Forum Weight Loss Challenges - positive or negative?

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suziecue20
suziecue20 Posts: 567 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Can challenges help people to lose healthily within a given timeframe, or does the competitive spirit in some people outweigh common sense and lead them to cut calories too much and lead to problems with their onging weight loss?

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  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    I think a little from column A, little from column B.

    I have noted that there have been a lot of threads over the years of people asking for advice for very rapid losses for workplace competitions. I've never been a fan of those, I really don't think it's something that should be canvassed in the workplace.

    But on the forum challenges, my biggest issue is joining with enthusiasm, then realising I'm happy doing my thing and just fading away. I do think they're better when people are working to their own set goal within the challenge framework, rather than actually competing with each other.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    The Challenges category has extra guidelines, such as:
    Challenges which encourage VLCDs, extreme calorie deficits through the use of exercise, or which promote weight loss goals beyond the 2lb per week will be removed.

    We do monitor the Challenges section for challenges that violate this rule. As for someone who falls behind on a challenge and decides to play "catch up", I'm sure it happens and could set them up for longer term issues. Generally the competitive people don't fall behind. Not all challenges are weight related.
  • suziecue20
    suziecue20 Posts: 567 Member
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    I am not talking about challenges that advocate VLCDs but as usmcmp said people who play 'catch up' could set themselves up for longer issues.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
    edited February 2016
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    suziecue20 wrote: »
    I am not talking about challenges that advocate VLCDs but as usmcmp said people who play 'catch up' could set themselves up for longer issues.

    They could. That's not a unique situation for the challenge section. It could happen to anyone who sets a goal. I don't see the challenge section as promoting the idea any more than a person would typically do on their own.
  • suziecue20
    suziecue20 Posts: 567 Member
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    Yes I do see what you mean - if someone's going to de-rail themselves the method is academic.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    There are lots of exercise and healthy habit challenges in the challenge section. I enjoy seeing those and it makes me think about personal goals I want to set for myself. I've never been a fan of trying to lose a certain amount of weight in a certain time frame, but I know that drives others.
  • suziecue20
    suziecue20 Posts: 567 Member
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    It's the X number of lbs in x number of weeks that I'm not a fan of either because it can lead to over-restriction, leading to over indulgence and weight gain.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    suziecue20 wrote: »
    It's the X number of lbs in x number of weeks that I'm not a fan of either because it can lead to over-restriction, leading to over indulgence and weight gain.

    But that's our personal view and experience. There are many others that follow it perfectly, lose it in a healthy way, stick with it long term and do well. Not everyone will be successful and not everyone will over-restrict. We don't have to try to prevent everyone from failing. Some of us need to learn from our mistakes.
  • suziecue20
    suziecue20 Posts: 567 Member
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    Yes I take everything you are saying onboard but I was hoping for responses from people who had entered challenges and could give their personal perspectives on the experience.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    I did my fair share on here shortly after joining many years ago. I even hosted one.
  • suziecue20
    suziecue20 Posts: 567 Member
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    I shall not preach to the converted lol :) Bedtime for me, goodnight usmcmp.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    suziecue20 wrote: »
    I shall not preach to the converted lol :) Bedtime for me, goodnight usmcmp.

    Hopefully others will chime in! :)
  • hopeandtheabsurd
    hopeandtheabsurd Posts: 265 Member
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    I am not a big fan of weight related challenges. If you win by losing more, some people really want to WIN and will undereat/overexercise to get that validation. The ones I have been in, the winners were never the people losing 1-2 pounds a week. I don't do challenges like that any more because I don't want to see it.

    Exercise and healthy eating challenges are a little trickier. I am in a challenge now that is pushing me hard, physically and, surprisingly, emotionally. I've injured myself in the past trying to keep up when it wasn't physically possible for me, so I've already learned my lesson on that one. I also chose to sit out one week because the eating challenge that week was triggering some binge behavior (it wasn't an inherently unhealthy eating pattern, but it was not a good one for me at all.) At one point, I was in the best shape of my life when in a challenge that "fit" me. The camaraderie of a team is a really nice thing.
  • chandanista
    chandanista Posts: 986 Member
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    There's a Biggest Loser thing happening in a group right now. Mostly a team thing, the teams are responsible for encouragement of healthy changes. There aren't any bad consequences for people who don't lose, and every loss over a certain % is investigated by the organizers. I've found it to be pleasant encouragement and many of my teammates are now on my MFP friends list.

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