Jun 25, 2009 11:45 pm US/Eastern
'Game On Diet' Uses Competition For Motivation
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Competiveness, whether in athletics, academics or the corporate world, is a basic human instinct and a strong motivator.
But it is now also the basis of a new weight loss program called the Game On Diet, which is enticing New Jersey residents like Colleen Kraus.
"I've done it all: kickboxing, aerobic classes (and) lots of walking," Kraus said of her previous attempts to shed some pounds.
Krauss added that the Game On Diet has been different.
"I probably have lost about 18 pounds," she said.
As many as 95 percent of people who lose weight ultimately gain it back within five years, but the Game On Diet was designed not just for short-term weight loss, but also for long-term weight management.
Beth McCourt believes she has tried "(almost) every gym in America," in trying to lose weight, and is now satisfied.
"This has been, by far, the best (method) for me," McCourt said. "
The diet is based on the new Game On book, which uses competition as a primary motivator.
Fitness instructor Carlos Sanchez believes the competition factor allows his clients to stay focused on their fitness goals.
"They hold each other accountable," Sanchez said.
Sanchez runs a fitness boot camp in Maplewood, NJ, but unlike many other bootcamp workouts, which motivate through yelling and humiliation, Sanchez separates his members into supportive teams.
"It incorporates all different aspects of fitness," Sanchez said. "You get points for sleeping seven hours, you get points for drinking three liters of water a day, you get points for eating small meals (and) you get points for breaking a bad habit."
At the end of a given time period, the team with the most points is declared the winner.
"You're accountable to other people every day, and you don't want to blow it for them," said McCourt.
The authors of Game On said the book is more about winning points than losing weight, which is a more-tantalizing prospect to keep dieters motivated.
Participants can also earn penalties for things like unsanctioned snacking. Points are heavily based on the honors system, as everyone keeps track of their own.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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