping (and thinking) that the cholesterol has remained under control despite gaining 10 pounds since my last physical.

[sugarless4life]

Originally Posted by LustfortheMoment

I agree with your doctor about the risks associated with a high saturated fat diet. There certainly are ways to do a "modified Atkins" eating leaner meats and fish rather than "steak, eggs, bacon, and butter". I thrive on a low-fat LC regimen without any loss of energy. Take a look at the "Other Plans" threads.

Best of Luck to you!!!! Congratulations on your weight loss to date.....!!!!!!

Atkins is not just "steak, eggs, bacon, & butter". Please...comments like that just prove that point. Read the book, and don't just stop there, read Good Calories Bad Calories.

Betty

[LustfortheMoment]

"steak, eggs, bacon, & butter".

I have read the book and am reading Good Calories, Bad Calories. Of course, folks can do ATKINS in any way that they like, but his tenor is an embrace of saturated fats. I see nothing so far from Taubes commenting upon the cancer risks associated with such a diet, but I'll continue to read.......

[2big4mysize]

nor is atkins all saturated fats as most meats have a mixture of saturated mono and polyunsaturated fats in them

[LustfortheMoment]

Originally Posted by 2big4mysize

nor is atkins all saturated fats as most meats have a mixture of saturated mono and polyunsaturated fats in them

Agreed...........

[angel247]

I am hoping that losing the weight will change the numbers as well....I have read the book, honestly cover to cover like 30 times. (can be alittle anal, you think??)...lol. And yes, I know that Atkins is not JUST steak, butter and cream. I do eat fish 3-4 times a week (since weather has been warmer, I catch my own fish...the best),chicken and I eat ALOT of veggies. At the same time, the first thing my dr said to me is stop eating red meat, trans fats, and butter/mayo....that will help. That being said, on Atkins, I do use butter on my veggies, I do eat steak twice a week, I do eat bacon usually daily with eggs for breakfast and I do fry my chicken wings ...If I continue on this path should my numbers go down? When I think LOWFAT version of Atkins, I think Kimkins thats why I said that. And whoever said not to do bloodwork within the first month of Atkins was correct. I just hadn't had any blood work done in awhile and wanted to get checked out. So hopefully the numbers will lower in 6 months. If you look at any "typical" diet to lower cholesterol they state to add grains and eat low fat...that is where my concern was. I feel as if I am going against the "conventional" way ..even though I do know Atkins is actually supposed to HELP with lowering cholesterol....Thanks to everyone......

[LustfortheMoment]

When I think LOWFAT version of Atkins, I think Kimkins

Kimkins was simply a fraud.

Look at the Stillman diet. It's hard to tolerate ( at least for me) because of its low carbohydrate emphasis, but I follow it while adding 10-20 grms of CHO daily.

http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/st...loss-diet.html

Good Luck,

[frogfarm]

Why obsess about what the number is? Low cholesterol can be just as dangerous to your health, if not more so, particularly for women. "High" or "low" numbers are meaningless without further context like particle density.

It's like the number on a scale. Why care if the number goes up or down? Who cares what the number is at all, when one person can be obese and unhealthy while weighing LESS than another who is fit and trim?

[2big4mysize]

your doc isn't well educated on fats and chain lenght and food composisiton.

red meat
Bet he doesn't know there are 10 cuts of beef that are legally labeled very lean cause they have less sat fat them chicken does for a serving? that is 3 grams or less
there are several more that are labeled lean cause they have 3-5 grams perserving size.


butter
Bet your doc doesn't know butter is made up of short chain fatty acids and will be absorbed from your intestines, transported to your liver and converted to ketones in your liver not cholesterol.

next time ask the doc for the science behind no butter and red meat and watch them sqirm when you ask about even those lean and very lean cuts ( list of all of them and watch your docs jaw drop) and short fatty acid chain lenght and cholesterol production.

[LustfortheMoment]

Your points are well taken, 2big, but ATKINS doesn't emphasize any of them in his book............

[2big4mysize]

fillet mingon is a lean cut of beef and Dr Atkins talks about eating it in several places in DANDR 2002

[DaffodilSoup]

Originally Posted by LustfortheMoment

Kimkins was simply a fraud.

Look at the Stillman diet. It's hard to tolerate ( at least for me) because of its low carbohydrate emphasis, but I follow it while adding 10-20 grms of CHO daily.

http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/st...loss-diet.html

Good Luck,

Yeah, a diet of a cheese stick, deli turkey, and fish every day would be hard for me to tolerate too.