Is your job trying to help you lose weight?

Babyblueeyez4O5

YES, at my work we are having a Biggest Loser contest, there are around 40 ish people on the challenge and also give each other tips and we all weigh in on the work scale, so its fun, helpfull and competive.. and its a good way to get to know the ones you dont work with..

jenniet04

I'm on the other side of this boat, I'm the acting wellness coordinator for our company, I didn't go to school for this, one day I just got elected becuase I'm happy go lucky and motivating.... (Um...ok?) And PS - I'm also not the skinniest bananna in the bunch.

Anyway...I have no budget, or they won't give me one anyway....I hate to change the subject OP'er, but I'd love to piggy back and find out what you guys think would be good incentives to offer employees....or how could we get employees motivated to work towards health goals and or try to lose weight?

What are some of the worst things an employer could do?

Anything would be appreciated.

You could always do a Biggest Loser contest or contact your local Weight Watchers and see what kind of discount they might give employees. Our company has done a 12 week challenge in the past and it was discounted depending on how many people joined.

You could start some walking groups. My company did a Ping Pong tournament last year and the Ping Pong table was put in an area that it could be used after the contest was over. All the proceeds from entereing went to support our local United Way.

TayJoMama

Ironically, our stairs are off limits and only used during fire drill and emergencies. I learned the hard way. I was LOCKED in the stairwail my first day. No one told me stairs were off limits. How crazy is that??? Our wellness people are always arguing this facilities.

That's too funny and yet, not right. The stair should always be an option.

farrellb2

Farthest thing from it. I work with 2 year olds, and we vanilla wafers, and animal crackers, and gold fish, and all those yummy carbs that I shouldn't be eating right there in my class room. I keep laughing cow cheese wedges, wheat thins, water, and gum in the room.
I try to be active at work but when our school gym is being used for highschool softball practice, during the winter, So we can't go out side(or else we'll freeze), and we can't go to the gym cause of softball practice. I wish we had more options to be active while at work!

Sweet13_Princess

At our high school, we have a biggest loser program, where money is donated to join and the top winner gets it.

We also have some cardio equipment, "available for use" after school, but I don't even know where that is and if you have to compete with students to get it....

Shannon

meltygarden

I work for a major insurance company, so yeah - we have a gym in our office and people get bonuses for getting fit and losing weight.

There are scales in the breakroom and the bathrooms, we get weekly Healthy Living E-newsletters, and there is a free lending library of health and nutrition-related books in the breakroom.

We have snack machines and soda machines that are stocked with everything from extremely healthy items to soda and candy bars, and the prices of snacks are based on how healthy they are, not on how much they actually cost.

The office I work in is too small, but at one of the larger facilities I went to last year they had a cafeteria and the cost of food was based on how healthy it was for you.

jarae876

I work in a Church, so those kind of things are a little out of the question. Also the Church is doing a "Biggest Loser" contest. So with that being said yeah I guess my job is trying to help me lose weight. Between the support I get from my Pastors that I work for (The Assc. Pastor, and Sr. Pastor wife are doing the Biggest Loser as well) as well as everyone at the Church I get a lot of support.

Our job did the biggest loser last year and a ton of people joined and the winner won a trip to the Ritz in Naples, FL. This year there's a $10 entrance fee. I think that will discourage people from joining. Not sure if that was the intent or not, especially since they haven't said what this years prize is.


We have a $60 entrance fee (can be paid weekly) and we still have 20 people doing it. That money is the prize money for the First and Second prize.

Kissybiz

My job definitely doesn't help. My boss even ordered pizza for us the other day and made a face when I didn't want any of it. There's always an abundance of junk to eat here. They didn't complain when I brought my stability ball to sit on though, so I guess that's something.

cruiseking

I'm in the military and so they always try to compel us to lose weight and stay in shape. It's hard though, as I work a desk job and have to sit on butt most of the day. I've been considering trying to get a standing desk.

In the meantime, me and an old supervisor have been "racing" to 200 lbs. Whoever crosses that line first gets 25 bucks from the other one!

When I was in The Marine Corps, they gave us an extra hour for lunch, if we went running. If you dared take the hour and didn't run, they would certainly find out. Punishment: You had to run with the Seargent Major for one week. He did like 10 miles at lunch, in the heat. I only caught that punishment once; and learned my lesson! One hour for lunch is enough anyway.

lostsanity137

My job hired a holistic health lady. She makes fruit smoothies and massages and does consultations. I don't agree with everything she says, but for the most part she does ok. We've started putting together a garden to grow our own fruit and veggies and just today, they put a treadmill and bicycle upstairs.
I work for a small luggage company and sit at a desk doing invoices all day, so a little effort from the company is appreciated.

Coramae09

No... but that would be awesome seeing as I work in health care.

I work at a hospital and we are allowed to use Physical Therapy workout equipment anytime after hours. We also have alot of incentive programs going on throughout the whole year. This year some depts are doing a "biggest loser" challenge and its $50 to get in so the prize should be awesome!

jarae876

Quite the opposite. Several people in my department started a "Biggest Loser" competition and we were told by HR that we had to shut it down because somebody might be offended and we can't judge people on their appearance.

Right, maybe they should know then that they should be charging those who are fat the same premiums on their health insurance as the normal weight people they might change their minds. Since I have been told that the health insurance premiums are based on health risks and such. Besides those who might have been offended are more in the likely the ones that found out about the BL too late to join LOL

Slove009

Our job has started it's first annual Biggest Loser Competition. You pay $1 per pound you are trying to loose. The person that loses 100% wins, if 2 hit 100% it goes to most pounds. Winner gets 70% of pot, and 2nd place gets 30%.

Legalchica

YUP I lose my job if i dont say in shape!!

becoming_a_new_me

We have treadmills in every break room, get $125 in our nutritional products free per month, have smoothie contests instead of potlucks, and are having a fitness challenge this quarter. Whoever loses the highest percentage of body weight wins a Samsung Galaxy tablet and is featured in our monthly magazine. Second place wins $200 and goes in the magazine too.

oooo- that sound awesome. A smoothie contest! And a tablet for the grand prize, very nice!

My job is quite supportive - except for one crazy chick that eats takeout chinese food 1-2 times a week and kills the rest of us. We all keep sugar-free gum and stuff handy for when she does that. B!t@h!

CouchSpud

Unfortunately - not at all. The enviroment is very encouraging to go and skip meas and eat biscuits chocolates and stuff instead... not much moving around either

TayJoMama

We are currently doing a Biggest Loser competition. I'm in 2nd Place!

That's awesome, Good Luck!

TayJoMama

Quite the opposite. Several people in my department started a "Biggest Loser" competition and we were told by HR that we had to shut it down because somebody might be offended and we can't judge people on their appearance.

that's terrible.

TayJoMama

We have treadmills in every break room, get $125 in our nutritional products free per month, have smoothie contests instead of potlucks, and are having a fitness challenge this quarter. Whoever loses the highest percentage of body weight wins a Samsung Galaxy tablet and is featured in our monthly magazine. Second place wins $200 and goes in the magazine too.

oooo- that sound awesome. A smoothie contest! And a tablet for the grand prize, very nice!

My job is quite supportive - except for one crazy chick that eats takeout chinese food 1-2 times a week and kills the rest of us. We all keep sugar-free gum and stuff handy for when she does that. B!t@h!

LOL!

emtastic929

I am very fortunate that my work is trying to encourage healthy living. They pay for employees to join this program called Nuvita (www.nuvita.com). It's a diet and exercise program where you're put on teams and you have weekly meetings (while at work) with a coach. There are nutrition and fitness lessons and they also give you a heart rate monitor and you track what you eat and upload your cardio records from the monitor - the coach sees everything you enter. And we compete with different departments. The program lasts 12 weeks at a time. I will be starting a new one at the end of this month. I have an assessment scheduled on the 25th, where they check my A1C level (for diabetes risk), blood pressure, cardiac output, flexibility, strength, weight, and percent body fat. Then after the 12 week program, we do the assessments again to see our improvement.

MalibuBeth

my job does a biggest loser challenge every semester, we also have free gym privileges and a discount trainer option. they also have groups that organize walking or jogging during lunch hours every friday

TiffanyDawn79

Hell no, I wish! My boss ate 5 of the 90 calorie brownies I had in a drawer the other day and then tells ME that I need to lose weight. I hate him lol

becoming_a_new_me

Hell no, I wish! My boss ate 5 of the 90 calorie brownies I had in a drawer the other day and then tells ME that I need to lose weight. I hate him lol

WTH??? Did you charge him? Geez, those things aren't cheap!

afss07

Uhhh that sounds wonderful! I should join military!

It's not for everyone, but it can definitely get your butt in shape! Well, until you get out of basic training and they give you free reign to eat whatever you want at the chow hall (which is mostly fried crap!)

When I was in The Marine Corps, they gave us an extra hour for lunch, if we went running. If you dared take the hour and didn't run, they would certainly find out. Punishment: You had to run with the Seargent Major for one week. He did like 10 miles at lunch, in the heat. I only caught that punishment once; and learned my lesson! One hour for lunch is enough anyway.

We don't get a lunch break at my job, but we have an hour to work out before each shift, and the base gym is really well stocked. It's just after the workout we literally sit for 8 hours!

fiberartist219

Almost all of us gained weight when we started working at my job because we just sit still at a desk all day.

I think the employer recognizes that and they do host workout sessions in the afternoon. Usually they just do a Beachbody DVD, but in the past we have done yoga and self defense classes. I know that a lot of the men like to play basketball on Fridays, but none of the women want anything to do with it and quite frankly, we aren't invited.

Our employer has also offered discounted weight watchers meetings, and Biggest Loser competitions.

The only thing I have participated in was the yoga.

Most of my coworkers like to offer up unhealthy food to share, but that isn't coming from management.

yulinerinwang

i work at starbucks.

last night my manager bought me a cookie that was as big as my head because i was the only one who would come in during a snow storm.

so no they dont help me stay active haha. i did have to sweep, mop, put up chairs and tables, do an hrs worth of dishes, restock, make peoples drinks etc... which makes me sweat a bit after 8 hrs but i consider that more slave labor then keeping me healthy...

Shake hands, starbucks ppl
I seriously don't consider free drink all day long as benefits... That's what got me to this place..