Weight loss group: rules and ideas
Good rules are short, the same for everyone and reward what is healthy. Here are the basic rules Lossboard scores by, and ideas that keep your group from fizzling out after three weeks.
The basic rules
- Pick a length. 8 weeks is a good frame, anything from 4 to 16 weeks works. Shorter gets rushed, longer drags.
- One fixed weigh-in day. Once a week, in the morning after getting up, on the same scale. That keeps numbers comparable.
- Points, not a pounds race. The ranking uses weekly points, not who loses weight fastest. Whoever sticks with a healthy routine wins.
- Starting weight and height on day one. Everyone weighs in on the first day. Height is only needed for the healthy lower limit and stays private.
- Agree on late entries. Decide how long a missed weigh-in can be added afterwards.
- Keep it honest. If you like, send a photo of the scale display. Among friends that is usually plenty.
How weekly points work
Weekly points = weight (0 to 50) + weighing in on weigh-in day (0 or 20) + steps (0 to 30)
Weight: the healthy corridor
What counts is the change from last week as a percentage of your own weight. The most points go to a steady pace you can keep up, not to the fastest one.
| Change from last week | Weight points |
|---|---|
| gained more than 0.2% | 0 |
| held, within ±0.2% | 20 |
| 0.2 to 0.5% less | 20 to 50, rising |
| 0.5 to 1.5% less | 50 |
| 1.5 to 2.5% less | 50 to 20, falling |
| more than 2.5% less | 20 |
Example: 200 lb last week, 199 lb on weigh-in day. That is 0.5% less, so the full 50 points. Dropping to 195.4 lb in the same week (2.3% less) earns only 26 points.
Weighing in on weigh-in day
20 points for weighing in on weigh-in day. No weigh-in also means no weight points that week.
Steps
6 points for every day you reach your step goal, on up to 5 days a week, so at most 30. The daily goal is 7,000 steps and can differ for each person. In the app, Lossboard can read your steps from Apple Health or Health Connect, otherwise you enter them by hand.
Healthy limits
- Below a BMI of 20, losing more no longer counts: holding your weight (±0.5% a week) earns the full 50 points. Anyone starting below a BMI of 20 plays in hold mode from the start.
- From 15% below your starting weight, hold mode applies too.
- If you lose weight too fast, you see a friendly private note explaining the lower points. With very fast loss (2.5% in a week or 5% in two weeks) you also get places to find support. The group sees none of this.
Overall ranking and ties
Whoever has collected the most weekly points at the end wins. In a tie, whoever weighed in more often is ahead, otherwise you share the place. The points calculator works out one week for the whole group.
Ideas that make every week exciting
Most consistent of the week
Besides the overall ranking, every week whoever earned the most weekly points gets celebrated. Someone in 7th place can do that too, and nobody gives up in week 3.
Buddies
Everyone has the person right ahead of them as a buddy. A small target feels closer than first place: “6 points to Jonas, one more step day does it” motivates more than “40 points to the top”.
Badges and streaks
Small awards for consistency: a week in the corridor, a step streak, three weigh-ins in a row, your best week, a comeback.
Theme weeks
A small side quest for everyone each week: stairs instead of the lift, an evening walk every day, a week without soft drinks, vegetables with every meal. Whoever joins in gets applause from the group.
Team scoring
From about ten people, teams are worth it. The team score is the average weekly points of its members. Great for departments, family branches or friend groups. More in office weight loss group.
Cheering instead of comments
A 🔥 or 💪 after a weigh-in is quicker than a comment and never mean. Lossboard has fixed reactions and a “This week” feed for that.
What to leave out
- Showing other people's weights. Points and percentages are enough for the leaderboard.
- Prizes for whoever loses the most in a week. That invites crash diets.
- Tasks that embarrass anyone.
- Agreements that cost money. Better ideas are in the agreement ideas.
Rules to copy
For your group chat, adjust the date and weigh-in day:
Our weight loss group Start: Monday 5 January, length: 8 weeks Weigh-in: every Monday morning Rules: 1. Every week there are up to 100 points. Whoever has the most at the end wins. 2. Weight: 0.5 to 1.5% less than last week earns the full 50 points, holding 20, faster earns less again, gaining 0. 3. Weighing in on weigh-in day: 20 points. 4. Steps: 6 points for every day with 7,000 steps, on up to 5 days. 5. Most consistent of the week is whoever earns the most weekly points. 6. We only see points and percentages, no weights. Agreement: first place picks the destination for our final day out. Leaderboard: lossboard.app
Prefer a spreadsheet? Get the free template for Excel and Google Sheets.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Lossboard score?
With weekly points: up to 50 for your weight change within the healthy corridor, 20 for weighing in on weigh-in day and 30 for days you reach your step goal. Whoever has the most points at the end wins. Try it in the points calculator.
Why not just rank weight loss percentage?
Because then whoever loses weight fastest wins. That rewards crash diets. With the corridor, a steady pace earns the most points, and weighing in and steps count too.
How long should a weight loss group run?
8 weeks is a good default. With the most consistent of the week and buddies it stays exciting over 12 or 16 weeks too.
How often should you weigh in?
For scoring, once a week on a fixed weigh-in day. If you like, weigh in daily just for yourself, which smooths out swings in your own trend.
How do you stop cheating?
Fixed weigh-in day, same scale, in the morning. Anyone who wants can send a photo of the scale display. Among friends, trust is usually enough.
What happens if someone gains weight?
Then there are no weight points that week. Weighing in and steps still count, and next week everything is open again.
Who wins a tie?
Whoever weighed in more often. If that is equal too, both share the place.
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