Is the chance to win a couple extra bucks the motivation you need to shed unwanted pounds? Heck, it works for contestants on “The Biggest Loser.” Turns out, people are motivated to lose weight for a lot less than a $1-million prize. A study found that people were propelled to stick to healthier habits for as little as $20 a month. Yep, a mere 20 bones got big-time results.
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic rounded up two groups for a year-long study, and each group was directed to lose four pounds a month. One group did not receive a financial incentive. The other did. If a person in the second group lost the agreed-upon poundage, he or she received $20. Those who came up short had to fork over $20.
Well, whattaya know: The group with cold, hard cash on the line lost an average of 9.08 pounds, while those without the incentive lost 2.34 pounds. That’s more than three times as much!
So, how does this affect YOU? A host of websites are popping up that allow dieters to gamble on their results.
You might want to check out dietbet.com, where you can join a game or start your own. “This site, founded about a year ago, has set out to game-ify getting in shape,” says a mensfitness.com article. “You choose a bet amount, set a start date, and invite friends to join — whoever loses 4 percent of their starting weight at the end of four weeks splits the pot.”
To learn more about sites where you can lose to win or about the Mayo Clinic study’s findings, check out this mensfitness.com article.
Neat concept, eh?