If your doctor has advised you to go on a diet to reduce your cholesterol, or you just want to do it on your own, the roots of a diet to cut bad cholesterol run close to those of a good weight-loss diet. Cholesterol-reducing and weight-loss diets both promote all-natural, healthy foods, healthy fats and exercise. If you haven't already, consult your doctor before beginning any new diet or exercise regimen.
Significance
Being overweight is a risk factor for high cholesterol. If you are obese, you are more likely to have high levels of bad cholesterol. If you carry most of your weight around your waist, not your hips or thighs, this is also a risk factor for high cholesterol --- so by going on a diet with the intention of lowering your cholesterol and losing weight, you will reap a plethora of benefits.
Fiber
Diets aimed at lowering your bad cholesterol recommend increasing your daily fiber intake. Soluble fiber has been linked with lower cholesterol levels; insoluble fiber, meanwhile, aids in proper bowel function. When soluble fiber comes into contact with fluid in the stomach, it expands, making you feel fuller faster, which means you eat less --- helping you lose weight.
Healthy Fats
To lower your bad cholesterol, avoid unhealthy fats --- trans and saturated fats. These fats are commonly found in baked, fried and processed goods, as well as beef and dairy products. Unhealthy fats increase your bad cholesterol, reduce your good cholesterol and thus increase your risk of heart disease. Healthy fats --- monounsaturated and polyunsaturated --- do the exact opposite, meanwhile, promoting healthy cholesterol levels and reducing your risk for heart disease. Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman, certified nutritionist, explains that daily consumption of fat also aids in healthy and sustained weight loss, because fat provides satiety in meals --- meaning you'll be more satisfied at mealtime and eat less.
Reduced Sodium
Cutting down on sodium can help lower your blood pressure, one of the leading preventable risk factors for those with bad cholesterol levels. Reducing the sodium in your diet forces you to focus on fresh food items that contain little or no salt, means you must avoid pretzels, chips and crackers and experiment with other herbs and seasonings to add flavor to foods. All these strategies are also excellent for those trying to lose weight.
Exercise
The American Council on Exercise reports that 20 to 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise daily will help your reduce your total cholesterol by 10 to 20 percent in three to four months. ACE recommends that you burn at least 1,500 calories per week through exercise to reap these benefits. There are 3,500 calories in 1 pound, so working out to burn 1,500 calories a week can take off nearly half a pound. Burning off 500 calories a day through exercise, meanwhile, will take off a pound a week.
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