Toning while trying to lose weight is harmful?

ladyhawk00

Brutal, I know. Of my 69 lbs lost, 41 was fat. I know it's not even close to ideal nor healthy; but the whole reason I dropped weight was to win a "biggest loser" style contest (I should know how I placed in a day or two).

If all you want to do is move the scale the most in a short amount of time, weight training is going to be counter-productive. If you want to lose fat, weight train! (My regimen is now cardio and weight training while eating enough to support muscle growth!)

After 4 plus years on here, there's not a heck of a lot on MFP that makes me super frustrated, but this is one of them. I despise "Biggest Loser" contests, I understand that the idea is to get people thinking about their health and losing weight. But this is NOT how it should be done. this is completely unhealthy and I can't endorse it even a little tiny bit. As a certified personal trainer that puts my heart and soul into trying to teach people how to live healthy and lose fat the correct way on MFP, at my full time job, and as a trainer; this makes me very sad. It feels like a slap in my face when ever I hear one of these things, especially on MFP where the resources and support are right here for the asking.

Now, that said, if the company, or group, or family, or whom ever is holding the contest did it via percentage of body fat lost, and held sessions on how to safely lose weight and proper nutrition, then I'll give it a pass. But even then, making weight loss into a contest with a prize is just not the way I recommend someone think about their body. Weight loss should be a symptom of a life change that moves you toward being healthy and fit, and NOT a way to make money. You can say "I'm doing this for me, the money's just a bonus." all you want, you're attaching a monetary value to weight loss.

I know this sounds harsh, and I'm not directing it at you lowpost, I'm really not, but it's how I feel about these programs, they're just another indicator of how this country thinks about weight. The "I want it all, and I want it now" attitude towards weight loss is very unhealthy and I just can't endorse it.

I understand if you end up hating me after this reply, but I cannot just sit idly by and watch people do these things without at least speaking up.

-Banks

Amen. BL contests are driving me crazy. Very rarely does it encourage actual lifestyle changes that become permanent. And they maintain the destructive desire for quick fix, all-or-nothing, unhealthy weight loss. Our attitudes toward food, exercise and health are killing us - and these contests are just another symptom, even if their intent is good. *sigh*

SHBoss1673

Hey Banks, we're cool.

The very first thing I tell people is that yes, I lost a ton, yes, I lost it fast, NO it wasn't healthy. For me, it was the kick-start I needed - I really think that if I didn't enter, I'd still be 320 (it was the whole idea of not donating my entry fee that got me down the stairs and on the bike on day 3. Then it was 50 days in a row with the cardio.

I agree that the method I employed was far from ideal and I have absolutely no desire to continue employing it for the next 50 pounds. "Crash diet" is about as accurate a description as it gets. And I agree - better a contest where overall body fat percentage is lost - safer and saner (and I still would have liked my chances).

@msf74 (and everyone else, I suppose): I don't recommend what I did. Do I feel better? Yep. I've dropped a pair of 35 lb plates off my *kitten* and my knees and hips are very grateful. Do I have more energy? Some. But calorie restricted diets rob you of some energy. Do I realise I've got some work to do - to put lean mass back on? Oh yes.

Now, if I can trust my numbers; I'm currently at 180lbs of non-fat mass on a 6'1" frame, with 73 lbs of fat. To be honest, I just want to maintain (or slightly increase) my lean mass and get my bodyfat percentage down around 16%, which represents 33 lbs of fat @ 210 lbs.

I hear you guys loud and clear - and have switched gears to burn fat while maintaining lean mass.

This is good to hear lowpost. Thank you for understanding my point of view. I'm very pleased to hear that you recognized the dangers inherent in how you lost the weight; and it's encouraging to know that you are now looking to use your new body (however you got there) to make positive changes in your life. To that end, I offer any advice I have to you, you need but to ask. I'm pretty good at some aspects of living healthy, and at others I'm weaker than I'd like (I'm not really a kinesiology expert, but I'm working on it, I have a better understanding than a "layman" but not as good as most really good trainers should have, and I NEED that knowledge.). Anyway, if I can help you, just ask, otherwise, best luck to you in your journey, sounds like you are on the right path.

-Banks

loriefolk

LOL That's just a really bad excuse! (and very NOT true)