Win the Bet and Lose the Weight

If you're like most people losing weight is a challenge. The reasons for losing weight are as numerous as the people who want to take off those extra pounds. Some of us are successful in removing the extra weight yet the rest of us struggle. Is there a difference between those successful in dieting and those who are still struggling? New research shows incentive based weight loss has great potential for those of us wanting to get rid of those extra pounds.

A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association has shown using a financially based contract or bet can be very successful with short term weight loss goals. People were observed over a 4 month period. Those receiving a financial incentive were 4-5 times as successful in their weight loss.

How can you set up a financial reward system for yourself? There are several ways. You can join a group at work, church or club and set up a pool. Set up ground rules and then winner takes all. This delivers visible reinforcement of weight loss and the competition can give the additional edge. Or if you don't have a group of friends willing to join you, you can check out this website

Researchers and former students from Yale University have established a website which provides the financial incentive to keep you on track.

Why do people fail when trying to lose weight? For many of us our social lives revolve around food. We go out to lunch with friends, go to the movies and get popcorn and plan dates around special foods.

It's almost a conspiracy at times. Restaurant portions have become bigger over the years and most fast food is now "super sized." Add to this our work lives are concentrated around computers so we have less physical activity. As a result we use fewer calories each day, and the excess calories becomes additional weight gained.

Our bodies also work against us. When we consume fewer calories our bodies tell us to be less active. This probably is a throwback to the caveman days when a person was not sure where and when the next meal would happen. But yet some people are able to make the change in their lives and lose the extra weight. What makes them so different and able to lose the weight?

Successful dieters have learned the one truth of weight loss. You must burn more calories than you take in. You can reduce your food intake, or add additional ways of burning calories. Restricting calories works to a certain extent then the body decides it is in starvation mode and holds onto the calories. You can increase your activity level through exercise.

With the financial incentive program you bet on yourself to win. Are you ready to win the bet and lose the weight?