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Are you trying to get ready for the beach, or maybe just comfortable in shorts? This is the time of year when most of us regret a few of our late night snacks and make a crazy plan to lose weight before a big trip.
Most of you know that over the last year I’ve been working hard to lose a considerable chunk of weight. So far I’m down 40 pounds and have been holding steady for the last few months. My full goal is another 12 lbs to reach a healthy BMI for the first time since I was 7 probably.
One of the ways I have stayed focused and motivated has been joining HealthyWage. You are basically betting on yourself, and if you win… you win big.
How it Works
You can tailor your bet and winnings based on how much you want to lose, how long you want to give yourself to lose it and then how much you’re willing to pay each month. That’s where the motivation comes in. You are putting your own money into the game.
Each month I pay $50 and bet that I’d lose it all in 12 months. If I win then I will get all my money back plus win $1011!! Believe me I don’t want to lose my $500 and I definitely want to win. I’ve got 3 months left and 12 more pounds… very doable!!
To get your winnings, you need to weigh in at or under goal within two weeks of your end date. If you hit your goal early, then you need to maintain your weight loss until your end date. You can’t weigh out early.
You can sign up to lose as little as 10 lbs or a much larger number than my 52 lbs. (The minimum allowed is 10% of your body weight). You also can pick your own length of time to lose it in. The longer you pick or the more weight you decide to lose, the more your winnings can be.
Tip: Once you sign up, you can share your referral link with friends and get $40 added to your prize winnings for each friend that signs up through your link. That could really increase your earnings (and motivation).
Pros
- Great for motivation and keeping your head in the game.
- Big Winnings compared to other programs.
- Helps with long term goals.
- You can see upfront what your long term earnings will be in a matter of minutes.
Neutral
This isn’t a diet program. You are on your own to pick a diet/program. Some people consider this a negative, but it is actually not a bad thing to me. I don’t want to follow a set program, just want to watch my portion sizes and exercise more, so it’s nice not having other features I wouldn’t use.
A friend of mine is doing this along with Weight Watchers and views her long term earnings as paying for her Weight Watchers program. You can definitely go that route.
The system will let you set possibly crazy goals. Don’t do that. Stay healthy, and set a goal that is reasonable. This is really your own doing, but the nurse in me feels the need to say that.
You’ll see winnings on their site that are $3,000+ most people do not get those numbers unless they are planning to lose 100+ pounds. Expect your wage to be between $600 and $1000.
Cons
There is really only one negative… this is a win or lose system. You have to hit or exceed your goal in the end or else you lose the money you paid in. It’s not like it was hidden, it’s just part of how it works but some folks aren’t a fan.
Okay one more con, but it’s not really their fault… you will owe taxes on your winnings if they are over $600. It’s life.
Have you done a HealthyWage? I’d love to hear other success stories!
