It’s “Know Your Numbers” time again at Microsoft, and I was eager to find out how my numbers compared to last year, especially because I haven’t been quite as good as I normally am over the past six months.
- I’ve been travelling a lot, so I end up eating things I normally wouldn’t for a variety of reasons (harder to find healthy options, want to try new foods special to that region, etc.)
- I haven’t been as good about prepping at home, particularly because of a lot of weekend travelling
- I haven’t been exercising as much because I hurt my foot :-/
Still, I try when possible to choose healthier options, which to me means eating more vegetables, fruits, and whole foods, and less animal-based protein and processed foods. And I’m still eating comically large salads at work.
Overall, even the changes are slight, you’ll see most of my numbers still improved even though I was far from perfect! And I think this is the important point: you don’t have to be perfect to improve your health significantly.
Cholesterol, Glucose, and Blood Pressure
| Metric | Nov2011 | Nov2012 | Nov2013 | Very Good | Good | Bad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Cholesterol | 185 | 154 | 146 | < 200 | 200 – 240 | > 240 |
| LDL (Bad) | 124 | 86 | 76 | < 100 | 100 – 130 | > 130 |
| HDL (Good) | 46 | 51 | 53 | > 60 | 40 – 60 | < 40 |
| Total / HDL Ratio | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.75 | < 3.5:1 | < 5:1 | > 5:1 |
| Triglycerides | 73 | 88 | 86 | < 150 | 150 – 200 | > 200 |
| Blood Glucose | 91 | 76 | 72 | < 100 | 100 – 125 | > 125 |
| BP – Diastolic | 76 | 68 | 74 | < 80 | 80 – 90 | > 90 |
| BP – Systolic | 116 | 111 | 125 | < 120 | 120 – 140 | > 140 |
Body Composition
| Metric | Nov2011 | Nov2012 | Nov2013 | Too Low | Good | Border | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMI* | 27.5 | 24.3 | 24.5 | < 18.5 | 18.5 – 25 | 25 – 30 | > 30 |
| Body Fat | 18% | 12% | 13% | < 10 | 10 – 20 | 20 – 25 | > 25 |
| Waist (in) | 34 | 32 | 30 | n/a | < 40 | n/a | > 40 |
| Weight | 180 | 160 | 161 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
* Body Mass Index