The GymPact Blog

One-Year Club: John from Austin, TX

I’m the Chief Operating Officer for the Texas Medical Association and, as such, I have a heavy travel schedule.  I love to cook and play golf.  

Why did you start using GymPact?
Finding the motivation to workout whether on the road or in town is always a challenge. I wanted an organized way to set a weekly goal of workouts and then having a constant reminder of where I was relative to that goal during the week.  I liked how it originally drove me to the gym and I couldn’t fool it by simply saying I was working out on my own at home.  With the addition of the RunKeeper functionality, I was able to add long walks to my weekly activities even when I was traveling.

How has GymPact helped you in 2012?
I’ve had an organized and documented workout program for an entire year and have lost 30 lbs.  I am a big guy and I still have quite a ways to go to be considered fit, but I stopped thinking of GymPact as just a weight loss program and more as a structured change in my way of life.  I now make exercise part of my weekly routine.

How did you stick with it for a whole year?
When I started, I was thinking of it as a short-term solution, but it has become part of my life.  I have a workout goal each week and I schedule my activities to allow for that goal to be met.

My pact is $5 per missed workout.  I can certainly afford $5 if I miss a workout, but just the thought of paying $5 for my failure to make time to exercise was just irritating enough to be a motivating factor.  Having earned over $100 in my GymPact account is just a side benefit.  I enjoy watching it grow slowly each week.

What one piece of advice would you give to new GymPact users?
Don’t let your life drive your exercise schedule.  Let your exercise schedule drive your life.

GymPact Country List

Are you an international user? Here is a list of the countries our app works in!

Anguilla

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Australia

Austria

Bahamas

Bahrain

Barbados

Belgium

Bermuda

Botswana

Brazil

Brunei

Canada

Cayman Islands

Chile

Colombia

Costa Rica

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Denmark

Dominica

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Grenada

Hong Kong

Hungary

Iceland

India

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Japan

S Korea

Latvia

Lebanon

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Macau

Malaysia

Malta

Mauritius

Mexico

Montserrat

Netherlands

New Zealand

Norway

Oman

Panama

Philippines

Poland

Portugal

Qatar

Sant Lucia

Saudi Arabia

Seychelles

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

St. Kitts and Nevis

Sweden

Switzerland

Taiwan

Thailand

Trinidad and Tobago

Turkey

UAE

UK

US

Uruguay

Vietnam

Virgin Islands 

GymPact Co-founder @yifanz rocking it @startupchile Demo Day in San Francisco yesterday. 

2nd Week of Countdown to RunKeeper Giveaway!

We had such an awesome response to our first week of giveaways, and we can’t wait to start this one!  Just one more week until the GymPact RunKeeper integration launches.  

To get early access + these prizes which will prep you to walk, run and bike like a pro for GymPact, follow us on Facebook and Twitter and answer each day’s questions.

Today’s question is:

What/who inspires you to run, walk, or cycle?

Common GymPact misconceptions that you can avoid!

Hey GymPact users,

You guys are an awesome bunch, and we want to make the GymPact experience as great as possible!  Here are some of the common misconceptions.  You can avoid them early on, and let us know your ideas on how we can make these concepts clearer!

1. GymPact is already on Android, right?  So I’ll just sign up now!  Sorry Droid-ers, we’re still testing our Android app in private beta.  Sign up for our Android beta list to get the earliest access.  We’re opening it up slowly!
2. I started by workout before midnight on Sunday so I’m all set!  For you late-nighters, please finish your workout before midnight on Sunday to count toward your Pact that week.
3. When I receive rewards, they’re automatically deposited into my Paypal account.  Once you reach $10, you can withdraw your GymPact rewards via Paypal on the app like this.  They’re not automatically deposited each week because Paypal fees would eat up a ton of your earnings!
4. I want to take a break from GymPact, so I’ll just delete my app.  We’re all for flexibility!  But if you want to take a break from your Pact, please let us know by setting your break on your app like this, or deleting your account.  Deleting your app does not automatically delete your account (in fact, we can’t even know if you delete your app or not, with Apple’s privacy policies).
5. My Stakes are $5 so that’s all the money I have on the line.  We have you put Stakes on the line for per day you commit.  This is so that even if you can only make 3 out of your 4 committed days, the incentives push you not to give up!  So if you miss two days at $5 Stakes, you’ll pay $10.
6. I can just check in at home when I do my workouts.  Unfortunately, GPS technology doesn’t let us count home or office workouts.  

For more how-to videos, follow our YouTube channel where we’ll post updates on how to do simple tasks on our GymPact app!

Cheers,

The GymPact Team

GymPact stories: Fit Grandpa

I recently learned my daughter is pregnant and I’ll be a first time grandfather in November. I was always very active when my kids were young and would like to get back into shape so I can also be active with my grandchild.  I’ve tried a number of things in the past but when I heard about GymPact through my son, it was appealing to me because of the accountability.

I’ve lost six pounds in one week using GymPact and watching my calories. I was tired one night and didn’t feel like working out, but I’m competitive with myself and the thought of losing money got me to the gym. I felt great afterward and was glad I went. 

Long-term goals can be overwhelming but setting a series of short-term goals can keep you on track. After just one week of exercise and healthier eating, I can fit into a pair of shorts that I couldn’t quite buckle a week ago.  It’s a start and it motivates me to keep going.

Is there anything specific you’re waiting to spend your earnings on?

I find the money I put on the line each week to be a great motivator. The earnings are a nice perk and maybe I’ll reward myself with some new workout clothes.

Make a list of things you want to do once you achieve your fitness goals and put it somewhere you’ll be sure to look every day. For me it will be playing with my new grandchild.

Want to follow Greg through his fitness journey? Be sure to check out his blog and follow @fitgrandpa on twitter

GymPacter stories: Jesse P. from Connecticut

Jesse went from 227lbs to 195lbs by using GymPact for motivation. We had the chance to chat with this all-star GymPacter about his experience with the app and how it has been working to keep him motivated.

Why did you start using GymPact?
 I started using GymPact after a friend on Instagram posted screenshots from the app and that sparked some interest in me. The concept of the app is brilliant! I myself am highly determined to get the results I’m working toward so it was a win win for me.

How has it been working for you so far?
The app has been working great. I make the pact and a wager against myself and when I come to the end of the week my pact is always completed and with in a few days my cash rewards are updated!

What is your favorite fitness tip?
My favorite tip is “your body will not change instantly - it takes weeks, months, and years of healthy eating, consistent exercise, and motivation to stick with whatever is working to change your health and physique”

Is there anything specific you are waiting to spend your earnings on?
Maybe a new pair of sneakers, whey protein, or  something gym related.

What one piece of advice would you give to other GymPacters to stay motivated? Stay with it - consistency is key! You won’t reach your goals after a couple weeks so don’t give up! The payoff will be great to your body and to your wallet using GymPact.

Thanks to the team over at @buzz60 for making this video. Our favorite part has to be the Heavyweights clips.