The Results are in!

Our first official Corazonas Challenge has ended and our team of challengers lowered their LDL cholesterol by an average of 9% in 28 days! Three people saw reductions in their LDL of 16%, 10% and 9%!

Thank you for the commitment you made to your health and we hope that you continue to incorporate a heart-healthy lifestyle into your daily routine.

For those of you reading this with borderline to high cholesterol, we invite you to take the Corazonas Challenge by visiting www.corazonaschallenge.com for details. You can start anytime, all you need is 28 days!

Here's to Chipping Away at Your Cholesterol!
The Corazonas Team

Challenge Success!!!

Well, I did it! I managed to lower both my total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in a month, just by making sure I ate our chips 2x a day (and to be completely honest, I wasn't 100% perfect in that regard, so imagine the reduction I'd have seen if I had been!) and perhaps eating a little bit healthier i.e. less red meat and cheese and more veggies than I normally eat.

Sept 1:
Total Chol: 187
HDL: 66
LDL (est based on historical triglyceride level) 101

Oct 3:
Total Chol: 179
HDL: 68
LDL (est based on historical triglyceride level) 91

I used the midpoint of my past Triglycerides readings (100) and the calculation listed on this page.

LDL = Total cholesterol – HDL – (Triglycerides ÷ 5)


Needless to say I'm excited about my results! Can't wait to hear how everyone else did.

The Challenge is Winding Down

As we get to the end of the month and the challenge, I am reflecting on how well I did relative to diet, chip regiment, and exercise. In terms of the diet, I would give myself a 5 out of 10 during the first of of the month, but I retrenched and got a lot better during the back half resulting in a 8 out of 10. Maintaining the chip regiment was about the same as my diet. I have been very good the past couple of weeks, making sure that I had it with lunch and dinner. It will be interesting to see how I did on my cholesterol since I was not perfect. As far as my exercise, I would give myself a 8.5 as I either exercised or did heavy duty DIY'er stuff in the yard every day this month except for 3 days.

Hopefully the Chip Away Challenge helped chip away at my cholesterol even though I was less then perfect this month. If I still see the results that I am hoping for, it gives me hope that I don't have to be perfect all the time and still see positive results. As I think everyone knows, it is very difficult to be perfect when it comes to a food regiment, so if you can still enjoy the guilty pleasures once in a while and get the cholesterol lowering benefits, alleluia

I've been working out and eating right (including my Baja Bean Dip Corazonas daily). I have always had high blood pressure and fluctuating cholesterol levels. I am interested to see what my final cholesterol count is at the end of the Challenge as I've really enjoyed being able to eat tortilla and potato chips in order to lower my cholesterol. I'm always on the go so they are a nice snack as well as addition to my lunches every day! Thanks!
posted by Tony Da Costa

The End is in Sight!

Well, I've been eating right, exercising regularly and eating my Corazonas chips and guess what?? I've lost 4 pounds and feel great! It's funny because I've never really been focused on my cholesterol nor did I ever think about how it could affect my overall health. Since I started the challenge I've really become more aware of all of the products out there that focus on heart health and cholesterol reduction. It's nice to know that I can still snack yet by doing it responsibly I can also reap health benefits from my "guilty pleasure!"I can't wait to see what my results are next week!

McKenzie River 50k Trail Run

On Saturday morning my husband and I found ourselves at the starting line of the hardest event we've participated in since moving to Oregon - The McKenzie Trail 50k. An ultra marathon - 31 miles of scenic, technical trails winding past waterfalls, blue lakes and the McKenzie river. Amazingly enough I wasn't too nervous. I was looking forward to spending 6 hours of uninterrupted time (with a 3 year old and 1 1/2 year old at home this kind of solitude is coveted). My husband, however, was very nervous. Before this race the longest he'd run was 18 miles. Now he was going to double the farthest he'd ever run. Along the course there were also 5 aid stations. I have to mention these especially since we are talking about food, snacking and being healthy. At a typical marathon (26.2 mile) run thru any major city you will find water and Gatorade (or some sort of similar energy drink). At an ultra marathon however, the aid stations are a foodie's (& snacker’s) dream. For such a long day the caloric intake is a huge part of your success.

Each aid station had two tables for anything you might be craving. Liquids: water, Gatorade, flat Pepsi, then for food: bagels, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, brownies, banana bread, cookies (even Mother's yogurt frosted animal cookies) , GU gels, fruit: watermelon, bananas, candy: gummy bears, candy corn, salty snacks: pretzels, Pringles and more. You can't leave hungry!

See picture of Erik and I smiling, holding hands across the finish line after 6 hours and 38 minutes of running. The 31 miles demanded a lot of patience and encouragement from one another but we made it. We both had very sore and tired legs on the drive home. Now time to focus on recovery and make sure I get my 2 bags of Corazonas chips in with dinner.

The Challenge is already in its 3rd week????

How is time going so fast? Not just this month but this year in general....seems like New Years was just last week! We were having a team meeting here today and Emily brought up that we've entered the 3rd week of the challenge and I didn't believe it at first. I've been eating my chips regularly; eating better (I've cut out a lot of cheeses and cured meats which is NOT as easy for this foodie as you may think!), exercising...but it seems like I've just begun. Just goes to show you that a little change can very quickly become part of your lifestyle; something you look forward to and which you can really feel making a difference in the way you feel, both physically and mentally.

I'm glad in a way that it's almost over because I'm dying to know my results!

As I wind down after a rigorous weekend of home improvement, I am finally able to relax and enjoy my newly created outdoor garden. It took approximately 3 months of long weekends, but I finally wrap it up this weekend and now I get to enjoy it.

While I was enjoying my new garden and surfing the web, I came across an interesting article about cholesterol that I thought would be relevant to anyone who wants to better understand how cholesterol is used in your body and it impact on your body as you get older. I personally found it informative and I hope you do as well.

http://kids-teens-2008.blogspot.com/2008/09/3-things-you-want-to-know-about.html

I am continuing to keep up my excercise routine of almost an hour a day 5 days a week and heavy duty home improvement work on the weekends. The weekend work is definately harder than the weekly work out regime as I am sore every Monday morning which always makes the Monday 5:00 AM work out a bit more difficult. As for the diet portion, I must confess, I was not very good over the last week as I was definately on the "see food" diet. If I saw it I ate it, but fortunatley I didn't add any weight with my binge last week. I am now back to eating better and limiting my intake of bad foods such as sugar.
-Posted by MJB

Challenge Update...

Hi there! I have been eating my oatmeal every morning (well, except yesterday - I was bad and had an Egg McMuffin)!! I have been adding my chips to my lunch and dinner meals which also helps fill me up! So far I tend to eat more of the Baja Bean Dip than any other flavor. It's a little lighter than the potato chips for me. We are planning to take our daughter to the park this weekend to continue with my exercise program and maybe even enter into a local 5k again! We'll see what family events pop up between now and then! The good thing is that I have such a large family that they are telling everyone about the Challenge and spreading the word! I think that we'll have several more people taking it next time around!

Healthy Mom is at 207 and counting down

I took my cholesterol test last week for the start of the contest something I've been dreading for awhile. . . sure enough it came in high at 207.

I've known for 3 years that I have high cholesterol when I failed falling into the "healthy" bracket for life insurance my husband and I were taking out when my daughter was born. This was extremely alarming to someone who was an avid cyclist, runner and even ironman triathlon finisher. I didn't stress too much because I knew my pregnancy probably changed my result. But I did have a gnawing pit in my stomach feeling that since my Father had high cholesterol that I would. My Father had high enough cholesterol that I've never seen him eat a piece of red meat in my entire life.

The first week of the contest I was busy "tapering" for a 50k (31 mile) trail run. Not too much training but lots of rest, stretching, hydrating and eating well. Usually salty snacks are something I crave after a race, it was weird to change gears a little and have them before. I've had to hide my Corazonas Chip stash from my 3 year old and 1 1/2 year old because they are not accustomed that Mom be eating anything that they can't.

Stay tuned I'll let you know how the run went next.

An easy way to cut some Saturated Fat out of your life

Last week I made some duck enchiladas at home. Shredded duck, mushrooms, onions, corn tortillas, and home made red chili sauce - spicy and delicious. But what about Sour Cream? I'd heard that fat-free Greek Yogurt could be a healthier substitute for Sour Cream so I gave it a shot - and was delighted at the taste.

per 1oz serving:
Fage 0% Greek Yogurt: 0g Sat Fat; 15 calories
Sour Cream: 5.5g Sat Fat; 57 calories

Looks like this is one permanent change I'll be making!

Off to a Great Start!

I've been eating my Corazonas chips faithfully and exercising daily! I even played with my grandson this weekend while watching my other grandkids' soccer games! I feel great and can't wait to see my results!
posted by - Tony Da Costa

Exercise for a Healthy Heart!

Last year during Cholesterol Education Month, our company pledged to take 10,000 steps a day for a healthy heart. This is an excellent guideline for your every day activity. Anywhere you can squeeze in extra steps is the way to go!

Using a pedometer makes this goal even easier (and actually fun!) to track your progress. 10,000 steps is equivalent to about 5 miles!

Below are some simple suggestions for how to add this into your work day:

• Before you eat lunch, walk for 15 or 30 minutes.
  


• Walk or bike to work if possible, or park further away from the office to get in some additional steps on your “commute”.
  


• Suggest a walking meeting to catch up instead of sitting in a conference room. Everyone thinks better with fresh air!
  


• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
  


• Walk in place while watching TV.
  


• Get your family involved and make it a group activity!

"Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far." - Thomas Jefferson

Make time for some fresh air!

Emily

I have been eating my Corazonas chips and exercising regularly! My favorite is the Baja Bean Dip tortilla chips! My husband and I will be walking with our daughter this weekend to continue my exercise regimen.

Amy Da Costa