Is anyone an OK weight but under orders to become more healthy for other reasons (cholesterol, blood pressure etc. etc.)?

[foxinsocks]

because I have 3 months to turn myself around grrrr

I am a totally fine weight but I come from a family with a high risk of heart problems and cholesterol issues.

My cholesterol has always been in the upper range but always been seen as acceptable given that I'm bound to have some sort of inherited risk. My one saving grace is that I have low bp.

Of course, last week, I had an appointment at the gynae, was running late, had to grab a taxi but it was raining...when I finally got one, the traffic was so bad I had to get out 100m away and run (in heels) to make the appointment. They took my bp when I got there and it was on the high side.

This has now triggered this whole palava and I have 3 months to get it down. Now I KNOW I don't have high bp but it probably is a timely reminder to do something about my health but I'm wondering if anyone else has been in this position and how they've gone about it.

I'm well aware I'm woefully unfit which is probably half the problem ggrrrr.

[AitchTwoOh]

yeah, but you really just use a couple of sausages. (if they're bigguns)

[Elibean]

True. Dahl and sausage recipes noted, thank you.

Are those of you with genetic predisposition to high cholesterol not considering statins? dh has been on them for years...and one of his brothers, too.

[Ozziegirly]

This is probably me too, but also my DH, who I am now healthing up.

He is a perfectly ok weight, but has been told his cholesterol is high (8 - eeekk) and he also has high liver enzymes.

He has now cut out booze but getting him onto a healthy diet is a challenge.

He will eat anything I give him in the evening, lentils and beans a go go. But as he has given up booze he is craving sweet things. After a (big for him) dinner of something healthy we normally share a plate of apple, peach, necterine and grapes. Then he will often have half a bag of fat free sweets, plus some nuts and sometimes a fat and sugar free (Skinny Cow) ice cream as well.

This is bad. I know it.

Plus he is exercising more which again, makes him hungry.

Dinner is huge. He says he is full but just craving sweet stuff.

But for the time being he is off the booze which surely helps?

How can I make him less sugar cravy in the evening?

[foxinsocks]

my dad is on statins for life. I don't know how high cholesterol has to be before you get considered for them? I probably need to get it measured again.

Ozzie - I had a major major problem with sugar cravings in the evening. I used to eat a packet of fruit gums every single night in addition to a full meal and loads and loads of fruit.

I started to cut down sugar bit by bit. First thing he needs to look at is does he have lots of sugar during the day? I realised that a lot of my sugar cravings at night were a) conditioning (from eating sweet things at night) b) because I had a lot of sugar during the day then a big gap when I commuted home so I was screaming for it in the evening.

So I cut out sugar from my tea during the day (probably about 6 cups!) and forced myself not to eat sweets at all. It really really helped the evening cravings.

The issue is to eat regularly during the day. The more he starts to do that, the less he will crave sugar at night. But it is seriously like breaking an addiction!