Ideas That Work: Diet Plan

Looking for a fun and effective way to weigh less? Hold your own "Biggest Loser" competition and award the staff members who shed the most pounds. Here's how we've run successful weight-loss contests.

• Each participant antes-up a $25 buy-in fee, which builds the prize pot.
• Mandatory weigh-ins are held every Friday morning throughout the four-month competition.
• Participants must be weighed by a designated staff member who's in charge of ensuring accurate weights are recorded. Those who gain weight during a week put $5 into the pot.
• Staff members who don't get weighed or are absent on weigh-in days must also contribute $5 to the pot.
• First-, second- and third-place cash prizes are awarded based on the percentage of body weight lost.

Twenty-eight staff members took part in our first Biggest Loser competition, which ran from September to November. The difference in percentage of body weight lost between the two winning staff members was just .01%. (One of the winners lost 40 pounds!) They were going to split the first-place prize until one of our surgeons matched the winning payout, so both winners walked away with close to $700. The second-place finisher earned $400 and the third-place staff member received $200.

The competition helped build camaraderie among the team. Participants went for walks together during their breaks and shared recipes for healthy meals. Cheering staff packed the break room when we announced the winners. We were all inspired to take better care of ourselves. In fact, many team members who didn't participate in the first competition signed up for the second contest we're currently running.

Tammy Spohn, MBA, RN, NEA-BC
Surgery Center of Southern Oregon
Medford, Ore.
[email protected]