Charles Barkley Challenged by Weight Loss Wagering Company Amid Gaffe: 'Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is!'

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Jan 23, 2012) - Amid the fallout from Charles Barkley's recent blunder revealing his Weight Watchers® spokesperson gig to be a "scam" on an accidental open mike during a TNT telecast earlier this month, the NBA Hall of Famer turned diet devotee is being offered a unique chance to redeem his image among Americans -- particularly the millions struggling with obesity and overweight issues -- who found his remarks distasteful at best. To help Barkley offset this weighty "whoops" in our nation's collective hearts and minds, HealthyWage™ (www.HealthyWage.com), the only company that pays Americans to lose weight regardless of which diet and/or fitness program they choose to follow (Weight Watchers®, Jenny Craig®, Nutrisystem®, Atkins®, or any other formal or informal diet/fitness regimen), today issued an open invitation to Barkley to take on its "10% Challenge" that would uniquely allow Barkley to bet on his weight loss and, if successful, double his money -- with winnings to be donated to a charitable cause of his choice. HealthyWage concurrently executed a call to action for the social mediasphere to weigh in and encourage Barkley's acceptance of this challenge via their own Twitter®, Facebook®, YouTube®, Blog, Weblog and other social media networks and channels as well as those specific to Barkley: @BarkleyonTNT, @Charlesbarkl3y, www.tinyurl.com/FBBarkley1, and www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dCacR-_0ng&feature=relmfu among others.

Barkley bragged into a hot mic, "I thought this was the greatest scam going -- getting paid to watch sports. This Weight Watchers® thing is a bigger scam," The New York Times quoted him as saying to on-air colleagues Reggie Miller and Kevin Harlan. Barkley's "official" mea culpa statement on the matter further asserted, "The fact that I'm dropping pounds, getting healthier and getting paid at the same time, is my definition of a great scam. The only problem is I'm going to have to use some of the money to buy a new wardrobe."

Specifically and simply, HealthyWage's "10% Challenge" would allow Barkley to "bet" -- and profit -- on shedding his unwanted pounds. General program participants throughout the U.S. pay $100 for an opportunity to double their money and earn $200 for losing just 10% of their starting body weight within 6-months. However, given his good financial fortune as a diet spokesperson and high likelihood of his lucrative contract-driven weight loss success, Barkley will have a unique opportunity to raise the stakes and wager far more than this $100 benchmark should he be confident enough in the outcome to do so. Of course, Barkley can stick with the $100 benchmark for the chance to "double down" for the $200 payoff if he so chooses. Barkley would be urged to donate, at a minimum, the proceeds of his weight loss wager to whatever charity he desires versus his own slick wardrobe wear, with HealthyWage optimistic it would be one benefitting a nutrition or fitness-related cause. Fashion need not apply.

"We sincerely hope Barkley will accept the 10% Challenge and show the men he's being paid to inspire as a spokesperson that he's so confident in his weight loss endeavor he's willing to put his money where his mouth is and bet on his own success -- and generous enough to share the ensuing wealth with a worthy cause," said HealthyWage co-founder David Roddenberry. "Come on, Barkley, ante up like a man!"

Should Barkley prefer a different "Dream Team" approach, HealthyWage also offers "Matchup" competitions -- team weight-loss contests that reward three top-performing teams with a total of $18,000 in cash prizes. Throughout each Matchup teams of 5 compete for the greatest percentage of weight lost over a 3-month period. Each participant pays a $60 registration fee and weighs in at the beginning and end of the contest at a local health club. The rules discourage unhealthful tactics by limiting the 12-week weight loss to 16.6 percent of body weight.

Those interested in learning more about HealthyWage may do so online at www.HealthyWage.com.

About HealthyWage™
Health and wellness purveyor HealthyWage provides cash incentives, social and expert-based support, tools and resources, and goal-setting and tracking technologies to address our nation's obesity epidemic and improve America's collective health. The company was founded in response to academic research that proves even small cash rewards triple the effectiveness of weight-loss programs; that people are more effective at losing weight when their own money is at risk; and that social networks play a large role in the spread of obesity, and will likely play a large role in reversing obesity. Learn more online at www.HealthyWage.com. Cash prizes are generated from contest registration fees.

Note to Editors: Individual and corporate contestants, health club participants (weigh-in locations), and/or a HealthyWage company executive available for interview.