Working out

[whiteink]

So I went to sign up for the 20lb challenge today only to find that they changed it from 20 lbs to 12% of your body weight. I did the math on 12% of my body weight and I don't feel confortable trying to lose that amount of weight in 12 weeks. 20 lbs was a challenge - but I think 12% is both unsafe and unrealistic. So I'm going to do the 150min workout challenge.

Comments

[proseac]

To me neither a set amount of weight NOR a fixed % of body weight makes sense, because it doesn't take into account your starting point.

In order for weight loss to be a safe and healthy challenge option, they should have some sort of proviso that you are more than x amount over your "ideal weight" as defined by the insurance weight tables or some such objective standard. Some people may be only 5 or 10 pounds off their "ideal weight" but they think they are fat and want to lose 20. The challenge as presented is potentially enabling unhealthy choices, and that's scary.

Plus, losing 12% of body weight in that amount of time isn't just unhealthy, it's downright dangerous. Healthy weight loss is done slowly and steadily. Crash diets always fail in the end, and it seems like that's what this goal would encourage.

I think you definitely made the right decision in choosing the exercise option.