How Jilly's Losers Works...

Anyone who has ever read my blog knows about my weight loss group, Jilly's Losers. It's a competition that I run on Facebook for friends and family where they can become healthy and lose weight and have fun all at the same time.  

Yesterday we finished up season 10.  I can't believe I've done that many!  Time just flies.  This group has literally saved my life.  Since I began the group in 2011, I myself have lost 119.4lbs.  It has been such a blessing to have so many people that have come and gone...influencing my life and motivating me to keep going.  They are such an inspiration and I love that I am able to help others in such a wonderful way.  My life is completely different now than it was before Jilly's Losers and I hope there are other people who can say that same.  Since it's inception, Jilly's Losers has lost 1238lbs and I love watching that number grow more and more every time a season ends!!

Now it's time to start planning for season 11 and I would LOVE to have some new people join us for what will hopefully be the biggest season yet.  So I thought I would post the rules for season 11 here on my blog for those who are curious how it works.  Let me know if you want in and always feel free to ask questions!

1.     Season 11 will begin on Tuesday, March 18, 2014. It will last 8 weeks and our final weigh in will be on Tuesday, May 13.

2.     The buy-in fee this season will be $25. This is a singles season. Fees should be sent via Paypal to Jillyslosers@gmail.com with the note “buyin fee”. All fees must be paid by March 25th.

This season will be a combination of the "biggest loser" format and the "diet bet" format.  Here's how it will work!  Everyone will have 8 weeks to lose 6% of their body weight.  Anyone who reaches this goal will win part of the prize pot.  However, this time around...the person who loses the highest % of their body weight will win the most!  The person with the highest % of weight loss at the end of 8 weeks will win 50% of the prize pot.  Everyone else who reaches 6% will split the remaining 50% of the pot evenly. So there is motivation to beat yourself but to also let others push you even harder!!  

NOTE:  For those of us who are current group members returning for season 11...your starting weight will be handled a bit differently.  There will be a 3lb gain cap between seasons 10 and 11. (Example: If your season 10 final weight was 200lbs and your season 11 starting weight is 207, you will have an official start weight of 203.) This is to discourage anyone from gaining weight in the two weeks between the end of season 10 and the start of season 11.  Both to try and keep us all on track as well as to discourage any binge eating that will make it easier to lose the 6%.

3. Regarding weigh-ins:  We will still have mandatory weekly weigh-ins every Tuesday.  As for strikes...since this is a longer season I will be changing the rule.. I will allow 2 missed weigh-ins per person. That's 1 per month (or 2 in a row). On the 3rd missed weigh-in, you will be disqualified and you will not get your $ refunded. (You may continue to stay in the group and weigh-in but you will not be eligible to win any $) Remember that weigh-ins must be a picture of the # on your scale. Not just a post of your weight.

4. Before and After pictures are MANDATORY. The pictures may be with or without a shirt (you'll notice more of a change if you do it without), but they must be full body pictures. If your before picture is not submitted within the first week of competition, you will be disqualified. (If you submitted an "after" picture for season 10, that will count as your "before" picture for season 11) Those who win prizes at the end of the season will not receive their prize money until their after pictures have been submitted. Winners have 48 hours to claim their prize.

NOTE: Newcomers to this group always worry that their pictures posted in the group will show up for the public to see.  This group is secret.  As long as you are on the group wall BEFORE posting your pictures, no one will see them but those in the group.  Your pictures will show up on your own feed when you view it, but I promise you no one else can see it!)

5. Since this season we are competing against ourselves as well as each other, I will only be posting weekly results instead of overall results.  It's more fun if we don't know who is winning until the end!  I will, however, remind everyone throughout the season...what their goal weight is to reach 6%.  Keep in mind you have to be at or above 6% on the final weigh-in day.  So if you lose it all in the first few weeks, you have to maintain it or keep going!  NOTE:  Just like on dietbet...starting and final weights will be confirmed with a KEY WORD.  This is to ensure that starting and ending pictures are truly taken on the day of the weigh-in and not before.  I will post the KEY WORD in this group the night before the first and last weigh-ins.  It should be written on a piece of paper or notecard and placed at your feet in the front of your scale before taking your picture.

6. We will continue doing weekly challenges. After 10 seasons, I'm sure some of you are getting tired of my ideas.  There is a Season 11 Challenges & Ideas doc where anyone is welcome to post any ideas they might have for a challenge!  However, I will be the only one posting official challenges so as not to confuse everyone.

7. Remember that this group is about gaining health and losing weight through eating right and exercising. Extreme/fad diets are not allowed. Weight Watchers and things like that are fine, but no pills/drops/etc.

8. This group is only for those who will be actively participating in the competition this season, so while I hope everyone will stick around, please know that if you choose not to join us this season, you will be removed from the group. You are always welcome to join us in later seasons :)