umm...ok so this is something I will be organizing at my work and just thought some of you all might like the idea too.
I really can't take the credit for the idea, I over heard my brother saying he and some guys at his work (a prison) did it (mind out of the gutter) last year, so I asked him about it and thought it was a great idea.

Biggest Loser Work Edition.

Anyone interested pays an entrance fee of $20.00 bucks (more or less depending on everyone's preference) winner takes the pot.
At my work there's a lot of interest but many expressed that they didn't want everyone to know their starting weight (or even their ending weight) So we designated one girl who's going to school to be a nutritionist to be the record keeper, she's also skinny as a rail and isn't interested in joining in. We will have to invest in a good scale too. Some peoples work may have a nurses station, she or he maybe happy to be the designated weigher/ record keeper.
We'll all initially weigh in with her and she'll record and keep track of our starting weight as well as our weekly weigh ins with loss and or gains.
It will be calculated just like the TV show, by % of weight loss so that it's fair no matter what the range of weights involved. (example: 5lb weight loss divided by 200 lb starting weight = .025 or 2.5% weight loss)
We'll be doing ours from March 12 through May 21(10 weeks) we'll all weigh in weekly and the highest percentage of each week will be announced to the group for motivation and encouragement purposes.
at the end of the 10 weeks who ever has the highest % of weight loss will not only be feeling GREAT but will also win the money!
Ours is looking to be about 10 to 15 people (men and women) so that's 200 to 300 bucks! not bad incentive.

Anyway, it's just an idea that I thought was cool and hope someone else will benefit from it too.
example math all screwed up edit.
[Edited 12/27/06 12:17pm]
[Edited 12/27/06 13:56pm]

Nothing to add really, just thought it was kinda sad no one replied to your thread.

eikonoklastes said:

gee thanx, I appreciate your pity.
although I agree. WTF! I thought it was a good idea to share...but fuckem and feed em beans if they don't appreciate it! buncha assholes!

just kiddin' folx (well...kinda)

So are you going to give the contestants tips on how they can loose the weight or is it more up to them?

Shorty said:

Sinister said:

no...no tips..I'm not an expert or anything. I'm in the competition so....everyone for themselves....I figure just the competative nature of the contest may help
[Edited 12/29/06 7:50am]

We've been doing this around my office for a couple of years. It's good for competitive people.


I thought you were going to say "Want to lose 20 pounds, cut off your head"

Slave2daGroove said:

hey..that's about all I'm gonna want to loose...

We did the same exact thing last year...I ran the contest.
On top of the $20 entry fee, we also kicked in $1 per lb that
was lost. Although, we went from Jan 1 through May 5
(Cinco De Mayo!) and celebrated with a luncheon at a local Mexican eatery.

The top guy lost 50 total lbs, second place lost 25 lbs, I lost 20 lbs
and came in third, and our last person lost 17 lbs total. Not bad huh?
The winner was so estatic that he lost 50lbs, and that we all motivated
each other so much, he sacrificed his winnings and just asked us to buy
his lunch on Cinco De Mayo.

Throughout the contest I ran smaller incentives, such as: 1. The loser of
the most lbs in a single week had to buy the loser of the least amount that
same week, their favorite candy bar (chocolate is your enemy when your trying
to lose weight). It keep everyone motivated and pushing to get the others
to eat that candybar. 2.The loser of the least weight in a single week
had to put in all the money for everyones weight loss for that week.
3. The 5 lbs incentive, where if you lost this weekly goal, you didn't have to put in for that week, but those who didn't reach this goal had to put the money in.

The key is to keep it interesting. Right off the bat I can tell you have alot of work to do. 10-15 people is alot. People take days off and I guarantee you someone will be crying about things not being fair at weigh in. Your bosses may not be happy about it either, because it does take time away from actual work (not just the weigh in, but then talking about it afterwards etc)

The percentages is all that you have to announce...people do get testy when
actual lbs are mentioned.

Have fun with it and eat healthy, excercise etc...You'll lose fast early, then it will slow down to a crawl, but keep going...you're only doing your body good.
GIVE UP POP! That was my biggest key...

Speaking of eating healthy, during one of our 5lb weekly challenges, the top guy lost 12lbs in one week. This was 2/3 of the way through the contest. How did he do it? He cut out all meats from his diet for an entire week. Not sure how safe that was, but the weight came off.

Good Luck

Revolution said:

wow! very cool! thanx for sharing all that with us. Yeah...since this is our first year and possibly so many people I'll probably stick to the basics but...if it ends up being just 5 or 6 of us perhaps I'll add in some more incentives like the ones you mentioned.

So can you participate if you start an eating disorder?

what about if you have stomach flu!