How to Lose Weight to Lower Cholesterol

Battling high cholesterol may require ammunition from a number of fronts. For many, losing weight is the best option for the treatment of this condition. Through changes in your lifestyle you can lose weight and lower your cholesterol.

Things You'll Need

• Aerobic exercise
• Physician
• Lipid panel
• Nutritional counseling
• Food journal

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Instructions

Slim Down to Reduce Your Cholesterol

• 1

  Discuss the results of your lipid panel blood work with your doctor. Depending on your cholesterol levels, he may wish you to focus your weight loss efforts by making changes in your eating or your exercise habits or through a combination of both.

• 2

  Determine what a healthy weight is for you under your doctor's supervision. Depending on your age, gender, height and body shape, you may need to lose more or less weight to decrease your cholesterol. Your doctor can help you set a reasonable goal.

• 3

  Talk to a nutritionist about portion sizes and the kinds of foods that make up a healthy, cholesterol-reducing diet. These may include foods high in fiber and low in saturated fat. Your nutritionist may also recommend eating foods with naturally occurring unsaturated fat, which help increase your HDL or "good" cholesterol--such as avocados and olive oil.

• 4

  Avoid eating fast food or prepared food when you are trying to lower your cholesterol. Many of these foods contain trans fats or hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, which can increase your cholesterol and triglycerides.

• 5

  Try to get at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise each day. Aerobic exercise should raise your heart rate and improve your cardiovascular system. Your doctor can work with you to determine what an ideal heart rate for aerobic exercise is for you.

• 6

  Lose more weight by incorporating a weight-training element into your workout regimen. By increasing muscle mass, you also increase your body's ability to burn calories more efficiently. When used in combination with a lower-calorie diet, you can achieve a greater rate of weight loss.

• 7

  Keep track of the foods you eat by maintaining a food journal. Not only may this technique give you a more realistic vision of your eating habits, it may also aid your nutritionist in pinpointing those foods that can increase your cholesterol.