Thoughts and opinions needed

lepow

A coworker of mine is what I call an extreme yo-yo dieter. She has lost and regained 40 lbs since February; she's done this by being part of weight-loss challenges through her gym. She won 2nd place in both her challenges, which is pretty awesome. Her technique, though, is scary - water diets, sweating out, celery-only days, etc. She has recently started a new challenge on Facebook and asked me if I wanted to join the challenge, since she knows I've been losing weight. I haven't decided if I wanted to join or not yet.

There are a few things that I've been thinking about this (good and bad):
1. I've lost 26 lbs so far this year - that's only 26 lbs since February! So, I would probably just lose out on the $25 entrance fee. (The challenge goes by % of total weight lost)
2. I don't want to join and feel like I have to be extreme in order to win then lose all the good work I've done so far.
3. I could stand to win $500 or more if I do this AND it may kick start me into my next phase of weight loss.

See my confusion? I'm not sure if the pros outweigh the cons . . . Any opinions?

SeaChele77

Is the possibilty of $500 really worth the extreme? Obviously she is not educated about how to lose and maintain if she continues to lose and gain 40+lbs. Do you want her to be your "role model"?

Yes, extremes can work, but its coming out of the extreme back into life that puts people on a downward spiral to gain the weight again. If you do not educate yourself on the challenge (medical pros/cons) and how to properly come out of the extreme - you will lose. Maybe not the $500, but all the work you've put in thus far.

lepow

That's what I was leaning toward; what I'm doing now is definitely NOT a quick fix, I know, and it's something I need to continue. Besides, losing 5 lbs or a little more per month is better than losing 25 lbs in a month then gaining 30 the next month. I guess I just needed that extra reassurance

MissMormie

What does the challenge entail besides the possible prize at the end?
Are there trainings you can go to, is there a nutritionist that gives advice, or a trainer who works a schedule for you?

As you say it's very unlikely you'll win the grand prize, so that possibility isn't a good reason to join the challenge. But if you like the competition or any of the other benefits it offers it might work for you. So figure out if there's a plus side that you'd pay the $25 for.

alison0511

Well to me it sounds like - on the one hand, if you feel like you need some extra motivation and are not totally happy with your weightloss total since February, and a % body fat loss challenge would help you get moving a little more... then I don't think it would be a bad idea. You would just have to decide if paying $25 for added motivation/competition is worth it to you. Winning would just be a bonus, but not a given - especially while competing with "cheaters".

But on the other hand, if you feel like you would be too driven by the $500 prize that you would resort to your friend's unhealthy techniques to get there, then you shouldn't do it.

It looks like you have been sucessful in weightloss so far, and so you should know what works for you and what doesn't. I would say just go with your gut on this one. And whenever/however you reach your personal goal, hopefully you can be a role model to this person, and show them that slow and steady wins the race. If you did the challenge, even if she lost more weight than you, if she puts it all back on and you don't.. that should say something to her as well.

californiagirl2012

Anything that motivates you to eat in an unhealthy manner is not worth the $ prize, not one bit.

That said, you can still eat low in a sustainable manner.

If you have a lot of body fat reserves you would be surprised at how little you can eat (unless you have emotional eating issues or disorders). The leaner you get the less your body has to draw from and then you have to taper up your calories. There is no such thing as starvation mode for women over 12% body fat or men over 6% body fat. I am a living breathing example of that. I went from obese to now under 12% BF and I've maintained for one year and built muscle the whole time. You don't BUILD muscle in starvation mode, so I proved everyone wrong. And I learned it all from a coach with multiple PHD’s who wrote the Anything Goes Diet and The Venus Index and The Adonis Index.

Those books took me beyond my imagined goals at age 50 and I won a couple of Venus Index contests as well. But those contests were a mere stop on my train, the train has kept going.

my blog bobbiesfitnes.com

melsmith612

MHO is that you need to avoid your co-worker's extreme fitness methods and stick with what has been working for you thus far. If you want the chance to win a couple hundred bucks while challenging yourself to lose more then start a challenge with some of your friends that are also dieting and ask everyone to pitch in $20 - winner takes all, with whatever contest terms YOU view as healthy.