Three years ago, while holding her best friend's newborn baby, DeLeslyn Mitchell, 35, reached a somber conclusion: If she ever wanted to get married and have children of her own, she would need to get in shape.
"The next day, I began working out," she said.
Two months later, she began thinking about her diet. Both of her parents have histories of heart problems. She knew her family history, coupled with her own excess weight, increased her risk for early heart disease.
For a clean bill of health, she realized she would have to do more than exercise. She would have to drastically change her eating habits, denying herself the sweets and fatty foods she'd grown up on in Fyffe, Ala.
"It occurred to me that the exercise was only one facet of the whole program," she said. "I still eat desserts, fried foods, sweets, but I try to limit those 'treats' to one to two times a week. I have noticed that the fried foods sit heavier on my stomach and in my system than they used to."
After removing so many fried foods from her diet, she said she doesn't "crave that grease anymore."
Tennessee ranks among the worst states in the nation in deaths caused by heart disease, according to information from the Tennessee Department of Health. Changing one's diet is a simple way to turn those figures around.
"Genetically, we're all born with a sweet tooth," said Dr. Rebecca Reeves, past president of the American Dietetic Association. "And combining sweet foods with fatty foods produces energy-dense foods."
Five top heart-healthy foods1. Salmon and other fatty fish, such as sardines and anchovies, contain large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower LDL cholesterol levels.2. Almonds, walnuts, peanuts, pistachios and pecans contain minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, fiber and monounsaturated fatty acids, which help to reduce coronary heart disease risk.3. Oats and barley both contain significant amounts of soluble fiber called beta glucan. Evidence is quite strong that it can lower heart-disease risk.4. A "Corowise, Naturally Sourced Cholesterol Reducer" symbol identifies foods that contain plant sterols that help prevent absorption of cholesterol in the intestinal tract, which reduces blood levels of both cholesterol and LDL.5. Vegetable oils such as canola, sunflower and safflower -- in place of butter, lard or shortening when cooking or at the table -- help lower LDL. Also, substituting olive oil for saturated fat will help lower cholesterol levels.
Energy-dense foods, she explained, are those with high caloric content but little or no nutritional value.
"Each of us has a personal definition of what constitutes 'bad' food," Reeves continued. "What could be bad for one person may not necessarily be bad for another. We learn to tag foods with these labels many times based on what our peers and parents have taught us."
Mitchell recalls loving the foods her grandmother prepared back home.
"She'd cook with lard, and just about all the food was heavy in grease, but we loved it," she said.
Reeves said she believes in the concepts of moderation and variety.
"Perhaps some foods may not be the best for us if eaten on a regular basis, but if eaten in a small quantity on special occasions, they could be included in a healthy diet," she said.
Mitchell said that approach has worked for her.
"There's no reason to stop living and enjoying the things that you like to eat," she said. "Learning to live with it and deal with it is key. A lot of times taking something completely out of your daily diet actually makes you crave it more."
Mitchell has now lost more than 70 pounds and is a member of Chattanooga Track Club. She has successfully completed five half-marathons, three triathlons and numerous 5K, 8K and 10K runs.
"I feel so much better, I'm eating better and know that, overall, it's helped my heart. I feel like a new woman and like there's nothing I can't do."
She's also set an example for her parents.
"My dad's lost about 60 pounds in the past couple of months by watching his diet and ramping up his exercise, and my mom has started water aerobics and watches what she eats better now. She still likes her sweets, though," Mitchell said.