30 minutes a day to a healthy heart.

[Beauty4Ashes]

I'm reading this book right now and it appears that for the most part, my diet is pretty good. I'm making goals like running/jogging 3x a week. I hope to watch that Pilates dvd tonight so that I can do Pilates when I don't feel like running. I'm reducing my sugar intake. I am going to try to eat more beans/cracked wheat foods and add canned salmon and tuna on the days when I don't have time to prepare fish. I'm confused though how I can get enough cholesterol to keep my hormones working and enough calories to gain some weight without causing my cholesterol to rise. Or is the 200 or less too low and unrealistic for cholesterol in the first place?

[Soliloquy]

I think if you eliminate sugar or cut it back as much as you possibly can (watch out for hidden sugar, too) and eliminate adulterated fats, plus add moderate exercise your cholesterol will be good. There is no evidence that simply lowering cholesterol reduces heart attacks. Cholesterol is like the kid left holding the bag--out bodies are not isolated systems. I'm sure you know this. You might want to see if you library has any books / articles by Mary Enig, Ph.D. http://www.amazon.com/Know-Your-Fats-Understanding-Cholesterol/dp/0967812607/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/104-8716214-8679967?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182978113&sr=8-2

[Beauty4Ashes]

Hey! They do have that book at my library. If I can get through my mountain of books, I'll check it out...I cheated a bit yesterday and ate an entire can of biscuits (the ones in a can that you pop in the oven) with butter and honey and some ice cream...only to discover that the store brand of ice cream has hfcs and such. I hadn't eaten pre-made bread from white flour in a while. Today though I ate my homemade whole wheat bread with the butter and honey.