Whether you want to set up a weight loss challenge at your work, school or within your family, it will take thoughtful consideration to employ. Make sure you consider the people you're working with to be aware of any specific barriers to participation. Remember that many people feel self-conscious about their weight and don't want their personal struggle advertised or highlighted. Weight loss challenges can promote a sense of teamwork and friendly competition, so stay focused on education and benefits associated with any weight loss, rather than only focusing on the individuals in the lead.
Setting Up a Weight Loss Challenge
Step 1
Figure out your maximum budget for holding the weight loss challenge. Think about everything you will need: staff time, t-shirts, advertisements and printing costs, just to name a few.
Step 2
Determine whether you will charge for the weight loss challenge. If so, determine whether a portion of the proceeds will go to a charity based on the overall weight loss of the entire group.
Step 3
Plan the program's educational component including how often participants will meet, where they will meet, and what they should learn about.
Step 4
Figure out how many participants you can comfortably accommodate. If you only have access to a small room and fitness center, you need to set enrollment at the maximum number you can provide services to.
Step 5
Decide on what type of workouts you will provide. You can provide group workouts, individual workouts or you can require participants to exercise on their own time. If you will provide group or individual workouts, decide how many you will provide each week.
Step 6
Plan how to go about getting weights and body measurements. This takes time, so think about when you want to take this information, how often, and whether you want to do this privately or publicly.
Step 7
Schedule all necessary assets. Fitness center space, classroom space, educational trainers, scales and tape measures all need to be available at the desired times.
Step 8
Market your challenge to the population you want to target. Think about how they get their information. For instance, if you're marketing to your office, see if you can send out a company-wide email.
Step 9
Put together a written binder of classes, topics and educational information that you will provide to the participants on their first day.
Step 10
Plan to be flexible. Even the best laid plans sometimes don't work when you put them into practice. Be prepared to change things as you go.
Tips and Warnings
- Don't be afraid to show your enthusiasm. People pick up on others' feelings about a program. Talk it up and encourage others to get involved. Ask for suggestions once the program gets started. The more feedback you receive, the better you'll be able to meet the needs of the people you're serving.
- Running programs provide people with a service, and with any service, you will receive complaints. Take them in, analyze them and determine whether you can reasonably do anything about them. Avoid taking complaints personally or taking offense if someone seems angry. All exercise programs come with the risk of injury. Make sure the you train your staff to respond in the case of emergency.
Things You'll Need
- Several weight scales
- Several flexible tape measures
- Gym or fitness center
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