Weight Loss for Reward?

[RandBlade]

For last 20 years I've yo-yo'd with my weight when I pay attention to it but always been varying from a bit to more than bit more than I want to weigh. Recently I've not been paying attention to it and when I stepped on the scales was not happy with the number, it was the highest I've ever seen. Coincidentally an advert popped up on my Facebook page at New Years which caught my interest, at first thinking it was a scam but now I'm not sure, about an American website that has recently started in the UK and Europe which lets you "bet" on how much weight you want to lose and if you lose it you win your bet - if you don't you lose it. No idea if its a scam or not, but after looking into it a bit it seems legit.

Idea of the site is supposed to be that if you have money or a prize riding on the target you're more likely to achieve it. Though like all weight loss ideas I imagine most people fail which is no doubt how the company makes its money.

I've signed up and set myself quite a challenging target - nine months to get to my goal target. I'm paying £9 a month for nine months (so £81 total) and if I lose my target of 80 pounds in the nine months then I'll gain £484 including my £81 back. If I try, fail and lose the money I figure I'll still be healthier and its cheaper than a gym membership I know I won't use.

Anyone ever heard of anything like this before? Has anyone heard of this site or have a clue if its legit or not? It was new to me but sounded fun or interesting. Does anyone think its a good or bad idea?

Link to website - hiding it in a spoiler in case everyone thinks its a scam:

www.healthywage.com

[Steely Glint]

Is there anything to stop you 'betting' £1000 that you'll lose 1kg inside a year? Are they checking the bets people have made aren't silly? If no, then it's a scam, since they clearly never expect to have to pay anything out.

As to the concept, I feel like it encourages people to adopt (possibly unhealthy) Dramatic Measures to quickly lose weight to meet their bet, which they won't and can't keep up once they meet their goal and thus the weight will go straight back on, rather than adjusting their lifestyle in a more sustainable way to lose a reasonable amount of weight and keep it off.

[RandBlade]

There are conditions so 1kg wouldn't work. You have to lose a minimum of 10% and the amount you win scales based on the amount you set yourself to lose, with a date range of a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 18 months. IE lose 10% and you might win back a small amount, whereas I set a 33% target and get back a massive amount but then that will be quite challenging to achieve. You take a video of yourself calibrating the scales to 0 and then stepping on it while showing yourself and the scales readout in the video and upload it to the site, then do the same within the final fortnight of your chosen completion date.

Interestingly it seems to payout (slightly) more the longer your bet - possibly because people will struggle to keep it off if they have longer they need to do so? Precisely what you said, because the terms are that once you've lost it you must keep it off until your chosen date in order to win, losing it then regaining it within the prechosen timescale will be a failure.

[Aimless]

The evidence for health-nudges is mixed, but there is some evidence for setups that involve ongoing accountability, peer-pressuresupport, and stakes. You can set this up with your friends, with a final target as well as weekly targets and weekly weigh-ins, and a pot that will be shared by everyone who wins (everyone who loses forfeits their stake). Stickk.com has a similar model. Even if you use this site, def. recommend doing this with some other people, for accountability, support and inspiration. Best of luck

[Steely Glint]

stakes

mmmmm

Anyway, I can certainly recommend working with others if you're going to go down the exercise route. It's just way more effective. Maybe join a class, spinning, circuits, crossfit, box fit, something like that.

[Lewkowski]

My company actually gave us a monetary bonus for losing 10% of our body weight. It was a one time thing and that year I did it and then some. Annnnd in the next 2 years I pretty much regained it all. Losing weight is relatively simple especially if you see light at the end of the tunnel and have a goal. The problem (at least for me and I imagine for a lot of others) is the idea that your new diet is the new normal and you'll be with it for rest of your life.

[gogobongopop]

If you can, just get some decent running shoes and start running. For some, like myself, it's hugely addictive and once you crack the 5k mark comfortably you'll be more worried about eating enough.

Wish I could still do it now. Catching the running bug was the best thing, and I'd never felt so good completing my first 10k.

[Loki]

Losing weight is time-intensive and requires making numerous unpleasant adjustments (if they were pleasant, you'd have made them already). I can't see nudges being effective in such a scenario (unless we're talking about suffering for a week or two).

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, find a physical activity you enjoy and do it regularly. Otherwise, you'll give up eventually. Also find healthy foods that you enjoy. Be open-minded in that regard. Once you do those things and lose some weight, you'll be more motivated to continue what works.

[Steely Glint]

Also you don't have to cut unhealthy food out of your diet entirely, just make it an occasional thing rather than every day. Especially when you exercise

[Loki]

Yep. Also, the kind of changes you'd need to make to lose 80 lbs. in half a year are probably not sustainable. Better lose 20-30 lbs. a year while eating and exercising in moderation.

[RandBlade]

Finding time for exercise has been something I've struggled with since my children were born.

Last time I was especially concentrating on my weight and working well with it was seven years ago in the build up to my wedding - went out jogging with an app that played a zombie apocalypse story over your music so you had to speed up at intervals you were being chased by zombies! That was fun and I'd like to do it again when the whether improves, but since my kids were born between work and having 2 young girls one of whom never sleeps, finding time to get out jogging solo has been a challenge.

[RandBlade]

Yep. Also, the kind of changes you'd need to make to lose 80 lbs. in half a year are probably not sustainable. Better lose 20-30 lbs. a year while eating and exercising in moderation.

You're probably right. I had in my head that a healthy weight loss target is 2 pounds per week, so I multiplied the weeks by 2 and went with that. I think its very unrealistic though.

[Aimless]

You're probably right. I had in my head that a healthy weight loss target is 2 pounds per week, so I multiplied the weeks by 2 and went with that. I think its very unrealistic though.

Just under half that (average per week) is sustainable over a long period of time. Also:

[RandBlade]

LOL Aimless. I didn't realise less than a pound per week is sustainable over a long time, I've always had in my head the idea that 2 pounds per week (just under 1kg) was what was considered healthy, based on cutting ~1000 calories per day (either from reduced food or increased exercise). Is that lower figure from your medical expertise? Is there a reason only 1 pound per week is sustainable?

[Loki]

Less fish and chips and more Brussels sprouts.

[RandBlade]

I hate sprouts! One of the very few foodstuffs that I won't eat, I'm quite flexible with most things. The other is peanut butter - I absolutely hate peanut butter and can't even eat chocolates with peanut putter in it. Even the smell of it makes me feel nauseated, if I make peanut butter sandwiches for the kids I try and get it over and done with ASAP.

[wiggin]

The other is peanut butter - I absolutely hate peanut butter and can't even eat chocolates with peanut putter in it.

You monster.

[RandBlade]

You monster.

I'm not a monster I have my jam pure and whole, I don't call it jelly then mix it with peanut butter for some unknown reason.

I wonder if its a British v American thing? I know quite a few Brits who like peanut butter but I also know quite a few who can't stand it. I genuinely find it repulsive. Never tried it as a kid, first tried it as an adult and I wonder if that's the difference, that my taste buds never got used to it? I can tolerate Chinese style satay sauces that have peanut butter in it (so long as its not too strong) but anything else - urgh!

[LittleFuzzy]

LOL Aimless. I didn't realise less than a pound per week is sustainable over a long time, I've always had in my head the idea that 2 pounds per week (just under 1kg) was what was considered healthy, based on cutting ~1000 calories per day (either from reduced food or increased exercise). Is that lower figure from your medical expertise? Is there a reason only 1 pound per week is sustainable?

2lbs a week is at the very high edge of what you can lose in a healthy manner in a long-term cut. And if you do try and keep it going for an extended period you're a lot more likely to have your body fight you about it. It is easier and safer to shoot for 1lb (or even .5lbs) a week.

[GGT]

If money is your motivating reward....why didn't that work when you had to buy new (larger) clothes as you gained weight?

[RandBlade]

Money's not the motivating reward, its an incentive to keep me motivated.

Thanks for that LF, I wasn't aware of that. I thought I was being non-drastic by going for 2lpbs, oops. One personal other motivator for me is simple health - my dad and granddad both developed diabetes and I don't want to follow the same path. My dad's had a completely drastic change of diet as a result, for as long as I could remember he was at first a vegetarian then a pescetarian but as a result of his diabetes he's changed whole hog and now started eating meat. He used to love eating sushi but he's had to cut rice, bread, potatoes and any other high GI carb products out of his diet which didn't leave much left for him to eat. Its strange at a time when people bang on about veganism for health to see him go completely the other way for his health, but I'd rather get my weight sorted before and hopefully prevent becoming the third generation in a row to get diabetes. He's got a blood sugar monitor for his diabetes and if he eats any rice or potatoes or other stuff like that his blood sugar spikes dramatically, only carb product like that he'll eat now is brown bread and even then reluctantly.

I'm not a believer in fad diets, I've always believed in simply eating less and moving more to lose weight. But I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about the so-called ketogenic diet? I thought I'd try for a little bit voluntarily cutting out the carbs he's had to cut out under doctors orders and when I search for recipes online that term keeps coming up. Seems like a fad to me, so I tried searching the NHS website for advice on it but all it really talks about is for the ketogenic diet for children with epilepsy and it says its perfectly safe for children with epilepsy and can reduce epilepsy. That's not really what I'm looking for. Any thoughts?

[Loki]

It's BS. If you're going to diet and exercise, increase protein (preferably lean protein, like chicken, turkey, and lean cuts of beef) and cut back on carbs and fried foods. That way you'll have more energy for workouts.

[LittleFuzzy]

Keto is mostly BS. It can work, but pretty much all diets can work so long as you stick to them. My boss is currently on keto and she's doing well with it. But she has a temporary weight loss goal. You want to lose the weight and keep it off, right? Then you start as you mean to go on. Keto isn't going to be a good fit because you're not going to live by keto and that means you're going to have a really hard time controlling the weight regain once you transition back towards more carbs.

[Aimless]

LOL Aimless. I didn't realise less than a pound per week is sustainable over a long time, I've always had in my head the idea that 2 pounds per week (just under 1kg) was what was considered healthy, based on cutting ~1000 calories per day (either from reduced food or increased exercise). Is that lower figure from your medical expertise? Is there a reason only 1 pound per week is sustainable?

Sorry, I phrased that ambiguously. I meant only that 300-500g a week is sustainable in practical terms over a very long time, because it can be achieved with modest changes to diet composition, portion size, and amount of exercise. 1kg a week is sustainable over several months but requires more drastic changes that are often difficult to mesh with the life of a busy working parent, both because it requires more time for exercise and because you may end up having to eat completely different meals from your family and friends.

I hate sprouts! One of the very few foodstuffs that I won't eat, I'm quite flexible with most things.

Cabbages - pointy, Chinese, savoy etc - are a lifesaver though.

The other is peanut butter - I absolutely hate peanut butter and can't even eat chocolates with peanut putter in it. Even the smell of it makes me feel nauseated, if I make peanut butter sandwiches for the kids I try and get it over and done with ASAP.

...

I wonder if its a British v American thing? I know quite a few Brits who like peanut butter but I also know quite a few who can't stand it. I genuinely find it repulsive. Never tried it as a kid, first tried it as an adult and I wonder if that's the difference, that my taste buds never got used to it? I can tolerate Chinese style satay sauces that have peanut butter in it (so long as its not too strong) but anything else - urgh!

I used to hate peanut butter, but I discovered just a month or so ago that I now love it. With a spoon.

My dad's had a completely drastic change of diet as a result, for as long as I could remember he was at first a vegetarian then a pescetarian but as a result of his diabetes he's changed whole hog and now started eating meat. He used to love eating sushi but he's had to cut rice, bread, potatoes and any other high GI carb products out of his diet which didn't leave much left for him to eat. Its strange at a time when people bang on about veganism for health to see him go completely the other way for his health, but I'd rather get my weight sorted before and hopefully prevent becoming the third generation in a row to get diabetes. He's got a blood sugar monitor for his diabetes and if he eats any rice or potatoes or other stuff like that his blood sugar spikes dramatically, only carb product like that he'll eat now is brown bread and even then reluctantly.

Your dad's diet is obv between him and his doc/nurse/nutritionist, but you might want to look at that line of reasoning with a more critical eye before applying it to your own venture. You can easily maintain a very good vegan or vegetarian diet even if you have diabetes - what your dad has noticed is not a problem with vegan/vegetarian diets but with carbohydrate-rich diets in general. GI is a useful practical guide for many people, but it can also be misleading, because many vegetables have a summat high glycemic index but represent a low glycemic load. The classical illustration of this distinction is a carrot - it has a relatively high glycemic index, but eating a carrot won't really have much of an impact on your blood-sugar.

Many people shift to eating more meat as an alternative to a traditional western carb-heavy diet, but, from a health perspective, it's probably better to shift to a more vegetarian (but low carb) diet with a lower intake of meat, esp. wrt red meat. A typical western man can meet almost all his dietary needs with a largely vegetarian diet and a little meat (or fish), but it is psychologically difficult for many people, and presents a pedagogical challenge. Many people just don't feel satisfied with a meal unless it contains a decent portion of animal protein and fat, or have difficulties cooking vegetarian meals in a way that makes them feel sated. Anecdotally, based on my experiences and the experiences of my family and friends, you can reduce your meat intake drastically compared to a typical western man and still feel very pleased with every meal. Slice and portion the meat strictly so that you don't just end up eating whatever large piece is put on your plate. Make sure your dishes contain a variety of flavours (spices, salt, fat, umami, a little acidity), textures and consistencies. Experiment with legumes, or with vegetarian protein products. If you love sushi but can't eat rice, treat yourself to sashimi without rice every now and then. If you miss the feel of rice, experiment with wholegrain bulgur (a revolution for my mother, who's almost only used bulgur instead of rice for her own meals for over a decade now, with good results wrt her diabetes). If you're jonesing for potatoes, eat a small serving of boiled and cooled potatoes mixed with other things that add body, texture and flavour.

I'm not a believer in fad diets, I've always believed in simply eating less and moving more to lose weight. But I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about the so-called ketogenic diet? I thought I'd try for a little bit voluntarily cutting out the carbs he's had to cut out under doctors orders and when I search for recipes online that term keeps coming up. Seems like a fad to me, so I tried searching the NHS website for advice on it but all it really talks about is for the ketogenic diet for children with epilepsy and it says its perfectly safe for children with epilepsy and can reduce epilepsy. That's not really what I'm looking for. Any thoughts?

I have a sneaking suspicion most people who're keen on keto - and have turned to it for general "health" reasons rather than as a medical intervention - don't actually enter ketosis. The worst thing about keto is that every single text that has anything to do with it is going to be extremely long and uninformative. Best approach to keto is to not take anything its proponents say seriously. If there are benefits, they'll likely stem from reduced carb intake and calorie restriction, but I get the impression most people on keto are just chasing fatty meaty nirvana, which probably negates most benefits. There's mounting evidence for intermittent fasting (18-hour-long fast) but this is difficult to mesh with a regular western life for most people.

[GGT]

I used to hate peanut butter, but I discovered just a month or so ago that I now love it. With a spoon.

It's even better when a stalk of celery is the spoon.

[RandBlade]

5 weeks in and one stone (14 lbs) down. 66lbs to go in just under 8 months.

Quarantine is an interesting time to try and get into shape. I'm not going out for exercise (despite it being permitted) but also not going out to restaurants or getting takeaways so that's probably helping not hindering. I think signing up for this is helping my willpower, and posting it here too oddly enough, I'm finding I have more willpower than I've ever had before - probably just because now its a competition and I'm too damned stubborn to quit now

Hope that can last another 8 months. Trying to improve my cooking abilities while stuck at home, currently though my diet is consisting of a heck of a lot of eggs and mushrooms since those are things I can cook many different ways.

[LittleFuzzy]

I had stalled a bit after the holidays and reaching 180. Finally broke that jam in mid-Feb. These last two weeks disruption to my schedule, my shopping, and my activity levels, and general high stress have been weird. I've dropped 8lbs in two weeks, WAY more and faster than I want or consider healthy. I need to get things more under control. On the plus side, I am now only seven pounds away from what I want to be my maintenance weight.

[GGT]

I suspect lots of people will be losing weight simply because they're not dining out at restaurants, or even getting fast-food like they used to. That might be a good thing because it changes our bad habits....but rapid weight loss due to constant stress or worry isn't healthy. Stay well!

[rille]

I lost 4 lbs these last weeks when I didn’t go to the gym nor any running.
(I’m still struggling with 20 km for those that wonders and havn’t been able to make a new try)

2x40 min a week at the gym can do much!