About It

Facts About Blood Cholesterol

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Table of Contents | Why Blood Cholesterol Matters | The Blood Cholesterol--Heart Disease Connection | Other Risk Factors For Heart Disease | Who Can Benefit From Lowering Blood Cholesterol? | Cholesterol--In Your Blood, In Your Diet | LDL- and HDL-Cholesterol: The Bad and The Good | Things That Affect Blood Cholesterol | Have Your Blood Cholesterol Checked | Guidelines For Heart-Healthy Living | Making The Guidelines Work: Eat The Heart-Healthy Way | Eat Out The Heart-Healthy Way | Make Physical Activity Part Of Your Routine |  Lose Weight Sensibly | Cholesterol Levels In Children? | How High Is a Child's "High" Blood Cholesterol? | In Case You Were Wondering... | Should You Know Your Cholesterol Ratio? | What are Triglycerides? | Will Lowering My Blood Cholesterol Help Me Live Longer? | Is It Safe To Eat In A Heart-Healthy Way? | How Much Will Your Cholesterol Levels Change?

Lose Weight Sensibly

If you are overweight, losing even 5 to 10 pounds can improve your blood cholesterol levels. But don't go on a crash diet: The healthiest and longest-lasting weight loss happens when you take it slowly, losing 1/2 to 1 pound a week. If you cut 500 calories a day by eating less and being more active, you should lose 1 pound (which amounts to about 3,500 calories) in a week. (Overweight children and adolescents should not be put on strict weight loss diets; consult your family doctor if this is a concern.)

A heart-healthy eating plan can help you lose weight because cutting down on fat is a good way to cut down on calories. And, if you are overweight, you should take care to eat foods high in starch and fiber (like vegetables, fruits, and breads and cereals) instead of high fat foods. Choose low fat and low calorie items from each food group. Finally, you'll need to limit the amount--or serving sizes--as well.

But there's more to losing weight than just eating less. The most successful weight-loss programs are those that combine diet and increased physical activity. A low fat, low calorie way of eating combined with increased physical activity can help you lose more weight and keep it off longer than either way can achieve alone.

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