The Biggest Loser

The company I work for has decided to sponser a contest for weight loss.

They couldn't have done it in a more tasteless or tacky way. (See the actual wording from the 'invitation' below, in red.)

For the life of me I can't believe anyone would even want to participate! With the way news travels around this joint, I'm certain the list of participants as well as the documented start weights will be circulating before I can bring this post to completion. Plus, are they insane offereing a cash prize for the biggest loser? Please tell me this isn't coming out of our EIG fund.


Before you make your New Year’s resolution, read this . . .

30 billion dollars a year! That’s how much people in the United States alone spend on diet supplements, weight loss fads, gimmicks and miracle workout equipment that ends up in the corner of the garage or your next yard sale.
So why don’t these things work?
It is a human condition that we believe we can get something for nothing.

Example: We join a weight loss program and think the “plan” itself will make it happen. We buy a diet supplement and think that little pill will do all the work. Or we purchase an “Ab or Butt Buster” and believe that it will miraculously slim us down from its dusty location in the closet. So where am I going with this?
In an effort to have a healthier workforce, EIG and HR have teamed up to put together a “Weight Loss Contest” based on a group effort. This type of employee supported contest has proven to have great results at many other companies. Okay, so why should this effort work here and now when all your other attempts to loss weight have failed?


 There is strength in numbers! In this plant-wide effort, you are not alone. That is a big difference in itself. We can support each other by working with a partner or team to give encouragement to each other and share ideas and tips that work. We’ll also know that we are all in the same boat together.
 It is a proven fact that simple diet and exercise does work! That’s right. Eating the right foods and having a simple workout plan (walking for example) will give you the results. (Don’t let the diet industry hear you say that!)
 New Year’s resolutions are based on “emotions” not solid plans. (Ohh . . . I ate too much over the holidays! Jeese I gotta lose weight!) So in early January, everybody starves themselves for two or three weeks and give up.
STRONG MOTIVATORS:
 YOUR HEALTH: Greatly reduce the risk of heart attack, high blood pressure and diabetes. In simple terms, you’ll live longer.
 A NEW YOU: Wouldn’t it be nice to look and feel better. Improve your attitude on life and maybe dust off an old dream.
Guys: A gold “Speedo” bathing suit. Girls: That “Little black dress”
 LAST BUT NOT LEAST: The money $$$$$.
On April 15th, ONE EMPLOYEE will walk out of here with a large cash prize and a new outlook on life for losing the biggest percentage of their weight!


Because I had been completely apalled at the sight of the invitation and how tacky it was altogether, I had emailed our director of operations and expressed my concern. Did our company really want to sponser something like this? And, is this really something we wanted to promote?

His response?

Why, yes of course this was something we wanted to do, it was our goal to make everyone 'healthy'. And, no he wasn't concerned that people should only do such a thing under Dr. supervision because people diet on their own all the time. It was not our 'company concern' if anorexics and bulimics joined in because this was a choice they made, not the 'company'. The cash prize had nothing to do with it.

Because I'm now on the subject of the cash prize.....

He had also mentioned that the cash prize would not be coming from EIG funds. It would be coming from the entrants in the contest.

What the hell?? Paying to be able to compete??

On top of all that, in one breath it was stated this was a contest supported by EIG not by 'the company', in the next it was stated that it would be completely funded by somthing other then EIG.

Which is it now?? Rogue employee groups??

Needless to say, I am non plussed by the entire thing.

Now, I can imagine you would be out there wondering why in the heck would a director of operations support something like this.

Well, here's the reason.

He is also a participant.

It literally boggles my mind.