Ctrl+Alt+Slim: Our Developers' Epic Weight Loss Pact - 40kg and counting

At outer/edge we have a culture of fun and accountability. In February (not wanting to be part of the New Year's resolution crowd), David (MD) and I decided it was time to do something about the spare tyres we'd been collecting. After many failed attempts over a number of years to lose weight individually, being accountable and transparent with each other finally helped us move the scales. Between the two of us, we have lost 40kg in 6 months (and counting).

The Pact

We have a very open and honest office where we are willing to discuss anything. David and I were talking about our goals for the year, both personal and business, when we learned we had a mutual goal. We decided our goal was to lose 20kg each by the end of August. I am someone who is motivated more by the "stick" than the "carrot" so I put this out there for our team's thoughts. Our Brand Manager, Beni, immediately jumped in to help motivate by adding some interesting stakes to our pact.

The Stakes

If I fail to reach my goal I am forced to purchase and wear a Newcastle United FC shirt every standup. As a proud Manchester United fan this makes me feel nauseous especially as I still haven't got over that Albert chip back in 1996.

If David fails to reach his goal we found a delightful t-shirt he would have to wear to our standups too.

If, however, we achieve our goal - Beni will give us free rein to design a tattoo for a place of his choosing he has to get. Now that really is a commitment to motivating your teammates!

The Method

We found an app called "Lose It!" where you can set calorie targets based on your goal weights and activity. No real rocket science or anything exciting so far. This app had the added benefit of being able to see exactly what the other person is eating and how they are doing on their weight loss journey. Most people would probably shudder at the thought of sharing this information with their work colleagues (let alone their boss), but everyone at outer/edge is so supportive this made it fun.

How have we done?

I am pleased to report that together we have lost 40kg which is as much as a full water cooler, amazing right?! David has reached his first goal having lost virtually 25kg! Not content with that he has already set a new goal he is working towards. The Newcastle shirt isn't quite safe from me yet but I have lost over 15kg so far with 5kg more to go. Hopefully, I can update this article in 2 months and show you Beni's lovely new tattoo :joy: .

A great company to live with and work for

I have never worked for a company as great as outer/edge. The closest I have experienced is the bands I used to play and perform in. The bonds I have formed, the things I have learnt and the things I have achieved have surpassed what I thought was possible in the world of e-commerce. I know we will continue to achieve great things together as a wonderful and wacky team.