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Fun Way to Lose Weight: Turn Dieting Into an RPG

wired.com — A friend of mine recently slimmed down on Weight Watchers. She joined two months ago, and in just a couple of weeks, she'd shed 10 pounds. She'd been trying for a year to lose weight, but nothing worked -- until now.

Who dugg this? Made popular Aug 11, 2008

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  • dissolutionman, on 08/11/2008, -0/+57I just upped my strength attribute +1 at the gym today.
  • savethejets, on 08/11/2008, -2/+52LEEEROOOY AAATKIIINS!!!!
  • Migito, on 08/11/2008, -0/+49Ironic. Most RPGs make you gain a few pounds if you sit on your raunchy butt long enough to play them all the way through.
  • s0m31john, on 08/11/2008, -1/+50Can I just use the console?

    "setweight[###]"
  • inactive, on 08/11/2008, -0/+46Level 70 is called Anorexia.
  • failedpimp, on 08/11/2008, -0/+37You have just taken major damage from "Chocolate Cake" - 32 hp
  • jocnnor, on 08/11/2008, -0/+37I just increased my reading skill +1 reading your comment. 20,100 more words until my next level...
  • troopa, on 08/11/2008, -0/+30Instead of eating that hot dog, I walked to the library and read a book!
    INT +3
    STR +1
  • doctechnical, on 08/11/2008, -0/+23"Wizard needs food, badly."

    I think it's been done :)
  • phibit, on 08/11/2008, -1/+24Unlimited points cheat: don't enter your food items into the web application.
  • kalpol, on 08/11/2008, -0/+22Yes, it does...you get extra points for exercise.
  • jman583, on 08/11/2008, -4/+25http://xkcd.com/189/
  • Roland1232, on 08/11/2008, -0/+21Really? 1900 calories? For everyone, of all body-types?
  • inactive, on 08/11/2008, -0/+19I put on my robe and wizard hat... For my daily jog.
  • Zenham, on 08/11/2008, -0/+19Ah, you can always do that later.
  • pstroll, on 08/11/2008, -0/+14>"You are standing in an open parking lot west of a fast food restaurant, with Golden Arches."
  • Rivfader, on 08/11/2008, -0/+14Buried. Quit being a finger pointing self righteous *****.
  • tierneyb, on 08/11/2008, -0/+14Totally unexpected humor, that just destroyed me. Biting my lip so customers don't think I have a mental condition.
  • inactive, on 08/11/2008, -0/+13Unless you play so much you don't even eat O_o
  • TechnoRabbit, on 08/11/2008, -0/+13And if you're a skinny short person as myself you might put on some weight. You don't know what you are talking about.
  • shutaro, on 08/11/2008, -0/+13Which, ironically, only makes you look crazier.
  • cheeze_ballz, on 08/11/2008, -0/+13wouldn't walking be +1 to stamina...not strength? unless you were walking up steps / hills I guess...
  • BoneheadFarker, on 08/11/2008, -0/+12@doctechnical

    Weight Watchers doesn't entail throwing small bags of sand at people while yelling "LIGHTNING BOLT!". Though if it did, I bet it would be a lot more effective...
  • zeno60, on 08/11/2008, -0/+12Great... I cheat at RPGs all the time. This will never work...
  • doctechnical, on 08/11/2008, -0/+12ATTACK GOLDEN ARCHERS WITH FIREBALL

    ...oh, wait... damn.
  • inactive, on 08/11/2008, -0/+12That's muscle you're losing, not fat. The only thing you're gaining is a fowl stench.
  • inactive, on 08/11/2008, -1/+11I'm 5'5" and eat about 1000 calories a day. I now know that I need to double that if I want to lose weight. Thanks bg233, I'll let you know how it works out.
  • doctechnical, on 08/11/2008, -1/+11It's *this* close to being a LARP. Therefore I shun it on general principles.

    /goes back to polishing dice
  • philodox1, on 08/11/2008, -0/+10The overall premise of the article is interesting: try to frame as many things as possible as a game.

    Now if only I could find a way to level up my anti-procrastination ability...
  • Tophillious, on 08/11/2008, -1/+11Wanna know a cheat? Go to the hospital and have your stomach stapled!
  • andypop481, on 08/11/2008, -1/+111000 calories a day? are you a european model
  • Harbinger1080, on 08/11/2008, -1/+11Actually... that's pretty interesting. If just losing the weight was enough of a goal for most people, there wouldn't be a need for things like Weight Watchers to begin with. If you give people more short-term goals, it makes sense they'd stay better focused...
  • kdamp, on 08/11/2008, -0/+10LOOK NORTH
  • elfprince13, on 08/11/2008, -1/+10"and eat a 1000 calories a day"
    are your ribs visible yet?
  • AndrewDB, on 08/11/2008, -0/+9You've eaten a grue.
  • FTLJohnson, on 08/11/2008, -0/+9Actually, this is an interesting idea that I'd love to see someone run with... If someone can turn browsing the internet into an RPG, like PMOG - Then I'm sure someone could turn dieting and exercise into a real and actual RPG, possibly with some competitive aspects, and interesting awards. If done intentionally (unlike weight watchers) It could be fairly cool.
  • Devrdander, on 08/11/2008, -0/+9Yes you get activity points, the website has hundreds of exercises, durations, and based on your weight will tell you how many points you've earned. But it has to be exercise outside of routine (like working in a warehouse for 8 hours doesnt count if its your job). However walking, jogging, etc will earn you points.
  • toekneebullard, on 08/11/2008, -0/+9mydailyplate.com is great for exactly that. Free too!
  • Jwoey, on 08/11/2008, -0/+9man... wouldn't it be so nice.

    Scientists. drop what you're doing. work on what s0m said.
  • duckyinc, on 08/11/2008, -0/+8I just got my locally produced armor and defeating level 65 monster "McDonalds"
  • barktwiggs, on 08/11/2008, -0/+8Your options: North, South, and Dennis
  • FnordBob, on 08/11/2008, -0/+7Yes you can, but the console is mis-titled "crystal meth" in the registry.
  • doctechnical, on 08/11/2008, -0/+7"This is a cursed scroll of reading comprehension. As you irrasistbly are complled to rd on teh wrdz apped hh426@#6 6.35,..[--*...."
  • andypop481, on 08/11/2008, -0/+7A small handful of food? You're not a hamster, you're a person. Damn.
  • cam0man, on 08/11/2008, -0/+7you need to talk with a doctor, that isn't healthy. Even diets in the 1000+1500 calorie range might be causing you to gain weight because your body is still being deprived to the point where it thinks it needs to conserve it's food intake by storing it as fat for energy later.

    You also need to realize that more muscle on your body = more calories burned all day long. Anyone with a 800 calorie a day diet obviously isn't gaining or sustaining any muscle, so that sounds like it's your biggest drawback - no muscle mass.

    Pack on the muscle through some weight training and increased diet, this will let you burn more calories at rest and allow you eat actual meals and not petting zoo food pellets.
  • inactive, on 08/11/2008, -0/+7FAT -1 (fatigue)
  • sindex, on 08/11/2008, -0/+6> Throw torch at Golden Arches.
  • doctechnical, on 08/11/2008, -0/+6Yeah, you could question the kids on what they know, and when they've demonstrated they've actually learned something, you could give them "points"... and when you get enough "points" you can "level up"!

    This idea is revolutionary! I shall write my congressman at once!
  • raober, on 08/11/2008, -0/+6Actually, what a lot of people (including myself) have done is gone to the meeting, gotten the materials, and then quit going. The meetings are just rah-rah sessions at best, and like you said, blatant marketing at worst. Actually, you don't even need to go to that first meeting anymore...you can Google for all the info anyway.
  • sladek, on 08/11/2008, -1/+7Rocket Propelled Grenade?
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