Tuesday, December 22, 2015


How to get PAID to lose weight!

By Jon R. Johnson

For years, I’ve battled my weight, but staring diabetes in the face at 46 years old, I was scared and angry, and I knew something had to change.  It was time to get serious.  Additionally, my cholesterol was high.  I was 5’8” and weighed 251lbs – I wasn’t big boned or stout… I was fat.  You could just have called me… the marsh mellow man!

My glucose level was 129 (normal is 70-99 mg/dl.), and my three month A1C score was 6.5 (Pre-diabetic is 5.7 – 6.4).  I knew I had to do something… quick!  I had to cut carbs. 

So, the first thing I did was to stop drinking beer and soda for 2 months.

Don’t Pay… Get Paid

How do you get paid to work-out?  The Answer: officiate a sport you love!

You know, people pay out the nose to workout.  I mean… today… it has a fancy name… Cross-Fit.  But back in my day… we just called it… Cross Training.  We played basketball, biked, worked-out with weights (We didn’t do yoga as it wasn’t as hip back then).

Besides, I was tired of paying the YMCA for years for a gym membership that I seldom used and that wasn’t doing me any good.  And when my dues went up $50.00 a month… I was like… you know, I’ve had it!  So, I cancelled my membership.

I thought it would be so much better to get PAID to sweat and have fun, too.  I mean… I don’t do it for the money, but it is nice to have.  I call it… chump change!

I had played basketball, and absolutely loved the game, but I was no longer in it, and I wanted to be.  So, I went back to my first love.   And I attended Westside Referee Clinic (a local basketball clinic held for officials) in my local area. 

It did cost me a nominal $120.00 dollars to go to a four (4) night basketball camp in the evenings after work, but in return they gave me the opportunity to earn my money back and then some by working basketball games for them on the weekends.  And, they paid me in cash to boot! 

Besides, officials are a brotherhood.  We get to know each other when we “Call” with one another and learn each other’s styles.  We support each other and help one another become better at our craft.  We talk about situations we encounter and how we could handle the situation better next time.  Many of us become friends over time, and we also develop relationships with many of the coaches, too. 

Nowadays, I’m one of the more of a senior official helping the younger officials learn the craft.  And I now see what others were teaching me… back in the day. 

No minimum wage job!

You say… Well, how much can I make?  Good question!  In basketball, you can make anywhere from $35.00 to $75.00 per game, and I like to run two (2) games, so I get in a couple of hours of cardio and I make anywhere from $70 to $90 dollars that night while running approximately 4 miles. 

I also officiate in Varsity tournament games and those pay $55.00 dollars plus $15.00 for mileage, so if I do two in a night I make $125.00 dollars.  Not bad for a part-time gig, and it beats working retail for $8.00/hr. 

But if you want to know what the really good news is… it’s that basketball is the lowest paying sport out there, so if you like to do baseball, football, volleyball, soccer or la cross, you can make even more money. 

La cross pays upwards of $100.00 per game, and they need officials badly!  Soccer is also in desperate need, and they pay well - in the neighborhood of $70/game I have heard.  The good thing about soccer is that it’s played year around, so you can make good money year round, if you want to, and run for fun!

So, maybe you are like me… you played sports when you were younger, but you are “No longer in the game.”  Well, you can be!  You’re never too old to find your fire, again… and better yet… you get paid to do it!  And you might even have fun and make a few friends, too.

Couch Potato… No Mas!

Whatever your sport, I encourage you to move… 

I hate to jog.   I mean… I might think about jogging.  But run a mile… yeah, right!  But when you put me on the court, and I’ll run up and down the floor. 

So… don’t pay to workout.  Officiate… and get PAID!

It’ll improve your health, help you lose weight and fatten your wallet all at the same time.

So, get moving!  And maybe… I’ll see you on the court!

About the Author,
Jon is a copywriter, a basketball official, a former teacher and a former professional couch potato who loves to teach people how to save and ($) make money and be fit, too.  He believes that sometimes we all just needs a push.  jjohnsoncopywriting@gmail.com