have $780 bucks riding on me losing 5 pounds... need help!

hippy2skippy

Just wondered if you made it to your goal! I hope so!

cmriverside

Yeah, didja make it? If so, party at your house.

LesaLu4

Thanks to all of you for your amazing advice and support. I am pleased to announce that YES, I PASSED! I REACHED MY GOAL!!

It was a tough, tough road. I got incredibly sick the night before. I have gotten vertigo twice in my life and haven't had it for years... until the night before my big weigh in. I had worked so hard and given up so much for over 10 weeks, basically put a lot of my life on hold (of which has taught be some great and valuable lessons) and to get so sick that I wasn't able to get out of bed freaked me out and made me spin even worse. So, I came on these message boards and did some research which directed me to some home remedies. I followed them and while I didn't cure myself, after a miserable nights sleep, I was well enough to have my husband drive me about 45 minutes from home to the weigh in. I mustered enough energy to get in, pass with flying colors, get a few hugs from an amazing and supportive man running the clinic and get back to bed.

I've been feeling better, enough to function half way normally and eat! I have been enjoying a few too many meals that I didn't allow myself before.

So, here is my next question to you... What do you recommend as a long term program?

I DO NOT want to completely fall off the wagon and find myself begging for help again next year... that is just wrong on so many levels, not to mention unhealthy. I just need to loosen my intensity a little and find ways to incorporate this into my daily life. If you have any suggestions, please share. I will be developing my own plan in the next few days.

Again, THANK YOU so very much for all your advice and support. Couldn't have done it with out you. Your checks will be in the mail!

cmriverside

Whoa. Did you make yourself sick with restricting food or fluids? Or laxatives?

Because that is why none of us wanted you to go down that path. You could have died. The dizziness was dangerous, and you should have gone to the doctor.

So, going forward, find a reasonable calorie goal for you.

Start with this easy to follow guide.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/952996-level-obstacles-lose-weight-target-fat-easy

DO NOT put your health at risk like that again. $780 is not the value of your life. That isn't cool, and I hope you have more respect for yourself and your family to not try that again.

LesaLu4

I really appreciate your concern (or I think that may have been concern... although I felt a little scolded) but I honestly believe it was a case of vertigo. I have had it a few times before and it followed all the classic symptoms. If I wasn't sure of it I would have rushed myself into the emergency room.... and heck, asked them to just weigh me while I was there.

I promise all of you... I was very careful with the ways I chose to loose the weight. I had many people at home and work keeping close tabs on me. I felt GREAT and my energy level was up, right until 8:00 night before and it was very sudden, as vertigo is. If you have had it I think you might understand a little more.

Again, I appreciate the support and concern. But may I ask kindly... please don't post any more scornful messages. Think it all you want... but keep it to yourself. I am still recovering and honestly don't need it right now. Thank you for respecting my request.

quirkytizzy

I really appreciate your concern (or I think that may have been concern... although I felt a little scolded) but I honestly believe it was a case of vertigo. I have had it a few times before and it followed all the classic symptoms. If I wasn't sure of it I would have rushed myself into the emergency room.... and heck, asked them to just weigh me while I was there.

I promise all of you... I was very careful with the ways I chose to loose the weight. I had many people at home and work keeping close tabs on me. I felt GREAT and my energy level was up, right until 8:00 night before and it was very sudden, as vertigo is. If you have had it I think you might understand a little more.

Again, I appreciate the support and concern. But may I ask kindly... please don't post any more scornful messages. Think it all you want... but keep it to yourself. I am still recovering and honestly don't need it right now. Thank you for respecting my request.

It was concern. We regularly have members try unhealthy methods and have the same physical problems you experienced - which are problematic to start with and truly damaging should it continue.

We are less then gentle about these things because they happen, they happen often, and they have serious consequences.

There is no need to admonish anyone for feeling like you've been admonished. We are not your knitting circle, hand-holding is not required of other people on this site.

I'm glad you came back and shared your experience. The one thing this site doesn't actually get enough of is people reporting back results on methods (especially quick-fix ones fraught with problems, such as your experience was). It is good to see your feedback about it.

Sofitin2013

Great work!!!

I find that South Beach style eating works best for me and it's not super drastic..

cmriverside

Guess what some of the causes of Vertigo are?

Dehydration. Low blood pressure.

Guess what can cause low blood pressure? LACK OF NUTRIENTS OR FLUIDS...sort of like the type of "weight loss" you had been thinking about.

You admit you hadn't been eating (and for 10 weeks had been denying yourself things.) This site sees a lot of young people who think they can "lose weight fast". Your thread is a very bad example for them.

I've actually had vertigo. It was caused by low blood pressure - a very common cause of low blood pressure is lack of hydration.

If you had tried to drive yourself to the weigh in, you could have caused an accident. If you had continued on your low intake, it could have meant permanent damage to you.

I'm just saying that $780 is not worth your life or anyone else's on this site.

This thread will be read by a lot of people. It's not just about you.

kristensteel

Take an epsom salt bath before your weight in. Helps get rid of any excess water.

seanezekiel

Guess what some of the causes of Vertigo are?

Dehydration. Low blood pressure.

Guess what can cause low blood pressure? LACK OF NUTRIENTS OR FLUIDS...sort of like the type of "weight loss" you had been thinking about.

You admit you hadn't been eating (and for 10 weeks had been denying yourself things.) This site sees a lot of young people who think they can "lose weight fast". Your thread is a very bad example for them.

I've actually had vertigo. It was caused by low blood pressure - a very common cause of low blood pressure is lack of hydration.

If you had tried to drive yourself to the weigh in, you could have caused an accident. If you had continued on your low intake, it could have meant permanent damage to you.

I'm just saying that $780 is not worth your life or anyone else's on this site.

This thread will be read by a lot of people. It's not just about you.

This seems to be way over the top. You needed to lose 5lbs by a date. You understood how you did it. I say good for you. Your "life" was never in danger from something this minor.

drchimpanzee

Drink a gallon of water before you weigh in the first time Winning!!!!

quirkytizzy

Guess what some of the causes of Vertigo are?

Dehydration. Low blood pressure.

Guess what can cause low blood pressure? LACK OF NUTRIENTS OR FLUIDS...sort of like the type of "weight loss" you had been thinking about.

You admit you hadn't been eating (and for 10 weeks had been denying yourself things.) This site sees a lot of young people who think they can "lose weight fast". Your thread is a very bad example for them.

I've actually had vertigo. It was caused by low blood pressure - a very common cause of low blood pressure is lack of hydration.

If you had tried to drive yourself to the weigh in, you could have caused an accident. If you had continued on your low intake, it could have meant permanent damage to you.

I'm just saying that $780 is not worth your life or anyone else's on this site.

This thread will be read by a lot of people. It's not just about you.

This seems to be way over the top. You needed to lose 5lbs by a date. You understood how you did it. I say good for you. Your "life" was never in danger from something this minor.

Vertigo can cause you to pass out. The point is that you should NOT do things that would have such effects and certainly not on purpose.

It IS damaging to your health.

If you're purposefully doing something that could cause you to pass out, such as the OP was doing, I would say - especially in the case of driving or operating other heavy machinery - yes, that is putting your (and possibly others) life on the line.

Unless you're cool with driving around someone who might pass out from dehydration? In which case, please PM me next time you hit the road in that condition. I'd like to make sure I'm a few states over.

pkw58

Dear OP - been there, done that back in the early 90's... it was my second job out of college, and meeting the criteria to get a reduction in my medical premiums was all out important. I would avoid anything fried, cheese, eggs, etc. to pass the cholesterol test as well as the weight test about starting a month before the test.

Sadly, after I left that job, I was still in a healthy weight range with the occassional spike up 20 pounds I lost till I turned 50 - then I went up about 38 pounds.

I am 54 years old and committed to a healthy lifestyle 16 months ago... I am down to what I weighed in High School my senior year (128).
To me, it was all about the commitment level, and exploring different ways to get there. And making it work with your lifestyle. I don't have 1-2 hours to hit a gym every day. I work out at home and get in as many 10-20 minute walks in as I can everyday.

I log every thing I eat on mfp now. I weigh daily. I wear a Nike Fuel band that tells me how much I burned. I record that. The main thing is to keep trying to find what works for you.

ktsmom430

I am glad to see that you made it to your goal for your insurance. Congratulations! Continued good luck with your staying healthy!

I am in a similar situation, but have known about the increase in premium for BMI since December of 2011. We have until December of 2013 to be in the normal range of BMI. I have 7 pounds to go, and 8 months to do it in. At this point, I am concerned, as it is not a slam dunk by any means, but I have been losing for 13 months straight now and am determined to make it to a healthy BMI range.

The five biomarkers we have to meet:
LDL Cholesterol - pass
Blood Pressure - pass
Glucose - pass
No tobacco usage - pass

BMI - 26.0 FAILED, but hope to be there asap Have to be in the normal range 18.5 - 24.9

cmriverside

Here's my "story" ....I was underwater at 80 feet under the sea when I experienced vertigo.


It is really alarming even at sea level. I've had vertigo once before, and it was because I hadn't eaten. I was on my bicycle when it happened, and I stopped and asked someone to get me something to eat...so low blood sugar is also a cause.

But at 80 feet underwater (or behind the wheel of a 2,000 pound chunk of steel on the freeway) you really don't want to experience vertigo.

I didn't have "time" for breakfast, and it was going to be a long dive, so I didn't drink a lot of water beforehand. At the time the vertigo hit (which just happens, you don't get a warning) I wasn't sure which way was up. You can see how this might be a problem underwater. I wanted to take out my regulator. This is also a problem for humans - who don't breathe underwater without life-sustaining equipment. My thoughts were really foggy...not the time for this to happen.

The OP did only have 5 pounds to lose, but she needed to do it in 12 days. And she was willing to do whatever it took to get there. I understand, but I don't sympathize. Would I maybe have done that before I had experienced vertigo first-hand? Twice? Yeah, maybe.

Would I chance it now? Absolutely never.

SteelySunshine

I am happy to see you made your goal. $780 can be a significant amount of change. I signed up for Balance Rewards at Walgreens and I am going to aim for a 2 mile walk a day just to get that 5 dollar reward. It's not the money so much obviously, but it is an accomplishment, besides getting healthier and losing weight. So, anyway I get it.

Going forward is probably going to be harder in a way. Extremes are kind of easy cuz you get in that obsessive competitive mode and coming down from that is difficult.

So what to do.

1. Log everything exercise and all

2. Don't over do it on exercise more than a couple hours is probably too much.

3. Ignore your scale for a while. For 10 weeks you have been worried about getting to goal now it's time to just concentrate on good habits and eating healthier. I didn't weight myself for 6 mos, if I had been trying to lose weight in that time or even if I had known I was on a diet it would have been harder. But, what happened was I was just concentrating on eating better and moving when I couled(I have chronic pain so it's not always possible to move when I want to) anyway, I estimate from my typical day + going down a size or two + the rate I was losing for the first three weeks logging here, that I lost about a pound a week. You might lose more than this a week if you can exercise more than I could.

4. Bonus advise don't use those crazy supplements that are supposed to help you exercise longer or build muscle faster, most are dangerous. But, protein powder is ok if you need it to hit your macros.

LesaLu4

The OP did only have 5 pounds to lose, but she needed to do it in 12 days. And she was willing to do whatever it took to get there. I understand, but I don't sympathize. Would I maybe have done that before I had experienced vertigo first-hand? Twice? Yeah, maybe.

I need you to understand how you are making so many assumptions that are incorrect! You say I was willing to do whatever it took to get there.... incorrect. You say I was dehydrated.... incorrect. You say that I was lacking nutrition.... incorrect. You are making way more of this than it really was. I am sincerely sorry that I opened up this conversation and that so many unhealthy suggestions were mentioned. I did not follow a lot of those suggestions listed. Only the healthy ones. If I was truly willing to do anything I would have dropped down to 400 calories like suggested in a personal message. I have never once mentioned here how I dropped the weight. You have just continued to make unreasonable assumptions based on other peoples suggestions.

Here is what I did do... I stayed true to myself. I ate healthy meals spaced out about every 3 to 4 hours, I exercised moderately, never more than 45 minutes. I drank tons of water. I did deny myself certain foods... chocolate cake, doughnuts, pizza... stuff like that. Tell me how that is wrong. The last week I did juice. But I didn't juice exclusively... I also ate almonds, boiled eggs and salmon for protein and fat. And I ate about every 3 hours at that point to keep my blood sugar levels even. I drank tons of water. I did take a laxative a few days into juicing because juicing slows down your digestion, I was constipated and it was uncomfortable.

And another thing... how did it get misconstrued that I drove with vertigo? For the record... I DID NOT DRIVE TO MY WEIGH IN. I listened to my body and asked for help when I needed it. I am a very reasonable person who does not put myself or anyone else around me in danger. I am tired of being treated like a ignorant teenager. I am 46, intelligent and reasonable. I have never given you a reason to think anything else. You are judging me for other peoples suggestions.

The only thing I am sorry for is that some naive, young people looking for quick weight loss, might come here and read some of these ideas and do them on a regular basis. Please listen to his concern and take his warning. Do not do things that could cause damage to your well being. It's not worth it.

To everyone else, thank you for the congratulations. I did work really hard.

LesaLu4

I am happy to see you made your goal. $780 can be a significant amount of change. I signed up for Balance Rewards at Walgreens and I am going to aim for a 2 mile walk a day just to get that 5 dollar reward. It's not the money so much obviously, but it is an accomplishment, besides getting healthier and losing weight. So, anyway I get it.

Going forward is probably going to be harder in a way. Extremes are kind of easy cuz you get in that obsessive competitive mode and coming down from that is difficult.

LesaLu4

I am happy to see you made your goal. $780 can be a significant amount of change. I signed up for Balance Rewards at Walgreens and I am going to aim for a 2 mile walk a day just to get that 5 dollar reward. It's not the money so much obviously, but it is an accomplishment, besides getting healthier and losing weight. So, anyway I get it.

Going forward is probably going to be harder in a way. Extremes are kind of easy cuz you get in that obsessive competitive mode and coming down from that is difficult.

You do get it. I did get that obsessive competitive thing going on. Failure was not an option. But neither was doing anything unhealthy. So, that did make it more difficult. I got pretty insanely focused and dedicated. I wish I would not have put quite as much pressure on myself though. I did stress myself out. It was a good reminder just how strong willed I am. So many really good life lessons have come from this.

Thanks for the good suggestions. I appreciate them. To continued good health for all of us!