Contest & Incentive Ideas

Christmas Basket-The chapter should purchase a decorated Christmas basket.  To join the contest, each member brings in a non-perishable item ($1 - $2) for the Christmas basket.  Suggested items could be candles, bath items, ornaments, etc.  The contest should run for six weeks, ending right before Christmas.  At the end of the contest, one name will be drawn to win the basket.  The more entries you have, the better your chances of winning. Each week, you will have an opportunity for three entries.  You will receive one entry for weighing in.  TOPS who weigh in with a loss or KOPS who weigh in at or below goal get an additional entry.  You can earn a third entry by exercising 60 minutes or more during the week.

Sock Partner Contest- Each member who wishes to participate in the contest brings in a pair of socks.  One sock from each pair gets placed inside a paper lunch bag.  A non-matching sock gets stapled to the outside of each bag.  Each member takes the bag that has one of their socks on the outside and writes their name on the bag.  Do not open the bag.  Each week, record your losses and gains on the bag, and at the end of the contest, calculate your net loss or gain.  All bags will be opened and the person whose sock is inside your bag is your secret partner and you will combine your net losses or gains.  The pair with the greatest loss will be the winners.  The winning team will split all the socks.   (submitted by Donah Smith- TOPS #VT16, Rutland)

Winter Blues- The contest will run 8 weeks.  Each member who chooses to participate brings in a gift (not to exceed $3 or whatever amount the chapter chooses) wrapped in blue.  Members earn points each week as follows:      For TOPS, earn 1 point for a loss, 1/2 point for a turtle, and deduct one point for a gain.      For KOPS, earn 1 point if at or below goal, 1/2 point if above goal but in leeway, and deduct 1 point if out of leeway.      Everyone earns 1 point for staying for the meeting.      Everyone earns 1 point for each day they exercised at least 15 minutes. At the end of the 8 weeks, the person with the most points chooses the first gift, the one with the next highest number chooses the second gift, etc., until all the gifts are gone.

Program Ideas

Create a Healthy Menu- Make a list of various breakfast lunch, dinner, and snack choices that one might eat over the course of a day.  Be sure you have another list that includes the calorie counts for each, but do not show that list.  Using the foods on your list, ask each member to make up a menu for one day's meals, with the goal being to come up with 1200 calories spread out over 3 meals and 1 or 2 snacks.  Once everyone has made up their menus, show the list that includes the calorie counts and ask them to calculate their totals and see how they did.  Give a prize to the member who comes the closest. Fad Diets- Look up some basic information on various "fad" diets that have been popular over the years- grapefruit diet, cabbage soup diet, Atkins or other low-carb, etc. Also include the Exchange Diet.  Write each one on its own index card and put them all in a basket.  Ask members one at a time to choose a card out of the basket and tell the group what diet they have chosen.  After they have given the information from the card, ask for some discussion about the diet.  Hopefully everyone will realize that the only one that makes sense and can easily be followed is the Exchange Diet recommended by TOPS.

Christmas Ornament Contest- Choose the length of time the contest will run.  At the start of the contest, each member is given an ornament to hang on the tree.  TOPS who lose or turtle and KOPS who are at or below goal keep their ornaments on the tree.  If you are a TOPS who gains or a KOPS above goal, your ornament comes off the tree.  At the end of the contest, all those whose ornaments are still on the tree receive a small prize.    (submitted by Donah Smith- TOPS #VT16, Rutland)

Click here to view contest ideas from previous issues of Vermont TOPS Tidbits.