Seven weeks to lose weight - stakes are very high!

[LeftmostAardvark]

I need your help. I have just shook hands with my lovely wife on a bet - whoever loses the most weight (by percentage) by 28th July wins a week of <anything goes>. As you can imagine, I really want to win and I really, REALLY DON'T want to lose.

So far, I've been on the 5:2 diet with good success, coming down from 16st 10 to 15st 6 in about 12 weeks but it seems to have plateaued a bit. I intend to take it to 4:3 as of this week. I have some time to exercise each week but bad problems with an ongoing knee injury. I do have access to a swimming pool, but not to a gym or sauna. Whatever I cook for myself I will by default also cook for her, so no advantage to be had by feeding her lard-laced broccoli...

What to do then? I'm thinking healthy eating in non-fast days, but suggestions welcome as to what they may consist of, and swimming an hour of lengths three-four times a week. I've also posted on Facebook that people are not to tolerate me drinking any alcohol. Anything else I can do? Weigh in is weekly on a Sunday evening.

Please help me to a week of sexual nirvana...

[evo4a]

Cheat at the weigh ins, so it looks like you have lost nothing, she will take it easy as she thinks it's in the bag..... then baam in the last week lose 2 stone miraculously

[LeftmostAardvark]

evo4a said:

Cheat at the weigh ins, so it looks like you have lost nothing, she will take it easy as she thinks it's in the bag..... then baam in the last week lose 2 stone miraculously

Does that involve sticking lead weights up my arse every Sunday evening?

[BenM77]

LeftmostAardvark said:

evo4a said:

Cheat at the weigh ins, so it looks like you have lost nothing, she will take it easy as she thinks it's in the bag..... then baam in the last week lose 2 stone miraculously

Does that involve sticking lead weights up my arse every Sunday evening?

A less painful way of cheating would be to drink a lot of water but each to their own

1 litre = 1kg

[Lynch91]

Cut your portion sizes down, a lot easier to not eat 1000 calories than burn 1000 calories! And no snacks, I know its hard but if you go to get a snack try and change it for a glass of water or fruit. Avoid puddings, after you have had a meal is it really necessary? If you get really hungry and you haven't had the pudding then you can have it later in the day. As you have no access to a gym then just try and walk whenever you can; eg stairs not lift park further away from office so have a longer walk, actually quite nice when Wethersfield decent.

And if you want under hand tactics, give her larger portions than you give yourself!

[LeftmostAardvark]

BenM77 said:

A less painful way of cheating would be to drink a lot of water but each to their own

1 litre = 1kg

I prefer that option, definitely.

[paolow]

The gammy leg is a real barrier to losing the weight - what do you feel it is up to on a scale of: Weights, bodyweight squats, cardio, walking, Rest Ice Compress Elevate?
What job do you do? Is it an active one or a sitty snacky one? (I'm guessing this one)...
What would your average days consumption consist of?

Oh - and Im guessing this has already begun? If so, as above you missed a trick by not loading up on water before the first weigh in....

[LeftmostAardvark]

Lynch91 said:

Cut your portion sizes down, a lot easier to not eat 1000 calories than burn 1000 calories! And no snacks, I know its hard but if you go to get a snack try and change it for a glass of water or fruit. Avoid puddings, after you have had a meal is it really necessary? If you get really hungry and you haven't had the pudding then you can have it later in the day. As you have no access to a gym then just try and walk whenever you can; eg stairs not lift park further away from office so have a longer walk, actually quite nice when Wethersfield decent.

And if you want under hand tactics, give her larger portions than you give yourself!

No snacks should be fine - I've not found the 600 cal fast days at all difficult - what I find much harder is moderating portions, hence why I've entered into this bet. I guess I'm one of those people with a strong will to meet a clearly defined target, but not so able to just eat a bit less in a nebulous kind of way. I'm going to take to carrying a 1.5l bottle of water around with me everywhere and drinking it instead of any sort of snacks. My office is unfortunately my kitchen at the moment (currently on a career break due to business exploding at end of last year and wife going back full time so ploughing away at my second novel - the first has been successful enough that I'm earning more than minimum wage for the time I've put in, just). My schedule is:

Monday - work 9-5 (kids at nursery). Fast day
Tuesday - childcare all day
Wednesday - work 9-3. Fast day
Thursday - work 9-6
Friday - childcare all day
Saturday - shared childcare. Fast day
Sunday - shared childcare.

I was thinking of adding a pool session on Monday and Thursday daytime for an hour a time. I used to do this a few weeks ago before i got hit with a chest infection-type thing and was managing between 70-80 lengths of a 25m pool in that time.

Edited by LeftmostAardvark on Sunday 16th June 20:35

Edited by LeftmostAardvark on Sunday 16th June 20:36

[LeftmostAardvark]

paolow said:

The gammy leg is a real barrier to losing the weight - what do you feel it is up to on a scale of: Weights, bodyweight squats, cardio, walking, Rest Ice Compress Elevate?
What job do you do? Is it an active one or a sitty snacky one? (I'm guessing this one)...
What would your average days consumption consist of?

Oh - and Im guessing this has already begun? If so, as above you missed a trick by not loading up on water before the first weigh in....

I can manage most of the pilates session I do on Thursdays, but have trouble getting down to the mat. Weights is out without a knee brace - I have a cti2 brace and even then it gives me hassle. I can cycle but only with clip less pedals and I can't stand up on the pedals. Issue is the medial, lateral and anterior cruciates are all shot to pieces following years of silly sports culminating in a snowboarding accident, it has taken me five years of careful walking exercise to get to the point where I can reliably climb stairs without the upper and lower part of the knee separating and pitching me forward.

Edit: the weigh in was heavier than I normally weigh - I've had a very bad day food wise so I'm hoping I'm at the heavier end of my range of weight.

Edited by LeftmostAardvark on Sunday 16th June 20:37

[paolow]

LeftmostAardvark said:

I can manage most of the pilates session I do on Thursdays, but have trouble getting down to the mat. Weights is out without a knee brace - I have a cti2 brace and even then it gives me hassle. I can cycle but only with clip less pedals and I can't stand up on the pedals. Issue is the medial, lateral and anterior cruciates are all shot to pieces following years of silly sports culminating in a snowboarding accident, it has taken me five years of careful walking exercise to get to the point where I can reliably climb stairs without the upper and lower part of the knee separating and pitching me forward.

Edit: the weigh in was heavier than I normally weigh - I've had a very bad day food wise so I'm hoping I'm at the heavier end of my range of weight.

Edited by LeftmostAardvark on Sunday 16th June 20:37

As another PHer who's snowboarding kit sits in the cupboard never again to see the light of day due to injury - you have my sympathies
It sounds like almost any increase in the work your legs do will put you at risk - so that is out for a start.
But - its not the be all and end all and it sounds like you are heading the right way already - though one thing foxes me a bit - you are doing this with your partner - so will be eating the same evening meal? What will be your strategy? - starve during the day and eat deep fried lard with her to keep her weight up or eat in a lean fashion and have a salad so you both benefit?

[LeftmostAardvark]

paolow said:

As another PHer who's snowboarding kit sits in the cupboard never again to see the light of day due to injury - you have my sympathies
It sounds like almost any increase in the work your legs do will put you at risk - so that is out for a start.
But - its not the be all and end all and it sounds like you are heading the right way already - though one thing foxes me a bit - you are doing this with your partner - so will be eating the same evening meal? What will be your strategy? - starve during the day and eat deep fried lard with her to keep her weight up or eat in a lean fashion and have a salad so you both benefit?

The latter- this is about benefitting us both, not me winning at her expense. Besides, I know her work routine (accountant) is full of temptation - sweet trolley etc., so it should be a battle of willpower during the day and then eating healthily in the evening.

And my sympathies back to you - there is nothing worse than having to turn your back on a sport you love because of one fraction of a second. Of course: motocross, time trial cycling (on big gears from an early age), Tae Kwon Do, triathlon didn't help either for me, so it was probably only a matter of time.

[Terminator X]

Work out what your cal intake should be each day to stay the same weight then just eat 1000 cals less per day, simples

TX.

[jonno990]

LeftmostAardvark said:

I've also posted on Facebook that people are not to tolerate me drinking any alcohol.

On the night before the final weigh in drink,drink and drink. Alcohol will dehydrate you. Do not eat or drink on the day of the weigh in though.

10g of alcohol will dehydrate you of 100g of fluid. So 1 litre of 45% abv spirit of your choice will shed about 10 lbs.

(I am not a doctor and this is not recommended, but I have used this method before and it does work)

Enjoy your week

[Taita]

If you need fast weight loss, eat some off prawns or get D&V!

[LeftmostAardvark]

Taita said:

If you need fast weight loss, eat some off prawns or get D&V!

I may consider resorting to this: http://singletrackworld.com/2009/02/the-picolax-th...

Edit: joke, I intend to do this sustainably and responsibly. After all, the reason we are both doing this is to be healthier...

[Mojooo]

I started getting immediate weight loss when i moved over to unprocessed foods (fruit, veg, chicken, milk, eggs, fish).

That is combined with exercise but if you are eating processed foods them get rid totally.

[Ordinary_Chap]

Can you get a set of weights for upper body exercise?

Us guys massively benefit from weight training for fat loss and gaining lean muscle.

So with diet being equal (well while she is at home) you've got to find an advantage to get you leg over for a week, also you may need the training to cope

[paolow]

Mojooo said:

I started getting immediate weight loss when i moved over to unprocessed foods (fruit, veg, chicken, milk, eggs, fish).

That is combined with exercise but if you are eating processed foods them get rid totally.

Worked for me:

No pasta - this includes pasta sheets in lasagna and spaghetti
Couscous is allowed before 7
No potato
No white rice (I used fake rice - google this - its grated cauli)
Definitely no bread
Only cheeses allowed are cottage cheese and feta
Obv no fizzy drinks, snacks, bicsuits etc
If you cant live without booze have vodka and tonic

In the past I had a tub of oken yoghurt for brekkie - carrot/celery/pepper etc sticks and humous for snack. chicken breast and salad/small portion of leftover (good for you) dinner for lunch, seeds or similar for snack and then a dinner of chicken breast or fish fillet with steamed veg. Sounds dire but you are only limited by imagination.....
Granted I Excersised too - but lost a stone in the timeframe you are talking....

Edited by paolow on Sunday 16th June 22:36

[LeftmostAardvark]

Ordinary_Chap said:

Can you get a set of weights for upper body exercise?

Us guys massively benefit from weight training for fat loss and gaining lean muscle.

So with diet being equal (well while she is at home) you've got to find an advantage to get you leg over for a week, also you may need the training to cope

Weights are out I'm afraid, the pilates is to repair a back issue (related to the knee), and I want to finish that before I hit the gym. Yes, I know I'm a complete wreck. Swimming can be done though, surely an hour of solid front crawl 3 times a week will have a similar effect to high rep upper body weights?

[LeftmostAardvark]

paolow said:

Worked for me:

No pasta - this includes pasta sheets in lasagna and spaghetti
Couscous is allowed before 7
No potato
No white rice (I used fake rice - google this - its grated cauli)
Definitely no bread
Only cheeses allowed are cottage cheese and feta
Obv no fizzy drinks, snacks, bicsuits etc
If you cant live without booze have vodka and tonic

In the past I had a tub of oken yoghurt for brekkie - carrot/celery/pepper etc sticks and humous for snack. Yoghurt for lunch, seeds or similar for snack and then a dinner of chicken breast or fish fillet with steamed veg. Sounds dire but you are only limited by imagination.....
Granted I Excersised too - but lost a stone in the timeframe you are talking....

If that is what it takes, that is what I'll do. Have bolded the upside