Intro to Weight Loss with MFP E-Learning (I need your help)

CaladriaNapea

Hey, guys!

While I've posted a bit, I tend to be more of a lurker, and you may not really know me. Don't worry, that's cool. MFP, and particularly this community, has been absolutely instrumental in helping me to lose weight over the last six or so months. The stickies, posts, and community members here have completely changed my viewpoint on weight loss and my body.

To get to the point: I am a graduate student with Purdue University studying Learning Design and Technology. What that means is that I want to work as an instructional designer who creates e-learning. For my program, I have to create a capstone project that is pretty much a really large e-learning module or course. I have been thinking about what I want to do for that project for awhile, and since I want to do something I am passionate about, I am leaning toward creating a free e-learning course for newbie MyFitnessPal users. My goal would be to synthesize a lot of the really helpful information/tips/success stories in these forums into an interactive, more-visual format that people could independently go through. So far, I was considering having modules (chapters) covering:

• The Mechanics of Weight Loss (physically how weight loss works and basic strategies for success)
• The Mechanics of MyFitnessPal (how to use the app and desktop application, how to accurately log your caloric intake and output)
• Attitudes for Successful Weight Loss (approaching weight loss with a lifelong mindset, avoiding an all-or-nothing approach, understanding that weight loss isn't linear, etc.)
• Basics of nutrition
• Basics of exercise
• Different Dieting Approaches (clean eating, keto, IF, IIFYM, etc. why they may work, why they may not work, who would do well with these approaches or not)
• Weight Loss Troubleshooting (a more interactive/fleshed out version of the infamous chart)

These modules would be designed for people new to weight loss and/or the MFP community. It would be completed so that people could do the whole course, or just do bits and pieces they find interesting/needed. The content would be oriented toward practical tips, interwoven with resources from the community or elsewhere (e.g. Scooby's Workshop, the IIFYM page), as well as success story examples from the community forums.

What I need from you:
I'm required to collect assessments from two groups of people: My target users (new-ish MFP users) and subject matter experts (people who have been around the block for awhile). Whoever you are, you quite probably fall into one of these categories. So if you are currently using MFP, if you could answer the following questions, it would be super helpful:

1. How long have you been using MyFitnessPal?
2. How long have you been trying to lose weight?
3. Would a course like this possibly have been helpful for you when you started losing weight and/or using MyFitnessPal?
4. What concepts do you wish you had known from the beginning of your weight loss?
5. Do you see any concepts that you think I am missing from the list above?
5. Would you be open to me contacting you in the future via MFP messages for any follow-up questions?
6. Do you have any general thoughts/questions/responses? If so, please share!

Thanks a bunch, to anyone who replies!

Slimmersixties

Hey, hope this helps x

1. How long have you been using MyFitnessPal? 5 months
2. How long have you been trying to lose weight? off and on for years
3. Would a course like this possibly have been helpful for you when you started losing weight and/or using MyFitnessPal? Probably not for me, as i ve been researching and dieting all my life ... I dont lack knowledge just will power ! How to use mfp might have been beneficial.
4. What concepts do you wish you had known from the beginning of your weight loss? Just discovered low carb and it really works ... wish i d known about it 30 years ago
5. Do you see any concepts that you think I am missing from the list above? Possibly more on the mind set of eating and losing weight ... ie why do we overeat!
5. Would you be open to me contacting you in the future via MFP messages for any follow-up questions? sure
6. Do you have any general thoughts/questions/responses? If so, please share!

susanp57

1. How long have you been using MyFitnessPal? Although I've had a login since about 2012, I've only been really using it for about 2.5 months
2. How long have you been trying to lose weight? I haven't really been trying. I had health problems & life problems which caused me to put on weight. I decided I needed to get rid of it.
3. Would a course like this possibly have been helpful for you when you started losing weight and/or using MyFitnessPal? Yes. So many people come here and obviously have no idea what a healthy and safe diet looks like.
4. What concepts do you wish you had known from the beginning of your weight loss? I pretty much new how to do it, I just needed a way to track myself.
5. Do you see any concepts that you think I am missing from the list above? Some kind of emphasis on how most of these OTC things are a bunch of malarkey.
5. Would you be open to me contacting you in the future via MFP messages for any follow-up questions? Sure, just remember to remind me who you are.
6. Do you have any general thoughts/questions/responses? If so, please share! I'm often rather shocked at some of the posts I read. I would like to see an emphasis on safe practices.

HTH

Jriggs46615

1. How long have you been using MyFitnessPal? A little over a month

2. How long have you been trying to lose weight? Off and on for over 20 years

3. Would a course like this possibly have been helpful for you when you started losing weight and/or using MyFitnessPal? Possibly. My issue hasn't necessarily been willpower, but rather the frustration that came with not understanding how everything comes together. The macros on this site have really made a difference for me.

4. What concepts do you wish you had known from the beginning of your weight loss? Again, I wish I had known about the macros and how it all works together to create a balanced diet.

5. Do you see any concepts that you think I am missing from the list above? Not that I can think of.

6. Would you be open to me contacting you in the future via MFP messages for any follow-up questions? Sure.

Good luck on your project!

ChildOfFlame

1. About a year
2. Only took it seriously this past year
3. I'm a way, yes. I like to look at various sources but it would have been a good start!
4. That your body isn't going to drop the weight according to your plans.
5. Maybe weight loss myths? I was confused by those when I was younger.
6. Of course!
7. Looking forward to your finished project!