My 90-Day Plan to Lower Triglycerides from 277
My triglycerides came back at 277. Normal is under 150.
I exercise every day, so that number got my attention. My glucose was 105, and my A1c was right at the prediabetes line too. Those results made something clear: being active does not automatically cancel out every other choice I make.
In my last update, I shared the complete results from 129 biomarkers measured through Function Health. Now I am moving from measurement to action.
This is the plan I will follow until I retest my bloodwork in October.
My starting point
These are the four numbers I can influence every day:
- Weight: 190 pounds
- Steps: 6,707 per day
- Exercise: 37 minutes per day
- Sleep: 6 hours, 28 minutes per night
My targets are straightforward:
- Weight: 180 pounds
- Steps: 8,000 per day
- Exercise: 45 minutes per day
- Sleep: 7 hours per night
I will measure these daily with my Apple Watch and the Health app, then post the weekly averages on my public Scorecard. My blood biomarkers will still be measured quarterly.
Pillar 1: Food
The first pillar is the biggest change.
I was eating far more dessert than I wanted to admit—roughly 20 sweets in a typical week. For this experiment, desserts are out except for special occasions and one planned sweet each week.
I am also removing added sugar and ultra-processed foods as much as reasonably possible. In their place, I will build meals around foods that support heart and metabolic health: fatty fish, olive oil, nuts, vegetables, fiber and a meaningful source of protein at every meal.
The goal is not a perfect diet. It is an honest one that I can repeat.
Pillar 2: Training
I already train daily, but I need to make that work more purposeful.
My target is to raise my average exercise time from 37 to 45 minutes a day. I will emphasize heavier compound lifts and measurable progression instead of merely completing a workout. I will also raise my daily step average from 6,707 to 8,000.
Pillar 3: Sleep
My current average is 6 hours and 28 minutes. My target is 7 hours.
That additional half hour may not sound dramatic, but it requires a real tradeoff: ending the evening earlier and protecting bedtime instead of hoping sleep happens after everything else is finished.
Every yes has a no
Every yes has a no attached to it.
Saying yes to better triglycerides means saying no to most desserts. Saying yes to 8,000 steps means saying no to staying seated when I could take a walk. Saying yes to seven hours of sleep means saying no to another late night.
That is where plans become real.
I am not aiming for a fake 100 percent. I would rather execute this plan honestly 80 percent of the time, show the misses, and learn from the results.
The October retest
I will follow this plan until my next quarterly bloodwork in October. The weekly numbers will show whether my behavior is changing; the bloodwork will show whether those changes are moving the biomarkers that matter.
You can follow the weekly updates on the Function Over 50 Scorecard. If you want a simple guide to understanding your own results, download the free Biomarker Decoder.
One part of this plan deserves its own deeper look: what alcohol does to health after 50.
This is a personal health experiment, not medical advice. Talk with your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before changing your diet, exercise program, medication or treatment plan.
