is 20 lbs in 4 weeks even possible??

kzalusky360
kzalusky360 Posts: 29
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
so.

long story short....i'm part of this biggest loser challenge. i am currently at 7% body weight lost. The girl who is in the #1 spot is just under 10%. I would be right up there with her if it were not for the fact that i had SWINE FLU for the first two months of the challenge. (and even with swine flu i still managed to lose 22lbs since the middle of Sept!! yay for me!)

my trainer has been giving me a very hard time saying i'm "not working to potential." he seems to think my concerns are all "excuses" and that my symptoms from swine flu aren't serious. Add to the H1N1 severe asthma and seasonal allergies and ive been a mess! needless to say, the trainer hasn't been the most supportive, but i'm already in the middle of it all, so i just gotta finish what i started. I REALLY WANNA PUSH AHEAD TO #1 AND WIN TO PISS HIM OFF. hey, i gotta find motivation where i can, right?! haha

According to my calculations I need to lose 20lbs in 4 weeks to have a shot at winning the $1000 prize. Is this even possible?

I tried to figure out a game plan that would get me as close to 5lbs a week.

these are the facts:

To sustain myself and my current weight I must eat 1914 calories a day.

I am on a 1500 cal diet: 5 meals a day, 300 calories each consisting of 40% carbs, 40% protein, and 20% fat. (as per my trainers' suggestions.)

With the restricted diet, I am eating 414 calories less than I need to maintain my weight.
A pound = 3500 calories. This means I would have to burn roughly 2080 calories a day (on top of the 414) to hit just under 5 lbs for the week.

That's nuts.

I am already training for a marathon, so running is built into my schedule. I also do strength/circuit training 3 times a week. I am considering adding an hour swim each morning, and a few days of walking and/or eliptical training.

I already know that I could "burn out" or injure myself....Im aware of all the consequences but this is just for four weeks. Consequences aside, is my math on track? and do you think it is even possible to attain this?

I started this challenge hoping to learn some stuff and lose weight all while training for a marathon (in january)...not necessarily to win. but his nasty attitude towards me (and some other people too!) has made me wanna strike back!

interested in anything ya'll have to say....

Replies

  • havingitall
    havingitall Posts: 3,728 Member
    I think that it would be difficult to do. I understand wanting the cash prize, but the real prize is geting healthy in a safe and reasonable way.
  • JDHINAZ
    JDHINAZ Posts: 641 Member
    So you have asthma, allergies, recovering from H1N1 and have an ultimate goal of running a marathon, but your considering risking your long term health and ultimate goal by overstressing your already stressed out body to win $1000? Frankly, I can understand the temptation of $1k, but your health is much more important than that. I think you should do the the healthy thing and just stick with your original goal, and then, as you cross the finish line at your marathon, flip your trainer the bird. With both hands.

    Good luck! Sounds like you have great motivation!
  • HealthyKt78
    HealthyKt78 Posts: 439
    Your math seems right to me. I would go for it for a week and see how you feel. If you feel good and don't feel as if you're sacrificing yourself then continue for the next 3 weeks. 1K is a big prize and to me would be well worth the sacrifice. If you feel as if you're about to get burned out than slow down.

    I'd go for it cause even if you fail at least you tried and you'll probably lose some weight a long the way. It's a great jump start. I wish I had that motivation.
  • shariguymon
    shariguymon Posts: 245 Member
    YOU are worth more than $1000, so proceed with caution and make sure you maintain your health. Listen to your body! :smile:

    I tried to delete this post but didn't know how, so I guess you get a double dose of YOU being worth more than a prize!!!!


    TAKE CARE
  • shariguymon
    shariguymon Posts: 245 Member
    So you have asthma, allergies, recovering from H1N1 and have an ultimate goal of running a marathon, but your considering risking your long term health and ultimate goal by overstressing your already stressed out body to win $1000? Frankly, I can understand the temptation of $1k, but your health is much more important than that. I think you should do the the healthy thing and just stick with your original goal, and then, as you cross the finish line at your marathon, flip your trainer the bird. With both hands.

    Good luck! Sounds like you have great motivation!

    YOU are worth a lot more than $1000, so proceed with caution and make sure you maintain your health. Listen to your body! :happy: I agree with the quote above in that you should do the healthy thing and stick with your original goal!

    Sorry to list my message twice, I just started this site the last week of October. Prior to that I had gone from 174lbs to about 154 and had very very slowly inched down to 150. I found this site and it is a jump start to get me going again. Health is a priceless gift , without it your loss would be tremendous!
  • Pattyisgr8
    Pattyisgr8 Posts: 104 Member
    I did nutrisystem and lost 18lbs in a month (with only work outs for 3/7 days a week) so yes it it possible and yes I have maintained it.
  • DeeDeeLHF
    DeeDeeLHF Posts: 2,301 Member
    As I sit here recovering from H1N1 as well....I am a true wimp compared to you.

    If you are able to do it...go for it...but please listen to your body...if you can't do it realize that you are still acheiving so much and let that other part go. From what other people are saying and I am experiencing it takes a long time to really get over this. One day you start feeling better and you think, OK finally! then you do a bunch of things and BAM your back in bed! Plus, for me the cough is relentless.

    1k is a lot of money and I would be hugely motivated but it is not worth any long terms risks. All it takes is one serious injury to put you on the couch for 6 months to a year.

    Best of Luck!
  • kzalusky360
    kzalusky360 Posts: 29
    Your math seems right to me. I would go for it for a week and see how you feel. If you feel good and don't feel as if you're sacrificing yourself then continue for the next 3 weeks. 1K is a big prize and to me would be well worth the sacrifice. If you feel as if you're about to get burned out than slow down.

    I'd go for it cause even if you fail at least you tried and you'll probably lose some weight a long the way. It's a great jump start. I wish I had that motivation.

    Thats exactly the attitude I took: "even if i fail at least i tried and i'll probably lose some weight along the way!" and yes, it WAS a great jump start.

    Well...I didn't exactly hit the "20 lbs in 4 weeks" But i tried! I started off great, with a 6lb loss in one week, but then for some reason I gained and lost the same three pounds for the rest of the competition... regardless of my attempts to eat NOTHING processed. Weird thing is, as soon as I added processed food back in to my diet the weight started to pour off! I've lost 5lbs already this week, and I still have two days left before I weigh-in. A friend of mine won the $1k...but she literally killed herself to rise above the girl in the #1 spot. She beat her by less than .4 lbs (Thats POINT FOUR!!!!).....she lost 48lbs in 12 weeks (10lbs of which was water weight because she gained it all back almost immediately after the final weigh-in.) even still she is such an inspiration. There is another competition starting up January 16th...I'm considering doing it again--I just have to review my finances because it will cost me a membership renewal plus the cost of the program. So we'll see.

    And as for being sick....I've definitely kicked 94% of it. I still have a residual cough that bugs me....fingers crossed i won't be a victim of the second round that most doctors and school nurses are predicting is coming!!!
  • ImGoinDown
    ImGoinDown Posts: 16
    It's very possible, I've lost 18 pounds so far and it's been two weeks (minus a day) I will say though, I'm on a very strict plan. Under 800 calories and under 20 carbs.
  • crazyjkgirl
    crazyjkgirl Posts: 123 Member
    It's very possible, I've lost 18 pounds so far and it's been two weeks (minus a day) I will say though, I'm on a very strict plan. Under 800 calories and under 20 carbs.

    I hope you realize that pretty much no matter what you're doing or who you are, at these levels you're completely starving yourself. Please reevaluate your goals. Althought you may be loosing weight fast right now, your long term health is at risk. Not too mention that in the long run, the weight will most likely come back. I can't even fathom only eating 800 calories or 20 carbs a day and being able to function without passing out.
  • jessicajoy87
    jessicajoy87 Posts: 905
    I lost 24 in 1 month. Its possible. Good luck!
  • pannellkat
    pannellkat Posts: 709 Member
    It is possible. Good luck. I am in a biggest loser contest at my job too and lost the last one by one tenth of a percent so it was dissapointing. But anyway, it is possible.
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