Missy Murphy and 23 other teachers and spouses from Edgren High School at Misawa Air Base are hoping to win — or rather lose — enough to claim a weekly $31 prize or, better still, a $378 final team prize in a few weeks.

“Money is a big motivator,” she said.

Three weeks ago, Murphy launched a weight-loss competition modeled on the popular NBC show “The Biggest Loser.”

In groups of three, the 24 participants will have six weeks to lose the greatest percentage of weight to claim the prize. Of course, everyone can win, in a way, just by participating.

“The whole idea was to help us all maybe lose a little weight. It’s been a fun thing we can do together,” Murphy said. “Especially in Misawa where winters are really long. We needed that last little incentive.”

Across the Pacific, groups are forming their own Biggest Loser competitions. Sasebo Naval Base is in the midst of its competition, and the Ship Repair Facility at Yokosuka Naval Base recently wrapped one up — helping winner (or loser) Lt. Chad Tidd drop 27 pounds and 6.3 percent of his body fat.

Unlike simple dieting and solo trips to the gym, the loser competitions offer participants the motivations of a chance to win something, a bit of healthy competition and in some cases a team to support. The competitions also involve periodic evaluations and consultation with health and fitness professionals.

The Edgren group’s participants each pitched in $30 to cover small weekly prizes for each week’s top-losing man and woman in addition to the grand sum earned at the end.

“It keeps everyone motivated,” Murphy said. “Everybody gets a little pat on the back” each week.

Halfway through the competition, the group collectively has lost 125 pounds, she said.

Also at Misawa, the 35th Services Squadron is offering $2,000 for the top-losing team in its program, and a $500 voucher for local tours for the top individual — participants can opt to work with a team or alone in the program.

“We’re really putting in the bucks on this one,” said Ellen J. Smith, Services marketing director.

“Sometimes you just need that carrot dangled in front of you,” she said. “I think $2,000 is a pretty good carrot.”

As an added enticement, Tae Bo creator and motivational speaker Billy Blanks will lead off the competition April 4 with workouts and a seminar. His brother is the command master chief for the Navy command in Misawa.

By wearing a special “Biggest Loser” bandana, participants can drop in on fitness classes for free throughout the competition, which ends in time for Memorial Day. The event coincides with a base healthy heart program that features healthy meals at the dining facility, cooking classes and nutrition information, Smith said.

The Navy command stationed at Misawa launched another Biggest Loser program on the base: a 13-week competition in February, in part to prepare sailors for their next physical fitness test. And teachers at Sollars Elementary School two months ago launched a “Biggest Losers, Best Maintainers” program.

Local organizers say their competitions are focused less on losing weight than on healthier living.

Yokosuka’s SRF competition was based on body fat percentage lost. Sailors and their families from the command each paid $40 to enter, which went to the command’s MWR fund, and participants earned prizes for their losses. Organizer Lt. Jason Deutsch, a competitive cyclist and sports enthusiast, challenged participants with new activities including yoga, stairwell races and even hopscotch, he said. It was so successful he plans to organize future competitions.

The competition under way at Sasebo Naval Base also measures loss of body fat instead of loss of weight.

“It’s healthier,” said Raquel Cruz, fitness assistant at Sasebo’s Fleet Fitness Center. “Anyone can lose weight by not eating. We focus on nutrition.”

Eleven people are participating in the competition there, which started March 1 and ends April 28. Every two weeks, participants will be weighed and measured and receive a booklet of tips and coupons for outdoor recreation hikes and other physical activities.

The winner receives a special gym bag filled with prizes.

The “Biggest Loser” TV show also is influencing military communities. A special two-part show that aired in the States this month pitted four Marine wives from Camp Pendleton, Calif., against four Navy wives from San Diego.

The show examined familiar military family issues: stress while a loved one is deployed, the struggle to eat well with young kids at home and using the base community for support.