Challenges at Work - Prize???

[Widdlecuddles]

Yesterday at work we had a food day. It was an apple day so everyone brought in the favorite apple recipe and the office bought a huge box of apple donuts from the apple orchard.

After eating stuff all day (even though I know I shouldn't of) I felt miserable last night and decided I had to get back on track! I got to work this monring and the girl who sits next to me, who is on my team, came in and said she felt misable when she got hoem last night and decided enough was enough and got out her South Beach Diet book.
We have 4 offices (one in Milwaukee, one in Madison, one in Rockford, IL, and one in Freeport, IL) and we have team members in all the offices (5 people on our team total)
My teammate in my office called anothr teammate in another office this monring. That teammate said she ate too much junk yesterday at work and decided enough was enough and she went to the healthclub and walked in the treadmill last night.
We decided, since our whole team could use to lose, we would start a team challenge. We have a workday every month where we meet for the day in one of the offices. Tuesday is our workday. We thought we would have a challenge (on our honor and not actually weigh in front of each other) and have a contest that runs from workday to workday.
So I am trying to think of a little prize we can get for the winner for the next workday. Any thoughts? nothing expensive, but something fun that they can display on their desk if they wanted to.

[Trying4Thin]

Well at the risk of sounding cheesy; you could get one of those little mini trophy's or a blue ribbon (first place). Or you could spend zero dollars (cuz it's the thought that counts) and make a Biggest Loser of the Week banner that they could put near their desk.

Bottom line; do anything that will remind the winner of their achievement and keep them on track. A little compliment goes a long way.

[Missy]

You could always just have each participant throw in some money and the winner gets the pot.

[Joysieangel]

I like the banner idea, but not to take it away from the person that won it for that week, make a banner every week, at the end of the challenge, whoever has the most banners could get some kind of trophy, or plaque.

[Widdlecuddles]

Thanks all!! After I typed this post I was talking with my teammate and we decided that since this was an on the honor thing we would not have a "money" prize (since it would be easy to cheat - not that any of us would do that.) So actually we decided to go with a "trophy" idea.
We would get a trophy and the winner for the month would keep it at their desk and then the winner for the next month would get it passed onto them. I am also going to thing of something for each winner to keep.
I went to the dollar store last night to try to find a trophy. I couldn't find anything that I thought would work. So then when I went to the checkout (because I found lots of other things to buy) I saw where they have the balloon weights for the helium balloons they had one weight that was a cupcake (and it had a thing at the top that is where you tie the string (but could also hold a card or picture. So I talked him into letting me buy one of those without the balloon.
I made a card to go on it that on one side says "What have you got to lose" (that is the name of our "challenge" and on the other side has small before and after pictures of Kirstey Alley (inside joke) and says PHAT Award - phat standing for "Pretty Hot Auditing Team".
It actually turned out really cute. Should be a fun contest!
Thanks for your ideas!

[Missy]

hehe that sounds awesome! Good luck on the contest, kick some butt

[Widdlecuddles]

tomorrow's our first weigh in for our at work challenge. I can't believe it's been a month already. For the month challenge I lost 12 pounds and the other girl in my office also lost 12 pounds. We aren't sure how the other 3 offices did... but from talking to them they aren't as motivated as we are at this point... guess we;'ll see tomorrow. I think the trophy stays in our office for the next month

[jbroadman]

We started a challenge on 7/28/06 and every two weeks on payday we weigh in and give $2 each; there was 10 the first weigh in and now we are down to 4. Whoever loses the most percentage by 12/15/06 wins the pot, which will be matched by an outside donator (my husband, sshh) Well half way there and I am in the lead at 4.95 percent/10 lbs.

It is coming off in spirts, some weeks I lose a lot and for three weigh ins I only lost one. I have been on and off the 'wagon' and for now I am enjoying the ride.

[Jules]

You know, it really is great to hear so many people really doing these contests. The cupcake trophy sounds cute. My office is college-students so "free food" is ually gold around here. It's hard to not eat everything when it's free. One girl is still making baked goods, and she has totally given up exercise classes with me. One guy is Muslim so he's fasting this Lunar month (they can only eat when the sun is down) -so he's lost 17 lbs this month. The other girl is sickeningly skinny and survives mainly on coke-a-cola and pasta. No competitions around here, but I have you guys atleast.

Loved to hear about it all. I'm thinking I need to get myself one of those fish mentioned in another thread to sit on my desk and remind me to drink more water! Cheers!
~jules

[Widdlecuddles]

Well we brought the PHAT Award (cupcake) back to the Rockford office. Me and my teammate in my office both lost 12 pounds. The closest to us was 5 pounds in another office. So now today we start off at 0 pounds lost again so it is fair to everyone.
the fish award (reminder to drink more water) went to our Madison office and the Dumbbell award LOL (reminder to exercise) went to our Milwaukee office.

It's a fun little competition and after passing around the awards yesterday everyone says they are more motivated today