Paul DiMeo: Extreme Cholesterol Makeover

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DiMeo’s Tips for a Healthy On-the-Go Routine

Paul DiMeo knows what it’s like to have a hectic lifestyle. Here are a few of his tips to stay healthy while you’re on the move.

• Start off each day with a bowl of oatmeal. The soluble fiber found in oats and oat bran has been shown to help reduce LDL cholesterol when eaten as part of a heart-healthy diet.
• Walk, walk, walk. “I’m lucky enough that my job is physical—I’m lifting and hammering stuff all day,” Paul says. If your job is sedentary, walk down the street around your hotel. If the weather is bad, find a treadmill in the hotel or run up and down the stairs.
• Do everything in moderation. “Then even if you’re eating poorly, you’re not eating a lot of it,” he says. Stay away from anything labeled “super size.” “I enjoy a pork chop on the road, but I make sure it’s only 6 to 8 ounces,” Paul says.
• Always order a big salad before every meal, with the dressing on the side. And with almost all fast-food restaurants serving salads, there is no excuse not to do this.
• Eat regularly throughout the day. “Don’t wait until you’re famished and you’re going to order three cheeseburgers with fries,” he says.
• Never skip stress relievers. “I work in a field where I get to swing a hammer. I highly recommend hitting things hard to relieve stress,” he says. Paul also depends on music to soothe his nerves. “I carry my guitar on the road, or I find a piano in a hotel lobby, which really calms me.” 
• Indulge often in fresh, local food. “I swear I ate 20 pounds of blueberries when we were in Maine,” he says. “In Seattle and New York, the apples were phenomenal.”
• Have a good cry. Paul is known as the weepy one on the TV show. He doesn’t care. He says it’s a great stress reliever. “I can be exhausted after an emotional outburst—it’s wonderful to take that burden and let your emotions do what they want to do.”
• Stay in touch with your doctor. No matter how much you travel, keeping in touch with your doctor is critical to staying healthy. High cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis, which can lead to heart disease.