intentionally upping sodium intake

iamstaceywood

Okay, so please don't flame me a bout this. I eat pretty clean most of the time, i mean, not over the holiday weekend. I lost some solid weight this year and am looking forward to going mostly raw gradually over the course of this year. However, this opportunity presented itself to me this past weekend. My brother in law is joining a weight loss competition that starts on sunday the 2nd of jan. first prizze is $400 and the buy in is low at $25. it is percentage based and although i don't htink ill win, i think it will be great motivation and now my dad and landlord want to join too so it will be fun i think. I need that motivation to stop me from falling off the wagon. bad. I'm so excited.
Here is where my question comes in....
Do you think that if i ate more sodium than usual or normal this week that i would retain enough water to 'fluff up' my weigh in?
I know eating extra sodium isn't good but, i have eaten worse and for longer. I'm just looking for an edge from go here. I have been living a healthy lifestyle for about a year and everyone else hasen't been so k now everyone else has that 10 lbs of water weight and their weight is going to melt off. I will have a harder go of it but, am hoping to gain back that water weight so it counts whe i lose it.
Am i making sense?

ArchyJill

OMG you are hilarious!!! ...I just don't know what to say... :noway:

aaddaammggoolleeaaffss

Wear baggy pants and ankle weights when you weigh in!! haha

xarrium

I don't think you'd do any major damage, although be warned that you'll feel like crap if you spike your sodium intake...

Yarnpiggie

I would suppose it would, in theory. As long as sodium makes you retain water, but you would also have to cut back on water i would think.

When I was with former diet dude he always told us that the night before weigh-in the following things were no-nos. Apparently they stick with you and cause your weight to go high the next day (i actually always thought for the next few days, but that's just me)

No beef
No corn
no chinese food
low sodium
no food after 8pm

i would think you could pack all the above in with just the right chinese dish late at night. :-)

I would also weigh in after having a giant breakfast and a TON of water...

i mean... if you are going to make yourself feel miserable to get a "good" weigh-in... might as well go all the way with it...lol

NightOwl1

Haha, that's kinda a diabolical and genius idea. I love it. I don't know how much upping your sodium level will do to retain water, but it probably will help. You'll also be aided by eating a large meal and drinking a lot of water right before weigh in.

And for anyone who's quick to criticize her idea, this is the same principle that boxers, wrestlers, mma fighters, and other athletes who compete in weight classes use to "make weight". They drop 10 pounds in a day to compete in a weight class that they don't naturally weigh. This is like the reverse version of that, but it's the same principles.

TrainingWithTonya

Are you sure you aren't a fitness model? This is a trick that is used in the before and after pictures in a lot of ads for weight loss supplements. It's not really healthy, but it's better then gorging on junk and not working out to gain weight. It works on the same principle as bodybuilders use where they cut salt and dehydrate to show muscle definition at competition. Will it work for what you are wanting, yes. Would I recommend it for health reasons, NO. I will say that if you do it, you need to drink a ton of water and get a lot of potassium at the same time to keep from having health issues with your electrolytes getting out of balance. But ultimately, I'd recommend you skip the cheating and go with your actual weight and just plan to work harder during the competition.

BriannaSkye

Hahaha....What about you just have something to eat and then drink as much water as possible just before you jump on the scale and wear jeans or something just as heavy!

catcrazy

Lol...A hotwater bottle filled with sand, duct taped to each thigh...over sized running shoes filled with money...wear a hat with a 5lb weight under it...lots of things you could do and they're all cheating in a way but I KNOW you wouldnt be the only one. Someone on another board I use asked how to put on maximum amount of weight for weigh in for a similar thing...who knows you might be up against them

iamstaceywood

I'm glad you guys aren't lighting me up. We all do it unintentionally, i just want to do it on purpsoe. I was thinking of wearing warm up pants under my jeans and my heaviest running shoes. only of course to do the ifnal weigh in with flip flops and capris and a tank top, lol. Its the last day in april the final weigh in and i may very well be pantiless under my spring dress. Sounds like chineese on saturday night! I think i can weigh in all day so im thinking that sunday evening sounds best and to drink a shugar ton of water on my drive over there. If you all have any other gems of wisdom, bring em on!!

jsecret

I'd say if you're going to go for it then do it all the way! Up your sodium 2-3 days before, and the day of the weigh in drink a ton of water right before (not too early or you'll pee it all out!). And as long as you're at it might as well get a day pass for the Y for the final weigh in and hit the sauna for a couple hours to drop any and all water weight for the lowest low weight possible lol!

schnarfo

I would just eat a huuuuuuuge chinese take away the night before and load with more soy sauce on the rice or noodles....

iamstaceywood

I'd say if you're going to go for it then do it all the way! Up your sodium 2-3 days before, and the day of the weigh in drink a ton of water right before (not too early or you'll pee it all out!). And as long as you're at it might as well get a day pass for the Y for the final weigh in and hit the sauna for a couple hours to drop any and all water weight for the lowest low weight possible lol!

Good call on the sauna!! I'm adding that to my to do list!

BoresEasily

I love the ingenious ideas but I think you're going a little nuts for a $400 first prize. If the goal prize was a significant sum then yeah I'd say go for it. Cheat your *kitten* off.. But for $400 that's a tad excessive. I love the ideas being thrown around though. When I read your post I laughed my *kitten* off.

ziggythecat

we had a weight loss contest at work one time. my entire team had the idea of attempting to drink a gallon of water before we weighed in. One gallon equals just over eight pounds. Didn't work very well. Plus we all just gave us about 3 weeks into the competition. But yours is a good idea in theory.

If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin.

iamstaceywood

@ bores, just an fyi, its more about the bragging rights than the $400. and also, $400 for something im gonna do anyway is pretty nice. just a little extra motivation.
@ziggy, hmmmm, on that galon of water. i haden't thought of just how much that weighs.....and thanks for the if you ain't cheatin you ain't tryin!!!!.

YeaILift

I'm glad you guys aren't lighting me up. We all do it unintentionally, i just want to do it on purpsoe. I was thinking of wearing warm up pants under my jeans and my heaviest running shoes. only of course to do the ifnal weigh in with flip flops and capris and a tank top, lol. Its the last day in april the final weigh in and i may very well be pantiless under my spring dress. Sounds like chineese on saturday night! I think i can weigh in all day so im thinking that sunday evening sounds best and to drink a shugar ton of water on my drive over there. If you all have any other gems of wisdom, bring em on!!

You should just save most of your calories for right before the weigh in (at night?) and eat right before it. Or, take the simpler route and plan to have your period that day

doris_day

I like the eating Chinese idea! Tons of sodium!

iamstaceywood

Ooooh, good call on teh calorie saving, sadly, i will be a day off my period for teh weigh in. HOwever, to the pp who mentioned that drink a galon of water thing....i just did it. Doint a 'dry run' of sorts. Drank a gallon in 52 minutes and now im seeing how long i can hold out not going pee. lol. I drank it and as i did was jumping on and off the scale and im up 7.5 lbs! lol. I'm nuts. i know. If you all understood that I have just got to win this because of one of the other contestants playing ud think i was a bit less crazy.