JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Money is a fantastic motivator, perhaps the best.
So, even if you’re not a gambler, could you bet on yourself?
That’s the premise of online apps like HealthyWage.
It's a site that lets you bet and win actual, real money based on your weight loss goals.
Want to lose 20 pounds, more, well you can put some money down on that, and potentially get paid to lose.
First, you enter basic personal information about yourself: Height, current weight and sex.
Then you tell them how much weight you'd like to lose and how much time you want to do it in.
For this particular site, they won't let you choose a time period shorter than six months. This prevents dangerous crash diets.
Finally, the site will ask how much you're willing to bet and then calculates how much they're willing to pay you.
For instance, we tried out a 30-pound weight loss goal in six months and said we'd be willing to wager $600.
The site said it would pay $642 if the goal was met.
That's a profit of $42 for the six-month goal.
You can choose to pay whatever amount you want upfront, or in monthly installments, over the time you're chasing your goal.
And, the flip side is, if you don't make your goal you lose the money.