Tips on Office Weight Loss Challenge

Elly115

Hey guys, I am currently in charge of up setting up a fitness challenge at my office (mind you, I have never participated in one lol) so I was hoping anyone who has participated or has had a positive experience with group challenges could give me some input?

Right now I have 13 people signed on, first weight-in will be this Monday (2/3)
We will be having a first place male and a first place female winner (thought on this?)
Will be going by body weight loss percentages
Bi weekly weight-ins and I was considering asking management to contribute to monthly prizes?
Looking for ideas on what kind of prizes to give? also what kind of rules should be in place before starting?
Should we also consider doing group walks or workouts during lunch? (only downside is its winter right now )

Please helppp :flowerforyou:

knra_grl

Whenever we have things at work our management will give a prize of a day off work with pay!

Splitting males and females is a good idea.

Also maybe some free gym passes, gift cards for fitness apparel stores?

Also remind people what healthy weight loss should look like make a "Tip Sheet" for them so people don't go all willy nilly and start starving themselves!

Group activity during lunches or after work would be a great idea! It's cold where I live and walking in -20 isn't bad unless it's really windy (as long as you dress for it)

Shaky44

When my ex ran one of these, they set it up as competitive within the office and then as a competition against other offices (they had six other offices on the west coast). The inter-office competition was nice because it gave people an incentive to support their co-workers.

Prizes are always nice, but most people will do a program like this for accountability, support, and structure.

The biggest thing was just doing it very consistently . . . making sure everyone weighs in regularly, sending out update e-mails. It's very easy to let it slide.

Elly115

Thanks for you suggestions knra_grl!
Glad you think a split would be a good idea, the thing is here we have security guards who are in the 450+ range and the females are in the 240-190 range so I thought it would give the females more intensive to feel like they are in the running, also the males can help the females with training tips and such, so its not an all for one type deal lol

I love love love the free gym passes idea, there's actually a blinks gym a few blocks from our office, will defiantly look into that!

LOL I am scared for the people going (even more) 'willy nilly' in this office... people already making side bets and a lot of competitive talk. I have to find a way to keep people from going over board that's why I made the challenge 12 weeks rather then a 6 or 10.

:laugh: & I would love to see managements face if I suggested a day off with pay! hah 99% chance its a NO but thanks ALOT for your input!

Elly115

Shaky44 I love the idea of competing against our other office, might actually do this for the start of our next round of challenges in May. Plus when its warmer we can do group activities outdoors

& I am ready to win so I will defiantly going to try and keep momentum alive!:drinker:
We are going to weigh-in at the office every other Monday.

the other question I had was clothing when weighing in? did anyone have to wear or take off clothing during weight-in?
The staff is asking me all these questions and I have no idea how that would work lol

write2nicole

I would suggest a rule that everyone will wear the same clothes for the first and last weigh-in. Not the same as each other, the same as their own. That way their clothes will presumably weigh about the same both times. Empty pockets in advance.

You could suggest that people wear similar outfits for all weigh-ins, but I probably wouldn't get wrapped around an axle over that.

It will probably be fun to see everyone in clothes that are (hopefully) too big for them for the last weigh-in! I'm sure many will want to change into clothes that fit better afterward.

PolacaFL

Do they get a prize at the end just for trying? You can't control the scale but you can control the behavior that leads to the weight loss. Reward the behavior, not just the results. Some people might lose it slower than others and you don't want them to get discouraged. The point is for everyone to be healthier, right?

Going by percentages and separating genders seems fair and a good idea.

Acg67

So the people that really load up and crush food for SB sunday, will have a massive advantage in the competition, no?

Elly115

For right now I decided to just leave it broad - No Jackets, vests, or shoes during weight in
I like the fun idea of people wearing there first weigh-in clothes to see how far they have come (I know some people have 60+ lbs goals in mind so that would be cool to see)
Might also take a group before and after photo too to share with staff once the challenge is over

PolacaFL I was thinking we might have a 'healthy' luncheon for everyone that participated and where prizes will be given out to the winners. Think that's a nice plus for everyone right?
I think we might also do a trophy or something for the biggest loser overall which am almost positive will be our 450+ men on staff

I am so excited for everyone to try and get healthy together! & to win! :laugh:

& Yes beer and wings for me this SB Sunday Acg67! :drinker:

knra_grl

:laugh: & I would love to see managements face if I suggested a day off with pay! hah 99% chance its a NO but thanks ALOT for your input!

lol well maybe they would cough up some free gym passes or certificates for the local grocery or health food store so peeps can get their healthy foods :flowerforyou:

Indiri13

We did our first contest as a percentage of original body weight. We combined everyone into one pool and the only two women participating took 1st and 3rd place. Since it was by percentage of body weight the men didn't have as much of an automatic win over us.

After that some people still had weight to lose but others didn't so we did 'Biggest Maintainer' where it was okay to maintain or lose but not gain. We did that in 3 month cycles for a year and a half.

Then 4 of us put on about 20ish pounds after we stopped so we started another one. This time anyone who loses 4% of their body weight (or more) in 8 weeks wins. The losers have to buy a fancy dinner (multiple losers would split the check) for the winners.

Now I think the 4 of us will keep a Biggest Maintainer going on permanently. It keeps us from falling back into old habits. We socialize a lot outside of work, too, so doing this together means we exercise more/eat better with good support.

We did do a group photo for before/after the first time so that was kind of cool. The first time we said it had to be the same weigh in clothes (or similar weight clothes) and the picture kept track of where we were.

The first time around one of the boys kind of cheated and ate a TON over the weekend and drank a bunch of water to try and give himself a scale advantage. He still only took 2nd place but you may want to decide ahead of time if that's acceptable or not.