Your name:
Weight Loss You Can Bank On
This Week's Tips
Making a friendly bet could pay off big on your bathroom scale.
So says a study in which dieters who were paid to lose weight dropped about 10 pounds more than the people not offered the dollar reward.
Reach Your Goal, Get the Green
Researchers recently put a group of obese people into one of three weight loss plans. Two of the programs included a cash-reward incentive, one did not. The goal: Lose 16 pounds in 16 weeks. When time was up, the cash-reward groups lost 14 and 13 pounds. The control group? Only 3 pounds. (Here's another surefire way to reach a health goal.)
Major Motivators
If wagering is not your thing, create a little weight-loss-rewards fund for yourself. Set aside a little money each week. If you make your goal, you buy yourself a treat. If you miss it, the money goes to charity. It's a win-win. Of course, you win much more if you stick to your guns, lose weight, and get healthier. So use this online tool to set your weight loss goal, stay motivated, and track your progress.
Can you be a normal weight but still be "fat"? Find out here.
RealAge Benefit:
Reducing your blood pressure by losing excess weight can make your RealAge up to 25 years younger.
Financial incentive-based approaches for weight loss: a randomized trial. Volpp, K. G. et al., Journal of the American Medical Association 2008 Dec 10;300(22):2631-2637.
