Tony S.

Three months ago, one of my best friends, Tony, came to me with a problem. At 32 years old, he was presented with a cholesterol count just under 300. His doctor gave him 3 months to drastically change his lifestyle, or risk being given a lifetime prescription for cholesterol medication.

My friend was a high school athlete, and then a Marine. When his time as a Marine was up, a variety of active jobs followed. Despite this, he slowly stopped being as active as he was as a teen and early adult, and started eating less and less healthy. As a result, he put on “bad” weight, and therefore became even less active.

However, he was determined to avoid medication at such a young age. Over the last 3 months, he has completely redefined his diet plan. While he still leaves room for the occasional dessert, he centers his meals around lean meats, poultry, and fish. In addition, he has dedicated himself to 3-4 trips to the gym per week. As a result, he has dropped 35 pounds to date, and is still losing weight! Yesterday, he received a call from his doctor. She let him know that his cholesterol count was down to 155! Not only does he not need medicine, but it is actually at a healthy level now!

This example shows that anyone can go from being healthy to teetering on the edge of medication, regardless of age or past activities. It also shows how dramatically one can change their lifestyle for the better if the effort is there!

  • Tip of the Month

    May 2012

    A Healthier BBQ

    Main Courses-

    ½ Rack Ribs- 550cals, 37g fat. Chicken w/Skin- 450 cals, 36g fat. Chicken w/o skin- 330 cals, 15g fat. Grilled Filet (6 oz.)- 400 cals, 20g fat. Plank Salmon- 260 cals, 15g fat. BBQ Chicken Breast- 180 cals, 3g fat. Chicken Kabob- 140 cals, 6g fat. Cheeseburger- 470 cals, 23g fat. Hamburger- 330 cals, 16g fat. Turkey Burger- 300 cals, 11g fat. Hot Dog- 260 cals, 15g fat.

    Sides-

    Mac n Cheese- 400 cals, 3g fat. Potato Salad- 200 cals, 13g fat. Cole Slaw- 160 cals, 11g fat. Chips (2 oz.)- 300 cals, 20g fat. Grilled Clams (10)- 140 cals, 2g fat. Corn on the Cob- 120 cals, 2g fat. Fruit Salad- 100 cals, 0g fat. Grilled shrimp (8)- 50 cals, 0g fat. Grilled Pineapples- 50 cals, 0g fat.

    Drink Choices-

    Frozen Margarita- 325 cals.  Gin and Tonic- 200 cals.  Margarita on rocks- 170 cals.  Beer- 105-175 cals.  Light Beer- 55-85 cals.  Soda (12 oz.)- 150 calories.

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  • Recipe of the Month

    May 2012

    Banana Raisin French Toast

    Nutrition Per serving:

    Calories: 318. Carbohydrates: 58g. Fat: 5g. Protein: 13g.

    INGREDIENTS:

    1 ripe banana, peeled

    2 teaspoons frozen orange-juice concentrate

    4 slices cinnamon-raisin bread

    2 large egg whites

    1/4 cup nonfat milk

    1/4 cup nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt

    1 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup, or honey

    1 teaspoon butter, divided

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