Apps That Pay You Cash For Losing Weight

MENDON (CBS) -  Staying on a diet is a struggle, but what would you do it for money? That's the idea behind several apps designed to help give dieters the extra motivation they need to be successful.

It's working for Lilian White of Mendon, who has struggled with her weight since she was in elementary school.

"Back when I was 300 pounds, it was hard to fit on plane seats, movie theater seats hurt," she told WBZ-TV.

Surgery and a healthy diet helped her drop more than 100 pounds ten years ago, but the weight started to pile back on after a recent injury.

"I felt like things were spiraling out of control," she said. That's when she found Healthy Wage, an app that allows you to bet and win on your own weight loss. "Right now I am slated to win over $800 in August," she said.

According to Healthy Wage co-founder, David Roddenberry, money is a powerful motivator. "There is research that shows if you give people a cash incentive, they are three-to-five times more likely to accomplish their weight-loss goals," he said.

You can bet on yourself or join a group. You just punch in how much you want to lose and how much you are willing to bet each month. Weigh-ins are done using your phone.

Lillian has bet $40 a month since February, so with an $800 payout, and a $240 investment, that's a $560 profit.

Lillian just has to keep at her goal weight until August to cash in. "Losing weight is a good motivator anyway, but I think money is even more powerful," she said.

Another app called Achievement syncs to your fitness tracking devices and pays rewards for steps and even a good night of sleep.

Two other options are dietbet.com and Walgreen's rewards program.