A 'graduate' badge for losing weight?

[TheEditor]

We'd like to create a 'graduate' badge for users of the Weightloss community which we've just created. Not sure if the word 'graduate' works in this case. Any thoughts?

[PeaBea Graduate]

How about the "waisters" badge!!! Or the "losers" badge. If I ever managed to lose my extra pounds I would be happy to get a loser against my name. Perhaps I should just stop at this point ....

[TheEditor]

I was thinking of "loser" or "big loser" as well. Worried some people might not see the humour in it and take offence...

[PeaBea Graduate in reply to TheEditor]

I think that in this context the majority of forum members would love to be losers.

[TheEditor in reply to PeaBea]

I guess it's all about context right?

[Hidden]

difficult one, isn't it. Completion Badge?

[TheEditor]

What about "lost it"?

[PeaBea Graduate in reply to TheEditor]

Silly question but have you asked that forum for its views?

[TheEditor in reply to PeaBea]

Yes I have. I'm looking for a range of views.

[TheEditor]

Well, it could be a completion badge but not everyone on the Weightloss community is following the same plan so it's not exactly like Couch to 5K.

[gdeann Graduate]

I kinda like GOAL Badge, for meeting my goal? Very neat idea to offer a badge there as well! I know its a virtual badge, but it really means alot to the people who achieve their goals. I LOVE MY GRAD BADGE!! Gayle

[TheEditor in reply to gdeann]

To be clear, you like 'Goal'? I like it!

[gdeann Graduate in reply to TheEditor]

Yep! I have a GRADUATE badge on this Community and I would love a GOAL badge on the other Community. If I could ever lose these nasty last few pounds that seem to have a special fondness of not leaving me!

[PeaBea Graduate]

Downsized? Downsizer?

[TheEditor in reply to PeaBea]

Not bad PeaBea

[TJFlute]

What about the 'Victus' badge?

Victus is the latin word for loser,(in this case, weight loss) but actually sounds positive, like victorious.

[Norni Graduate]

I likeVictus, well done. Interesting that it men's loser though when it sounds so much like victorious...I never was much good at Latin.

[smiler61 Graduate]

I like "Shredded"

[Hidden in reply to smiler61]

this one really made me laugh, I like it!

[Fingalo Graduate]

I like GOAL. It's simple and obvious.

[morningglory Graduate]

To keep people motivated what about giving people a different badge as they reach a new goal - these could be different colours. For example

if you lose 7 lb to a stone you get a 'LOSER' badge

if you lose a stone to 2 stone you get a 'BIGGER LOSER' badge

if you lose 2 stone to 3 stone you get a 'SUPER LOSER' etc. etc.

WHEN YOU REACH YOUR GOAL WEIGHT YOU GET A 'GOAL ACHIEVED' for some that might be after the loser badge if they only have a smaller amount to lose.

[TheEditor in reply to morningglory]

I'm checking if this site allows for mini-goals 'cos that's a good idea morningglory!

[didntrunthat Graduate]

I like Goal also and the idea of changing the badge as you hit smaller targets - that would be encouraging for people who have larger amounts of weight to loose.

C25K you know you are only waiting a matter of weeks for your badge, but for weight loss goals it's the good part of a year or more.

[GoogleMe Graduate]

I like the idea of multiple goal achieved badges. As didn'trunthat says, it is a longer haul. (Although it could be argued that there's a case for a badge here for people who keep up the running habit)

I need to lose 15kgs + (sadly C25K hasn't done it for me, although too much to expect it to do it by itself) but having looked at the new Weight Loss materials they are not in the same league as NHS C25K. Partly as it is a more complex business but it even tells you not to run because you have to be fit already to run (unless someone has changed that)

[TheEditor in reply to GoogleMe]

Hi GoogleMe,

Thanks for your feedback. You raise some very interesting points here. BTW, where does it say in the Weight loss plan that you shouldn't run? I need to change that!

[TheEditor]

To all of you:

When you read GOAL next to someone's name, what does it suggest?

a) you're working towards your goal

b) you've achieved your goal

c) you scored a goal

(ok, I was joking with the c)!)

[TheEditor]

We all love a bit of humour. So badges like Loser, Shredded, Big loser all sound fun and positive but they can so easily misfire on the internet. Any thoughts?

[TJFlute in reply to TheEditor]

I'm afraid I totally agree, and I wouldn't want a badge saying 'loser' next to my name, even if it is referring to my weight loss. That's why I suggested victus which is more subtle!

My son has suggested 'GOALED' i.e sounding like gold but showing that you've achieved your goal.

[morningglory Graduate]

What about bronze, silver, gold, platinum - could add stars to these if you want to add even more sub levels (say 3 stars before moving to the next level)

[SBG356 Graduate]

How about 2 badges:

The first to say "12 week goal" and the second to say "weight loss goal" as it seems the programme is to get you into a weight loss habit for 12 weeks but you may not have necessarily reached your goal weight at that point and need to keep going; to have another reward to aim for may help.

Or in the same vein you could have "silver" for completing 12 weeks and "gold" for getting to goal weight.

Sue

[Fingalo Graduate]

If multible badges are a problem, what about the same badge but have it a different colour depending on your loss?

[TheEditor in reply to Fingalo]

Not technically possible at the moment, I'm afraid

[TheEditor]

HU have informed me that technically, all we can have is a single 'graduate' style badge. I'll set up a poll this week and see what 'the people' vote for!

[Oldgirl Graduate]

What about BMI Certificate or BMI Diploma

[TheEditor]

That's a good'n

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to TheEditor]

Thank you kind Sir

[TheEditor]

What about "I love my BMI" or "Healthy BMI"

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to TheEditor]

BMI Gold Star, BMI Controlled, BMI Conquest? Oh I'm on a roll now!!!!!!!!!!

[Allev8 in reply to TheEditor]

Really like this one. It's my unhealthy BMI measurement that upsets me the most, and I'm guessing quite a few others are as well.

[SBG356 Graduate]

Is that given at the end of the 12 weeks or only when they have reached a healthy BMI as the two may not necessary go hand in hand, depending on how much weight has to be lost to start with. Its good to have a "badge" at the end of the 12 weeks as a "reward".....

I like "healthy BMI" though.

[TheEditor]

The BMI angle is interesting as it refocuses the weight loss journey on more than just losing weight.

[Fingalo Graduate in reply to TheEditor]

When would you receive this award?

When you complete all the podcasts?

When you achieve your target weight?

When you achieve a certain BMI?

[TheEditor]

To keep things simple, it's going to have to be a badge to reward people for losing weight (whichever way they've done it).

The thinking is that when someone feels they've achieved their target weight loss, they can claim their badge.

[Legion Graduate]

I like the idea of focusing on BMI rather than weight, as two people with a BMI of, say, 30 might be different heights and therefore have different amounts of weight to lose. For one, losing 2 pounds might be of 'equal' significance as it would be for the other to lose 5 pounds, so it would be a shame if their achievement wasn't recognised because we're counting it in pounds lost. Hope that makes sense.

[Legion Graduate in reply to Legion]

To add to this, how about something simple like BMI 25 as the badge, or whatever the healthy standard is considered to be. This would also allow steps, as suggested earlier, should it be technically possibly to do a range of badges: BMI 30, BMI 28 etc.

[bizzyb Graduate]

I think Legions suggestion is really good, its great to have a badge but weight loss is much slower that c to 5 k to achieve and you can get totally demoralized along the way

[TheEditor]

Have you voted in the poll in the weight loss community? So far "i did it!" is getting the nod.

Vote here:

nhsweightloss.healthunlocke...