The Problem Every Behavior Change Platform Should Shed Blood, Sweat, and Tears to Have...

Interesting - after using the brilliant #getupandmove for 4 months, running is so integrated into my life that I no longer need the app #qs

via facebook.com

To build something so useful at providing social support and helping motivate behavior change that -

YOUR. USERS. OUTGROW. YOU.

Wow, this is a first.

The good news: #getupandmove is WORKING.

The bad news: most of us fall off the wagon after a bit (cough cough Susannah, self).

(Notice I do not believe the bad news is people stop wanting to #getupandmove, or stop wanting to use our platform).

Unfortunately, the bad news is that behavior change maintained over time takes anywhere from 18-260+ days, depending on your personality, environmental variables, and a whole host of factors we don't currently know how to track and then optimize.

Right now at Get Up and Move we're taking a look at how to build a kick-a#$ platform that:

1. helps guammies "level up," or go from individual/1x use;

2. lets you discover a fun new occasional activity you then repeat (like bed jump challenges or reading an article);

3. builds you up to prep for hitting a goal with a group (like our Bay to Breakers crew training - and I use the word loosely - in San Francisco);

4. and then helps you maintain (routinize) healthy microchoices you personally find fun and valuable, like Alex's running.

How can we do this?! That's a damn good question.

Alex's achievement represents our ultimate goal - building a platform that 'plugs in' near-real-time, extrinsic social support so useful that you no longer need it...motivation to move becomes internalized, intrinsic.

You own your goals. You own your microchoices. And you use them to be, well, better. .

That's the point where we think you can do one of several things:

1. you can pay it forward and challenge a friend or family member. (1:1);

2. you can adopt new guammies. (1: many - we're working on 'groups' features to help with this sort of thing);

3. you can motivate others to make micromovement a part of their daily decision tree so they too can see macro results.

But hell, why stop at achieving just one?

Speaking of which, I'm heading back offline to remind myself why we're so focused on building this online support platform.

See you all on the road to better health.

And may you too, one day, no longer need us ;).

Jen
Andrey

Posted via web from Get Up and Move

Social Games for Health Players Mean Move FAST: Wellness Companies, Are You Ready to Update 1x/Week?

He also noted that the company’s games like Pet Society and Restaurant City are updated once a week “reacting to players and testing that sense of the game being alive. It keeps people there and when we launch new features they will tell you right away if they like it or not.”

Mr Segerstrale also noticed that this frequent interaction with players means the company is able to understand their likes and dislikes better.

“We are developing a long-term relationship with a specific user and that means if someone is a hardcore Pet Society player, chances are we shouldn’t push Gangster City at them.”

Mr Perry saw the value in that and seemed to suggest that, in the future, perhaps Facebook will need social gaming more than social gaming will need Facebook.

“The thing is you are now building on a platform and your platform is your community. That is why you will survive.”

via markwarner2008.com

From: "Spotlighting social gaming — World's Geekiest Dad | World's Geekiest Dad."

I was speaking with a venture capitalist last week about the social gaming for health space.

The ability to move fast, listen to users, and adapt quickly by releasing new features (or ruthlessly pruning ones that don't work) is one reason why larger, entrenched companies are hesitant to give up choice and control and allow 2 way challenges.

Even the most advanced, forward-thinking health insurers and medication reminder groups I know are still thinking that 'prescriptive' challenges issued by an authority figure - like your doc or a disease management nurse paid to give you a call to see if you're taking your pills - is the ideal way to go.

At Contagion, we think that's a bunch of bunk. The people who know you best - friends and family - these are the people who can provide the motivational support, in real time, that we need to make healthier daily microchoices.

Programming for contagious wellness is the only way to go, but it means you've got to:
1. Be willing to give choice and control BACK to your users;
2. Admit early when your assumptions are wrong;
3. Recognize quickly when you've baked in your own biases to platform design;
4. Move quickly to do all of the above.

Community Managers become vital 'software' in social gaming startups for precisely these reasons. The human machine/human code interactions are only one piece of the puzzle.

Being an active part of your community is another (this will, luckily, be a default if you build something to solve one of your own problems).

Health insurers, how many of you USE your own wellness portals on a weekly basis? If you haven't built something you want to use, what makes you think we will?

Posted via web from Get Up and Move

Hotel Bed Jump #getupandmove Challenge for @stales

via sharing.theflip.com

Live from the Express Scripts San Antonio Ignite Symposium.

My talk today is about public health 2.0, social networks, connectivity, and behavior change.

Case in point: "health" doesn't have to be boring when you're not trying to do it alone...

Posted via web from Get Up and Move!

Sitting Kills? Stand Up, Sit Down, #getupandmove (Now With Snazzy Facebook Notifications)!

Studies show that sitting kills. Inertia may be especially hard on the heart. Every hour spent watching television was associated with an 18% increase in heart disease deaths and an 11% increase in deaths overall among 8,800 Australians who were followed for six years. People who watched TV at least four hours a day were 80% more likely to die of heart disease than those who watched less than two hours a day. (Americans watch an average of five hours of TV a day.) A Canadian study of 17,000 adults also found a consistent link between chair time and deaths from heart disease. The more people sat, for any reason, the more likely they were to die of heart disease within 12 years -- even if they were slim and exercised regularly. Too much sitting isn't the same as too little exercise. The Canadian and Australian studies can't prove sitting kills. It's possible heavy TV watchers and other chair-bound types have other habits, i.e., snacking patterns, that explain the link. When people are lounging or sitting, muscles go silent. Studies in rats show this muscular shutdown is quickly followed by a dramatic drop in an enzyme that's a vacuum for fat in the bloodstream. Artery damaging fats get a new chance to build up during every period of prolonged sitting. And springing up to jog once a day is unlikely to undo the damage. So, sit less and move more. Our bodies just weren't designed to be this inactive.  | 

via dcpca.org

From: "Monday, February 1, 2010 | DCPCA Health News Alert."

"Frequent" random acts of microfitness may be healthier than we know. For your body's sake, #getupandmove it. Often.

We're helping you get the motivation you need to move more throughout the day wherever you are, from whomever you find most helpful - on Twitter, on Facebook.

If you tried the Facebook #getupandmove feature last week, try it again.

My cofounder Andrey spent some nice time cleaning up the code and working on the API so you can now leave friends Facebook notifications.

Accountability is an agreement with yourself and the folks you invite to #getupandmove.

Speaking of which, I'm off to our UserVoice community to see how we're doing holding up our end of the "make healthy microchoices" contract.

Tot ziens-
@jensmccabe
@shazow

Posted via web from Get Up and Move!

Get Up and Move - Your Rx for Preventive Medicine

The term preventative medicine should mean discovering a disease process before it manifests itself through its complications. After discovering the disease it should be treated in the best possible way available.

via stanleyfeldmdmace.typepad.com

From: "Repairing the Healthcare System: Dont Listen To What They Say. Watch What They Do."

Take one http://getupandmove.me challenge, 1x daily to protect against titanic girth expansion.

Welcome to our new blog! We're glad you're here.

Look for the mobile version coming soon...

Now, get up off your a^% and MOVE it!
@shazow
@jensmccabe

Posted via web from getupandmove.me