Weight loss flow chart... 2.0!

lemonlionheart
lemonlionheart Posts: 580 Member
edited June 2015 in Health and Weight Loss
Soooo I had this idea a while ago to make a flow chart that can be used in the forums to help people troubleshoot why they might be having problems losing weight. I got some great feedback from the community, and here is what I came up with! Note: I'm no graphic designer so it isn't the prettiest thing in the world, but I tried to make it as clear and concise as possible. Please let me know what you think, and if I should make any changes!

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Edited to include updated versions.
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Replies

  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    Wow, it looks pretty good to me!
  • maxit
    maxit Posts: 880 Member
    I like it!
  • lindaloo1213
    lindaloo1213 Posts: 283 Member
    Love this.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    I think your top question should be

    do you own a food scale?

    if no, ignore everything, get a food scale, and weigh everything for three weeks.

  • karyabc
    karyabc Posts: 830 Member
    ok you oficially have too much awesomeness in you! :# hashtag LOVE IT!
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    Nice work!
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    edited June 2015
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    I think your top question should be

    do you own a food scale?

    if no, ignore everything, get a food scale, and weigh everything for three weeks.

    I tend to agree with this for a flow chart for noob's not losing any weight right away.

    I worded my sentence that way because I have an issue with the word stalled. That makes it sound like the reader had some success, then tanked. I think the flowchart for that scenario would look a little different.

    Maybe just say "How long since you started your diet program?"

  • lemonlionheart
    lemonlionheart Posts: 580 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    I think your top question should be

    do you own a food scale?

    if no, ignore everything, get a food scale, and weigh everything for three weeks.

    I tend to agree with this for a flow chart for noob's not losing any weight right away.

    I worded my sentence that way because I have an issue with the word stalled. That makes it sound like the reader had some success, then tanked. I think the flowchart for that scenario would look a little different.

    Maybe just say "How long since you started your diet program?"

    I think you're right. I was trying to also include people who maybe lost a few pounds at first and then stalled, but maybe that over-complicates things.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    I think your top question should be

    do you own a food scale?

    if no, ignore everything, get a food scale, and weigh everything for three weeks.

    i second this.

    and ask a bit further
    people tend to say yes i weigh my food
    When you ask a bit further than they weigh some food use cups and spoons for the rest and serving sizes.

    But good chart!

  • lemonlionheart
    lemonlionheart Posts: 580 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    I think your top question should be

    do you own a food scale?

    if no, ignore everything, get a food scale, and weigh everything for three weeks.

    i second this.

    and ask a bit further
    people tend to say yes i weigh my food
    When you ask a bit further than they weigh some food use cups and spoons for the rest and serving sizes.

    But good chart!

    Good point. I reworded slightly to clarify that it means to weigh EVERYTHING. :)

  • Wiseandcurious
    Wiseandcurious Posts: 730 Member
    Even better than the previous version. Bookmarking to show people. Thanks a lot!
  • lemonlionheart
    lemonlionheart Posts: 580 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    I think your top question should be

    do you own a food scale?

    if no, ignore everything, get a food scale, and weigh everything for three weeks.

    I do see your point. I think I'd still like to keep the first question where it is, since often it's people freaking out because it's been like, 4 days and they haven't lost any weight yet. I think that most people who read this chart will probably go on to read the rest of it anyway, so they should still get the advice about logging accurately.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    I think your top question should be

    do you own a food scale?

    if no, ignore everything, get a food scale, and weigh everything for three weeks.

    i second this.

    and ask a bit further
    people tend to say yes i weigh my food
    When you ask a bit further than they weigh some food use cups and spoons for the rest and serving sizes.

    But good chart!

    Good point. I reworded slightly to clarify that it means to weigh EVERYTHING. :)

    lol lots say YES to that but they dont ;)
    They think cups and serving sizes are good too...so i measure.

  • lemonlionheart
    lemonlionheart Posts: 580 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    I think your top question should be

    do you own a food scale?

    if no, ignore everything, get a food scale, and weigh everything for three weeks.

    i second this.

    and ask a bit further
    people tend to say yes i weigh my food
    When you ask a bit further than they weigh some food use cups and spoons for the rest and serving sizes.

    But good chart!

    Good point. I reworded slightly to clarify that it means to weigh EVERYTHING. :)

    lol lots say YES to that but they dont ;)
    They think cups and serving sizes are good too...so i measure.

    Well, i mention 'using a food scale' in the question, and commented on the inaccuracy of cup measures and portion sizes in the flow chart. I can't cover everything or it gets too confusing, so some stuff will have to pass over to people in the forums who can then begin to ask more specific questions :)
  • Llamapants86
    Llamapants86 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I think it's great and covers the more general thought process of most people giving advice.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    based on the derp level around here, I think most will not even understand your flow chart :)

    Sadly, this is probably true. If they were smart enough to understand it, they'd be smart enough to actually read some threads before asking their question.

    But it's still a terrific flow chart!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Orphia wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    based on the derp level around here, I think most will not even understand your flow chart :)

    Sadly, this is probably true. If they were smart enough to understand it, they'd be smart enough to actually read some threads before asking their question.

    But it's still a terrific flow chart!

    sad but true ..

    and I still like the chart...
  • lemonlionheart
    lemonlionheart Posts: 580 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    based on the derp level around here, I think most will not even understand your flow chart :)

    Possible that some may not understand it all but hopefully this will prompt them to provide more helpful info or ask more specific questions. Also, for the sake of my sanity, I'm choosing to maintain my faith in humanity and believe that for every idiot we encounter, there is someone who is just new and confused and hasn't figured out how to navigate the forums yet :P
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    based on the derp level around here, I think most will not even understand your flow chart :)

    Possible that some may not understand it all but hopefully this will prompt them to provide more helpful info or ask more specific questions. Also, for the sake of my sanity, I'm choosing to maintain my faith in humanity and believe that for every idiot we encounter, there is someone who is just new and confused and hasn't figured out how to navigate the forums yet :P

    LOL you must be new here… :)
  • lemonlionheart
    lemonlionheart Posts: 580 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    based on the derp level around here, I think most will not even understand your flow chart :)

    Possible that some may not understand it all but hopefully this will prompt them to provide more helpful info or ask more specific questions. Also, for the sake of my sanity, I'm choosing to maintain my faith in humanity and believe that for every idiot we encounter, there is someone who is just new and confused and hasn't figured out how to navigate the forums yet :P

    LOL you must be new here… :)

    Nope, just tragically optimistic :)
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    based on the derp level around here, I think most will not even understand your flow chart :)

    Possible that some may not understand it all but hopefully this will prompt them to provide more helpful info or ask more specific questions. Also, for the sake of my sanity, I'm choosing to maintain my faith in humanity and believe that for every idiot we encounter, there is someone who is just new and confused and hasn't figured out how to navigate the forums yet :P

    LOL you must be new here… :)

    Nope, just tragically optimistic :)

    And I like that about you! :)
  • hearts77
    hearts77 Posts: 19 Member
    Great chart! I am still pretty new here and it took me weeks of lurking the forums to figure this stuff out and buy a dang food scale. I came to mfp with a lot of bad information (and lord knows there's plenty more floating around the forums) and it was super confusing at first. Eventually I read the stickies and also noticed that veteran posters always had the same few bits of advice, but It's cool seeing the basics broken down very simply like this.

    It's funny to me now, but I nearly had myself convinced that I must have a medical condition preventing me from losing weight. :D Just like every other snowflake...

  • lemonlionheart
    lemonlionheart Posts: 580 Member
    hearts77 wrote: »
    Great chart! I am still pretty new here and it took me weeks of lurking the forums to figure this stuff out and buy a dang food scale. I came to mfp with a lot of bad information (and lord knows there's plenty more floating around the forums) and it was super confusing at first. Eventually I read the stickies and also noticed that veteran posters always had the same few bits of advice, but It's cool seeing the basics broken down very simply like this.

    It's funny to me now, but I nearly had myself convinced that I must have a medical condition preventing me from losing weight. :D Just like every other snowflake...

    I went through the exact same thing when I first started here. It's good to get feedback from someone else who could have used something like this in the beginning!
  • Soopatt
    Soopatt Posts: 563 Member
    Excellent chart. I think this should pop up every day as you are logging into MFP for your first few weeks. Like hearts77 I found the info I needed on the forums where the poor regulars are repeating themselves every five minutes to noobs, but it still took me longer than it should have. I made no progress for the first two weeks because I thought I could guess portions and only bought a digital scale in my second week.

    I would have said "digital scale" specifically in the chart, if I was to suggest any changes, but otherwise it looks super.
  • lemonlionheart
    lemonlionheart Posts: 580 Member
    Pu_239 wrote: »
    It looks good, but you also should add the condition of people under eating. This can also prevent weight loss. This condition should be placed as the red circle.

    Maybe I should add that 'starvation mode' doesn't exist.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    excellent chart :smile:
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    Pu_239 wrote: »
    It looks good, but you also should add the condition of people under eating. This can also prevent weight loss. This condition should be placed as the red circle.

    Maybe I should add that 'starvation mode' doesn't exist.

    +1

  • sheldonklein
    sheldonklein Posts: 854 Member
    This could eliminate the need for 75%of the threads
  • lemonlionheart
    lemonlionheart Posts: 580 Member
    Some minor edits:

    09xr36z7t8rd.jpg

    - specified the use of a digital scale
    - made it clearer that weighing/logging accurately means using a scale for everything
    - bolded some important points

    Unfortunately the free flow chart maker I downloaded isn't great, so it was tricky getting the text to look right in the boxes. If there are any designerly people out there who have the skills to make a prettier version, you are welcome to take a crack at it!

    Meanwhile, if folks want to save this image and start trialing it in the forums to see if it's useful to anyone, go ahead :)
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Nice