Have real fun,

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NEW YORK, NY (April 16, 2014) - DietBetter, a company pioneering a social approach to weight loss, announced today a free program for health club owners to help their members lose weight. DietBetter hosts “dietbets,” which turn weight loss into a game as members commit to lose four percent of their starting weight in four weeks while betting money on themselves. To keep it motivational for everyone, dietbets are not winner-take-all – everyone who crosses the finish line is a winner and receives an equal share of the pot.

DietBets are free and easy for gyms to use. DietBetter handles the payments, official weigh-ins and customer service; the club just needs to spread the word to its members. DietBetter also supplies referees to remotely verify players’ weights. Health club owners can set up a game in three steps:

1. Create a game at dietbet.com

2. Choose a start date and bet amount

3. Promote it to members (via Facebook, email or as a front desk handout provided by DietBetter)

“The number one reason people join gyms is to lose weight. Combining our social motivation platform with all the fitness experts and group classes available at a club makes for a fun and effective way to help members towards their weight loss goals,” said Matt Daniel, Vice President of Business Development at DietBetter. Matt spent 11 years at Town Sports International, which operates over 150 clubs on the east coast. “We understand the administrative challenges faced by club managers. That's why we made our platform free to use and completely turnkey for clubs.”

“In addition to helping members lose weight, health clubs can increase ancillary revenue by encouraging Dietbet participants to sign up for personal or small group training to help them win their Dietbet. They can also promote their Dietbet as a fun reason to bring prospective or lapsed members into their club,” Matt added. "A Dietbet really extends the member experience beyond the walls of the club.”

Dietbetting and incentivized wellness have exploded in popularity and were highlighted as a top health trend in 2014 by the PSFK Future of Health report. Celebrity trainers, such as Jillian Michaels (NBC’s The Biggest Loser), Chris Powell (ABC’s Extreme Weight Loss), Drew Manning and Cassey Ho (Blogilates), have used DietBetter to successfully motivate their audiences to lose weight. Players lost 16 tons (32,000 pounds) in a DietBet hosted by Chris and Heidi Powell. And, Jillian Michaels just launched the largest dietbet in history with a pot of $272,000.

“We’re always looking for innovative ways to help our members shed pounds and they're always searching for new tools to lose weight,” said Joe Gigantino, owner of Los Gatos Health & Fitness. “DietBetter meets everyone’s needs and our members love it. In our last DietBet, participating members lost a collective 3,000 pounds.”

The game’s approach to behavior modification is rooted in science. Financial incentives have been shown to help people lose weight and keep it off. When participants in a Mayo Clinic study were offered a chance to win $20 a month, 62 percent completed the challenge, dropping an average of nine pounds. Without financial incentives, only 26 percent followed through and lost just two pounds on average.

“Dietbetting is a promising new approach for people who want to lose weight,” said Dr. Tricia Leahey, a professor at Brown Medical School’s Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center. “Putting money on the line boosts commitment and the chances of success.”

Since its launch in January 2013, DietBetter has proven to be successful:

• Ninety-six percent of DietBetters lose weight
• Winners lose an average of nine pounds a month
• DietBetter has paid out $5 million to people who have lost weight on its platform
• DietBetter has helped 100,000 people lose more than 500,000 pounds

For more information on DietBetter or to learn more about hosting a DietBet game, visit www.dietbet.com.

About DietBetter

DietBetter is a social dieting company that is pioneering a whole new way to lose weight. With its DietBet platform, the company brings people together to lose weight as a community. It is working: 96 percent of DietBetters lose weight while winners lose an average of nine pounds a month. The company has paid out over $5 million to winners while helping its players lose over 500,000 pounds. For more information, visit www.dietbet.com.

New York, NY (December 4, 2013) – DietBetter, a company pioneering a new social approach to weight loss, recently released its new game, The Transformer, where players commit to lose ten percent of their starting weight in six months, with money on the line. Just in time for January, The Transformer gives players tangible motivation for sticking to their New Years' resolutions in the form of monthly cash prizes as well as a final jackpot at the end. There are also weekly consistency prizes for players who weigh-in regularly.

“We call this game The Transformer because it's not a quick fix. It's about transforming your life through behavior change,” said Jamie Rosen, the Founder & CEO of DietBetter. “We've had a phenomenal response from our 4-week Kickstarter game but our players were asking us for a more gradual version that could help them reach their long-term weight-loss goals at a more sustainable pace. We're delighted to see that our first Transformer game was our biggest ever, with over $300,000 in the pot."

Financial incentives have been shown to help people lose weight and keep it off. When participants in a recent Mayo Clinic study were offered a chance to win $20 a month, 62 percent completed the challenge, dropping an average of nine pounds. Without financial incentives, only 26 percent followed through, and lost just two pounds on average.

DietBet's initial four-week game, The Kickstarter, has been similarly successful. With over 100,000 players since its launch in January of 2013, over 96 percent have lost weight, with winners dropping over nine pounds a month on average.

“Dietbetting is a promising new approach to the treatment of obesity,” said Dr. Tricia Leahey, a professor at Brown Medical School's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center. “Putting money on the line boosts commitment and increases the chances of weight loss success."

Dr. Leahey presented a study of DietBet at The Obesity Society's annual conference. She evaluated 25,000 participants and found the game successfully led to weight loss results of five percent on average in four weeks. In addition, her study showed that betting higher amounts of money and sharing on Facebook yielded better results.

Dietbetting is a growing phenomenon as consumers increasingly search for new tools to help them lose weight using mobile and web technologies. DietBet offers a convenient form of social support that turns a dull solitary chore into a community sport. By making weight loss collaborative, competitive, and fun, DietBetter has thrived. The company has paid out over $3 million to winners while helping its players lose over 500,000 pounds. For more information on DietBetter or to learn more about joining a DietBet game, visit www.dietbet.com.

About DietBetter

DietBetter is a social dieting company that is pioneering a whole new way to lose weight. With its DietBet platform, the company brings people together to lose weight as a community. It is working: 96 percent of DietBetters lose weight while winners lose an average of nine pounds a month. The company has paid out over $3 million to winners while helping its players lose over 500,000 pounds. For more information, visit www.dietbet.com.

New York, NY (December 21, 2012) – Bestselling author and America’s health and wellness expert, Jillian Michaels, announced today that she is using DietBet, an online social dieting platform, to challenge her fans to lose weight.

Eight million viewers watch Michaels change the lives of overweight contestants on NBC's The Biggest Loser. Millions more get motivation from her books, DVDs, and website. Now, for the first time, Michaels is applying her distinctive brand of weight-loss inspiration to a Dietbet. The Jillian Michaels DietBet will empower people from all over the world to lose weight together through a combination of competition, collaboration, and financial incentives.

“I love motivating people to take control of their lives,” said Michaels. “So I am pumped to see how many people step up and join my Dietbet. This is going to be a blast."

"Dietbetting is a creative new way to use social media to lose weight," she added. "I'm excited to use this platform and am looking forward to leading the largest Dietbet ever.” Throughout the Dietbet, Michaels will be cheering on players and providing tips on nutrition, exercise, and motivation. She will also be giving away signed copies of her books and DVDs.

The rules for The Jillian Michaels DietBet are simple. Players all bet $30 into the pot to begin. Everyone who loses four percent of their starting weight over the course of the four-week game splits the pot equally at the end. Dietbet is not winner-take-all; everyone who reaches the finish line is a winner and receives an equal share of the pot. To validate weight loss, players submit multiple photos of themselves on their scales to DietBet's human referees.

Dietbetting is an increasingly popular way to use social media to lose weight. Every day thousands of people use the platform to get accountability, motivation, and support from the other players. The approach has proven results. Since January, nearly 100,000 people have played and over 90 percent have successfully lost weight, with winners losing over nine pounds a month on average. DietBetter, the company that makes the DietBet app, has paid out over $2 million in cash prizes to winners and has registered a collective weight loss of over 500,000 pounds.

Michaels’ DietBet starts on September 24 and runs through October 21.

“Jillian Michaels is famous for helping people get healthy and lose weight,” said Jamie Rosen, DietBetter’s founder and CEO. “With Jillian Michaels leading the way, this is going to be an unprecedented event in the history of weight loss, not to mention a ton of fun.”

To compete in the Jillian Michaels Dietbet, players 18 years and older can sign up at www.DietBet.com/Jillian.

About DietBetter

DietBetter is a social dieting company that is pioneering a whole new way to lose weight. With its DietBet platform, it brings people together to lose weight as a community instead of the traditional approach of dieting alone. It's working. 96 percent of DietBetters lose weight, with an average of over six pounds in four weeks. DietBet was founded by Jamie Rosen and was officially launched in January 2012. DietBet players come from across the globe – with more than 65 countries. Find DietBet on Facebook and Twitter. A mobile app is also available.

About Empowered Media

Empowered Media, LLC operates the Jillian Michaels wellness brand. Co-founded by Jillian Michaels and her business partner, Giancarlo Chersich, the company operates as life architects whose sole mission is to inspire individuals to empower themselves to seek healthier, active lives. The products marketed are part of the total life solution platform created by the Jillian Michaels philosophy. America's premier health and wellness coach, Michaels is a New York Times best-selling author, entrepreneur and popular television personality. Michaels is also a passionate advocate, fighting to invoke important changes in all aspects of health and wellness. Michaels' newest book, SLIM FOR LIFE: MY INSIDER SECRETS TO SIMPLE, FAST, AND LASTING WEIGHT LOSS is available now wherever books are sold. For more information about Jillian Michaels please visit www.jillianmichaels.com

New York, NY (December 21, 2012) – Personal trainers, dieticians, and even doctors have discovered an effective way to motivate their clients to get in shape: weight loss competitions. Nearly half of all New Year's resolutions are about setting health-related goals* and social-media savvy health/wellness pros looking to help clients achieve these goals – in January and beyond – are turning to DietBet for a boost. This social dieting website and app lets organizers – health/wellness experts and others – host their own Biggest Loser-style competitions for free.

From Fit 2 Fat 2 Fit

Drew Manning, personal trainer and author of the New York Times bestseller, Fit 2 Fat 2 Fit, is now encouraging his fans and followers to participate in a Fit2Fat2Fit DietBet www.dietbet.com/fit2fat2fit to help them shed pounds together. Manning is widely known for purposely gaining and then losing 70 pounds to fully experience the physical and emotional struggles his clients face. His fascinating journey has been documented in his book and via dozens of media outlets – from Good Morning America to The View to CNN. In his latest effort to help clients and fans, he'll host his own DietBet game, starting on 1/7, and will provide guidance and motivation to players throughout the competition. Anyone can join his game.

"Two of the most important principles I preach on my site and in my book are accountability and support. DietBet offers both," said Manning. "Throughout the game players have a built-in support network to share photos and post about accomplishments – and setbacks. There's a team of people watching and you have "skin in the game," so your chances of success are much, much higher."

The rules for a DietBet are simple. Players each bet money into the pot ($50 apiece in the case of the Fit2Fat2Fit game) and everyone who ends up losing four percent of their starting weight splits the pot equally at the end of the four weeks. Unlike The Biggest Loser, DietBet is not winner-take-all; there can be many winners. Of the thousands of people who have played the game to date, 90 percent have lost weight.

YouTube Fitness Guru Embraces Social Dieting

Sarah Dussault (aka "SarahFit"), a personal trainer certified through ACSM and one of Teen Vogue's "Top 5 fitness gurus to follow on YouTube," has been a weight loss and fitness leader on social media, with over 110 million views of her coaching videos. In 2011, she became one of the first celebrity trainers to lead a DietBet. After two games with over $10,000 in prizes in 2012, Sarah is kicking off her biggest DietBet on 1/10 www.dietbet.com/sarahfit.
*according to a recent survey by online broker TD Ameritrade

Fitness Fanatics Team up to Succeed

Additionally, FitFluential, a network of the country's most influential fitness bloggers, is kicking off a DietBet on January 21. The FitFluential Dietbet www.dietbet.com/fitfluential will be hosted by a dozen "Fitfluential Ambassadors," whose expertise and passions range from yoga and running to holistic health coaching. All of the Ambassadors will be available during the game as virtual coaches, giving players tips, recipes, and encouragement.

"If you're determined to lose that excess weight DietBetting offers a whole new way to approach your New Year's resolution. By adding financial incentives, peer support, and professional coaching, you've set yourself up to succeed like never before," said Jamie Rosen, DietBet's CEO. "We're delighted to see so many professionals in the health and wellness community embrace DietBet as a tool to bring together and motivate their clients. With all these personal trainers, registered dieticians, life coaches, and gym owners setting up DietBets among their clients, the results this year are going to be extraordinary."

About DietBet

DietBet is a social dieting company that is pioneering a whole new way to lose weight. It brings people together to lose weight as a community instead of the traditional approach of dieting alone. It's working. 90 percent of DietBetters lose weight, with an average of nearly six pounds in four weeks. DietBet was founded by Jamie Rosen and was launched in January 2012. DietBet players come from across the globe – with more than 45 countries represented thus far. Find DietBet on Facebook and Twitter. A mobile app is also available.

New York, NY (December 21, 2012) – Can social media make you thin? A start-up company in New York is betting that it can. In January of 2012, DietBet, Inc. rolled out a game where participants lose weight together as part of an online competition. After hosting thousands of players, the results paint a picture that people who go about their weight loss collaboratively are far more successful in their quest to get in shape.

Here are some of the company's findings for players in DietBet games:

• Ninety percent lose weight during the four-week social game, averaging 5.4 pounds
• Those who play the game while sharing accomplishments on Facebook are 27% more successful than those who don't
• Players who invite friends to join them are 53% more successful
• Players who engage with other players (by posting comments and photos in the game) are 381% more successful
• Those with fans who cheer them on are 33% more successful
• Players who organize games with 10 or more participants are 52% more successful

There is mounting evidence to suggest that being overweight is a social phenomenon, like a contagious disease, rather than a strictly individual matter. According to Dr. Nicholas Christakis, a professor at Harvard Medical School, your weight is affected by the people around you. "Obesity is contagious," he wrote in his book, Connected. But while your friends make you fat, they can also make you skinny. The social networking forces that drive weight gain can be thrown into reverse.

Brian Stelter, a reporter for The New York Times, famously lost 75 pounds in six months with his so-called Twitter Diet, where he tweeted about everything he ate. The social support became highly motivational, not just for him, but also for his followers, many of whom lost weight with him.

Weight Watchers pioneered what could be called "social dieting" long before Twitter. Jean Nidetch, its founder, started organizing group meetings in 1963 to give people struggling with their weight a chance to offer support and also hold each other accountable. This model has thrived. Today, the company hosts 20,000 meetings weekly.

"At DietBet, we're taking that powerful combination of social accountability and support — and repackaging it in an engaging game that you can play on your computer or smartphone," said Jamie Rosen, DietBet's CEO. "The best part: it's working. Ninety percent lose weight, on average about a pound and a half a week. Plus, it's actually fun."

Unlike other diet programs, which charge subscription fees for their services, DietBet players end up paying each other for the accountability. Players pool their money at the start of each game, which the company holds in escrow. At the end, the money is distributed evenly to whoever reaches the goal (of losing four percent in four weeks). The company supplies referees to validate weight loss.

"Taking your friends' money was certainly enticing," said Samwoo E, who has played in multiple DietBets in his office. "But what ended up being more motivational was the friendly competition among the people in my office. Nobody wanted to be the guy who didn't hit the target."

"Having ongoing support and accountability is hugely beneficial to losing weight," said Dr. Tricia M. Leahey, an assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She is investigating the efficacy of "peer coaching" in treating obesity in a new study.

Could social media end up powering weight loss in the future? Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, sees social media transforming every industry. "We believe social apps will be the best products in every business category. In some categories, it may be an abrupt, disruptive, or revolutionary change, and in others, the change may be more subtle or roll out more slowly over time. [We're] seeing this with media and games, and in the future we expect to see this in commerce and even finance." Perhaps to that he should add weight loss.

About DietBet

DietBet is a social dieting company that is pioneering a whole new way to lose weight. It brings people together to lose weight as a community instead of the traditional approach of dieting alone. It's working. 90 percent of DietBetters lose weight, with an average of nearly six pounds in four weeks. DietBet was founded by Jamie Rosen and was launched in January 2012. DietBet players come from across the globe – with more than 45 countries represented thus far. Find DietBet on Facebook and Twitter. A mobile app is also available.