Cutting weight in Sauna?

[Mychael101]

Anyone in here do this before an event or deadline? I've never done it but I was considering it. I've taken off 21lbs thru diet and exercise and supplementation. And I will still have 10 days to continue to try and burn as many calories as I can in the gym without overtraining before I attempt to cut weight in the sauna. If so can anyone give me some tips. Should I go ahead and pick up a sauna suit, would a dry or steam sauna be better, what should I drop my water intake to for those days? I'm currently taking in over a gallon of water per day.

[greenrebel]

question:

are you a body builder or something mychael? I don't know why anyone wants to lose pure water weight unless they are looking for physical appearance in some type of event...

[Mychael101]

Not even close. But we are having a contest of sorts that ends at the end of the month. The winner gets a trip to Vegas and bragging rights. Its a 3 month challenge. Like I said I've already lost 21lbs the right way and I want to hit the sauna to give myself the best chance to win. There are no rules to how the weight is lost, whoever loses the most wins.

[The Raven]

There are no rules to how the weight is lost, whoever loses the most wins.


Cut off a leg.

[Stangin4Lyfe]

Cut off a leg.
Now thats dedication!!!
:D

[Casper]

You lost 21 pounds and it took you nearly 3 months? That can't be all the bet is about, heck I fluctuate by 40lbs from summer to winter and I don't try.

[The Raven]

You lost 21 pounds and it took you nearly 3 months? That can't be all the bet is about, heck I fluctuate by 40lbs from summer to winter and I don't try.

The bigger you are, the more weight the body will fluctuate, as you cary more fluids.

[Mychael101]

I did not include cardio in my training for the 1st two months, so I suppose my weight loss was modest at best. So for this entire month I have trained less on weights and more on cardio. This is for the last 10 weeks. I started last year around December at a weight of nearly 270lbs. I'm now 195lbs. My goal is by December to be at 160lbs.

[The Raven]

I'm now 195lbs. My goal is by December to be at 160lbs.


That's just under two pounds per which, which is on the high side, but very doable. Be careful not to focus solely on body weight when making long-term goals, gaining 10lbs of muscle while losing 10lbs of fat won't change the scale, but it sure will affect your physique.

[Mychael101]

I'm thinking that I'm still carrying quite a bit of water weight as is. I still hit the weights 4 times a week and train to failure. Tuesdays are the worst since its the day I train legs. After the weights I do an hr of cardio on the elipical and my quads are on fire. Good thing Wednesday is a non-training day. And my physique is much better now. I could have just focused on the weight loss but I wouldn't really dig all the excess skin. At least this way I have much more muscle mass to compensate. Just gotta get a tan and luckily the 24hr fitness in Arlington has a sauna.

[The Raven]

I'm thinking that I'm still carrying quite a bit of water weight as is.

It's not like your are carying 10lbs of "extra" water weight. Now that you're training regularly, your body should have hit a point of hydration statis. Don't expect to start hitting the sauna now, and keep the weight off, prolonged dehydration can be dangerous in the least, if not fatal. As long as you are drinking plenty of water, which you should be, time in the sauna will do nothing for waterweight in the long-term. If you want that edge, reduce your water intake a day or two before the weigh-in, and sit in the sauna to squeeze out a little extra water, but don't think that you've got 10lbs of water weight to lose in the mean-time.

[Casper]

I did not include cardio in my training for the 1st two months, so I suppose my weight loss was modest at best. So for this entire month I have trained less on weights and more on cardio. This is for the last 10 weeks. I started last year around December at a weight of nearly 270lbs. I'm now 195lbs. My goal is by December to be at 160lbs.

Okay, you just hit a plateau, you had already slimmed considerably.

[JPS]

The bigger you are, the more weight the body will fluctuate, as you cary more fluids.
Good luck! But if you wanted to do a little research, you could find out when each of the girls in this bet is "bloated" and weigh then. mwuahahahahahahaha

(sorry, I'm just excited I have a weekend with no children!)

JPS

[The Raven]

Good luck! But if you wanted to do a little research, you could find out when each of the girls in this bet is "bloated" and weigh then. mwuahahahahahahaha

(sorry, I'm just excited I have a weekend with no children!)

JPS


Ha ha ha!

[ruffdaddy]

ive seen plenty of fighters and lifters alike loose pounds in the double digits on a sauna alone (up to 18lbs for a guy around 200). I also know wrestlers who limit the water consumption considerably as an alternative to a sauna.

If you're serious about this dont eat the day before and untill you weigh in. Or eat just light soups...something you can sweat off.

[Mychael101]

Good lord 18lbs! I was hoping for 10lbs total starting today, with busting my ass on the eliptical and then including the sauna for the last 3 days.

[ruffdaddy]

sauna will really only help you on the day of...or before if you dont consume water. And remember that in a sauna...as long as you're sweating...you're losing weight. Just dont kill yourself...alot of people go overbored. A gallon of water is around 8 lbs i believe. you can also take dieuretics. most of this stuff isn't the best thing to do to your body though so id say you may wanna just stick to the sauna unless you think its a close race.

[Mychael101]

I was thinking the same thing. Its just a last resort to give myself an edge. Too bad they started the contest after I had lost the bulk of my weight.

[revel88]

I used to wrestle, the best way to cut too much weight is to go on a ricecake and water diet the last couple of days before weighing in. At the same time you need to sweat as much as possible while limiting the amount of water you take in (running, stationary biking, whatever.) Working out 5 days a week and watching what you eat never fails.

[The Big Matt]

hell I can drop 20 pounds in two weeks with diet change alone

[BP]

If you donate blood wouldn't that be good for a quick pound or two?

[JPS]

hell I can drop 20 pounds in two weeks with diet change alone
How? I've been after the last few inches for months now. I can't seem to get rid of the last little bit. I watch what I eat, I workout for 30 min in the morning and 20 min in the evenings....still nothing off.

Husband says it's just skin that I need a tummy tuck but I know I can get smaller.

JPS

[The Raven]

I was thinking the same thing. Its just a last resort to give myself an edge. Too bad they started the contest after I had lost the bulk of my weight.

The cliff notes of my post above is that water-weight loss is quite temporary, don't even consider that aspect of the scale until the night before weigh-in. Sitting in the sauna now is a waste of time where your weigh-in weight is concerned, focus on your diet and cardio until then, to burn as much fat as possible. If you've got 30 minutes to sweat in a sauna, that's 30 minutes that can be used for cardio.

[The Raven]

How? I've been after the last few inches for months now. I can't seem to get rid of the last little bit. I watch what I eat, I workout for 30 min in the morning and 20 min in the evenings....still nothing off.

Husband says it's just skin that I need a tummy tuck but I know I can get smaller.

JPS


He's quite a bit larger person than you are, and has a bit more extra weight to lose. The last 10 lbs is always the hardest, because your body fights harder to keep it. Losing weight at 30% bodyfat is ALOT easier than losing weight at 15%, and it becomes harder the leaner that you get.

[Mychael101]

The cliff notes of my post above is that water-weight loss is quite temporary, don't even consider that aspect of the scale until the night before weigh-in. Sitting in the sauna now is a waste of time where your weigh-in weight is concerned, focus on your diet and cardio until then, to burn as much fat as possible. If you've got 30 minutes to sweat in a sauna, that's 30 minutes that can be used for cardio.
That is what I'm doing. I was planning on hitting the sauna the last 72 hours including the day of the weigh in. I totally agree that I'm not looking at the water weight loss as anything but temporary. I figure I'll gain it back faster than it will take to lose it. I'm considering one hour of cardio twice a day until the 29th. Then see where I'm at, then I'll hit the sauna and cross my fingers.

[The Raven]

That is what I'm doing. I was planning on hitting the sauna the last 72 hours including the day of the weigh in. I totally agree that I'm not looking at the water weight loss as anything but temporary. I figure I'll gain it back faster than it will take to lose it. I'm considering one hour of cardio twice a day until the 29th. Then see where I'm at, then I'll hit the sauna and cross my fingers.


That's plenty of cardio to ge4t you burnin'. The bodybuilder in me wants me to tell you not to dip your calories too low, but if scale weight is the only criterion, no need to worry about lean mass until after the weigh-in.

[The Raven]

Another thing to be aware of, is that reducung your water intake too early will actually cause you to retain water, as your body prepares for what it thinks is an oncoming dry spell. Drink plenty of fluids up to the night before to make sure that doesn't happen.

[Wario]

If you've never cut weight in a sauna before now would not be the time to start. It's somthing you have to get use to and many people dont have the will to do it.

[ruffdaddy]

Thats no joke..,sauna's suck ass. But they work.

[Mychael101]

Well I got a bit of good news. The final weigh in is Aug 4th. So that gives me a few more days of intense cardio. Tomorrow is gonna be a nice day to go to a b-day pool party. Finally get some sun and start tanning. Gonna take my own food, its a family event so they will understand. Too bad its not a olympic sized pool or else I would show up early and do laps.

[Mychael101]

If you've never cut weight in a sauna before now would not be the time to start. It's somthing you have to get use to and many people dont have the will to do it.
For those who have experience cutting weight in the sauna, anyone want to help me out in person? I have a membership to 24hr fitness and can go to all sport locations. This will be Aug 2nd-4th pending the confirmation of the final weigh in date. I work the overnite shift so mornings after 7:30am and anytime before 9:30pm are good for me. I'm determined so not having enough willpower will not be an issue.

[salt dawg 86]

this sounds strange but put prepration h on your stomach and wrap it in suran rap and you well drop in water weight

[Mychael101]

I have capzacin creme for that. Cap for fat deposits and prep h for water.

[Boosted]

this sounds strange but put prepration h on your stomach and wrap it in suran rap and you well drop in water weight


This works.. Before you go to sleep do this and leave it on all night. You will be icthy in the morning due to all the water (sweat) but I does work. Also if you will cramp up pretty bad durning the night. That is normal... Try it for about 10 days and see what happens..

[ruffdaddy]

Make sure you wear a sweat suit, you can buy them for like 10 at walmart. Its basically a plastic sweater and pants.

[Mychael101]

Make sure you wear a sweat suit, you can buy them for like 10 at walmart. Its basically a plastic sweater and pants.
I was wondering if I should go ahead and pick up a sauna suit. I'm hoping the hour of cardio twice a day will help me get down to 185lbs before next Tuesday. I'll step it up this weekend thats for sure. Especially since I have no signs of overtraining. Its a bitch trying to keep my heart rate in the desired "fat loss" area of the scale.

[The Raven]

I was wondering if I should go ahead and pick up a sauna suit. I'm hoping the hour of cardio twice a day will help me get down to 185lbs before next Tuesday. I'll step it up this weekend thats for sure. Especially since I have no signs of overtraining. Its a bitch trying to keep my heart rate in the desired "fat loss" area of the scale.


Seriously watch it with the water loss, Pro bodybuilders have died from dehydration. Also keep you reps up in the 20+ range if you are still hitting the weights. That'll get your heart rate up, and you'll lose a little lean mass in the process, getting your weight down a little more.

[564826]

Go 4 the sauna it feels good! :)

[The Raven]

Go 4 the sauna it feels good! :)

It may feel good, but at this stage in his competition it'll do nothing for his progress.

[Mychael101]

I don't think I'll need to cut any weight in the sauna. The contest ends on the 4th so I have plenty of time to keep busting my ass on cardio. I cut out the weight training so I'll lose a bit of lean muscle tissue but I'm confident I'll get there. I'm within 2lbs of the guy in 1st place and he has lost his weight by sweating his ass off doing cardio in the heat of the day in his garage!

[ruffdaddy]

if its that close you better hit the sauna. It doesn't hurt to win by more than you have to. If you dont sweat it off, he will. Then youll be out a trip to vegas just because you didnt wanna hit the sauna. Oh and be safe...good luck.

[milk]

I did not include cardio in my training for the 1st two months, so I suppose my weight loss was modest at best. So for this entire month I have trained less on weights and more on cardio. This is for the last 10 weeks. I started last year around December at a weight of nearly 270lbs. I'm now 195lbs. My goal is by December to be at 160lbs.


Do you have any before and after pictures. Im not a fag but that is what I weighed(a little more like 300 +) and Ive lost 27 pounds since March. I actually got sick in Febuary and that kinda gave the will power to continue on. What kind of diet are you on? What is your exercise routine? Please LMK I am planning to start on a strict diet and start cardio so I can start dropping the pounds. Thanks!!!!!!

[CarrieNC17]

Man I don't see how ya'll do it. The sauna is the most miserable place ever. I'm all for sweating, but that shit is intolerable.

[Mychael101]

Well I made it down to 190lbs the "right way" so the rest is up to the sauna starting tomorrow. After 5pm on Friday I'll be happy either way but I'll be much happier if I win this trip to Vegas. Especially since I'll have a nice bit of cash from some overtime shifts to gamble with. If not I'll use half the the overtime money to go to Shreveport. Either way I'm gonna go to a casino lol! Shitty part is noticing how much better people treat you everywhere you go compared to 70lbs ago....

[JPS]

Take some laxatives :eek:

Seriously, Good Luck and no matter what....You've done good, kid! :cool:

JPS
Mommy

[milk]

Well I made it down to 190lbs the "right way" so the rest is up to the sauna starting tomorrow. After 5pm on Friday I'll be happy either way but I'll be much happier if I win this trip to Vegas. Especially since I'll have a nice bit of cash from some overtime shifts to gamble with. If not I'll use half the the overtime money to go to Shreveport. Either way I'm gonna go to a casino lol! Shitty part is noticing how much better people treat you everywhere you go compared to 70lbs ago....

So whats the right fucking way? J/k
LMK how you lost the 70lbs whenever you have some time.

[Mychael101]

So whats the right fucking way? J/k
LMK how you lost the 70lbs whenever you have some time.
Sorry about not responding to you in depth. I can tell you I was "camera shy" for a very long time so I gotta find a before pic that shows me full body, then get someone to snap an after pic for me. I can tell my diet was not lo-cal, but was high in fiber, lots of protein, and very little cardio. Thats why I'm pushing myself in the sauna today and tomorrow. My co-workers tell me I look 18 again but I'm much more muscular and vascular, and all the weight loss is good but the new physique is even better and there is still lots to improve on. The 8 week weight training cycle I did whooped my ass into shape quick but left out cardio/abs/and forearm training so those are my next targets.

[Strychnine]

I needed a good motivating thread like this to get my ass back in the gym after an involuntary break. Thanks :)

[milk]

Sorry about not responding to you in depth. I can tell you I was "camera shy" for a very long time so I gotta find a before pic that shows me full body, then get someone to snap an after pic for me. I can tell my diet was not lo-cal, but was high in fiber, lots of protein, and very little cardio. Thats why I'm pushing myself in the sauna today and tomorrow. My co-workers tell me I look 18 again but I'm much more muscular and vascular, and all the weight loss is good but the new physique is even better and there is still lots to improve on. The 8 week weight training cycle I did whooped my ass into shape quick but left out cardio/abs/and forearm training so those are my next targets.


Cool ;)

[fordracing19]

let us know how it goes.

[Mychael101]

Well I managed to stay in the sauna yesterday for 2 30min sessions. I never picked up a sauna suit. I was wearing underwear, pair of shorts, t-shirt, and a hoodie and a towel to sit on. I started to feel a bit dizzy so I said the hell with that and got out. Seems every scale I try has been tampered with so I won't know my true weight until sometime today when I get on the digital scale at the 24hr in Dallas. But yesterday looked good. I was at 185lbs according to there scale. Nothing to eat or drink until after the weigh in today. I think the last call is at 5pm, gonna call around 9am to make sure. Today I'll hit the sauna again but go 15mins in, 15mins out and repeat as necessary. This time I'll just have on a pair of shorts. My cd player stopped working in there so looks like I'll be taking in a copy of the observer or something to keep me occupied. I think I'm at a total of 31lbs, so I'll try my best to get to 41lbs+ and pray its enough to win. I would think that 30lbs in 12 weeks would be the most anyone would lose but I was wrong so we'll see what happens.

[10sec302]

The only bad thing about competing in challenges like that at work is the fact that you compete with people way out of your weight range.

For instance. We did the same thing at my old job but it was from Jan 1, to Feb 28 (2 months). I weighed in at 222 and in 2 months I was down to 211 (11 lbs). I came in 3rd place out of 12 people. The bad thing is, the guy who won weighed around 330lbs and he ended up losing 32lbs, but when you weigh that much losing 32 lbs really isnt as hard as someone closer to their ideal weight. I personally think we should have went off of more of a percentage of what each person weighed.

[Mychael101]

Several others including myself said the very same thing.

[The Raven]

The only bad thing about competing in challenges like that at work is the fact that you compete with people way out of your weight range.

For instance. We did the same thing at my old job but it was from Jan 1, to Feb 28 (2 months). I weighed in at 222 and in 2 months I was down to 211 (11 lbs). I came in 3rd place out of 12 people. The bad thing is, the guy who won weighed around 330lbs and he ended up losing 32lbs, but when you weigh that much losing 32 lbs really isnt as hard as someone closer to their ideal weight. I personally think we should have went off of more of a percentage of what each person weighed.


On the other side of things, it's completely unfair to those of us that are already in decent shape. In the allotted time-frame I could very well drop to competition level bodyfat percentages with a perfect diet and daily cardio, while adding 5-10lbs of lean mass. Though the differences in the before and after photos would be quite a bit more dramatic, I'd still lose to the 300 fat-ass that switched to Subway for a couple months, simply because I don't have 30lbs to lose.


Ah well, bitching aside, good luck with the sauna Mychael. 10lbs of water in a day sounds a bit dangerous, so listen to your body. You won't be able to weigh-in if you're in the hospital.

[JPS]

I would think that 30lbs in 12 weeks would be the most anyone would lose but I was wrong so we'll see what happens.

Hmmmmm, you think losing 30 pounds in 12 weeks is a bad thing? I beg to differ! Congratulations! Keep it up! The money you save on the junk food and crap you used to eat should be saved for that vacation you want!!!!

Be positive! You did a great job!!!!

JPS
Inspirational Mommy

[Mychael101]

Well I lost. I tried the sauna for about an entire 20mins, got a bit dizzy and said hell with that. So I hit the weights as usual, showered and weighed in. My total lost was 36lbs. I lost to my boss who I further motivated when I was at 40lbs lost so he went all in and cut 11lbs overnite. He lost 51lbs! And was not in the best of shape. He did tell me in front of several others that if he did win he would just give me the trip for no charge. So I guess it worked out ok, I was a bit disappointed in myself because I set a goal of 175lbs at the end of this thing and I only managed to drop down to 181. No worries, I can say that I gave it my best shot and the sauna is no place for me.

[The Raven]

I was a bit disappointed in myself because I set a goal of 175lbs at the end of this thing and I only managed to drop down to 181.


Don't be. Had you not been concerned with lean mass, and simply dieted the whole time, you easily would have dropped below 175 with your diet. The lean mass you gained from hitting the weights is what brought your weight back up. You are in better physical condition than you would be at 175lbs.

[Mychael101]

Well its time to move on to my next goal. I'm shooting for 160lbs and single digit bodyfat. And I want to do it by Christmas or New Years. And I will still end up with the trip if my buddy wins the contest ( winner will be announced sometime Monday). But I think that its highly unlikely that anyone lost over 50lbs to beat him or over 36lbs to beat me. On a side note I had a chipotle burrito today and it wasn't nearly as good as I would have hoped. But the lo-carb monster I hadn't had in several weeks was awesome.....

[Skidmark]

Well its time to move on to my next goal. I'm shooting for 160lbs and single digit bodyfat. And I want to do it by Christmas or New Years. And I will still end up with the trip if my buddy wins the contest ( winner will be announced sometime Monday). But I think that its highly unlikely that anyone lost over 50lbs to beat him or over 36lbs to beat me. On a side note I had a chipotle burrito today and it wasn't nearly as good as I would have hoped. But the lo-carb monster I hadn't had in several weeks was awesome.....

Congrat on the hard work.. :cool:

[The Raven]

Well its time to move on to my next goal. I'm shooting for 160lbs and single digit bodyfat. And I want to do it by Christmas or New Years. And I will still end up with the trip if my buddy wins the contest ( winner will be announced sometime Monday). But I think that its highly unlikely that anyone lost over 50lbs to beat him or over 36lbs to beat me. On a side note I had a chipotle burrito today and it wasn't nearly as good as I would have hoped. But the lo-carb monster I hadn't had in several weeks was awesome.....


Pshh, why not 180lbs and single digit bodyfat? Set your goals high, and set mini-goals on the way up. :)


P.S. Even if you didn't get the guac and sour cream, you don't wanna know how many grams of saturated fat were in that tortilla... I used to eat two or three of those things a week, and was so pissed that I couldn't drop below 15% as "healthy" as I was eating. :rolleyes:

[Mychael101]

That was my "prize" for sticking it out. And I think that I'll look a bit better at 160 than 180 being that I'm five foot six inches tall.