I was wondering if I could get some advice from everyone. I recently went to the doctor for a routine physical (it had been a while) and everything came back pretty normal. Except I have high cholesterol (270 overall). I would consider myself healthy. I weigh 165 and am 6'1" and am 25 years old. I don't have a weight problem, although I have started to put on a few pounds. I have been fairly good about doing what the doctor has said. I eat no where near what I used to. I am eating salads, grilled turkey burgers, grilled chicken, broiled fish, salads, veggie subs on wheat, cheerios, and more salads (things are getting repetitive). I am going to meet with a nutritionist soon. I am also taken fish oil pills (yuck) and will get rechecked in July to check for any changes. If there is no change I will be put on meds. The big concern for me is that my Mom died when she was 35 from a heart attack. And literature says it is a good portion genetics that effect these levels.

Here is the problem. I have been told to exercise... I don't really know what to do. I have a bike that I just got for my birthday. I have running shoes that have been worn twice. I just bought a weight bench from Dick's Sporting Goods. I am having motivation issues though! I am working full-time and have been taking classes and will begin school full-time in the Fall for my doctorate at the University of Virginia (which I will commute to). I do walk my dog about twice a week for several miles and walk around Busch Gardens in Williamsburg weekly, about 5-7 miles on the weekends. Do you all have any suggestions on how to get motivated? I was thinking I should have a set schedule, but have never really put myself on some type of exercise regiment before and figured someone on here has. What do you all think? :confused:

Jason, glad to hear you're taking the cholesterol issue seriously.

As for the working-out, whenever I've gone to the gym or gone running on a regular basis I've had a work-out partner. Find someone in your area who has similar goals and you'll not only get fitter, but also might make a good friend.

[ March 29, 2005, 11:01 AM: Message edited by: Chi-townfan ]

I have the same motivational problems. What worked for me is finding a friend (in my case, a boyfriend) or workout partner. I find it's much easier when you have someone pushing you and vice versa.

Jason, first of all, I am so sorry that you lost your mother when she was only 35 years old!

Secondly, it seems pretty apparent that your high cholesterol is being caused by genetics, as it seems you are doing all you can do food-wise.

I don't have a lot of advice in terms of motivation, because I have a hard time motivating myself but what has worked for me is setting aside one hour a day, the same time each day for myself, to do exercise. It can be after work, in the mornings, or at night. I know it's not always possible to exercise at the same exact time each day but I think the more you can stick to it, the easier it is to stay motivated. When I use to exercise at random times, I always found myself getting caught up in something else and never getting to the exercise. Have a specific time forces me to structure other things around that time. Eventually, exercise became a normal part of my daily routine....

Good luck!

I would join a gym if you can afford it. Personally I find it more motivating if I am doing things with others. I joined my local "Y", back in November, and haven't looked back. Cholesterol is interesting. My Mother who passed away in december always had a ridiculously high reading, somewhere in the 300's, I kid you not, was never put on any cholesterol meds, and her death had nothing to do with her heart at all. Go figure.

If you're going to be a student full time at UVa you should be able to use the student athletic facilities as well. So I'm sure there's a gym/activity center nearby. Put exercise down on your regular schedule -- pretend like its a required class....
9:00am Advanced Social Statistics
11:00am Modern Feminist Studies
1:00pm EXERCISE !!
3:00pm Study Time
If make it part of your routine and then, as others have suggested, meet someone with your same schedule, you can motivate each other. (and try to participate in a sport you enjoy!)

I go to the gym in the morning, before work. With taking a bus and an underground train, this means I need to get up at 4:30 a.m.! Even for a morning person like me, that is un-Godly early. But it is part of my routine now (like Tarheel said) and I treat it as a regular part of my day. The benefit of working out in the morning is that whatever else happens or however unmotivated I might be later in the day, my workout is done. I felt rushed when I used to work out at lunch. And it is too easy to skip when friends call to go for drinks or dinner in the evening.

The other motivator for me is a heart rate monitor. I found a great one for $25. It is basic, just has time and heart rate. But it's a fun game to play. I try to stay between 140 and 150 bpm for 40 minutes. And when I see it creeping down to 136 or 133 then I know I need to pick it up a bit.

I agree with others about joining a fitness class. I discovered spinning a few months ago. After five minutes on a stationary bike I'm bored, but in a spinning class I can go for what seems like forever. And if there are regular attendees, they can get on your case when you don't show up for a few classes. There is a regular crowd at my class, and there is some gentle razzing when folks haven't been to class in a while.

Good luck!

PS: I agree about the fish oil. I take two Omega-3's every morning, and if I burp about half-an-hour, I get that awful taste in my mouth! hahahaha

Hey Jason,
I agree with some of the advice to join a gym, and start out with a personal trainer for the first few months if you can afford it.

If you can't join a gym and just can't figure out how to get started, try just doing push-ups and crunches and maybe a few dumbbell curls each morning for 15 or 20 minutes. I believe if you keep that up for a few weeks, soon you will want more, and you'll be motivated to start wanting to make use of that weight bench you bought.

Also check out beginner work-out recommendations on bodybuilding.com (not just for bodybuilders) and other fitness websites.

Like you, I'm also a seemingly fit person at 5'-8" 155 lb, and I have high cholestoral. But since I'm 15 years older than you, my doc put me on Lipitor last year. I also take medication for high blood pressure, which runs in the family. I lost my father and other relatives to heart attacks at young ages. To me, not wanting to die young is motivation enough to make me work out.

[ March 29, 2005, 08:24 PM: Message edited by: maxallen ]

Jason, I'm really sorry to hear about your mom passing away at such a young age. When I was 3 and my brother a newborn my mom had a heart attack. She was 38 and her heart stopped for 3 minutes. My dad is a retired professor at Duke med and my mom a retired nurse so they were already heading to the hospital when the heart stopped. Moreover all the doctors were there to revive her. And in 1961 Duke was one of only 3 hospitals in the country that practiced CPR. I just wish someone had been there to do the same for your mom.

Yes start exercising. It's been easy for me because I was an athlete in HS and college. You can learn to love it. It is so empowering to be in great shape. I love swimming long distances, hiking mountains and going on a bike ride. You can meet some real sexy guys in the process. I met a lot of hot ones back when I use to bike from Manhattan to Nyack. Don't look it at as a chore but a hobby. Set goals, like you want to get in good enough shape to climb Mt Mitchell with some friends or to bike to Washington. It is so good for your mental state as well and if you make it apriority you will find your concentration level improves. So you may get more work done in less time. You may add a social spin like joining an outdoor hiking club or a runner's club. But have fun and don’t let it become a drag.

[ March 29, 2005, 08:24 PM: Message edited by: Thom ]

Jason, I too am sorry to hear about the loss of your mother. I am glad you are taking this issue seriously. I certainly hope you are not smoking cigarettes. If you are, please quit, as these also help to elevate your cholesterol in addition to causing a host of other health problems. In order to lower your cholesterol, you need cardio-vascular work-outs. Forget the power lifting. Simple walking will work wonders for you. Walk long enough to work up a sweat. Walk fast, but slow enough to carry on a conversation. If you have to do this by yourself, talk to yourself occasionally to see how you are handling it. I think it would be better to start walking, not jogging, because jogging can be hard on your joints. Just be sure to do this REGULARLY! Three times a week for about an hour at a time should do it, if time allows, work up to four or five days. I also assume you have permission from your doctor to begin an exercise program. You will feel the results almost immediately, although you will be a bit sore for a while. Make sure you have good walking shoes! You don't want blisters! Be sure to eat plenty of protein and carbs, drink plenty of water, get plenty of rest. Best of luck, and keep us informed regarding your progress.

Jason:

When you try the Wahoo gyms out you may discover all sorts of motivation that you never dreamed of. But before you get here: I'm not a medical expert, but I have some experience with problematic cholesterol myself. What I have learned from my doctors and experience that seems to be most effective is this: oat bran!!!!!!! Put a bowl of oatmeal mixed with a substantial amount of oatbran in your daily diet. If the taste is not interesting to you, find toppings that do appeal (not top-pers, altho' that might help as aerobic exercise, see below). As for exercise, aerobic is best in fighting cholesterol -- like so many others have suggested, being regular/routine about it makes it a whole lot easier to do. I brought my level down around 50/60 points after I started with oatbran -- even though I already ran/swam a lot. Good luck. And welcome to club wahoo.

[ March 30, 2005, 07:42 AM: Message edited by: jockpop ]

Jason,

Since you have purchased running shoes, now that spring is here time to start using them. If you do not have any foot/knee problems you may want to turn you weekend walks into runs to build endurance. If your dog is fit you can do some short runs with him during the week as well. If running is not for you then take the bike out. Getting your heart rate up is the goal.

Consider joining a health club. Paying a monthly fee may motivate you enough to work out regularly.
Working out will help you build some core strength to complement your aerobic excercise.

As someone mentioned cholestrol is a funny thing. Aerobic activity may help your cholestrol level somewhat but genetics are a tough thing to control. Cholestrol is broken down by HDL(good) and LDL(bad). IF your HDL is high and LDL is low that is more important then the overall number.

My overall is 220 even though I consider myself in very good shape. Thankfully my HDL is very high so I am ok and don't need meds. Your doctor should give you recommendations on whether meds are right for you.