Hi all! Was talking to the hubby last night about goal weights and thought that it would make things fun to get a little competitive. The problem is I have no idea what the winner's "prize" would be considering bragging rights isn't what I would call positive reinforcement.

The both of us think that losing 15 lbs would be reasonable. Admittedly, it will probably end up easier for him to lose that 15 lbs because he generally has more to lose at 215 and 6'1". I just want to make things fun and get him interested in trying a little harder. (Maybe that will make him think twice before he suggests wings and beer followed by a bag of chips)

So, any thoughts on what to do or anything you have done before??

I think a prize of a trip somewhere for the both of you would be nice after you both achieve your 15 pound goal. You both win that way- competing with a man to lose the weight fastest sounds like a sucker bet. Maybe you could have a prize who gets to 15 pounds first, like getting to choose the trip.

Or you could do something like at the end of the month whoever loses the highest percentage body weight gets something. The prize could be something like gets to choose the next vacation or gets a new outfit or heck gets $50 (or whatever you can afford) to buy whatever they want with.

The prize could be that loser has to cook a healthy dinner for the night or loser would have to buy something that the person really wants but cannot be food :P

These are great ideas! Keep them coming

motivatedchickieThe trip thing is cool except we're already in planning stages for one in August to Europe.... OMG! I just was picturing us being at our goals in time for the trip! that would be awesome! and yes i agree with it being a bit of a sucker bet to compete against a guy to lose weight. I can hear it now *hubby's voice* "I eat the same as I did before, workout a little more, and lose twice as much as you do. You just have to get on the treadmill more." lol

beerab & cheerios, those are both workable! hmmm... $50 that is specifically for whatever you want that you've been making excuses not to get. And maybe to top it off, the other person is making the healthy yummy dinner too (It has to be out of the ordinary though. Not just a grilled chicken breast with salad)

Have many of you out here used this game and had it work for you and your respective other?

My mom actually did this with me and my sister. She bet 100$ for the first person to lose 50lbs and once I hit that 50lb make I took her up on it and got my hair done! Maybe a day at the spa for you and a sports event for him?

Having more to lose and being a man - it's not just likely he'll win, it's almost guaranteed - and not by a smidgen, but my a landslide are you sure that won't discourage you? When he's losing up to 3 pounds for every one of yours?

If you know the contest is "rigged" from the beginning and are doing it so that he'll be motivated (you knowing all the while, and smiling on the inside when you say "oh, darn - you're in the lead....").

But if you're as competitive as he is, or you expect the contest to be fun for you, I'd suggest that you make at least one change

instead of making the contest about 15 lbs - set a date and the person who has lost the highest percentage of body weight by the deadline "wins." Or set the contest so that whoever gets to their goal weight first. Or who gets to a certain BMI first.... Something that at least gives you a chance.

Or you could make it a competition with self - rather than each other. For every so many pounds (let's just say 5) each of you gets a specific prize that you've declared (it could be a backrub or a set dollar amount that the winner gets to spend on something). The "first" person to get to the prize wins in the sense of getting it "first" but second-runner up gets the same prize when they reach the same goal (so you both are winning along the way, not just the one who loses fastest).

Thanks for the ideas all!

Kaplods, those are some great ideas to even out the playing field. At first I was totally okay with the thought that he'd likely be the winner just so that he had the motivation to make it fun.... but then I started to think about the sandals that I wanted to buy with that $50. LOL

So the challenge has been accepted as of last night! Our starting weights this morning... Me: 180.6 Him: 214.6
Goal: loss of 7%. That would be 15 lbs for him and 12.6 lbs for me.
Person who hits their goal first gets $50 to spend on whatever the heck they want and a special healthy dinner made for them.

btw, when the runner up reaches their goal I think that they would deserve the same prize. I would certainly be thrilled when the both of us are able to accomplish 7% lost!

Again, thanks all! I'm excited!