barnson.org Half-baked opinions, served lukewarm.

So on my "week off" from training -- and with a very relaxed eating regimen -- I decided to get my blood tested. This is after 6 months of low-carb and 4.5 months of lifting, with about 50 pounds of fat lost and 10-15 lbs of muscle gained. I was pre-diabetic before starting, and unfortunately diabetes isn't really reversible... just controllable. I wanted a baseline of health markers before starting my next twelve-week fat-loss challenge.

According to my doctor, eating low-carb and lifting weights -- or at least losing fat and lifting weights -- is "the right thing to do for someone with a strong family history of Type 2 diabetes who is worried about getting it himself". She's Dr. Mardi Trunelli in Riverton, UT. Her husband body-builds, and I look forward to our next visit at the end of the twelve-week challenge I'm starting today.

Height: 6'1"
Weight: 220 lbs
Body fat percentage: 18-20% (getting this tested at the "Bod Pod" tomorrow!)
Resting heart rate: 72
Blood Pressure: 130/90
Cholesterol: 177
Triglycerides: 93
HDL: 54
LDL: 104-105 (derived figure)
TSH: 1.9
Insulin: Normal
CBC: Normal
CMP: Normal

The good:
* I'm pretty normal across the board. In the words of my doctor, "a perfectly healthy thirty-five year-old man".
* HDL above 40.
* Triglycerides look really good.
* LDL is close to optimal.

The bad:
* I'm obviously still over-fat and showing the signs of it. I'm doing much better than when I was obese, but six months of right-eating and lifting won't erase decades of zero exercise and eating crap.
* Blood pressure is a little high. Given my low triglyceride numbers, according to my doctor it's still very normal and not a significant risk because I'm under 40 years old, but I'd like to lower it to below 120/80.
* Despite being "near optimal", I'd like to get my LDL below 100, preferably below 60.

Prescription:
More of the same, doing what I've been doing. Shed another twenty pounds of fat through low-carb eating and exercise. I shed 21 lbs of fat last 12-week cycle; can I do it again?

Yeah, I know there are people out there who got astounding results and double-digit fat percentage reductions during their twelve weeks. My eating plan is very sustainable, and from where I sit, I got into this for my health and hoping to avoid an early grave like my relatives. It took me decades to get this fat; it will take a while to come off.

--Matt B.