Getting Paid for Fitness

I've talked about the power of social networks before. The power of peer pressure doesn't always have to lead to teens smoking or drinking; it can lead to adults getting healthier. In fact, it's because of that after-school special feeling that the words peer pressure evoke, that I have renamed it social-psychological external conflict avoidance, or SPECA for short. I offered to make your New Year's Resolutions mine and tried to challenge you to take mine on as yours. That was my small contribution to peer pressure. There are now sites that use this same power to encourage weight loss, but with financial incentives added.

Healthy Wage allows you to bet on yourself. You invest money in yourself and if you hit your weight loss goals, that investment pays back. Like SPECA, it makes your desires public and rewards you for achievement and punishes you for lack of achievement. They also require an outside confirmation of your weight loss numbers, so you can't just claim to have lost 10% of your body weight.

Health Rally allows people to donate money to motivate you to achieve your goals. It's like kickstarter, but for health, not art. Plus, they accept every rally that is submitted and have various reward options.

CFG is another site based on this same concept. Everywhere I look on the site they keep saying that it's a simple exchange, but I can't seem to understand it. They do have a monthly fee.

So, unless you're famous and willing to share your weight loss story in commercials, but still want to get paid to lose weight, check out the links above. I just think the concept is pretty cool in theory, but am not sure if any of them have executed it well. Have any of you tried any of these?