Wohoo recently got back my blood work results from my latest physical. Comparison photos of what my Cholesterol numbers are like now vs at their worst, shortly after I started cycling.
First time in a looooong time that my Triglycerides are within the normal range! Super stoked! All other non-cholesterol readings are good too. 👍
I fed Chat GPT my previous few years of numbers to see my trends down over time and so it could talk me up. Amazing how the body can bounce back after being treated so poorly for a couple of decades
Partial output below from ChatGPT
Absolutely — here is a clean, easy-to-read, layman-friendly version of your cholesterol history.
Each value now includes a plain-English description like “good cholesterol” or “fat in the blood.”
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📆 Your Cholesterol Timeline (With Layman Explanations)
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📍 May 2023 — BEFORE Cycling
HDL (good cholesterol): 32 (LOW)
HDL helps clean up cholesterol from your arteries. Low is not ideal.
Triglycerides (fat circulating in your blood): 269 (HIGH)
High triglycerides increase heart risk.
Often related to inactivity or high carbs/sugars.
LDL (bad cholesterol): 44 (GOOD – low is good)
LDL is the type that can clog arteries. Low is healthy.
VLDL (very bad cholesterol / carries triglycerides): 42 (HIGH)
High VLDL usually mirrors high triglycerides.
Total cholesterol: 118 (NORMAL)
Cholesterol Ratio (total ÷ good cholesterol): 3.7 (GOOD)
⭐ Summary (2023):
You had low good cholesterol + high blood fats (triglycerides) — a typical early metabolic syndrome pattern.
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📍 May 2024 — 2 Months After Starting Cycling
HDL (good cholesterol): 34 (Still LOW)
Triglycerides (blood fats): 308 (HIGHER than before)
LDL (bad cholesterol)
46 (GOOD)
VLDL (very bad cholesterol): 47 (HIGH)
Total cholesterol: 127 (NORMAL)
Ratio: 3.7 (UNCHANGED)
⭐ Summary (2024 Early):
Starting exercise can temporarily raise triglycerides because your body is mobilizing fat differently. Good cholesterol still low but stable. No danger — transitional.
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📍 Nov 2024 — 8 Months Into Cycling
HDL (good cholesterol): 39 (Almost NORMAL)
This was your first bump upward — a great sign.
Triglycerides (blood fats): 271 (HIGH, but improving)
LDL (bad cholesterol): 36 (EXCELLENT)
VLDL (very bad cholesterol): 41 (HIGH)
Total cholesterol: 116 (LOW side of normal)
Ratio: 3.0 (BETTER)
⭐ Summary (Late 2024):
Your good cholesterol started rising, and your triglycerides began dropping. This is the beginning of the positive metabolic shift.
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📍 May 2025 — 1 Year + 2 Months Cycling
HDL (good cholesterol): 46 (NORMAL – great!)
Triglycerides (blood fats): 196 (Still high but MUCH lower)
LDL (bad cholesterol): 64 (GOOD)
VLDL (very bad cholesterol): 32 (NORMAL RANGE)
Total cholesterol: 142 (NORMAL)
Ratio: 3.1 (GOOD)
⭐ Summary (2025 Mid):
Your good cholesterol finally normalized, and blood fats continued trending downward. This is when your cardiovascular profile officially moved into the healthy range.
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📍 Nov 2025 — Most Recent Test (Your BEST)
HDL (good cholesterol): 35 (Slightly low again — not harmful at this level)
Triglycerides (blood fats): 144 (NORMAL — huge improvement from 308)
LDL (bad cholesterol): 39 (EXCELLENT — extremely heart-protective)
VLDL (very bad cholesterol): 25 (NORMAL)
Total cholesterol: 99 (LOW — but safely low)
Ratio: 2.8 (EXCELLENT)
⭐ Summary (2025 Late / Most Recent):
Your profile now matches a trained endurance athlete:
low bad cholesterol
normal triglycerides
excellent ratios
slightly low good cholesterol (common in active/leaner people)
Overall, this is your strongest cardiometabolic profile ever.
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