weight loss challenge (bet w/ co-worker) - any suggestions??

rocket_ace

Come on now, let's not all take ourselves too seriously.

Recommended weekly weight loss figures are nothing more than 'rules of thumb.' They are projected based on the average persons weight etc. If you want to be completely scientific about it you would need to consider a persons height, age, weight, percentage body fat (the more you have the more you can lose safely) etc.

Also, does anyone judge the professional boxer or jockey who cuts weight for days prior to weigh in simply to achieve competitive advantage? Does anyone think of the harm it is doing that person.

Thirdly, can one completely criticise 'unhealthy behaviour' if the result of this behaviour is a better long term outlook on or understanding of one's own weight and weight loss issues.

I know it's Monday guys. I know you all know your facts. But cut each other some slack and stop being arses- we should be supportive. We should criticise constructively. We should be open to the fact that people do the same thing differently and that no one path is perfect.

Enjoy your days

ps - sorry for name calling. yes yes, I know... it makes me as bad as everyone else LOL

exactly!! thanks so much!! your kind words and easy-going-ness has washed out the bad taste of the sourpuss. really appreciate it!!

jonnythan

Thirdly, can one completely criticise 'unhealthy behaviour' if the result of this behaviour is a better long term outlook on or understanding of one's own weight and weight loss issues.

That's the problem. I don't see this as a better long term outlook. I see this as the exact opposite of that.

feistymoon

Thirdly, can one completely criticise 'unhealthy behaviour' if the result of this behaviour is a better long term outlook on or understanding of one's own weight and weight loss issues.

That's the problem. I don't see this as a better long term outlook. I see this as the exact opposite of that.

It's completely possible that sort term 'non-ideal' changes can act as a catalyst towards long term modified behaviour that is healthier than the person's previous lifestyle was. It is naive to assume we can jump from one lifestyle to another without transition, and it is also naive to assume that every transition towards long term improvement is better in the short run.

But, it's not my battle. And to be honest, I don't care. I'm not advocating 'biggest loser' style weight loss. I just think people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones when asked for help... and there are none of us here who are perfect.

ps - that's a very cute kitty. We adopted a feral cat who looked just like that. Poor sad ran off tho and got hit by a car

thisisme13

So you're starting off by cheating, and then want to embark on a strategy that is bad for your health.

Good luck. I'd say "don't do this."

This. Eating and drinking a ton before your first weigh in is cheating. It won't be your true weight.

Also, doing a cleanse like this other guy might do? Dehydrate before weigh ins? Not healthy.

Sure the biggest loser does it, but the biggest loser is a terrible show and incredible unhealthy.

Do what you can. lose what you can. Don't try to go too high in your losses. It's a contest... sure there is money at the end but the money is not worth hurting your healthy.

rocket_ace

Thirdly, can one completely criticise 'unhealthy behaviour' if the result of this behaviour is a better long term outlook on or understanding of one's own weight and weight loss issues.

That's the problem. I don't see this as a better long term outlook. I see this as the exact opposite of that.

its a small group of health conscious people who have not been completely clean but want to. we are getting together, and putting our money down, to encourage ourselves to stick to our weight loss goals. the group dynamic (and yes, even the money) will hopefully help us all keep our head in the game during this 2 month period. whoever starts wavering during this time (like visiting taco bell, our going out drinking) will likely lose their money and won't get the cred the others will earn. I'm not sure how this is ANYTHING BUT POSITIVE??????

I think you are inferring something in your own experience and over-laying it on us. For us, this is just a fun game to help us socialize and stay clean. As per what happens after day 60? Well we can each go our own ways w/ god, but as for me, I play on just carrying on, perhaps re-evaluating and perhaps changing up my regimen (maybe more weights, maybe more biking, who knows).

theCarlton

TAKE
HIM
DOWNNNNN!!

*flexes in the mirror with you*

rocket_ace

So you're starting off by cheating, and then want to embark on a strategy that is bad for your health.

Good luck. I'd say "don't do this."

This. Eating and drinking a ton before your first weigh in is cheating. It won't be your true weight.

Also, doing a cleanse like this other guy might do? Dehydrate before weigh ins? Not healthy.

Sure the biggest loser does it, but the biggest loser is a terrible show and incredible unhealthy.

Do what you can. lose what you can. Don't try to go too high in your losses. It's a contest... sure there is money at the end but the money is not worth hurting your healthy.

agreed - we all met, weighed in, and have all agreed not to do any fasting etc....

in my initial post I was just brain-storming - and trying to anticipate what others might do - it was a half-formed thought at the time, so I'm sorry if anyone has taken it as more than it was (not you, but others here have latched onto it like I"m some criminal);

jonnythan

I'm not sure how this is ANYTHING BUT POSITIVE??????

I think you are inferring something in your own experience and over-laying it on us. For us, this is just a fun game to help us socialize and stay clean. As per what happens after day 60? Well we can each go our own ways w/ god, but as for me, I play on just carrying on, perhaps re-evaluating and perhaps changing up my regimen (maybe more weights, maybe more biking, who knows).

You're still not sure how it's anything but positive, even after I've explained it several times?

You plan to start and end by cheating. That's positive?

You want to lose weight as quickly as possible to win a short-term contest. That's positive?

No. It's not positive. If you want "a fun game to help you socialize" while being healthy, then create health-based goals. Set individual realistic weight loss goals and the person who comes closest to meeting that goal - and not exceeding it by some large amount - is the winner. See who can meet their exact calorie goal the most days of the month. See who can increase their bench press the most or do the most pullups. Arrange a 5K at the end of 60 days and winner takes the pot.

Seeing who can lose the most body mass in a set period of time is not a health-based goal.

This entire "contest," in my opinion, is based in a very unhealthy mindset. Maybe there's some chance that at the end of the contest your mindset will actually turn from something unhealthy to health? I guess? It seems that's what some people are arguing. I don't buy it. I see nothing but negatives here. Everything is wrong. The motivation is wrong, the methods are poor, and the nature of the "contest" itself encourages the participants to ignore health, not to improve it.

Just_Ceci

The "Biggest Loser" challenge at the school where I used to work has led to 3 of us no longer being obese. Good luck to you. Have fun with it and hopefully you will encourage other people to get healthier too!

majope

Okay, now I'm confused... Is this a head-to-head bet with a single coworker who talked you into putting up "Vegas" money (more than you're comfortable with)--and who you think is going to take drastic Biggest Loser-style measures to win--or is this a friendly, health-conscious endeavor with a bunch of people, who have all ponied up a little money as incentive to help you all eat better and work out?

If people are concerned, it's because the way you presented things initially makes it sound like your bet will encourage unhealthy behavior. As long as it doesn't, a little incentive is a good thing.

AllonsYtotheTardis

Just sharing some information and nutrition http://blahblahblah.spammer.com/

yes, we get it. you've spammed this thread twice already.

bccashleyiverson

I'm not quite sure why everyone is feeling the need to attack you--this site is supposed to be hepful and full of support! Even if one disagrees, constructive critisizm would be the way to go instead of just tearing you down! Holy moly.

I don't think eating a lot before hand or fasting at the end is the best way to win this bet. Make goals- then stick to them! Find workout classes at your gym, if you are going with people who come to expect you to be there you will feel more accountable to get those workouts in. Also, try to plan all meals ahead. I've found what helps me most is to make a meal plan for the week and seperate my food into snack sizes and easy to grab meals. I have a tendancy to overeat at work with everyone bringing in food for the office or wanting to go out to eat, so having plenty of snacks on hand has helped me control what I eat. Use this site! Friend some people who will help keep you accountable to your calorie intake, and give you the support you need.

I don't think there is anything wrong with a competition like this- a kick in the *kitten* can't be a bad thing! The way I understood your reference to The Biggest Loser was to track the percentage of what you had lost instead of just going by pounds, why is this so bad?! And hopefully by the end you will feel so great you will continue with the habits you started building while competing with your friend.

Good luck

denezy

Blah blah. Wish I saw this yesterday, I would have told you to carb up heavy and eat tons of sodium so you'd retain more water. Forget all these people.... They're very uptight.

Red wine 24-48 hrs before a final weigh in will help drop water weight.

The best thing you can do that is actually healthy is severely increase your water intake. Get stuff moving.

No alcohol the whole time. Absolutely no sodium in the final two weeks. good luck!

Abells

ANY SUGGESTIONS? I figure before tomorrow's initial weigh-in, I'll eat and drink alot to get my weight up, and then at the end I'll maybe fast for a day or so to get it lower....but other than that any strategies? I figure I'll just go super clean in the diet for 2 months and also try to be super dedicated in racking in the exercise, and we'll see where it takes me....my guess is over the course of 60 days its really going to all come down to mental toughness.

You should do the challenge by Body Fat % loss instead of "weight" in pounds on a scale. That way you are not just doing cardio and trying to lose muscle mass for the sake of winning.

Suggest body fat loss. Huge difference and it'll change your composition of your body

jonnythan

Okay, now I'm confused... Is this a head-to-head bet with a single coworker who talked you into putting up "Vegas" money (more than you're comfortable with)--and who you think is going to take drastic Biggest Loser-style measures to win--or is this a friendly, health-conscious endeavor with a bunch of people, who have all ponied up a little money as incentive to help you all eat better and work out?

Well it was the former until that plan was criticized for being unhealthy. So he had to backtrack a little bit.

quirkytizzy

So you're starting off by cheating, and then want to embark on a strategy that is bad for your health.

Good luck. I'd say "don't do this."

This. Purposefully jacking with your weight to appear to have lost more is cheating.

Also your insistence that people are being rude when you asked for our opinions is silly. Don't expect people to agree with you when you want to appear to weight more so you can appear to have lost more.

(Because that's what it is. You won't have actually lost anymore real weight. You're just making it look like you did.)

jonnythan

These are lines from the original post:


head-to-head bet against one of my colleagues
for cash money.. quite a bit more than I really want to lose (this guy thinks we're in Vegas or something)
we're going to see who can lose the most weight
may do [a cleanse]
I'll eat and drink alot to get my weight up
at the end I'll maybe fast for a day or so to get it lower


Read those. Read them again.

Now read them one more time.

This is positive? This is healthy? This is the right outlook on health?

Of course not. We have planned cheating at the beginning and end, we have an OP who directly says he may do a "cleanse" to kick off a dramatic weight drop, and we have a significant financial incentive ("more money than I really want to lose) to drop as much weight as possible.

Everything about this is wrong. There is nothing remotely healthy or positive about any of this.

rocket_ace

I'm not sure how this is ANYTHING BUT POSITIVE??????

I think you are inferring something in your own experience and over-laying it on us. For us, this is just a fun game to help us socialize and stay clean. As per what happens after day 60? Well we can each go our own ways w/ god, but as for me, I play on just carrying on, perhaps re-evaluating and perhaps changing up my regimen (maybe more weights, maybe more biking, who knows).

You're still not sure how it's anything but positive, even after I've explained it several times?

You plan to start and end by cheating. That's positive?

You want to lose weight as quickly as possible to win a short-term contest. That's positive?

No. It's not positive. If you want "a fun game to help you socialize" while being healthy, then create health-based goals. Set individual realistic weight loss goals and the person who comes closest to meeting that goal - and not exceeding it by some large amount - is the winner. See who can meet their exact calorie goal the most days of the month. See who can increase their bench press the most or do the most pullups. Arrange a 5K at the end of 60 days and winner takes the pot.

Seeing who can lose the most body mass in a set period of time is not a health-based goal.

This entire "contest," in my opinion, is based in a very unhealthy mindset. Maybe there's some chance that at the end of the contest your mindset will actually turn from something unhealthy to health? I guess? It seems that's what some people are arguing. I don't buy it. I see nothing but negatives here. Everything is wrong. The motivation is wrong, the methods are poor, and the nature of the "contest" itself encourages the participants to ignore health, not to improve it.

you keep quoting your own thoughts and not listening to what I'm saying. as for the cheating you keep harping on about - I've said multiple times that we won't be doing that. so you've heard nothing Iv'e said past my first thread - quoting my original thread, which I admitted several times was just half-formed thinking. as per short term? we're not freaking married dude - 60 days is about as long as a couple of co-workers can handle a non-married goal at work. we all have our long term goals. why do you keep assuming I'm an unintelligent, un-thoughtful person w/o possibly as much knowledge as you. If you didn't like the idea - you've said your peace - I get it - your attitude is your way or no way ?

Everything about this is wrong?!??! so trolly mate...so very trolly. such one-way, narrow minded thinking is rampant in our society though. why not just rest assured that you've gotten under-my-collar and now go p1ss off? I heard you . you are 100% wrong in your adaptability to new input, and in your ready negative characterization of other's ideas, and in your flexibility. if I need a "guru of no" in the future, I know who to ping.

Redreturns2

Good luck man! We have these contests at my work as well. I've even won a few. I will tell you though almost everybody myself included gained the weight back in a relatively short time.

jonnythan

you keep quoting your own thoughts and not listening to what I'm saying. as for the cheating you keep harping on about - I've said multiple times that we won't be doing that. so you've heard nothing Iv'e said past my first thread - quoting my original thread, which I admitted several times was just half-formed thinking. as per short term? we're not freaking married dude - 60 days is about as long as a couple of co-workers can handle a non-married goal at work. we all have our long term goals. why do you keep assuming I'm an unintelligent, un-thoughtful person w/ possibly as much knowledge as you. If you didn't like the idea - you've said your peace - I get it - your attitude is your way or no way ?

Everything about this is wrong?!??! so trolly mate...so very trolly.

I keep quoting the original post because that was the honest one. Everything since has been attacking me personally and backtracking on everything you said in the beginning.

I have never said you are "an unintelligent, un-thoughtful person w/ possibly as much knowledge as you." I am criticizing your contest as unhealthy. I advised you not to do it. Yes, I said my piece.. but you and others keep responding to me and asking me questions so of course I'll respond to them :laugh: