Would You Lose Weight If You Were Paid For It?

There are many reasons behind people losing weight. Some do it to improve their health, some to look better and some to feel better. But losing weight is tough and staying motivated is even tougher.

This is why researchers decided to see if people would lose weight if they were paid to do so. They looked at 204 people who needed to change their habits. They didn’t exercise, had a leisurely lifestyle and had a high intake of saturated fats and low intake of fruits and vegetables. The study offered upto $175 to each person for meeting the weight loss goals. A 20-week follow up period also allowed them to earn between $20-$80 if they continued to record and send in their information. The study used mobile technology and remote coaching.

Motivators play an important role in weight loss. Even those who go in for gastric bypass surgery or a different weight loss surgery need to stay motivated to maintain their weight loss. The research was fairly successful as they found that just as the 2008 study (published in the Journal of the American Medical Association) had suggested, money does work as a good motivator for weight loss.

During the five-month follow up, people were not asked or encouraged to lose weight, yet 87% of the 185 people said that they ‘definitely’ or ‘somewhat’ tried to maintain their goals. Money will always influence us to do things we normally wouldn’t, but the exciting part of this is the last: when people started their weight loss routines, they felt motivated to keep it up.

And this all centers around one key question: what do YOU use to fuel your exercise and health lifestyle?