"Jeff Erb of St. Louis used to weigh 288 pounds. His cholesterol was climbing. He took high-blood-pressure medication and suffered heart palpitations. In January 2007, Erb's company, the online brokerage house Scottrade, launched a Biggest Loser-style contest for its employees.
"I didn't think I would be able to do it," says Erb, who is 26. "I have been big since I was five years old." But motivated by a chance to win extra vacation days and money, he started watching his portions and hit the gym three days a week for 45-minute cardio sessions. A year later, Erb has lost a whopping 114 pounds. His team came in second and he won $250. But more important, that list of medical problems has disappeared."
There are some disclaimers though - this contest probably provided the employee with better team support and structured program to loose weight which had to help. It's interesting how people are taking better care of themselves now, not because they want to stay alive or be sexy, but to save money on healthcare costs.
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