Digitally Fit's Return & The Mobile App That May Keep You On Track in 2012: Gym Pact

Finally, after a seven week hiatus from submitting Blog content, an extremely unproductive (i.e. enjoyable) winter break, and a series of back-and-forth arguments with my conscience (no, I'm not crazy...at least I don't think so...), I have decided to awake Digitally Fit from its offline slumber.  I know you may find it difficult to do so, but please try to contain your excitement - I doubt that the people around you wish to listen to you express your thrill by shrieking, screaming, and "cackling" like a middle-aged school girl.


The Future of Digitally Fit

Have you calmed yourself?  Good.  Because I am no longer bound by the requirements of my previous Digital Advertising course at UNI - Digitally Fit "originates" from a semester-long Social Media assignment/project - a few of my future articles may deviate from a digital marketing "focus" from time to time (If you're reading this, Professor Wilson, consider it my respectful rebellion).  However, you can "bet your bottom dollar" that I will remain committed to discussing and outlining some of the latest trends in the Health and Fitness industry.  Also, although this little gem of a Blog is back up and ready for action, I intend on keeping my posts to somewhat of a minimum - perhaps two or three per month.  Despite what you may think, I do not characterize my plan for relatively infrequent updates as an indication of laziness or a lack of determination; I consider it my desire to finish my final semester as college student with flying colors, as well as my attempt to secure a "big-boy" career following my graduation in May (cough...cough...potential employers...cough).


Now that my little "comeback" introduction has concluded, I invite you to flex your health, fitness, and creative marketing muscles with Digitally Fit! Hint: This is the part where you prove your commitment as a reader by following my Blog - Please direct your attention to the "Join this site" tab located at the right of your screen. 


From Our Previous Encounter...

Although it chronicles all the way back to November of last year (I love the fun of date referencing in January), my previous post documented the use of positive reinforcement - a reward system for behavior modification - as a means towards generating the motivation required for developing and sustaining an exercise regimen.  (Click Here to view).  Via a downloadable mobile application called Nexercise, you not only obtain the ability to monitor your fitness progress, but you also acquire the opportunity to earn redeemable coupons and bonus codes, as well as tangible prizes - all by participating in some sort of (Nexercise-approved) physical activity for at least 15 minutes.  In other words: The more you work out, the more chances you have to win (and improve your health!).

Fitness Motivation Through Punishment?

Although Nexercise and its reward system certainly add a new spark to health motivation, you may recall from Psychology 101 that an individual's behavior can be modified via an alternative mechanism: Punishment.  Specifically, negative punishment, in the case that follows.  In this sense, one undergoes the removal of an otherwise pleasing stimulus upon either performing, or not performing, some sort of action.  If, like me, you found yourself involved in any sort of mischief as a child, you may recall mom and pop "taking away" your favorite toy, revoking your television privileges, or "grounding" you from your beloved video games.  So, how do you successfully apply negative punishment to the concepts of health and fitness - notwithstanding the disastrous outcomes of an unhealthy lifestyle (i.e. decreased energy, degeneration of bone and muscle tissue, worsening of appearance, etc.)?  And, how does said behavior manipulation work to motivate you towards staying committed to your exercise program?  Consider the following: What if, by NOT making that trip to the gym, someone, or something, came along and snagged anywhere from $5 to $50 - per absence - out of your wallet or purse.  Unless you have a "money tree" planted in your backyard (If so, feel free to throw a few seeds my way), you would most likely sideline your excuses and start "working your a$$ off"...and hard, too. 

Such monetary punishment stands as the basic premise of Gym Pact, a Smart Phone application currently available for the iPhone.  Founded in a "Harvard dorm room," Gym Pact possesses a relatively simple operation scheme:

  1.  Download the app from Apple and register at the Gym-Pact website.
  2.  "Set Your Pact:"
     a. Identify the days of the week you plan to exercise (at an actual fitness facility)
     b. Set the monetary stakes (i.e. your punishment) for a missed gym trip ($5-$50)
  3.  Check-in at your facility (and stay there - the app will monitor the duration of your workout)
  4.  Actually exercise (Uh...duh.).
  5.  Let the success commence (and save your money!)

Gym Pact App Logo

To add to its "punishing," yet innovative motivation mechanism, the Gym Pact platform includes a rewards system as well.  Although I would probably do so, the Gym Pact team does not simply pocket the monetary stakes from users' missed gym trips as a form of profit.  Instead, every Sunday, the money received from participants' exercise absences contributes to a pool of funds, which are then re-allocated among the men and women who actually fulfilled their pact.  Basically, you receive one "portion" of the app's "pot" for each completed workout in your exercise schedule.  (For example: 3 days/week = 3 portions).  According to an article on TechCrunch.com - which includes an interview with one of Gym Pact's co-founders, Yifan Zhang - the weekly average for rewards stands at roughly $1.  Although meager, Zhang claims that the bonus cash "is enough to reinforce (emphasis added) that achievement.  The small change can add up."  I certainly hope so; I doubt that most people will take the time to complain about free money.


Analyzing the Gym Pact App
As you have read my commentary here, you have probably considered at least one of the following issues, some of which Gym Pact has addressed; others remain unsolved:

Gym Pact 'Exemption' screen shot

1.  You can't make it to the gym because the flu bug has found its way around your office, and has made a personal visit to your immune system.  Or, similarly, you just so happen to sustain a legitimate injury.  No sweat (literally), the Gym Pact website hosts a downloadable exemption form, that when signed by a physician or employer, will prevent you from breaking your pact due to workout absences.  Although you may feel like a child filling out the form, I suppose it fulfills its purposes simply enough - but I do not know if I would have the gusto to ask my boss to fill it out for me....

2.  You finally decide to bank in on those paid vacation days that you so commendably earned last quarter, and plan a nice week-long getaway at some remote island off of the West Coast (Sure, I'll gladly tag along!).  Because Gym Pact "believes that taking occasional breaks is an important part of a healthy life," you may "freeze" your account during your vacation, and thus prevent the app from snatching fives, tens, and/or even fifties  from your bank account.

3.  Uh oh.  After scrolling the list and checking it twice, you notice that your gym fails to appear in the Gym Pact GPS system.  Obviously, the app does not contain each and every exercise facility in its database, meaning that your local Average Joe's gymnasium might not have a listing.  Luckily, Gym Pact will allow you to add in your favorite workout spot - assuming its not your home or office gym.  


4.  Like any smart fitness enthusiast, you incorporate a myriad of physical activities into your exercise program, which may include running, biking, and/or open-water swimming.  Unfortunately, the Gym Pact app does not currently allow you to contribute such endeavors towards your weekly workout commitment.  Thumbs down, Gym Pact.  (Although understandable, as I have know idea as to how the app could successfully track such activities.)

5.  To verify the duration of your workout, Gym Pact tracks your location at a predetermined time interval.  Doing so requires you to not only leave your Smart Phone turned on while you exercise, but also to allow for the continued use of your device's GPS feature, which can have a disastorous effect on battery life.  Green points for Gym Pact: 0.

6.  What do actual Gym-Pact users think of the app?  Well, based on the three customer reviews submitted to the Apple App Store website (as of today), Gym Pact may be to good to be true - all three reviews included a one star rating, and two of them described fairly significant "bug-related" issues.  However, the mobile software did receive an overall rating of 2.5 stars (from 30 customers) - a relatively low, albeit somewhat acceptable, score after considering the difficulty inherent in tracking gyms and workouts, as well as the app's young age (first version released in 2011).


Despite a few unsavory ratings and operating hurdles, the Gym Pact development team claims that their mobile creation exhibited a 90 percent success rate during a Boston test pilot, which may exemplify the influential nature of both punishment and money on human behavior.  In addition, the app has also been featured in a wide array of online and offline publications, including Tech Crunch (see above), the Freakonomics Blog, NPR, and Boston Globe.  


As always, I think purely intrinsic motivation stands as the key to fitness success, but I will pretty much side with any sort of movement dedicated to promoting increased physical activity; Gym Pact does just that.  And, although the app certainly has a few bugs to sort out before it reaches perfection, it does not cost a single penny to download and/or use - unless, of course, you break your pact.  Consequently, if you know for certain that you have what it takes to remain fully committed to your health-related goals and objectives, I would say give the app a shot.  Who knows, maybe that day will come where you need a little extra push in order to guide you out your front door and to the gym.  If anything, you can at least earn some coin for everyone else's laziness.

Andrew's Advice - Training Tips, Nutrition Notes, and Healthy Habits

Healthy Habit (January 13, 2012):

Start the new year off right: Align yourself with a proper wellness goal

As you well know, the ever-famous "New Year Season" is wrought with vivid resolutions for lifestyle changes and physical appearance improvements - with an explicit (though somewhat misguided) emphasis on the latter.  Men and women flock to the gym, attempt to "clean up" their diets, and begin to snatch up the latest in nutrition supplements.  Despite these noteworthy causes for behavior modification, beautification, and general health advancement, most of them end up in the proverbial trash by Valentine's Day (if they make it through January).  This year, when crafting your wellness goals, do so in a manner that allows you to enjoy success and personal fulfillment.  Here's a few tips to get you started:

Ease up, Muscles

1. Choose a goal that matters to YOU.  Your endeavor to improve your health and/or fitness level should center on your own ambitions and abilities, not someone else's.  Striving to meet the goals of your peers may cause you to lose track of who you are, and may also lead to stress, injury, or even worse - failure.

2. Get others involved.  Although your wellness objectives should focus on personal advancement, having a support system will help you realize success, especially on those "off days."  And, including your friends and family in your health/fitness plans will not only add enjoyment to your new adventure, but may also motivate your loved ones to undertake similar lifestyle changes.

3.  Embrace roadblocks...then overcome them with tenacity.  The road to improved health and fitness is not necessarily a smooth one; bumps, twists, and turns will definitely occur.  With that said, do not let minor obstacles scare you away from achieving your goals.  Instead, use them as a source of fuel to propel you to the finish line.  Trust me, it works.

4.  Finally, stay SMART.  You may remember the SMART Goal from elementary school.  Ideal goals are: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. By crafting your objectives in this manner, you can ensure that they meet the requirements of your current and desired lifestyle, physical capabilities, as well as any outside (i.e. work, school, family, etc.) comittments you may have.  Also, SMART goals will allow you to determine whether or not you have reached your established targets, and how you should evaluate that accomplishment.


Make 2012 Your Year!


Andrew Snyder


What are your goals for 2012?  Have any helpful hints to share?  Leave a comment below, or message me via E-mail (snydeaab@uni.edu), Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn!