DietBet

Hey Friends!  If you read my post a couple weeks ago, you'll remember I was unhappy with the unhealthy snacking habit I had gotten into.  When we came back from vacation in Arkansas I was over 140.  Rats.  So much for making healthy choices on vacation.  Oh well, that's what vacation is about, right?!  But when we got back it was time to do the work again.  To give myself some extra motivation, I downloaded an app I used to have on my phone, DietBet.  The way the app works is you join a pool (you can pick a pool with a high or low bet, I usually stick with crowded ones about $30, but more on that later), weigh yourself (with pictures), and the app figures up a 4% weight loss goal for 4 weeks.  Everyone does 4% of their body weight, so not everyone is losing the same amount.  Then, at the end, whoever made their goals (with pictures) splits the pot of whoever didn't make their goals.  The website also takes 25% of the total pot.  However, if you make your goals, you'll never lose money.  You will always get at least your entry bet back.

I have done one dietbet before.  I wanted extra motivation ($$$) and to be more invested in making the right choices.  There were a bunch of people in my group and the total pool was somewhere around $70,000!  Crazy right?!?  Seems like an easy way to win a lot of money!  But in the end, I won my $30 back plus about $13 (and change) extra.  :P  Not much, but more than I had before.  So if you want to motivate yourself to stay invested in some weight loss, this app is kind of a fun way to do it.

I also found out that they have a new app called StepBet.  I downloaded the app, but haven't made a bet yet.  This app works a little differently.  It gets permission to check in with your daily steps on your device, I use S-Health, but it also works with Fitbit and one other device.  It takes that information and gives you a daily goal of steps.  4 days you stick to that goal, then there are 2 stretch days and 1 free day.  It's a 6 week game and the first week is practice, no one gets eliminated.  The next 5 weeks you have to hit those daily and weekly goals or you lose your chance to split the big prize.  I think I want to try this app when Fall gets here and the weather is perfect for taking lots of walks and hitting the zoo.  I'm also interested in seeing the effects on my weight and overall health if I maintained good activity levels like this.  So stay tuned this fall, I may try it out and let you all know how it goes.  :)

So that's what I've got for today.  I have 2 weeks left in my DietBet, but I've already hit my goal (thank you vacation water weight).  Hopefully I can get the rest of the way down into my goal range (130-135) and stay there by the end of the bet.  I'll also let you know at the end how much I end up winning, the pools is almost $110,000!  :O