As a large part of my motivation is to improve my general health, I have been looking for other measures that could help me assess my progress. I found out that my local Sainsbury's is offering free cholesterol testing at the moment, so I have booked myself an appointment for a week today too. I had a full health assessment on 25 April which included cholesterol tests, but other than the fact that my results were outside the recommended range, I didn't really know much about what cholesterol is or why it is important. So of course, I referred to Dr. Google to find out and this is what I learned.
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/cholesterol
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Cholesterol/Pages/Introduction.aspx
Cholesterol is a fatty substance known as a lipid and is vital for the normal functioning of the body.Cholesterol is carried in your blood by proteins, and when the two combine they are called lipoproteins. There are harmful and protective lipoproteins known as LDL and HDL, or bad and good cholesterol.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL): LDL carries cholesterol from your liver to the cells that need it. If there is too much cholesterol for the cells to use, it can build up in the artery walls, leading to disease of the arteries. For this reason, LDL cholesterol is known as "bad cholesterol".
High-density lipoprotein (HDL): HDL carries cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver, where it is either broken down or passed out of the body as a waste product. For this reason, it is referred to as "good cholesterol" and higher levels are better.
The following levels are generally regarded as desirable:
- Total cholesterol (TC) - 5.0 mmol/L or less. However, about 2 in 3 adults in the UK have a TC level of 5.0 mmol/L or above. Mine was 5.6.
- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol after an overnight fast: 3.0 mmol/L or less. Mine was 3.8.
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol: 1.2 mmol/L or more. Mine was 1.2.
- TC/HDL ratio: 4.5 or less. That is, your total cholesterol divided by your HDL cholesterol. This reflects the fact that for any given TC level, the more HDL, the better. Mine was 4.7.
Any other ideas for measuring progress?
Good luck, bb! This is all very interesting, as well as quite exciting. Are you doing any more exercise as well as the fasting? I am such a convert to cycling since getting my road bike eighteen months ago - the more I cycle, the fitter/lighter I get, the faster I go, the more fun it is, the more I cycle - it's a fabulous positive feedback loop. So for me that's a good way of measuring progress - I have a heart rate monitor and a fancy watch so I can see how much effort I'm putting in and how fast I'm going. I was pleased that even after three months off the bike, I can still ride ten miles at an average speed of 14.8mph - it was hard work, but the fitness doesn't drop off as quickly as I'd feared. Also, I suspect exercise and muscle building/toning is a good way of dealing with the weight loss/loose skin issue.
ReplyDeleteI've not been doing a 5:2 diet so much as just semi-fasting every day - just eating less in general. It doesn't take too long for it to become a habit, and you save a fair bit of cash by having smaller portions too. I was surprised by how quickly I got used to it as well.
Hello EG darling, thanks so much for commenting!
ReplyDeleteOne of the main motivations for wanting to lose weight is to take the pressure off my joints so that I can start exercising. At the moment even moderate exercise sets off problems in my hips and ankles. I used to enjoy running a lot so it is very frustrating. Getting to a point where I can walk to the train station in the morning without paying for it in pain the next day will be progress indeed! It sounds like your cycling activities are lots of fun, and I agree that muscle toning can only be a benefit in terms of boosting metabolism.
I particularly like the 5:2 as the health benefits seem to go beyond those associated with weight loss by other means. However I understand that daily calorie withholding is very effective too. And yes, surprisingly easy once you get used to it!
Good luck and congratulations on your excellent fitness achievements :)