Competitions are Effective for Weight Loss

Do-It-Yourself “Biggest Loser” contests are growing in popularity, and for good reason.

A study from Shape Up Rhode Island and published in the May 2009 issue of Obesity Journal found that weight loss competitions produce a significant weight loss in large numbers of people at minimum cost. Losing weight as a group not only provides a healthy level of competition, but also moral support and teamwork.

How to Set up your Own “Biggest Loser” Contest

Thinking of organizing a weight-loss competition? Here are some tips:

• Start planning a couple of weeks before the actual contest begins. At the initial meeting, nominate a leader, a “treasurer”, and a person who will conduct the weigh-ins and track the results (should be someone not associated with the competition so it is viewed as fair.) Then, decide the scope of the competition, the time frame, rules, and logistics such as meeting times and places for weigh-ins.
• To create an even playing field, base the competition on the percentage of body weight lost, not the number of pounds lost. To calculate the percentage lost, follow this formula: (Beginning weight – ending weight) / beginning weight x 100.
• The contest should last a minimum of 12 weeks to see results, but no longer than 16 weeks – or people will lose interest.
• Set healthy ground rules, such as prohibiting the use of diet pills and very-low-calorie liquid diet plans.
  Contestants should “pay to play” before the competition begins. This ensures that people are serious about the contest. Decide whether the entire pot should go to the biggest loser or divide the winnings among the top three. You can also be more creative with the prize money, such as donating a portion to a worthy cause or using the proceeds to host a healthy celebration dinner at the end of the contest.
• Weekly weigh-ins should be done in private. Offer contestants a two-hour window on one day each week to weigh in; otherwise the person keeping the stats will spend a lot of time tracking everyone down. Remember to use the same scale each time for more accurate results (don’t allow for self-reporting).
• Track statistics in an Excel document or using a number of online tools that are available.  Some suggestions are Fatbet.net, weightlosswars, weighins.com, slim2win, and SparkPeople.

Denise Reynolds, RD LDN is a Registered Dietitian living in South Carolina.  She cousels patients on weight loss both through lifestyle change and bariatric surgery procedures.  She is mom to two girls, ages 6 and 3.

Photo Credit:  WinningMan via Flickr.com

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