As most of you should know, WayBetter has released a new game called StepBet. I took part in a Beta version of it (and am currently in another), and this is what I think of it...
A bit of background from the BETA6 version:
- 8 weeks
- $50
- 2 rest days per week
- active goal: 10,678 steps
- stretch goal: 14,278 steps
For the most part, I think it's quite motivating. A lot more motivating than DietBet is. There's so many factors into losing weight, that just aren't present in being active. All you have to do is move.
When someone loses a DietBet game, I find it rather bittersweet. It's cool that I made a profit (if I made it too), but I had to profit off someone not reaching their weight loss goal. As a person who has been around the weight loss track a few thousand times it seems, I can relate to the frustration of not getting there. Any amount of weight lost is good in my books. You don't always reach the game/round goal, but don't give up. Yes you didn't win and it might feel like a waste of money, but it's an investment into your health, and that's what matters most.
When someone loses a StepBet game, I have zero sympathy for them -- in most cases. If you break your leg and are unable to walk, I feel sad because that's just bad luck. But if someone simply didn't walk enough or felt lazy one day, that's your own doing. You can control that. You can say "I'm going to go for a walk right now!". You know your life and how busy you are. You know what your schedule is like. You're told your steps before you even pay and if you think it sounds like too much that you just can't reach, don't join! But, if you want to push yourself and find small ways to add steps to your day, do it. Join and get more active.
I have fairly low numbers from what I've seen of other people. And I think mine should be higher. When I joined StepBet, I was just coming off of winter. I'm not as active in the winter time as I am in the summer. I live in Canada. It's cold. It's icy. It's not fun at all. As soon as the snow melts and I can go outside in a sweater and running shoes, I am out that door and not looking back for over an hour.
In a week, I average about 17,000 steps. My highest number was over 30,000 steps. But I aim for over 15,000 per day, with no rest days really. And on my "rest" days, I average about 8,000 - 11,000 steps. I like to walk. I like to move. I hate just sitting around.
If you're someone like me and you're always on the go and love to push yourself to see just how far you can go - do it. Join StepBet. Push yourself. You'll be happy you did. :)