It Had To Happen......

[KatieG]

I prefer to diet by changing habits... an important thing will be not denying yourself the things you love, honestly.. make it okay to have, say, maybe a piece or two of that delicious bacon once a week, or even once every other week, especially as you adjust!

So if you desire that small treat, ask yourself first "am I having this because i want it? need it?" If you think you need it, don't eat it. If it's because you want it, and truly are hungry, have a little bit.

Personally, I went from almost 2 liters of soda (im talking mountain dew here..) a day to no soda at all - then again, I quit cold turkey. (Didn't have an effect, either... I just decided "this doesn't taste good to me. it doesn't satisfy me" and I walked away from it.) Ive found that if I cut down on sweets and bad food (I have bad food once a week - when I borrow my mom's car to get groceries and run errands, I eat at either In N Out or Wienerschnitzel.), and eat slower, and serve myself smaller sizes, that Ive been losing weight and my blood pressure's dropped to be much healthier!! (lost 50lbs last year, and Im down to normal blood pressure)

Also, Ive found that with or for breakfast either a nut and dried fruit granola bar, or a rye cracker with light butter and some thin-sliced cheese is filling, healthy, and delicious!

And cook more!!! Always makes it taste better..and since most cooks taste while they cook, your stomach will tell your brain it's full sooner, so you won't find yourself craving the greasy, fatty, unfulfilling foods you "can't have anymore".

You still need salt, I recommend using kosher salt over table salt, it has a stronger flavor so one small pinch works better than shaking the shaker. Fresh ground pepper is better than preground - more flavor! "Healthy" doesn't have to mean "nasty". You want pizza? Make it at home. Make your own spaghetti sauce (I have some yummy recipes if you'd like), use fresh parmesan over the powdered shakey jar (you use way less and it is SO delicious on pizza/spaghetti/etc). If you can't have red meat, use turkey; a little worchestershire sauce will turn it from turkey to "hey what kind of beef is this? it's delicious!".

Gah, rambling, sorry >,<.

[Double U Leather]

Twin,

I just got through reading all of this about your health, and I must say I'm sorry to hear it. What really bites is the part about having to be a certain "number" for DOT requirements. I don't have to worry about that since I'm self employed. The point I'm getting at, is the fact I don't know or care about my BP or cholesterol or whatever else. I eat at least one quarter pounder with cheese everyday, and have for I don't know how many years. I chew snuff, drink coffee, and use Neat Lac without proper ventilation. Bottom line for me is...if I don't go to the doctor and have them tell me what's wrong, then I'm going to continue living thinking there's nothing wrong. And, until I fall over or some part of me starts hurting so bad I can't handle it, I refuse to go to a doctor. That was the case this past spring with my teeth. They finally started hurting so bad, I had to go to the dentist. End result, had a few pulled, a new bridge put in, and I'm off to the races again. They wanted be to come back every 4 months for cleanings, blah, blah, blah and I told them I'd see them when other teeth began to hurt too bad. I'm near 50 and with any luck at all, no other teeth will hurt until I die, and at that point they won't hurt either!! Just hang in there, and if I were you, I'd have me a a fried egg/bacon sandwich. And of course, fry the egg in bacon grease. Here's a side note....My folks are both near 90 and have cooked in bacon grease their whole life. The eat bacon everyday for breakfast. My dad puts butter on everything including chocolate cake!! They also eat alot of wild game. They both still hunt. Anyway, the doctors say that both of their hearts are as healthy as someone in their 60's. I don't know if it's the bacon grease or the buckskin, but it's workin' for them.

[Suze]

butter on chocolate cake is sooo good

warm out of the oven and real butter (mom used to call it the lazy man's frosting)

[TwinOaks]

Went for a check at the local doc-in-a-box this afternoon. They told me they can get me started but want me to get a regular doctor (primary care) b/c there needs to be some blood work done, etc., to make sure I'm on the right med. I've been on my diet for a week and a half now, have lost about 8 lbs, and when they check the BP, I was 15 points lower across the board. The doc said that if I lost another 5-10 lbs, and get some regular excercise I probably won't have to take ANY meds.

Speaking of meds, the one she prescribed is a diuretic. ?????? It warns 'may cause dizziness, avoid direct sunlight / prolonged exposure to sunlight'..........my next job ticket (Friday?) is to relamp a roadsign.....during the day, outside, in my bucket truck. Maybe I should go to medical school so I can be smart, too.

[roo4u]

unless you have specific things that are causing your bp to be high a diuretic is usually the first step in getting meds on board and will be followed by whatever else. some people can use only that for quite a while before they need an additional drug.

[Torquewrench]

Try to get the BP down with diet/exercise. If the DOT doc finds out you are on BP meds you will only get a one year card. I've got another year and a half to get mine under control.

Diet and exercise are helping. You also know the med. review board is going to make new suggestions to DOT to be considered soon. I hear rumors of taking BMI into consideration, too high and a sleep ap. test is needed.