Texas Takes a Stand Against Obesity: Statewide Weight-Loss Contest Offers Huge Cash Payouts

An exciting new contest in Texas is encouraging both individual residents and entire employee groups statewide to lose weight, get healthy and win huge cash prizes for their effort. The HealthyWage “Work Healthier Challenge,” developed in partnership with IT’S TIME TEXAS, is encouraging participants to stay on track toward their weight and financial goal with weekly nutrition and fitness tips as well as fun and motivating activities. Together, IT’S TIME TEXAS and HealthyWage will encourage and equip employers throughout Texas with the resources to get their employees to reduce costly lifestyle health risks that lead to chronic obesity-related diseases such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

The challenge is an initiative of statewide nonprofit IT’S TIME TEXAS, which is dedicated to dramatically improving the landscape of health and wellness in Texas through free resources such as mobile apps, web-based health initiatives and a bilingual health coaching hotline. The Work Healthier Challenge, a turnkey, team-based health improvement challenge in partnership with weight-loss wagering industry pioneer  HealthyWage–the world’s leading purveyor of corporate and team-based weight loss challenges and financially-induced diet contests for individuals, will make an impact on the growing obesity epidemic.

During the Work Healthier Challenge, teams of 5 will compete for the greatest percentage of weight lost between the May 1st through July 24th  period. Each participant pays less than $25 per month as a registration fee for a chance to win extraordinary cash prizes: the top-performing team will win $10,000; second place will win $5,000; and third place will win $3,000—with the cash awards funded independently and guaranteed by HealthyWage. In addition, contest participants will qualify for additional prizes even beyond the contest period if they keep their weight off after 6-months. HealthyWage is providing a full reimbursement of the participant entry fee if they lose 10% of their starting weight 6-months after the end of the challenge.

In addition to those participating at an individual level, employers (municipalities, school districts, companies, etc.) will also participate in the WORK HEALTHIER CHALLENGE in a “Company vs. Company” division where they compete against other organizations throughout the region in an attempt to have their employees lose the most weight and gain the most money. Participating companies in the Challenge include dozens of employers in the State such as Austin ISD, Halliburton, TechnipFMC, and Dallas Area Rapid Tranist. Registration for companies to participate is open until May 14th, 2017.

Each participant weighs in at the beginning and end of the contest.  During the initiative, participants receive content from and weekly challenges designed to help the participants stay motivated and maximize their weight-loss success. To help employees get healthy and fit, the program will also use unique and proven proprietary tools developed by HealthyWage.

Approximately 70% of Texas adults are overweight or obese, and 23%–29% having metabolic syndrome (MetS). Current estimates suggest that obese people spend 42% more on healthcare costs than healthy weight people (ACAP Health). Building a healthier workplace is the right move for employers.

“Our financial incentive-based approach to motivate weight loss is proven effective,” says HealthyWage co-founder Jimmy Fleming. “In fact, participants in previous cash prize-fueled HealthyWage team contests have lost on average 5% of their body weight. Like other contests throughout the United States, the WORK HEALTHIER program will be a fun and effective way to mobilize the community around health and wellness.”

Those interested in learning more and registering for the Work Healthier Challenge may do so online at https://www.healthywage.com/challenges/work-healthier-challenge.

About HealthyWage™
Industry-leading health and wellness, HealthyWage, provides cash incentives, social and expert-based support, tools and resources, and goal-setting and tracking technologies to address our nation’s obesity epidemic and improve America’s collective health.  HealthyWage is at the forefront of the weight wagering movement, having formally created competitive, cash-fueled programs for more than 90 Fortune 500 and other companies, hospitals, health systems, insurers, school systems, municipal governments and other organizations throughout the U.S., and their program has been more informally run at more than 3,000 companies and organizations.  The company was founded in response to academic research that proves even small cash rewards triple the effectiveness of weight-loss programs; that people are more effective at losing weight when their own money is at risk; and that social networks play a large role in the spread of obesity, and will likely play a large role in reversing obesity.  Learn more online at www.HealthyWage.com.

About IT’S TIME TEXAS
IT’S TIME TEXAS, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is a statewide organization focused on dramatically improving the landscape of health and wellness in Texas. Their free programs, tools, and services leverage innovative technology and harness the collective power of Texas’ leading agencies, institutions, organizations, and companies to empower Texans to lead healthier lives and build healthier communities. Simply put, they make healthy easier in the Lone Star State. Learn more at www.itstimetexas.org.

About Work Healthier
Work Healthier is a program of IT’S TIME TEXAS established as a resource to assist employers, of any size, to improve the health and well-being of their employees and their families. Work Healthier has an array of resources and solutions that will improve any health and wellness program aimed to add value to organizations as well as help improve the overall health of the communities organizations serve. Learn more at www.ittworkhealthier.org .