Weight Loss for High Cholesterol

Simply sign up to the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet by clicking here. When you login to your account for the first time, you'll guided through the initial setup and be prompted to choose a program preference. This is where you can indicate you would like to follow the program for high cholesterol.

Very possibly! We have partnerships with many of the top health funds in Australia, allowing members to claim back the cost of the membership under their Extras or Hospital Cover. Click through to find out if you're eligible to get our program rebated - or in some cases completely free of charge.

Cholesterol is a substance found in the fats in your blood. It’s produced by the liver and also made by most cells in the body, because cholesterol is essential for many of the body’s metabolic processes, including the production of vitamin D and hormones like oestrogen and testosterone.

When there’s too much LDL cholesterol, fatty deposits develop in the walls of the arteries - this is high cholesterol. It’s often referred to as ‘hardening of the arteries’ because it restricts blood flow to the heart, brain and rest of the body, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

The best diet for someone with high cholesterol is one that is low in saturated and trans fats and high in fibre.

Lifestyle changes can make a big difference to your cholesterol levels, helping HDL levels to go up and LDL levels to come down.

As well as being an effective weight-loss strategy – which in itself helps improve cholesterol levels – research by the CSIRO found the Total Wellbeing Diet helps lower your LDL cholesterol levels by:

• Reducing your saturated fat intake and instead encouraging increased intake of unsaturated fats, which have been shown to increase levels of good HDL cholesterol. Oily fish like salmon and tuna, avocadoes, nuts and seeds, as well as olive oil are great choices.
• Avoiding trans fats – often lurking in biscuits, cakes and other processed foods – which increase LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol. 
• Helping you eat more fruit and veg. They’re rich in fibre, including soluble, which can help lower LDL cholesterol.
• Including wholegrain carbohydrates which are a great source of both soluble and insoluble fibre.
• Encouraging consumption of low or reduced-fat milk, yoghurt and other dairy products.
• Reminding you not to worry about eggs. The cholesterol in eggs has almost no effect on your cholesterol levels. What matters is what you eat with eggs, so go easy on the bacon or skip it altogether.

Studies have shown that changing your diet can lower your cholesterol in as little as two weeks, but this can vary greatly depending on your weight, activity level and starting blood lipid levels.

Eating a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein sources can help lower cholesterol levels.

This includes:

• Oily fish like salmon and tuna.
• Nuts and seeds, such as almonds, walnuts, and chia seeds, are high in unsaturated fats and fibre.
• Whole grains, such as oatmeal, barley, and brown rice. Oats contain beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre which binds with cholesterol, encouraging it out of the digestive system rather than into the bloodstream.
• Nuts and seeds, such as almonds, walnuts, and chia seeds, are high in unsaturated fats and fibre, which can help lower cholesterol levels.
• Plant-based proteins, such as beans, lentils, and tofu, are low in saturated fat and high in fibre, which can help lower cholesterol levels.
• Fresh fruit and vegetables. Apples, grapes, strawberries and citrus fruits are particularly rich in pectin, a type of soluble fibre that can help lower levels of harmful cholesterol.
• Low or reduced-fat milk, yoghurt and other dairy products.

If you have high cholesterol, it's important to avoid foods that are high in saturated and trans fats, as these types of fats can raise your total cholesterol levels and increase your risk of heart disease.

The main sources of saturated fat in Australians’ diet include treats like cakes, muffins and biscuits, full fat dairy foods in particular cheese and full cream milk, fatty cuts of meat and processed meat products, deep fried foods, pastries and pies.  Consuming too much of any of these foods can increase levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood, and so their consumption should be limited as much as possible.

Where you can, try to avoid the following:  

• Processed foods. Usually high in salt, saturated fats and sugars too. Bacon, ham, takeaway foods, chips, cakes and biscuits are best kept to a minimum. 
• Saturated fats. Steering clear of too much red meat (and cutting visible fat off all meat) as well as avoiding full-fat dairy products can considerably reduce bad cholesterol levels.  Also try to avoid trans fats hidden in processed foods like pastries and cakes.
• Salt. To significantly lower blood pressure and the risk of heart disease, the Heart Foundation recommends eating less that 5g of salt – that’s less than a teaspoon – a day. Check the sodium content of all foods via their Nutrition Information Panel – ideally they should contain less than 120mg of sodium per 100g. Always look out for ‘no added salt’ varieties in packaged and canned foods.

Many of our members have multiple health issues when joining our program. If this is you, choose the issue that you would most like to improve.

No, you do not need a referral from your doctor to join the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet.

Weight loss can impact the amount of medication you need. We recommend keeping in contact with your doctor and scheduling an appointment and getting your cholesterol tested after 12 weeks.