I've been hitting the treadmill every morning before work for about a year now.
I haven't lost a single solitary pound whatsoever.
I lost more than 50 lbs and have kept it off.
The VA clinic said I had "slightly elevated tryglicerides" and I needed to watch my diet, take fish oil supplements and exercise. The diet they sent me was a list of what to eat and what not to eat.
I bought the fish oil supplements and have been taking them ever since, and walking -- five miles along a county road, with about 700 feet of climbing.
Here's the diet they sent me -- and here's a tip: read the data on everything you buy, and avoid fats like the plague.
GUIDELINES.- FOODS TO USE
FOR LOW-CHOLESTEROL, LOW-TRIGLYCERIDE DIETS
MEATS, FISH
EGGS
FRUITS
VEGFTABLES
BREADS
BEANS
NUTS
CEREALS
DAIRY PRODUCTS
FATS, OILS
DESSERTS, SNACKS
BEVERAGES
MISCELLANEOUS
MEATS: Choose lean meats (Chicken, Turkey, Lamb, Veal, and nonfat cuts of beef). Make sure to trim all visible fat from meat before cooking and remove the skin from poultry. FISH: Choose fresh or frozen fish, canned fish packed in water, and shellfish Lobster and shrimp should be limited to two times per week: other shellfish can be eaten three times or more). Meats and fish should be broiled (pan or oven) or baked on a rack. Red meat is okay to eat as long as it's lean. For most people, 6 oz of poultry, fish, or lean meat is plenty.
Use egg substitutes and egg whites freely. Limit the use of egg yolks to a maximum of 4 per week, including those used in cooking.
Eat fresh fruit every day. Be sure to have at least I citrus fruit daily. Frozen or earned fruit with no added sugar or syrup may also be used.
Eat most vegetables freely (see exceptions on reverse side). One dark green (String beans, spinach) or one deep yellow (squash) is recommended daily (com, lima beans, etc., should be eaten sparingly since they are regarded as breads because of their starch content). Cauliflower, broccoli, celery, and potato skins are recommended for their fiber content. (Fiber is associated with cholesterol reduction.) Avocados and olives are high in monounsaturated fat and calories. Eat them sparingly.
The healthiest way to prepare vegetables is to steam them, but boiling, straining, and braising with Polyunsaturated or monounsaturated oil are other alternatives.
Use whole-grain or enriched bread. Crackers and Melba toast may also be used as bread substitutes, as may pasta, rice, or corn. -
Dried peas or beans may be used as bread substitute.
Nuts are high in fat and calories, although most of the fat is unsaturated and there's no cholesterol. Because most are unlikely to raise cholesterol, nuts are a good protein alternative to meat. Almonds, walnuts, and peanuts may be used sparingly (I tablespoon), mainly for caloric reasons.
Choose cereals (such as oatmeal) that are high in fiber and oat bran. Stay away from presweetened cereals or cereals that list sugar as a major ingredient. Read Labels.
Choose skim milk or 99 % fat-free milk. Also, buy low-fat cheese such as farmer's cheese, part-skim mozzarella, ricotta, or low-fat cottage cheese. Use only low-fat yogurt-some yogurts are very high in grams of fat. -- - - -
Use vegetable oils that are high in polyunsaturated fats (such as safflower, sunflower, soybean, corn, and cottonseed). Canola and olive oil are also very good choices. Very small amounts of margarine may be used but read labels-margarine is hydrogenated and offsets the benefit of using unsaturated oils.
Limit snacking. Low-fat snacks include: ice-milk, sherbet, unflavored gelatin or gelatin flavored with a sugar substitute, pudding made with skim milk, egg-white soufflés, or air-popped popcorn.
Choose, fresh fruit juices (approximately 4 oz per day), black coffee, plain or herbal teas, sugar-free soft drinks, club soda or seltzer (salt-free), or cocoa made with skim me.
Alcohol. limit to 2 servings per day (see reverse side for serving information).
Use the following freely: vinegar, spices, herbs, nonfat bouillon, and mustard.
SEE NEXT PAGE FOR FOODS TO AVOID
1. Use ALL foods in moderation.
BEVERAGES
GUIDELINES: FOODS TO AVOID
FOR LOW-CHOLESTEROL, LOW-TRIGLYCERIDE DIETS
MEATS, FISH
EGGS
FRUITS
VEGETABLES
BEANS
NUTS
BREADS/GRAINS
MILK PRODUCTS
FATS, OILS
DESERTS, SNACKS
MEATS: Marbled beef, duck, and goose (remove the skin from poultry); processed meats; luncheon meats (salami, bologna); frankfurters and fast-food hamburgers (they're loaded with fat); organ meats (kidneys, liver); and canned fish packed in oil.
Limit eggs (yolks) to 4 per week, including those used in cooking.
Avoid coconuts, which are rich in saturated fats-.-
Eat avocados and olives sparingly (the allowed dietary intake is so small, it may be better to avoid them). Starchy vegetables (potatoes, com, lima beans, dried peas, beans) may be used as substitutes for a serving of bread or cereal.
Avoid commercially baked beans with sugar and/or pork added.
Eat peanuts and walnuts sparingly. Limit all nuts as they are high in calories.
Avoid any baked goods with shortening and/or sugar, as well as commercial mixes with dried eggs and whole milk. Avoid sweet rolls, doughnuts, breakfast pastries (Danish), and sweetened packaged cereals.
Avoid whole milk and whole-milk packaged goods, cream, ice cream, puddings made with whole milk, whole-milk yogurts and cheeses, and nondairy cream substitutes.
Avoid butter, lard, animal fats, bacon drippings, gravies, cream sauces, and palm and coconut oils. All of these are very high in saturated fats. Examine labels on 'cholesterol-free' products for 'hydrogenated fats.' These are oils that have been hardened into solids and, in the process, become saturated. Margarine is one example.
Avoid fried snack foods (such as potato chips), chocolate, candies, jams, jellies, syrups, and hydrogenated peanut butter.
Avoid sugared fruit juices and soft drinks and cocoa made with whole milk and/or sugar. When using alcohol (I oz liquor, 5 oz beer, or 2.5 oz dry table wine per serving), I serving must be substituted for I bread or cereal serving. Limit alcohol to 2 servings per day.
SPECLAL NOTES
2. Read labels carefully--sometimes they can be misleading.
3. While on a triglyceride-lowering diet, be sure to avoid sweets and control the amount of simple and complex carbohydrates you eat (candies, sweets, and starchy foods such as flour, bread, and potatoes).
4. Buy a good low-fat cookbook such as the one published by the American Head Association.
5. Consult your physician if you have any questions.