Cholesterol Management with Fitness Nutrition
OVERVIEW
Dr Rustom Mistry, a 47-year-old veterinarian and a squash player consulted Café Nutrition for weight loss and management of elevated lipid levels.
His readings (at the start of the program) were as follows:
Weight: 79.9 kgs
Body Fat: 23.3%
Visceral Fat: 11%
BMR: 1768 kcals
BMI: 25.4 kg/m2
Skeletal Muscle: 32.8%
Total cholesterol: 216 mg/dl
LDL cholesterol: 157.4 mg/dl
HDL cholesterol: 42 mg/dl
LDL/HDL Ratio: 3.75
APPROACH
Dr Mistry approached Café Nutrition with an aim of weight loss and recently elevated cholesterol levels. Increased fitness levels for his sport - squash was also one of the end goals for him.
The first consultation with the team entailed performing his body composition with nutrition assessment - food likes, dislikes, food recall, alcohol intake, etc. His intake of protein rich foods was high which did not reflect in the skeletal muscle mass readings. We also assessed his physical activity schedule including his squash sessions. His love for fried foods and mindless eating led him to overeat.
A diet plan with reduced carbohydrates and necessary protein foods was prepared. Larger portions were toned down. Fruits were added in the plan for satiety. Appropriate foods were suggested before and after his exercise for performance. Our strategies helped him deal with his post dinner sugar cravings. In general, the diet had a larger variety to avoid boredom and help him reach his goals. His consumption of once-a-month alcohol (250 ml at one time) was reduced to 30 ml per week.
RESULTS
The outcome of the efforts was weight loss with normalised total cholesterol and reduced LDL cholesterol levels. His good (HDL) cholesterol levels increased. He also toned down with decreased total fat and visceral fat percent. His skeletal muscle percent increased by 2%. He felt fitter and stronger on the court.
His readings (at the end of 12 months) were as follows:
Weight: 73.2kgs
Body Fat: 17%
Visceral Fat: 8%
BMR: 1606 kcals
BMI: 23.2 kg/m2
Skeletal Muscle: 35.2%
Total cholesterol: 193 mg/dl
LDL cholesterol: 133.2 mg/dl
HDL cholesterol: 46 mg/dl
LDL/HDL Ratio: 2.9
CONCLUSION
Dr Mistry’s results post 3 months motivated him to extend the program for good health. He achieved his goals of weight loss and reduced cholesterol levels with changes in the diet. At the program end, he was confident of making the dietary changes permanent.