Diet to help Lower Cholesterol

[warmouth]

Hello nutrition experts! I posted up my BW the other day and my lipid panels are through the roof! I have been eating a decent amount of fats in my diet, along with the other key calories in order to put a little weight on over the fall and winter. Since my BW, I have reduced fats tremendously because I have got to get my cholestrol down. I have a family history of bad cholesterol. Some of my foods I have just incorperated are not ideal for most of you guys, but inorder to be able to get some of this stuff down, I am doing what I have got to go. Foods with no fat dont taste too good. Anyways, her is what I ate today:

8 AM- 25 grams protein shake
10 AM - Ancient Grains cereal mixed with one cup of fat free Greek Yogurt, 1/2 banana, 8oz orange juice
Noon - 6 Boiled Jumbo Shrimp, 1 cup edamame, 1 package oatmeal, the other 1/2 banana
2 PM - Workout
4 PM - 6 oz Chicken Breast(with some skin), 1/2 cup raw broccoli, 1 piece of whole grain bread
6 PM - 2 bowls of chili(ground beef), 1 cup of corn chips
Snack- 2 egg whites (boiled)
9 PM - 1 cup of fat free Greek Yogurt, 1 cup Ancient Grains cereal, handful of raspberries, handful of pistachios
Before Bed - 1 tablespoon of Natural Peanut Butter with 10 ounces of 2% milk, 24 grams whey/casein protein blend

I drink a couple of glasses of sweet tea daily. I drink roughly 1-1.5 gallons of water daily. Plus alot of vitamins and fish oils and such.

Please feel free to tweak as needed. I am taking in a little more carbs than I should I suppose, but I am trying to make up for the lack of fat. I know packaged oatmeal is not the best choice, but the extra sugars seem to be a decent balance of calories to make up for the lack of fat. If I am wrong, please correct me. I have got to get my cholesterol under control and I am game for any suggestions. I got to eat like this today because I was off of work and was able to eat several meals and not cram food down fast and supplement with shakes and granola bars for meal replacements. I am only doing what I feel is right, not what I know because I dont know, and this is why I need you guys. Thanks in advance!

[SEOINAGE]

what was your total cholesterol, hdl and ldl? Anything else a problem like triglycerides? The other problem is sugar can be more detrimental in some cases than fats for heart health.

[warmouth]

LIPID - LIPID PROFILE
CHOLESTEROL 391 mg/dL 0-200 F
HDL 31 mg/dL 40-80 F
TRIGLYCERIDES 198 mg/dL 0-149 F
HDL RISK FACTOR 12.6 CALC F
*** RISK CATEGORY *** LDL-CHOLESTEROL GOAL
VERY HIGH (DIABETES + CVD) < 70 MG/DL
HIGH (DIABETES; CHD RISK EQUIVALENTS) < 100 MG/DL
MODERATELY HIGH (MULTIPLE (2+) RISK FACTORS) < 130 MG/DL
0 TO 1 RISK FACTORS < 160 MG/DL
LDL (CALCULATED) 320 CALC 1-130 F

[digsy1983]

Maybe wana stay clear of shrimp. High in cholesterol.
Your 2 egg whites (boiled), eat the yolk! yolks don't increase cholesteol, actually promote reducing it.

[SEOINAGE]

Ok first off make sure any of your processed foods or packaged foods there have 0 trans fats, go further and check foods for partially hydrogenated oils of any vegetable type. Then make sure nothing is sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. Your corn chips could be fried in bad oil, your yogurt could have HFCS, at minimum if it isn't plain it will likely have sugar in it. Artificial sweeteners are terrible too so not a good alternative imo. Never heard of ancient grains so not sure if there's anything in there bad. Keep fish oils up, use olive oil when cooking. Just making any changes could possibly be enough I don't know. Curious what your training looks like as well, to be safe I would make sure you are doing some rigorous cardiovascular activity. And then finally see if you can't get that HDL within range, and triglycerides down. might require you to eat at a deficit to bring triglycerides down. I would shoot also for total cholesterol under 300, you don't need to push it under 200 like the range says, but I would do your best to make sure HDL is always within range. I would start simple, also want to be doing something you can keep up on a regular basis and maintain those two values.

[Back In Black]

Soluble fibre is what you need my friend. Sqap nearly all your carb sources to oats if you can, although barley will also help. Swap your nuts for almonds and walnuts. Get rid of your orange juice and have some strawberries or an apple. Add some fish oils in there too.

You have little in the way of saturated fats in your diet but don't be afraid to add some in there as you need some for normal cell function. As digsy said, add an egg yolk in there too. Personally I wouldn't worry about the shrimp, eating cholesterol doesn't necessarily increase your own cholesterol count.

[warmouth]

Coolguys! Thanks alot! I didnt know about the yolks beng ok. I have a bunch of almonds, so Ill start that. My greek yougurt is plain, so I just add granola or ancient grains with dried blueberries. Here is what I have packaged for tommorrow for work. I already have it packaged, soIll have to stick to it. Here it is:

7am - whey Protien shake
8am -3 scrambled eggs, cheese and steak wrapped in tortilla (with a sweet tea)
10am- plain fat free greek yougurt with granola
12pm - 1 can of sardines in mustard sauce, 20 wheat thins crackers, sugar snap peas(raw)
2pm- 3 oz chicken(baked) 3 boiled eggs, and a granola bar
4pm- PreWO shake (15grams protein, 30 grams of carbs, 5 grams of fat)
5pm- workout
7pm - Dinner (could be steak, baked potato with margarine, snap peas)
10pm- 1 cup of greek yogurt, fresh raspberries, shot glass of extra virgin olive oil
11-12- bedtime

I will be taking 3000mgs of fish oil, 2400mgs red rice yeast, 500mgs B12, 500mgs D3, 500gs Vitamin E, A multi vitamin, 2000 mgs vitamin C, 2400 mgs of NAC.

I bought 3 pounds of whole milk Ricotta cheese. What would be the best way to incorperate it in my diet? I would like to use it as a topping, but for what? Can it be eaten alone, or does it suck? I know I have quite a bit of lactose, but I do think it can help lower the overall lipids. I am going to incorperate more meats this week as well. I will be eating fish 3X a week, and plenty of green veggies and lots of spinach, kale, and asparagus. Anything else,or does this look like I am on the right track as far as "bulking" fairly clean? Thanks for all your guys' help!

[Back In Black]

What do your fat macro's look like?

What cut if steak?

No need for that cheese.

Add some lemon juice to the ricotta and have a small amount accompanying some chicken.

[warmouth]

I am trying to shoot for 40 grams of fat, or less. I figured it would be best to lower cholesterol. I dont eat ribeyes, prime rib, denver, or any fatty steaks anymore. I might eat a ribeye once a month because they are my favorite, but maybe not that often even. I try and eat top sirloin, round(yuck), filet, or london broil. Does the ricotta mimick yogurt, or is there another way to mix it in? Does it taste ok plain because I hate cottage cheese. I didnt know if fruit would be good in it, or use it for a dip or something.

[Back In Black]

Can you check your fat macro's? 6 while eggs alon will give you 40+ g of fat. Add to that your steak, olive oil, chicken and others and I'd say you we're probably double what you think.

Lemon juice can help reduction of cholesterol which is why I mentioned it but add some truvia and you have dessert.