Wellness Wins - off to a good start!

Wellness Wins started last week at work and I have signed up again this year.  Last year, I had all the points except my cholesterol which was 206 (top limit was 200) and I was not being treated for it since my physician was happy with that number.  If she would have signed a paper saying I was being treated, I would have received the whole payout.

This year I was determined to get my cholesterol down - so googled for natural ways to lower your cholesterol (about a week before I needed it to be under 200).   Exercise was one thing but I was pretty sure that would take more than a week.  Another thing I found was Cheerios - then I remembered a friend who had done a Cheerios diet, eating dry Cheerios when she needed a snack.  She ate a LOT of them - didn't lose any weight but brought her cholesterol down a lot.  Since I already like Cheerios and had Honey Nut ones in the house - that was my plan.  So Cheerios almost every morning for breakfast and if I wanted something crunchy to snack on in the evening I would just grab dry Cheerios.   I found a new flavor (at least for me)

Cinnamon Burst - they are good and not overly sweet or cinnamony.  Won't remind you a Cinnabon.   The cheerios took care of my 'crunch' cravings and when Wellness Wins started my cholesterol was 188. Woo-hoo!  My goals to get the total payout after the 16 weeks are to exercise 3 times a week and lose 16 pounds (I really want to lose at least 20 - but 16 would get the money).

Then, a week later I needed some blood work for my annual physical and my cholesterol was 163!!!!!!!!  I won't say the Cheerios did it all but I'm sure it helped.  I am watching what I eat and exercising but to drop 25 points on the cholesterol in a week is amazing!

I started out riding the stationary bike for my exercise but I don't push myself on that and jsut go through the motions so thought I better step it up a little to get some cardio too.  So got out the Sweatin to the Oldies and have been doing it.   My knees are not bothering me as much as they were (two alleve every night and it works - I tried to cut back to 1 and my left knee was killing me two days later - so two it is!)  I also found the moving more - not being so sedentary in the evenings helps.  I'm thankful for that because it was getting to the point where I could not get down on the floor and back up without a lot of pain and effort - and you know when that grand-daughter arrives I am going to want to play on the floor with her!

I also am trying to make meals more interesting. Typically I have a large salad for lunch - mostly veggies - once in a while I add a hard boiled egg or some bacon bits.   Breakfast is either cheerios, milk and banana or yogurt and some fruit.   So on the weekend I like to actually 'cook' breakfast.  This morning I saw a recipe for a Caprese poached egg (English muffin half, mozzarella cheese, tomato slice, poached egg and basil pesto on top).   Well, the only things I had in the house for that was the egg and cheese - so I created my own Dressed Up Poached Egg  (click for the recipe)

Dressed Up Poached Egg

Wheat toast, mozzarella cheese, egg and green onion - served with a broiled grapefruit half.  It was delicious and a nice break from the routine.   And with the exercise I am getting I have 12 activity points to splurge a little today. 

I lost 4 pounds so far - well not officialy until Monday since that is my 'weigh-in' day- and I have to be good tomorrow with the Super Bowl.  (veggies, fruit and dip and some Schwan's LiveSmart spinach pizza).  So off to a good start at least!  I can do this!