posted
I heard through a relative that she wears plastic garbage bags while she goes for her walks and works out.She was about 300 pounds and about 6 months later dropped 60 pounds, my question is how come she lost all this weight wearing garbage bags? Will this work for me too.I seen her recently and i do know for sure she is not lying because she looks awsome. i could not believe all the weight she has lost i am still amazed at the results of wearing garbage bags.Any answers i get back will be greatly appreciated.Posts:
1 | From:
Saskatoon | Registered: 01-08-06
I would think she lost 60 pounds from the walking and working out more than anything else. Some people believe that wearing trash bags will cause them to sweat more, thereby burning more calories.
I do not support wearing trash bags while working out. It can lead to overheating and a host of other issues.
I am going to assume you are impressed with the 60 pound weight loss (as you and I both should be!). But that 60 pounds was dying to come off your friend. Really any change (even a small amount of working out or nutrition change) would have given your friend results since she was 300 pounds to begin with.
posted
The only way that would make sense is if the garbage bags were filled with trash, thus increasing the weight she was carrying.
Otherwise, it would be irrelevant to the weight loss program.Posts:
267 | From:
MA | Registered: 06-05-02
tc4isu
posted
I can personally say that i have done this for losing weight for wrestling. it is dangerous and do not recommend it. None of your heat escapes off your body (you sweat but the air does not cool off your body). This is an un-natural and unsafe way to burn extra calories. This is no longer legal to do in wrestling programs. It could be possible that your relative did this...but i would get to the point how was her diet and exercise. And she must have had a higher intensity. Once again I DO NOT recommend this.
posted
The only time you are at risk for heat stroke, would be if it were 90 plus degrees outside, and you put on a trash bag and go for a hard run, you over do it. I too was a wrestler, state champ 2 times, I am currently getting back into shape after 7 years without a routine. I have been on the treadmill everynight for the last week straight. I have had on boxers, gym shorts, windpants, and on top a trash bag, tanktop, and hooded sweatshirt. I also put on a stocking cap. I run at approx 6 mph, for a half mile to get the heart rate up, and keep a steady pace with my heart beating around 145. I just melt. I can go around 2 mile like that, and when I am done I have lost about 2 pounds. I am not at risk for over heating, and I am perfectly fine when I am done. If anyone has more concrete reasons as to why not to do this I would love to hear them.Posts:
1 | From:
Nebraska City, NE USA | Registered: 06-05-07
posted
Foolish thing to do. Who cares if you sweat off 2 lbs? Is your goal temporary water weight loss or permanent fat loss? That 2 lb weight loss is simply water that your body needs and will replace. You are not melting fat. Body fat doesn't melt (unless you take a blow torch to it).
Dave www.perfectfitonline.comPosts:
105 | From:
Hooksett, NH | Registered: 08-04-04
posted
Hi everyone, I have to agree with Souce. Just because Cjsuret does it doesn't mean that it's safe for everyone. For one thing you don't know the overall heath of the person in question. She may have high blood pressure, diabetes or other health issues. If you did drugs and didn't get addicted to them,would you still recommend them. I don't think so.Posts:
12 | From:
joliet, IL, USA | Registered: 10-20-06
posted
Wearing a trashbag or sauna suits is used to CUT weight not LOSE fat. There is a big diffrence. When you cut weight your just losing water weight from dehydrating yourself.Posts:
39 | Registered: 09-17-06
posted
I agree with everyone. It is not safe to do. It can cause a person to overheat by trapping the heat in and not letting the sweat to evaporate. Losing this much sweat can and will lead to dehydration. If the person is drinking water like he/she is supposed to, then the water weight that is lost while wearing the trash bag will be put back on while consuming water, thus taking away the point of wearing the trash bag. Just think, it was banned in wrestling programs for a reason. Not because it is safe and a good way to lose weight, but because it is HARMFUL to the body.Posts:
71 | From:
cahokia, IL, United States | Registered: 07-07-07
posted
When you wear stuff like that, it prevents your sweat from evaporating, thus increasing the work your body does to stay in homeostasis. It does have advantages but is not healthy at all, and actually dangerous. I'm a certified trainer, and I wouldn't allow my client to do anything of the sort.
At the university I attend, the fitness director has actually asked someone to remove their sweatshirt they were wearing while running on a track. This may seem a little extreme, but the health consequences can be dire when you don't allow your body to breathe while exercising.Posts:
7 | From:
GA | Registered: 07-09-07
posted
An absolute, old school no no. The weight dropped wearing a trash bag is almost 90% water weight which is not entirely healthy nor recommended. The idea of sweating off pounds by wearing a trash bag or big heavy sweatshirts just because of all the sweat it produces is such a misinformed decision that any rational person who calls themselves a health and fitness professional should be able to advise against.
www.jeffreysharrison.comPosts:
3 | From:
Pottstown, PA USA | Registered: 07-17-07
posted
I see a lot of women in the gym wearing these plastic suits both working out and in the steam room. Wrapping your body in plastic does not allow your body's natural cooling mechanism to work and as the body is similar to a car it will shut down when it's overheated. It's our body's protective design to shut itself down when something goes awry. As a result I have seen women literally pass out while on treadmills and in the steam rooms from overheating and exhaustion while wearing these things. Don't wear them it's simply not worth permenantly hurting yourself or worse.Posts:
1 | Registered: 07-22-07
posted
Excesive sweating produce a higher degree of water loss which can lead to severe dehydration. Every initial weight loss program causes an initial greater drop in weight because of the water loss and the depletion of carbohydrate reserves. Wearing a garbage bag will not contribute to extra fat burning and the extra weight loss in water will need to be be regain to avoid health complications.
Luis Bracamonte www.chicagotrainer.net
Luis Bracamonte CSCS,CISSN,CES,CPT. www.chicagotrainer.netPosts:
11 | From:
Chicago | Registered: 08-02-07
posted
I would not recommend working out with a trashbag if you are not in somewhat of good shape already. Wearing a trash bag does help in the case of losing water weight. but in order for that to stay off you must also change your diet....very low sugars, no soda, lots and lots of water and juice. You have to drink a lot of water because your body actually holds water if you dont drink enouph water...basically the more water you drink the less water weight your body will hold, because your internal organs like kidneys and such will expect it....trash bag will help lose that water weight and see quick results but the only way to keep it off is to do while keeping a no soda, lots of water diet...I did it and it worked for me ...i saw quick results but i still have to work hard for it and yes its hard not to drink soda. HAHAPosts:
2 | From:
Winnemucca, NV, USA | Registered: 10-03-07
posted
I forgot to say that when i do run with a trashbag . I only run for say about 10 to 15 minutes and 6mph. But no i do not recommend it for health reasons unless you know you can absolutely control it. Right after you run you need to cool down walk at a good pace until your somewhat cool and then take off the bag to do the rest of your workout.Posts:
2 | From:
Winnemucca, NV, USA | Registered: 10-03-07
posted
Like what most others have said, all wearing trash bags/plastic suits does is make you lose water, not fat. Also, it isn't safe! To lose one pound of fat, you'd have to burn 3500 calories. Losing weight immediately after a workout is purely water weight.Posts:
16 | Registered: 07-20-07
posted
Kirstie1, come on! The "burn 3500 calories to lose a pound of fat" myth died in the fitness industry a long long time ago. Very very misleading. If that were the case all people would have to do is reduce their calories by 3500 to lose a pound of fat. There is so much more involved than that! If only the body were that simple!
And yes, I do this for a living with 19 certifications including 3 nutrition certs.Posts:
2 | From:
Murrells Inlet, SC | Registered: 03-05-08
posted
Speaking as a professional fighter and former collegiate wrestler, using the vinyls is effective for losing the last few pounds of water to make a specific weight. You know what we do the moment we get off the scale? We start drinking water and electrolytes in order to gain it right back. The whole point of cutting weight is to artificially reduce ones total body weight in order to immediately restore that weight and thus have a weight advantage. If you do it right, you can come in with a 15 - 20 lb weight advantage and little in the way of performance reduction. But that type of cutting takes experience, not some cheap K-mart suit.
The stuff you see at your local GLOBO GYM is nothing more than the result of BAD FITNESS MANTRA that is only perpetuated by the core concept that you can get fit on an elliptical machine while reading People magazine. ________________________________________________
I know of no better example of functional strength than a 600-pound deadlift. Except a 700-pound deadlift. That's what strength is: the ability to generate force, and the "functional" part is really just a qualifier. Because when you're that strong, it's functional. That's the part that has the modern "academic" wing of the fitness industry in such a fog just now.Posts:
41 | From:
Herndon, VA | Registered: 10-11-07
posted
I'm surprised that an ACE professional would still even pose such a question. And by reading the responses, I'm happy to see that most are in agreement with the absurdity of the idea. Our job as fitness professionals is to continue hammering home to the masses the difference between fat loss and weight loss, because the media does an awful job and that's where most of our clients and some "professionals" (unfortunately) are still relying on for their information.
www.jeffreysharrison.comPosts:
3 | From:
Pottstown, PA USA | Registered: 07-17-07