GymPact Makes You Pay (Literally) For Not Working Out

Has to be a catch, sounds like free money.

If I ever got charged by this App for failing to go to the Gym, I would cancel my Gym membership, that would save a HUGE amount of cash

Then I would remove the App, saving even more.

Obviously, the biggest problem is that the app has no power over you: People that go to the gym will install it and get rich, people that notice they are getting poorer will just uninstall the app, company can't make money anymore, people that go to the gym don't get paid anymore, whole system fails, world ends.

thinking like a normal person happy with themselves.

people have gym memberships because that want to better themselves, and they get this as extra incentive... it may be 1$ it may be 100 that they put up, but people will lose money every week because of it, and people will get money for being in shape.

I wish I had thought of this. This is a winning app. So many people get gym memberships and then stop going. So many people claim to go work out many times a week but don't even do so.

The devs of this will be making money, I could bet on it.

This will fail. What's to stop me from installing the app and just lying that I went to the gym to collect money?

Remind me to get an application for employment at the Gym... FREE MONEY!

You'd be surprised how lazy people are. Gym's rely on people to sign up for 6 or 12 months and then not go - thats where they make their money. this will be the same principle. I'm sure if you looked at a gym's projected finances, if everyone who vowed they'd go 3 times a week did go for the entirety of their contract then they'd lose money and it would be unbelievably busy.

To me it looks like online poker, but instead of hands you get abs.

theres no catch, im guessing that if only one person DOESNT go to the gym, only (lets say) $1 will be divided between ALL the other that went to the GYM.
If everybody goes, nobody gets anything...

Are people this helpless? Honestly, this is a stupid app and it can even be considered gambling.

If you want to work out, work out because you want to and it's your choice. Working out because you're forced to will not make your workouts any better. Find an activity that you like doing (I like playing hockey), and go join a men's league. Then you'll start wanting to improve your strength and you'll want to hit the gym.

Even not doing conventional workouts and going for a bike ride is great. Just go outside. Go for a walk, anything.

I would get this if I ever went to the gym, but I think they're already a waste of time and money. If this shows to actually neutralize the cost of the gym though getting it asap. Otherwise 90% success rate already means that it's working.

it says that they make 3 percent, that could be a lot of money because it is a known fact that people sign on to gyms and then never (or almost never) go.

Of course, if only those that actually go to the gym sign up on this, then they will be screw and bankrupt very soon.

This is a really cool idea. The main thing with getting in shape is that it is hard to stay motivated and there is no accountability. That is one of the main reasons to hire a personal trainer. Keep you motivated and keep you accountable. This is a great idea to do just that.

Obviously the company has done projections on the cash flow they will get from this app. It sounds like money must be deposited into an account and cannot be withdrawn except after a workout is complete... simply stated, if you don't go to the gym you can not access your deposited cash. Out of shape people always think that they can just buy a better body, and its a huge business. Just look at the vast amount of infomercial fitness products (Ab Rocker, P90X, Insanity, Gazelle, Torso Tiger, 8 minute abs, bowflex, and hundreds more). People buy it, use it for a week , quit, buy something else to achieve the same results. This App is just a creative variation that takes advantage of this never ending cycle.

Money can be a motivator that some people need. Even tho *I* go to the gym semi-regularly, my motivation can vary. Losing a few pounds helps, then you need to avoid celebrating by having tasty treats!

As someone posted, gyms (24hr / LA Fitness / Golds, etc) know that a good percentage of people may end up using the gym 5-10 times and then be done. Hence they charge by the year (they should) as it too is a motivation for that person "I paid for it, I should use it".

For those who want to lose weight, keep in mind of these tips... especially IF you are way out of shape, haven't done anything in years. It may take days or months for your body to show signs of losing weight.. once you start losing weight and you keep it up - it will be constant.

Having starts and stops every few weeks is going to give you crappy results "The weight doesn't come off!". Even I have to keep reminding myself.

I'm 6ft tall, my heaviest weight was 245lbs (10 years ago). It took a few years to get in the mindset to lose the weight and I got down to 225 very slowly... then I did hardwork outs and got down to 175~180 (7 years ago). With work and stuff, I've gotten up to 210, such as this New Year. Which I made my pact to get back down to 180~175lbs.

As of today, I've hit 198.8lbs. (avg about 2.5lbs per week, which is a good amount to lose)

But I had started my work-outs during the fall (hit 217lbs at one point)... I'd workout 1-2 days a week, depending. But doing at least 4-5 times a week at 1-2hr each = 2~4lbs of fatburn, while gaining some muscle too. I'm 3x stronger than last year already.

*I KNOW* I can reach 195, then 190, then 185, etc. Go in steps. don't get discouraged if you miss a few days and gain a pound or so back.

Other tips:
A) Lay off McDonalds, etc... as much as you can. Or get kids meals.
B) Try breakfast cereals for meals... while a bit high in sugars on some, they are healthier than fast food and actually have vitamins.
C) Smaller meals in general. Also, eat greens... like peas, green beans, etc.
D) Stop drinking soda pop as much as possible. Carbonated drinks are bad for your bones anyway. I gotta have my Dr.Pepper... thou. I only buy pop when having a party/guests come over, otherwise - no 2liter bottles or cans in my home. Only when I'm out.
E) Drink lots of water. Also, drink more water. You body needs it, it fills you up too. {Yes, when out having diner, I do order water half the time}

By reducing your junk intake, you can at least stop gaining weight and lose slowly. Combined with working out, then YOU will lose weight. No magic pill or gut-vibration machine is going to do it.

Buy a bicycle, especially if you live near or can drive to a bike path. Its good to get out and get those lungs working... and far less boring than being inside a gym. As weather gets good, I'll ride my bike instead of going to the gym, other than using the weights and pool.

If you don't own a bike, I recommend the $150 Schwinn mountain bike from Walmart. Don't get the $60~100 junk or the $150~250 fancy models with rear suspension (which look COOL, but are designed for looks, but the function is for downhill off-road - bad for work outs on a bike trail) These non-recommended bikes are cheap and will fall apart within months, especially if YOU weigh 250+ lbs!

If you like to bike, then maybe migrate to a $500~800 bike from Trek, Cannondale, etc. My $500 Trek has 4000+ miles on it. But even that $150 Schwinn should last well and worth upgrading the parts that fail.

F) Stop smoking, there are NO health benefits to that. Its a myth about losing weight by smoking. But what may happen is that you eat more as you change one habit for another, so you have to mentally fix that. Go to the gym, eat better, etc.

When you are at a good weight, you look and feel better. More attractive to the ladies too.

I'm in my 40s. The girls I meet, date, dance, party with are in the 21~32yr range. When I'm 175~185lbs, I pass for a 26~30yr old. Considering that the USA is a country of overweight people, I'm already considered thin (I have muscles) and I'm stronger than avg guys (Yes, I arm wrestle in bars/clubs with other drinking folks - and usually win)

So go to the gym, don't get discourage... it takes a while for your body's metabolism to speed up, the younger you are - the easier / and better it is for you to do this, especially over the age of 24 when things start slowing down. I've seen so many of my friends start gaining weight about then (like I did).

Last tip: 24hr Fitness charges about $200+$30 fee per year (typical of gyms) / Monthly = $30~50fee + 1 month deposit + 1st month ($30) is about $100, not worth it.
But if you go to COSTCO, its $200 for TWO years! Thats $8.33 a month.

Good luck!

So what is to stop people from downloading the app and claiming that they went to the gym just to get some cash?

@belardo

They have a gym at Costco? Good tips though.

Does this app have a check system? Like if I have a membership @ 24hour fitness, and I tell the software that I went to the gym at such and such a time, hopefully it would check the data on a 24hour fitness server. But it still wouldn't have any idea how long you were in the gym

I work out at my house for free and in private. Same motivation with very little cost. Anyone that would pay money for not going to the gym is just a moron. They can stay home and put money into a "sware jar" instead for their own failures.

Actually, while some of what you say is true I myself along with a number of other people that I know have used P90X and it is very effective. It is not a quick fix and you are not buying a better body with P90X or Insanity so while you point is well taken you examples are off a bit.

Both P90X and Insanity are routines and come with a nutrition plan that is very well balanced. You work your ass off and P90X with the exception of the dumb bell requirement is almost all calisthenics. Insanity is a boat load of cardio with some calisthenics mixed in. Nothing about these routines are quick fix buy your body type of products. These are 1-1.5 hour workouts 6 days a week + a nutrition plan. I personally lost 20lbs in 2 months so it worked for and made some good gains in strength and endurance. The problem I ran into is trying to do extra with weights and ended up almost tearing my rotator. I was not completely out of shape when I started and you have to take a fit test before starting P90X or Insanity or you will not be able to complete 10 mins of the exercises. They are nothing to sneeze at.

Making Money and going to Gym? There is no relation between them at all. No grounds for this Apps. The developer just got it all wrong.

How about I put $5 in a jar everyday I don't exercise, and take $5 out every day I do exercise.

For many, self-enforced restrictions are pretty easy to cheat.

So basically GymPact makes money off you either way. You lose money and as a result may not be able to pay bills or even buy food. If anyone is dumb enough to use this app then they need to just go back to school and learn basic math. Your already paying money to the gym, why the hell would you pay money to a 3rd party on top of that. Course people are dumb enough to buy fake coins for power up's in games that do not mean anything in the real world so i guess where there is a idiot willing to fork over money for nothing there is someone willing to take it.

How does the app know you go to the gym? If you feel lazy then you just tell it you went and get money. sign up multiple accounts and earn lots of money sitting on your arse doing nothing.

This is how the app will fail.

Oops, I should have been more clear. No, Costco doesn't have a gym.

They SELL a 24hr Fitness GIFT CARD for $200 that is good for two years. So you are saving about 60% over the cost of the basic membership.

dad got that, never used it... i considered doing it... than i keep reading that i have to change my diet and blaa blaa blaa, see my sticking point with these is i have a crappy back and crappy wrists. we have a tred mill, never planed on losing weight with it, but i wanted to see if i could make my self be able to run 1 mile non stop... after 3/10 of a mile, my back hurts to the point i have to stop. with px90, i considered it just to see if i could keep up, but losing weight would be a nice byproduct... however losing the weight... that im told requires a diet change... now i have no interest in getting healthy to live longer, but if there is ever a way to get in shape that doesn't require me to change diet completely, over to crap (px90 is absolute crap to me, and requires way to much fish... one of 3 foods never agree with me taste wise or stomach wise) ill prorably try it out... till than im happily fat.

haha if you are the only one ho goes at 1 point and like 2k users dont youll get a nice suprice the day afther ^^

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