It started out harmlessly enough—a Greatest Loser- type competition between co-workers. Everyone who wanted to participate put in $10, weigh-ins would be weekly, and the person who lost the most weight would win all the money. It sounded so simple. The scale would be the judge and jury.
This was long before scales could also help predict life-threatening conditions like hyperkalemia. A recent article in Men’s Health explains how bathroom scales will soon be providing more information than pounds and ounces.
The hope was to get everyone to eat better, perhaps take the stairs instead of the elevator, do our best to avoid diseases such as diabetes and hyperkalemia, and have a little fun along the way.
That was the hope, at least. We all put in our $10 and nervously stepped on the scale for the “baseline” weigh in. It went well, at least at first glance. Intercepted emails later revealed that the sales department had met for breakfast at Johnny’s Pancake Barn and eaten double-stack pancakes to make certain their baseline weights would be higher than usual for the baseline weigh in. They did look a little bloated, but we knew they’d have to work those extra pounds off, too.
During week two, the scale was absconded with. It was no longer in the break room for the weigh in. It did, however, begin showing up throughout the office. First, it was in the freezer, right next to my Lean Cuisines. Then, it was outside on the picnic table, mocking anyone who tried to enjoy a snack on the patio. When it was returned, the calibration had been altered and anyone who weighed in automatically had 10 pounds added to their total. Fortunately, that prank was discovered very quickly.
Things got a bit more heated when the sales department had ten pizzas with extra cheese delivered to the creative department’s retreat. The creative department countered by bringing in freshly baked donuts during a particularly grueling sales strategy meeting.
When the final weigh in happened, the results favored those who had taken the competition seriously—and there were a few of us. Even with all the distraction, I had managed to lose some weight and more importantly, learned how to snack better when I needed a pick-me-up. Self-Improvement is always tough. Find out what works for you and stick with it. For me, a bathroom scale placed in front of the snack vending machine served was a great source of inspiration.
