Proof positive

Today's got me thinking about growth. Not like height, but emotional growth, personal growth. It's strange how we don't see our growth except upon reflection. Sometimes, someone is kind enough to point it out to us. And sometimes, someone is mean enough to point out how we used to be without acknowledging how we've grown. This happened to me today. Combine me taking a comment personally with being hungry and overtired and I had the recipe for a pizza craving and a good cry. Luckily, neither came to much of anything.

However, here's some reflection that I kinda stumbled upon tonight. When I was at the doctor this week, she decided to check my cholesterol and blood sugar because I didn't have any on record in a number of years. When I looked up my results, I found some older tests and the results were vastly different. First what you need to know, is that I've been trying consciously to eat healthier and exercise for roughly four years now. So, back in November 2005, I had the following results (categorization is according to WebMD):

• Overall cholesterol 246--High
• HDL (good cholesterol) 48--Low, risk factor
• LDL (bad cholesterol) 147--Borderline high
• Triglycerides 255--High

Well, that was NOT good...In March of 2006, things were looking better, but not great:

• Overall cholesterol 211
• HDL 48
• LDL 129
• Triglycerides 171

So, where does that leave me today??

• Overall cholesterol 188--Desirable
• HDL 62--High, optimal
• LDL 106--near optimal
• Triglycerides 100--normal

What a difference diet and exercise make!!! I love results that I can see and have proof of. It kinda goes along with that trust thing that takes me some time and experience. It's why I weigh myself often and measure my waist. I want proof of the results. My blood sugar was in a normal range too and my blood pressure that day was 118/69, just under normal. When I was working out more often, it was lower, which is also normal.

I am, perhaps, more excited by these results than maybe I should be. Why? Because my family has a history of high cholesteral, high blood pressure and diabetes. To me, this is proof positive that these diseases are preventable. I'm not doomed to repeat my family history if I don't want to be.

Changed breakfast up just a little--oatmeal with cinnamon, scrambled eggs and white beans with salsa, fresh fruit (watermelon, cantaloupe, and pineapple)

Morning snack

Lunch at Panera---greek salad, black bean soup, french baguette and cranberry and hibiscus iced tea

A giant pink lady apple after boxing class

small chicken breast, potatoes fried in olive oil with ketchup, steamed broccoli and frozen mixed veggies. To help make the taters delicious, I sprinkled them with garlic powder and cayenne pepper.


As a snack while writing, I had a 100 calorie lite popcorn and kava tea