Is there any way to make weight loss fun? Many struggle with finding the motivation, patience and enthusiasm to continue on a diet plan. Fitting into that size 8 dress just isn’t enough to keep some dieters going. Some may stick with a weight loss regimen if there were some sort of games and incentives for dieting to keep them interested and motivated.
A little incentive goes a long way to get people moving in the right direction. And soon you won’t have to look too far. Some of the games and incentives for dieting can be found at the home, while some are finding the incentives within their own workplace. On the home front, game systems, such as Playstation and Xbox have found appeal not only with teenagers and kids, but with adults as well. The subject matter of games can be anywhere from duck hunting to spy simulation to… weight loss?
Without even knowing it, game creators distributed Dance Dance Revolution, which allows a person to shed extra pounds while participating in a fun, exciting game. While standing on a 3-foot square platform, arrows on each side of the square point up, down, left and right. As the player faces the television screen, arrows begin to scroll upward, following the beat of a song that the player has selected. It is the player’s goal to step on the correct arrows on the platform that appear on the screen. Multiple arrow combinations appear on the screen, as well as an increase in the speed of the game. This game has been compared to a high-impact aerobics class, allowing its users to have fun and enjoy a game while losing weight.
To purchase the game for the home, it will cost you $40, plus $40 for the flat plastic dance pad needed to play. A “workout mode” has been implemented, which allows users to see how many calories have been burned during a session. The success of this game has made physicians, nutritionists, as well as game creators see the potential of offering more games and incentives for dieting.
Besides the usual incentives for dieting, such as feeling better about yourself, living a healthier lifestyle, buying a new wardrobe, as well as impressing your peers, there are other ways to motivate people to lose weight. This has been seen in the use of games and incentives for dieting within various company workplaces. Bosses of major companies analyzed the data and decided that a healthy worker is a more productive and happier worker. When employees lose weight, the company also saves money on health care costs. Some companies, such as Freedom One Financial Corp in Michigan have implemented incentives for dieting.
Some of the incentives offered involve a weight loss challenge featuring vacations to tropical locations. Close to 100 employees at Freedom One Financial Corp signed up for the challenge, where they had to complete one of three things. They could lose 25 pounds, reduce their body fat by 15% or reduce their body weight by 15%. Quest Diagnostics, located in New Jersey offered games and incentives for dieting by creating the “Dump the Plump” contest, which lasted 10 weeks. Cash prizes were offered as rewards.