Why Transformation Contests Work

Why Transformation Contests WorkFrom low-calorie diets in part 4 to transformation contests today – we’re moving right along in my interview with Scott Colby, the abs expert. Read on as I reveal why you should participate in a transformation contest if you really want to lose fat.

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Scott Colby: Now Craig, this morning I wrote on my Facebook page – I was trying to start a little bit of a discussion.

I said a great way to stick to your fitness program – and as we go into a new year and a new decade, a lot of people have that as their goal, something fitness related – I said a great way is to enter a TRANSFORMATION CONTEST, and I listed things like there’s usually a nice prize at the end.  There’s a specific starting and ending point.  There’s usually some sort of program to follow.  And I know you’re big on transformation contests; you’ve done them in the past, and you’re about to start a new one.

Can you just give me your thoughts on WHY TRANSFORMATIONS WORK SO WELL, and maybe a little info about the one that’s about to kick off?

Craig Ballantyne: Yeah.  Well, we’re starting one right now, and you go to transformationcontest.com/rules – or just go to transformationcontest.com, and there’s a link to the rules.  And you’ll see the winners of the past contents, and should be slightly motivating.

Now the weird thing is some people get really excited by these contests for no logical reason.  Some people have said to me in the past, “I wouldn’t have even tried to lose weight if it wasn’t for this contest.  I don’t expect to win, but this contest was the thing that I needed.”big-event

So I don’t know if it’s just the fact that there’s a start and end point that some people need.  Some people need the big event in order to kick them into gear, and if somebody doesn’t have a big event – like no one’s getting married or there’s no vacation – they don’t see any end point.

Maybe that’s too abstract for people if there’s no end point, but you give them this transformation contest, and now there’s a 12-week end point.  And they were frustrated and struggling before, but they wouldn’t have made the change unless the contest was there.  So it’s been a very interesting study in human psychology just to see what people will do, what motivates people.

But the main things that people get out of contests – and you can have one at work, you can have one online with the transformation contest, you can find them in magazines now – they’re all over the place.  And for good reason, because they do get people involved.  They get people MORE RESULTS than they would get if they were just following a 12-week program just to follow a 12-week program.end-point

Because of the END POINT, because of the deadline, it SPURS THEM to action.

Certainly the prizes are important.  We give out some fairly significant cash prizes – $1,000.00 for the winner, 500 for second place, and third place gets 250, and there are men’s and women’s categories.

So there’s something to be said for that, but I don’t think that it’s all about the money.  Certainly I don’t think it’s all about the money.  I think it’s far more important that there’s some type of deadline and end point.

And also with the transformation contest, if you’re doing it at work or at your gym or online, with ours we have the aspect of social support.  There’s other people doing it.  Therefore it fosters a sense of positive community.  Otherwise, if you’re not doing one at work and you’re the only person trying to lose weight at work, the first two weeks of January might be fine, when other people are kind of half-involved in some type of fitness.community

But more people DROP OUT if they’re not in a contest, and then you’re left on your own and you’re doing it yourself.

And then everybody’s going to Pizza Hut and they’re having Super Bowl parties and all this stuff, and you’re the only person trying to keep it going.  So if you institute some type of contest, then that will keep more people involved and it will – on a selfish note for you – keep fewer people getting into that NEGATIVE PEER PRESSURE where hey, you gotta come to lunch with us.  It’s so-and-so’s birthday, we’re having a huge cake and you gotta have a huge piece.

And that type of stuff, which really just brings so many people’s progress down because they have to keep up with all these other people and they don’t wanna say “no”.  And really you should say “no” and be selfish, and there’s nothing wrong with that; but it’s a lot easier when everybody else is on the same page.  So contest in person or contest online – I don’t think it really matters where you do your contest.

I just think that it’s really important to get involved in one.

Scott Colby: Awesome.  And so for yours, Craig, one of the things that you’re supposed to be doing is to follow your Turbulence Training program?TT Adrenaline Workout

Craig Ballantyne: Yeah, and in our program you have to use the Turbulence Training workouts, of course.

Like you mentioned at the start of the call, there’s over 60 different programs now and different levels. There’s women’s, there’s men’s, there’s body weight, there’s beginners, there’s advanced, there’s the hard-core ones, so there’s something for everybody in the system.  And they have to use something.  Of course you can choose the one that suits you best and go from there.TT Beginner Workout

Scott Colby: Very cool.  And you’re running for the week before New Year’s, which is this week, I guess, right?

Craig Ballantyne: Yeah.  We kicked it off on Sunday, so I just found that a lot of people like to get going right away.

I mean our very first one we actually started before Christmas in 2007, and a lot of people still got great results, so that didn’t bother anyone.

And then last year we started it the day after Christmas, and this year we started it two days after Christmas.  And a lot of people are TT KB Kickstart Workoutjust really gun-ho and they don’t wanna wait till January 1st, so that’s why we’re doing so much this week.  And then the last day to enter this contest I believe is January 15th, which is the third Friday in January.

So then everyone has 12 weeks, and so some people finish earlier than others, obviously.  But it gives a lot of people who didn’t hear about it to get started; we don’t wanna put too short of an entry time on it.  And then it’s 12 weeks, and then we finish up in April some time, and then we share the winners with everybody.

Scott Colby: Awesome.  And you’re running a half-price special on the TT this week, correct?

Craig Ballantyne: Yeah, definitely.  Just to get more people involved, give them the resources and tools and everything they need to get involved in the program.

Scott Colby: Cool.  Yeah, so anybody, if you don’t have Turbulence Training yet you can go to www.theabsexpert.com/TT, and then you could pick up Turbulence Training this week at half price.  You gotta order it by Friday, and then Craig had other bonuses in there.  And I’m gonna throw in my own bonus if you grab Turbulence Training this week.  I’ll let you know what it is at the end of the call, so that’s just about 20 more minutes – stick around.  But again, it’s www.theabsexpert.com/TT.  You can grab Turbulence Training this week for half price; that helps kick off the seventh transformation contest.

Alright, so now you know that if you’re looking to lose fat, joining a body transformation contest will increase your chances of getting the results you’re after….but what about if you don’t have a lot of time to workout, what type of workout will get you maximum results in minimum time?  Read part 6 of the interview to find out.