Tale of the Scale: w.o. 1/13

I had my annual physical last week, where I aced my stress test and general exam. Heart beat, blood pressure.. all looked well. Then I got the bloodwork result. NOT. HAPPY.

I'm eating healthier than I ever have before. Fresh veggies every day every day; fresh fruits, whole grains. Few if any simpler carbs. Animal flesh just a couple times a week.. fish mostly, with some chicken added. Rarely anything fried.

(I'm discovering that the times I'm easiest on my eating (least attentive) is when I'm out eating with others. Fried foods? Sure sound good! Beef or pork? Sure, why not? I have to practice asking waitresses: What would you recommend that's vegetarian without any dairy? And see what they recommend. I also need to learn how to ask this without sounding petulant and put out.)

Back to the blood work. I'm eating healthy and exercising hard 4 times a week. The other days I'm at least out walking the dogs. Yet the blood work shows that I'm less healthy (at this specific time, at this specific test... yes, I get that) than I was a year ago. When I was 40# heavier and out of shape.

My cholesterol has risen almost 15 points in 6 months and is 2 points away from being high (it's 198). For a woman with my family history, my blood cholesterol should be under 180 to prevent heart disease. I work out and eat carefully primarily to get this number low.

My blood sugar was marginally high.

Today I feel like I've been working hard for a year, have made dramatic changes in the way I eat and in the one area where I truly want to see improvement, instead I saw failure. The doctor is not concerned, suggesting stress and the holidays. We'll see in 6 months at my next test. My trainer is unconcerned at the this point too (but my weights and measures aren't being done until next week. We'll see what he thinks then.)

Maybe I'm just expecting too much of myself. Being to hard on myself. I don't know. I got those results and cried for an hour.

Oh, and if you're wondering... YES most of what's happening in my liver (and blood tests) is genetic. Every member of my family has died of heart disease or alzheimer's disease. They are discovering that these two may have the same cause and simply have different "trigger" spots. So I'm angry at my genes and working hard to overcome them.

I also blog at: A Stitch In Time throughout the week and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.