Weight loss contest... just a few tweaks needed?

[msi1337]

I am in the middle of a 12 week weight loss contest that is being televised locally (like the biggest loser on a smaller scale).

I am a 36 years old male, 5'9" tall with starting weight of 269.

We are on a nutrition plan and everything on it is common sense..they are doing it right, not recommended eating sugar free Jello for every meal to cut calories. We workout 3 times a week and get video taped on Wednesdays. Today was our 6th week and marks the halfway point of my journey.

My questions are as follows:

1) They have us doing routines involving running, burpees, mountain climbers, rowing, air squats, etc. There is no weight lifting whatsoever. I personally disagree with this, but wanted other people's opinions. On non workout days we are encouraged to do cardio on our own (but leaving 2 days for rest)

2) How much can I feasibly lose? I am sorry I can't say how much I have lost so far. I just wanted some guesses at what I would need to win this.

I welcome any and all advice to keep shedding the pounds. I feel like the regimen we are on is decent, but not 100% optimal (course it is the first season of this show, so a lot of room to improve).

 

[Zivic]

decrease calories and increase activity.... that's all there is to it.

 

[rga]

With all the

running, burpees, mountain climbers, rowing, air squats, etc. There is no weight lifting whatsoever

why not use your two days of rest for lifting weights? That high rep body weight stuff they have you doing is essentially cardio. You don't have to do anything crazy. Squat, deadlift, bench press, and press if you have a bar. If you only have access to, or feel comfortable using, machines then that's fine too. The main thing is to get some resistance training in to help build and maintain muscle while losing weight.

 

[blackdogdeek]

With all the

why not use your two days of rest for lifting weights? That high rep body weight stuff they have you doing is essentially cardio. You don't have to do anything crazy. Squat, deadlift, bench press, and press if you have a bar. If you only have access to, or feel comfortable using, machines then that's fine too. The main thing is to get some resistance training in to help build and maintain muscle while losing weight.

Actually, if your goal is primarily to lose as much weight as possible, I would NOT recommend strength training. Strength training would contribute toward maintaining muscle which would mean slower overall weight loss.

However, ordinarily, people's goals are usually just to maintain muscle and lose ONLY fat. When this is the case, THEN I'd recommend strength training instead of pure cardio.

 

[rastataoist]

Funny you should bring this up... I'm at the end of an 8 week weight loss competition. I'm 5'10" and started at 270 lbs, and the weigh-in is tomorrow. I've lost 32 lbs, which as far as I can tell is enough for second place, because a good buddy of mine is down somewhere between 37 and 39 lbs from a starting weight of 247.



Now if it's just about purely numbers, then yeah, low calories and more exercise will do it. In fact, he did a 10 day master cleanse (lemon, maple syrup, cayenne), which I opted not to do, since I still have to function at work (my job is all mental, not physical, and my work would have MAJORLY suffered if I starved myself). Not being a doctor myself, I'm not sure when your body would shut down from a constant major calorie deficit, but clearly 8 weeks isn't the end of the world (maybe week 9 is the kicker?)



So, if you want to win at the expense of being functional on a daily basis, then you'd be surprised what you can do.



That said, anyone have tips for the day of the weigh-in?

 

[z1ggy]

You're in a weight loss comp... Not a fat loss comp. Therefore, Zivic is correct; decrease intake while upping activity is the only way to lose weight long term. The lack of weight lifting doesn't effect you since they probably just put you on a scale. The guy who loses 50lb fat and 10lb muscle will tie with the guy who loses 25lbfat and 25lb muscle, even though the first guy will look physically better.

Lifting is a need if you plan on retaining, or even gaining some muscle during this time. The reason they may not have you lifting is 1) they assume you're all noobs and that weight lifting could cause injury, or 2) they don't have the proper resources/personnel to create good lifting plans.

 

[Zivic]

Funny you should bring this up... I'm at the end of an 8 week weight loss competition. I'm 5'10" and started at 270 lbs, and the weigh-in is tomorrow. I've lost 32 lbs, which as far as I can tell is enough for second place, because a good buddy of mine is down somewhere between 37 and 39 lbs from a starting weight of 247.



Now if it's just about purely numbers, then yeah, low calories and more exercise will do it. In fact, he did a 10 day master cleanse (lemon, maple syrup, cayenne), which I opted not to do, since I still have to function at work (my job is all mental, not physical, and my work would have MAJORLY suffered if I starved myself). Not being a doctor myself, I'm not sure when your body would shut down from a constant major calorie deficit, but clearly 8 weeks isn't the end of the world (maybe week 9 is the kicker?)



So, if you want to win at the expense of being functional on a daily basis, then you'd be surprised what you can do.



That said, anyone have tips for the day of the weigh-in?

do what the wrestlers at my college did....
-just say no to water and other fluids/drinks
-keep a dip in all day (so you spit constantly)
-add in a few sessions on the stepper wearing sweatsuit and rubber suit

 

[Carson Dyle]

I just read an article about Penn Jillette losing 105 lbs in four months, going from 330 lbs to 225. All he did was adhere to a very strict 1000 calorie per day diet (mostly based on Fuhrman's Nutritarian guidelines, which emphasizes micronutrients). That works out to about 0.9 lbs per day. He claims that he did no exercise.

So, let's see...

12 weeks x 7 days per week x 0.9 lbs per day = 75.6 lbs

I'm sure it's probably possible to do more, but even 75 lbs seems extreme. Go full-on Biggest Loser and work out for six to eight hours per day with a trainer in your face for most of it, with no job or family, locked up in a remote facility, and you could beat it.

Have a look on Wikipedia, where you can find detailed progress spreadsheets of each season of NBC's Biggest Loser. In the most recent, after 12 weeks, some typical total weight loses were from 90 to 130 lbs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Biggest_Loser:_Glory_Days#Weigh-Ins

 

[msi1337]

thanks for all of the comments thus far! the biggest loser show is a joke..they are working out 5-6 hours each day and going to the sauna for 2-3 hours a day while eating less than 500 calories each day. Not healthy at all, but great for TV!

 

[z1ggy]

thanks for all of the comments thus far! the biggest loser show is a joke..they are working out 5-6 hours each day and going to the sauna for 2-3 hours a day while eating less than 500 calories each day. Not healthy at all, but great for TV!

How many of those people to do think ballooned back up to some unhealthy weight within 1 yr? Probably all the ones who didn't get on TV after.

Weight loss should be sustainable and healthy. I can't speak for weight loss goals for folks who need to lose maybe 75+lb.. But I'd assume the same general rule applies in that you still need to at a rate that is realistic. 100lb in 4 month is nuts, even for somebody who's very obese.

My buddy went from 330lb (dangerously over weight) to about 240, and that took him like 3 yrs. Maybe he had hiccups along the way, but I say that's better than trying to lose that much weight in 4 months, then crashing and burning after.

Just apply yourself and stay consistent. F this "contest", you need to do this for you. If you can't win and you need to take longer because that's what's healthier, then so be it.

 

[msi1337]

Just apply yourself and stay consistent. F this "contest", you need to do this for you. If you can't win and you need to take longer because that's what's healthier, then so be it.

thank you for this! I agree completely. While I am a competitive person and want to win, I care more about doing things the right way

 

[WelshBloke]

My buddy went from 330lb (dangerously over weight) to about 240, and that took him like 3 yrs.

Unless he's really tall that's still dangerously overweight.

 

[Carson Dyle]

thanks for all of the comments thus far! the biggest loser show is a joke..they are working out 5-6 hours each day and going to the sauna for 2-3 hours a day while eating less than 500 calories each day. Not healthy at all, but great for TV!

Well, you're in a contest. Weight loss contests are unhealthy by definition. You asked how much you could feasibly lose. That's going to depend on whether you're working out just three hours per week, or whether it's ten hours, or twenty. And what you're eating. Are you counting calories and restricting your intake to 2500 calories per day, or is it closer to 1200 per day?

I'm not sure how anyone can really say what it would take to win your contest. Who you're competing against, how many people you're competing against, even what the prize is, all factor into it.

That said, and assuming it's based it on percentage of starting body weight lost rather than just straight pounds lost, I'll take a wild ass guess and say the winner will lose 25% in 12 weeks. You would need to get down to around 200 to win. That's 5.6 lbs per week.