If you’re looking to take charge of your health, you may be worried about your cholesterol levels—and that’s understandable. According to the CDC, over 12% of adults over 20 have high total cholesterol, and more than 18% have low HDL (high-density lipoprotein, or good cholesterol). For years, doctors have cautioned us that high or unbalanced cholesterol levels can be harmful. We know that high cholesterol—especially the “bad” kind—can lead to plaque buildup in your arteries, increasing the risk of stroke or heart attack.
However, cholesterol is essential for many of your body’s basic functions, including digesting food, maintaining healthy cell structure, and producing hormones. While high cholesterol is a warning sign for many, it might not be for you, and it doesn’t always mean cholesterol is the main issue.
This is where some people might say, “Yeah, because fat is the real problem!” Spoiler alert: that’s not true! You need fat to produce cholesterol, which is why many believe that cutting out fat will solve high cholesterol issues. But even if reducing fat could lower your cholesterol (which it doesn’t guarantee), it might not lead to better health. Remember, correlation doesn’t always mean causation, especially when it comes to cholesterol!
There’s a lot of misinformation about how your body produces and uses cholesterol, its role in your health, and how to manage high cholesterol levels. So, we did the research and uncovered everything you need to know about how cholesterol and fat affect your health—including how they can actually help you lose weight!
We’ll also explain what cholesterol is, why you need a healthy balance of both cholesterol and fat, and how to manage high cholesterol levels. But first, let’s clear up some common myths about cholesterol and fat.
There are numerous myths and misconceptions about cholesterol, its risks, and how high cholesterol develops. Let’s get on the same page and distinguish fact from fiction so you can take control of your health!
This is incorrect! If you’ve tried to lower your cholesterol by avoiding fatty foods, removing egg yolks, or cutting out coconut oil, I have news for you: you’re going about it the wrong way! In fact, a low-fat diet has been shown to increase health risks and lead to weight gain! While some cholesterol comes from your diet, most is produced by your liver. Some studies even suggest that eating more cholesterol-rich foods can lower your cholesterol levels!
The exact reason for this isn’t clear, but researchers believe it may be because your liver can focus on processing dietary cholesterol instead of producing new cholesterol.
That’s mostly wrong. While cholesterol is often labeled as “good” or “bad,” there is actually only one type of cholesterol. Cholesterol is a sticky, waxy substance that can’t travel through your bloodstream alone; it needs fats, or lipoproteins, to move throughout your body. The difference between “good” and “bad” cholesterol lies in the type of lipoprotein it’s packaged in.
There are many reasons for high cholesterol, including injury, genetics, and recent or ongoing weight loss! So, while high cholesterol is often linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, that’s not always the case. To assess your overall health risk, you and your doctor should also consider your diet, lifestyle, hormone levels, A1C, and other health factors that could increase your cardiovascular disease risk.
However, that doesn’t mean you should ignore your high cholesterol—and we’ll explain why shortly.
This myth has persisted for a long time, but it’s far from true. A study published in the Journal of Lipid Research found that “insulin sensitivity regulates cholesterol metabolism to a greater extent than obesity.” The study compared cholesterol levels with waist circumference and BMI against insulin resistance. Researchers discovered that increased insulin resistance led to higher total cholesterol and lower HDL levels, while BMI and waist circumference did not significantly affect cholesterol levels.
In essence, insulin resistance is more likely to cause high cholesterol than being overweight—which is crucial since many people can be of average size or even underweight and still be insulin resistant.
A common piece of advice from many in the medical field is to avoid fatty foods—especially saturated fats—when trying to lower cholesterol. On the surface, this seems logical since fat is needed to transport cholesterol in your body. However, cholesterol levels should be viewed as one factor in assessing cardiovascular risk, taking into account an individual’s metabolic status and other risk factors.
Low-fat diets have been linked to increased weight gain, which raises your risk of cardiovascular disease—so this approach could backfire. While saturated fats have been associated with cardiovascular disease for years, recent studies indicate that the source of the saturated fat is actually the key factor. Diets high in refined oils, preservatives, butter, and fatty cuts of red meat correlate with a higher risk of heart disease, while diets rich in coconut oil are linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
As Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE, states, “Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in nearly every cell in your body, which is vital for many bodily functions.” As mentioned earlier, there is only one type of cholesterol. However, cholesterol is hydrophobic, and since blood is about 50% water, it requires a carrier to travel through your bloodstream. That’s where fats, or lipids, come into play, leading to the classification of cholesterol into two types based on how it’s packaged within the fats.
High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is often referred to as “good” cholesterol because high levels are associated with a lower risk of heart disease (meaning it’s less likely to get stuck in your arteries). Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as “bad” cholesterol since it’s more likely to adhere to your arteries, increasing the risk of plaque buildup and cardiovascular disease.
However, labeling these types as “good” and “bad” is misleading, as both types of cholesterol play crucial roles in maintaining your health. Cholesterol is essential for life and health, but it has certainly gained a negative reputation.
Remember the lesson from high school science that correlation doesn’t always equal causation? This is one of the most important lessons for managing your health. In the case of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, scientists found that high levels of LDL were often linked to a higher risk of heart attack or stroke. This information was simplified for the public as “cholesterol is bad,” and diet food marketing took advantage of this notion.
But the more pressing question that wasn’t addressed is why this occurs. It turns out that when you have an injury or illness, your body sends a surge of cholesterol—usually LDL—to the affected area to help repair damaged cells. While excess LDL can eventually lead to plaque buildup in your arteries, the real question is: what damage or stress prompted your body to release that cholesterol in the first place?
If you can address the underlying issues causing your elevated cholesterol, your levels should return to normal.
So, how does cholesterol actually aid in weight loss? In short, without enough cholesterol, you can’t produce sufficient cholesterol-based hormones, your digestive system slows down, and your healing process is hindered—all of which make it challenging to lose weight, build muscle, recover from injuries, and function effectively.
To maintain healthy cholesterol levels, ensure you include plenty of healthy fats in your diet, allowing your liver to produce HDL and LDL. While having enough cholesterol won’t directly lead to weight loss, lacking sufficient cholesterol will certainly make it harder to shed those extra pounds.
Another phenomenon observed in some individuals who lose a lot of weight quickly or follow a low-carb diet for weight loss is a significant rise in their cholesterol levels. This doesn’t happen to everyone, but for those who do experience it, having high cholesterol while losing weight and eating healthily can be surprising.
Even if your cholesterol doesn’t spike dramatically, most people will see their cholesterol levels increase as they lose weight. This occurs because as your body breaks down fat for energy, the lipids and cholesterol stored there enter your bloodstream. Your liver will eventually filter out this excess cholesterol, and cholesterol-lowering medications won’t help during this period.
So, don’t panic! This increase isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially since you’re making positive health changes. The benefits of exercise, healthy eating, and weight loss far outweigh the potential risks of temporary high cholesterol. Once your weight stabilizes for a few weeks, your cholesterol levels should normalize.
If you have higher-than-average cholesterol, be sure to discuss your overall health with your doctor, and inform them about your weight loss journey and its duration. If your doctor remains concerned about your health, ask about other lifestyle changes you can implement to improve your health before considering cholesterol-lowering medication—since simply lowering cholesterol can complicate your path to better health, especially if your hormones are already imbalanced.
Now that you’re not afraid of dietary fat and cholesterol, it’s time to focus on addressing the real health issue: insulin resistance. Improving your insulin sensitivity is challenging, and many people struggle with their weight and health for years because their bodies aren’t effectively absorbing glucose.
The truth is, you can reverse insulin resistance, but it will require significant dietary changes. If you’re hesitant to start a weight loss program because you feel like you’ve tried everything without success, this is for you. Many of our clients felt the same way before joining our program—hopeless, exhausted, frustrated, and tired of ineffective weight loss programs.
We created our 21-Day Fat Loss Challenge for individuals just like you—those who feel like they’ve tried everything but can’t seem to lose weight or keep it off. Our challenge offers a step-by-step plan to help you lose up to 21 pounds in just 21 days, with much less effort than you might expect!
Many of our clients have turned this into a lifestyle diet and have lost over 100 pounds through the challenge! The best part? In addition to weight loss, the 21-Day Fat Loss Challenge is designed to heal your gut, rebalance your hormones, and retrain your taste buds—so you’ll be able to maintain your weight loss!
The Challenge is ideal for those with insulin resistance, as many of our clients have successfully reversed their insulin resistance through the program. If you’re ready to make changes in your life, this is the perfect starting point. We’ll guide you on how to implement the necessary changes in your diet and lifestyle and how to sustain them beyond the diet.
Take control of your life and start your 21-Day Fat Loss Challenge TODAY! Leave a comment below if you enjoyed this article on cholesterol and weight loss, or if you have any questions!
