'I'll take you on vacation if you quit smoking,' I told Jon a few months ago. An incredibly stressful situation at work lead to him taking up the habit again, much to my chagrin. And I've been doing what I can to get him to quit again, but to no avail. 'Thanks, but I have to do it for myself if it's going to last.' he tells me.

And the infuriating thing about it all? He's completely right. According to recent research, bribing smokers with incentives and prizes if they quit doesn't work, especially in the long run. So what does work? Social support, buddy systems and nicotine replacement therapies all have better success rates.

What made you quit? Or what's kept you from quitting?

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Maybe this is a sign of insurance companies finally starting to come around. Quite honestly, it never really made much sense to me that health care companies will fight you tooth and nail to cover smaller procedures, yet coverage is provided for more severe and complicated surgeries (in many cases, anyway).

But, considering that the far more expensive major surgery could have been avoided in the first place if the smaller and less costly procedures were covered (and therefore taken care of by patients), it seems to only make sense that insurance companies are now beginning to reward healthy lifestyles.

In an article written in in the Los Angeles Times, several businesses were highlighted that are receiving extra "benefits" from their health insurance provider. In addition to their normal insurance coverage, companies such as Ottawa Dental Laboratory employees receive "bucks" -- a point accumulation system wherein said points can be redeemed by employees for merchandise -- for getting in shape, lowering their cholesterol, smoking cessation, or controlling their chronic conditions such as diabetes.

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Buy a bike with a price tag of $1,000 or less in Ontario and you won't pay any tax. No tax on accompanying safety equipment either.

"I trust this will encourage people to take the opportunity to become more active and to lead healthier lives," said Margarett Best, the province's minister of health promotion.

It seems biking incentives are nothing new in Canada. British Columbia has had a program in place since the early 1980s that cuts the tax from purchases of bikes, parts, and accessories. Alberta residents get $300 toward a bike when they retire an old car. And the federal government offers a fitness tax break to parents who enroll their kids in athletic programs.

While tax breaks don't even compare to parental and peer encouragement when it comes to healthy living and while fitness doesn't have to cost a cent -- consider the good old-fashioned walk -- this is certainly an option that may prove inspiring to some.

How about you?

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I wrote the other day about employers offering financial incentives to staff members for losing weight. And while washing dishes Tuesday night after eating an experimental homemade pizza with fat-free cheese -- it was pretty good -- I stumbled upon NBC Nightly News and a commentary about this very weight-loss reward system. It went beyond the discussion of monetary prizes for shedding pounds, though. It addressed the fact that some employers are punishing employees for unhealthy lifestyle choices.

It was like listening to a parenting expert discuss rewarding and punishing kids for poor behavior. I'm always stuck on the topic -- do I go overboard with praise and ignore defiant outbursts so my kids realize only positive behavior gets attention? Or do I punish my kiddos for poor choices so they learn not to repeat them? Like my confusion on this topic, I'm not so sure about the workplace health scenario.

So some employers are raising insurance premiums for the overweight, for those who won't consent to health assessments, and for those who choose to smoke. It's all in an attempt to lower health care costs, minimize absenteeism, and promote wellness. The whole punishment approach seems harsh. It makes sense too. See how I'm wavering?

What do you think?

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The contestants on NBC's The Biggest Loser compete in the ultimate of weight loss challenges hopefully for the sake of overall health and fitness but first and foremost for money. Lots of money. The one who comes out "the biggest loser" at the end of the show takes home $250,000. That's quite a chunk of change. And quite a motivator too.

Money motivates. And employers are starting to capitalize on this fact by paying staff members to slim down. It beats paying medical and absenteeism costs for overweight employees. And it seems to work.

Studies show overweight employees who were compensated for their weight loss efforts lost more weight than those who received no monetary reward. Now it's not clear whether or not participants will keep the weight off or if this strategy will be profitable for companies in the long-term, but financial incentives are surely worth a try. Don't you think?

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