Blogging Weight Loss Challenge: Cruz vs Volk
April 10, 2009 Posted by Tyler CruzSome of you may ask what the hell this has to do with making money online or being an internet entrepreneur. Well, it’s simple: making money isn’t much use if you’re dead. While I’m not morbidly obese, I could sure lose a few pounds. But if you are, then it’s time to make a difference. You can start by doing some research such as learning the Amputation Prevention option.
When you work from home sitting at your computer, it’s amazing how the pounds can tack on over the years. I’m not the only one with this problem. In fact, pretty much every internet entrepreneur I know has put on extra weight.
I love games and competition, so I figured: why not make losing weight a competition? Better yet, why not make it public and put money on the table? Once I found a willing participant to compete against me, the Blogging Weight Loss Challenge was born.
The Challenge
The challenge is between the $300,000/month super affiliate Jonathan Volk and me. We each must lose 10 pounds within 10 weeks, by June 18th, 2009.
The weight loss will be weighed on June 18th, 2009. If it is lost earlier, that does not declare a win; it must stay off on June 18th, 2009.
The $500 Penalty
Each person who does not make the 10 pound loss (even if it is by half a pound) by June 18th, 2009 will have to pay $500 to bloggers who predicted that they would lose (see the Bloggers Challenge section below for more details).
If both Jonathan and I make the goal, no penalty is paid out. If neither of us make it, then we will each have to pay out $500!
Bloggers Challenge: Win an Easy $100
To let other bloggers participate in this challenge, we’re giving 10 bloggers a chance of winning $100 each. Here’s how it works:
- Write a blog post about this challenge, linking to BOTH of our blogs. Your blog must be “make money online” or affiliate marketing related and your post can not be copy/pasted from either of our posts.
- In your post, predict who you think might lose the challenge. You can only choose one person.
- If that person ends up losing the challenge, you will be put into a draw to win 1 of 5 $100 prizes that the loser will be forced to pay. For example: if you write a blog post predicting that Tyler will lose the challenge, and Tyler ends up losing the challenge, then you will be put into a draw with all the other bloggers who predicted that Tyler would lose and a random draw for 5 of those bloggers will win $100 each.
- Once the post is up, you must leave a comment on whichever blog you predicted wouldn’t make the goal with the URL of your post or you won’t be eligible.
Notes:
- The post must be published no later than May 10th, 2009 (to prevent people from “predicting” a loser a few days before the challenge ends).
- If both Tyler and Jonathan make the goal, no prizes are given out. It is only if one of us fails. On the other hand, if we both fail, then we’ll be giving out a total of $1,000.
- If there are not 5 entries, then the $500 will be broken down (ex. if only 2 entries, each person would win $250).
Challenge Rules
Both Jonathan and I have agreed to the following rules for this challenge:
- We each must make an official post announcing the challenge with an overview, the rules, etc. In this post we must each post a current “before” photo of ourselves (preferably a front and side portrait). We must also post a short video clip of ourselves getting on the scale to prove our current weight at the beginning of the challenge.
- Similarly, at the end of the competition on June 18th, 2009, we must again post current photos and a video of getting on the scale.
- Preferably about once every week or 10 days or so, we must each make a post updating the status of the competition (current weight, things we’re doing to lose the weight, etc.) Photos and or videos here are not mandatory but would be nice.
- No weight loss pills, supplements, colon cleansers (haha), starving of oneself, etc. of any kind. Must be all natural old fashioned weight loss.
Let it Begin!
Here is my official starting weigh-in video:
I weighed in at just over 206 pounds, but since my average is 205, my goal for this challenge is 195 (10 pounds). That works out to an average of a pound a week for 10 weeks:
Let the humility begin! Jonathan Volk’s post should be up soon.
Speaking of plagiarism, Tyler, I sent you an e-mail about 3 months ago suggesting you do this exact thing! What a hypocrit!
Yes, you e-mailed me:
“It has been a pleasure reading your blog and following you on SitePoint before
that. I’m writing to you today because I have a free opportunity for you that I
believe could benefit both of us enormously.
I would like to offer you FREE online personal training in exchange for a
mention on your blog…”
To which I replied:
“Hi Dave,
Thanks for the offer but I will have to decline. I was actually thinking of running a weight-loss competition like you mentioned though. I know that Shoemoney is trying to lose weight and can think of a few others as well.”
You didn’t respond.
I am exaggerating about actually considering this plagiarism since weight loss contests have been around a long time (just like affiliate contests, eh?). However, you would have been wise to actually partner with a personal trainer on this as I see no credibility in two overweight guys trying to lose weight with no strategy in place. I will be the first to give you props if it actually does happen, but more than likely this is another link-bait contest that you’ll say you “didn’t have time for.”
Dave, Hes trying to lose 10 pounds…. totally do-able on his own. Now if he was trying to look like one of those MMA guys, or wwe guys, then yeah.. he would need some professional help.
I believe in Tyler, he can do it!
Of course it’s do-able. It’s absurdly easy. It should be 20 pounds. Plus, he’s weighing himself and for all we know he ate a whole pizza and drank a gallon of water before he weighed in. He could “lose” 10 pounds without actually making any real progress. If Tyler ran for office, I guess he’d count the votes himself.
10 pounds in 10 weeks? Totally do-able. And huge props for picking a realistic, sustainable number.
Just to give you an idea, I weighed 206.8 pounds on 12/29/08 and set a goal of losing 1 pound per week until I get down to 165. 10 weeks after starting was March 9th, I was at 191 that day. You can definitely do it. Good luck man.
Good luck Tyler. I am considering making a post 🙂
Go get em Tyler! And you should totally make a video with the Rocky Theme when you succeed in this challenge =D
Hope you win Tyler! great challenge between you & John!
Wow.. Amazing contest. Good luck Tyler. I know you can do it. 😀
Interesting challenge! Good luck to all!
Make sure you are wearing the same clothes when you are on the end of the contest
10 pounds in 10 weeks is really little to be honest. Everyone with so half way motivation can do that, and with you two having a few pounds too much it’s even easier as you tend to lose a lot at the start.
So, when is the baby due? haha
Seriously though, good luck man. My highest weight was around 200 lbs a few years ago, but I sit at a lean 145 lbs today. I’m solid. 🙂
I’m having twins!
[…] Remember, all you need to do is blog about my Weight Loss Challenge with Jonathan Volk and predict who you think might not make the challenge to be eligible to win a possible $100. Full details can be found on the original post. […]
I have a secret weight loss diet plan that only involves 3 days of a certain eating plan with NO exercise at all. Of course if you exercise with it, you will surely lose all the weight and more, which will help you defeat Jon 😉
e-mail me
-Mike
[…] through my 1,000+ unread RSS feeds, I found today that Tyler Cruz is also participating in an affiliate/blogging weight loss challenge, similar to mine and Shawn Collins’ Affiliate Fatblogging Challenge. However, with […]
Great contest, Tyler. I know both of you will meet the goal and both will try hard to win.
However, a winner must be chosen and as I stated in my post at http://therealtimjones.com/2009/04/14/affiliate-fatblogging-other-challenges/ I think Jonathan will win, but not without a fight from you.
Good luck to you both!
Haha no worries.
Good luck on your own weight challenge too!
Are you really such a pathetic “internet entrepreneur” that you have to resort to posting weight loss challenges? Here’s an idea, post something fucking USEFUL and you may start getting some decent input. A weight loss challenge? You must be a retard and same to Volk.
His name doesn’t fit him. Haha! Goodluck Tyler.
[…] Remember, all you need to do is blog about my Weight Loss Challenge with Jonathan Volk and predict who you think might not make the challenge to be eligible to win a possible $100. Full details can be found on the original post. […]
[…] Remember, all you need to do is blog about my Weight Loss Challenge with Jonathan Volk and predict who you think might not make the challenge to be eligible to win a possible $100. Full details can be found on the original post. […]
10 pounds in 10 weeks, where’s the challenge in that? 😛 Looks like you guys won’t be paying off anyone with this competition… but good strategy!
And don’t worry, I’ll probably write a post about it anyways because its more about being healthy rather than just lose 10 pounds for a competition, you know?
Jay
[…] who do you think will win? Check out Tyler’s Post or Jonathan’s post to show your […]
Oh, and for the record, I just posted and voted and left my URL on Jonathan’s blog because I think he will lose… though, you should read my post as well for a reasonable explanation on why you have my support!
http://www.datmoney.com/2009/04/working-as-an-online-entrepreneur-weight-gain.html
Good luck in general!
Jay
Haha yay! Somebody voted against Jonathan! If nobody else does and he ends up losing, that’s an easy $500 in your pocket 🙂
[…] 14 April 23, 2009 Posted by Tyler Cruz Paid Advertisement It’s hard to believe that my Blogging Weight Loss Challenge: Cruz vs Volk has already hit its 2 week mark. That’s 2 weeks down and 8 more to go, or 56 […]
[…] hard to believe that my Blogging Weight Loss Challenge: Cruz vs Volk has already hit its 2 week mark. That’s 2 weeks down and 8 more to go, or 56 […]
I am a reader a volks blog also.
Best of luck to both of you.
[…] my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!Super Affiliate, Jonathan Volk, is going against popular blogger, Tyler Cruz, in a weight loss contest. The goal for both of them is to lose 10 pounds within 60 days. […]
too bad I don’t have make money online blog, or else I will blog about it.
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[…] 2009 Posted by Tyler Cruz Paid Advertisement Another week has passed which means that the Blogging Weight Loss Challenge: Cruz vs Volk has already hit its 3 week mark. That’s 3 weeks down and 7 more to go, or 46 days to be […]
[…] 2009 Posted by Tyler Cruz Paid Advertisement It has now been a month since I started my Blogging Weight Loss Challenge: Cruz vs Volk. That’s 29 days down and 6 more weeks to go, or 41 days to be […]
Interesting challenge losing 10 pounds is very easy. You should of set the challenge of losing a set body fat percentage of lets say 5%.
I find losing weight extremely easy it lowering your body fat percentage that is the hard part. Good luck with the challenge boys not that you are going to need it.
I agree with most that 10 pounds is fairly easy to do. I’m down 5 pounds in 5 days just by giving up beer and foods with flavor.
[…] couple of bloggers like Jon Volk, Tyler Cruz and James Seligman are blogging about weight loss, so I figured I post one too. […]
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[…] last post before the final weigh-in as it we are now only 24 hours away from the conclusion of the Blogging Weight Loss Challenge: Cruz vs Volk. I can’t believe it has been 2 and-a-half months already… it’s scary […]
[…] you have not been following me for long, I have been doing a Weight Loss Challenge with Tyler Cruz. I was actually a bit depressed when I had originally weighed myself back in April […]
[…] you’ve been to Tyler’s site lately, you’ll see that he’s involved in a weight-loss challenge with Jonathan Volk. As a former fitness fanatic, I was thrilled to see these guys trying to better themselves, and […]
[…] Conclusion June 21, 2009 Posted by Tyler Cruz Paid Advertisement Three days ago, my Blogging Weight Loss Challenge against Jonathan Volk finally came to a conclusion. While it ran for a full 10 weeks, the time sped […]
You have come a long way since the start of this competition. I think it was great that you guys made the weight loss into a competition… where both cash and pride were at stake. It was also great that you guys went the natural route.. no Atkins etc none of that Hollywood weight loss drink.. etc. The natural route is healthiest!
-Randy
Even though this is over, I really enjoyed the before pictures! And the amusing first comment by the idiot who tried to sell you personal training and then called you a hypocrite… that was totally worth the read.
Look forward to waiting for another contest from you in the future.
-Andreas Lee
did he win? i hope to get in a contest also..
And the amusing first comment by the idiot who tried to sell you personal training and then called you a hypocrite… that was totally worth the read.