Bet Your Butt Off

Getting in shape requires three important ingredients: time, effort and motivation. You've got to set aside time to prepare healthy meals and exercise. If you don't spend the time, you won't get the results. Then you have to make an effort to physically push your body. Your muscles will only adapt and grow if you work them. The third ingredient, motivation, can be the toughest one of all. After all, which one of these things is easier after a long day at work? Sitting on the couch mindlessly watching TV or going to a gym to lift weights? Now you can use money as a motivator. Several sites on the internet allow you to bet that you'll lose weight. If you achieve your goal, it doesn't cost you anything. Fail and you have to pay up. Here's how three of those sites work.

	MakeMoneyLosingWeight.com is simple. You sign up a group of friends or co-workers, with each person putting a little money into the pool. You determine how long the challenge will last, what the ultimate goal is, how much you can bet and who gets the money. It can all go to the winner or a favorite charity. At the end of your pre-arranged period of time, the person closest to his or her target weight wins. The site is free (they pay for the website by selling ads) and they don't take any cut of your money. You can get fit AND get paid for it. If you and your group's primary interest is losing weight, and money is a big motivator, this is probably the site for you.
	FatBet.net is similar to MakeMoneyLosingWeight.com, but they don't generally use money for motivation. The bets typically involve the winners doing something for the losers. Examples include having losers sing in a Karaoke bar with the winners picking the songs; getting losers to wash the winners cars or making the losers let facial or leg hair grow unchecked for 30 days. Another feature in FatBet.net is that the person who sets up the group, can let each of the participants set their own goals, and the amount they're willing to wager. This is an important feature if you're got several friends with very different goals. One other interesting feature of FatBet.net is that it allows for multiple winners. Every person who makes their goal is a winner, every person who doesn't is a loser. The site is based on trust. You have to honestly report your progress and believe the reports of people you're competing against. Plus FatBet doesn't hold your money, so if you win it's up to you to collect. For people who like the support of a group, without the monetary risk, this is a good site to use.
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	Stickk.com is the most versatile of the sites, because it's designed for more than just losing weight. Their four step process is designed to help you achieve any type of goal, from dropping a few pounds to clearing the clutter out of your life. Step one you select your goal or "commitment contract." Step two you determine the stakes. Step three helps you choose a referee to keep things honest. Step four you add friends for support. Unlike the other sites we mentioned, Stikk.com has a minimum amount you must wager. Then you chose from 4 options who will get the money. It can be a friend, a foe, a charity or an anti-charity. If you select an anti-charity, they suggest you, "Pick the organization whose views you most strongly oppose, and you'll work that much harder to ensure they never see a dollar of your hard earned cash." Anyone who doesn't keep their commitment must pay up and Stikk.com takes their fee out of your bet. Because you give your credit card information in advance, if you fail you're going to get charged. Of course if you do what you said you would, it doesn't cost you a penny.

Three new ways to motivate you and your friends. Give them a try, you might get paid to lose the weight.

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7/26/2009