The document discusses how fitness and healthcare industries can work together to encourage physical activity and healthy eating over prescribing drugs to treat obesity and related conditions. It notes that gamification of fitness apps and wearable sensors that track health data make exercise and diet monitoring easier. However, these technologies may not be enough to reverse obesity trends on their own. The document argues that fitness companies should work with doctors to prescribe exercise and nutrition instead of pharmaceuticals. Speakers from MapMyFITNESS will discuss these issues and how to motivate cities and states to encourage their constituents to become more active.

1. From Pharma to Fit
2013 SXSW Interactive Panel Submission

2. Topic Concept
+ Even though the diet industry is booming, more and more
Americans are overweight or obese, leading doctors to
prescribe drugs to manage the side effects of excess weight.
+ How does the U.S. go from “drugs, chemicals and instruments”
to “motivation, activation and participation”? Is this
manageable by the fitness industry, or does this go above and
beyond?
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3. Topics to Be Addressed
+ The Ultimate Game
+ Your Health, Connected
+ “Diet” is a Four-Letter Word
+ We The People (Are Getting Fit)
+ From Drugs to Dumbbells
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4. The Ultimate Game
+ The latest trend in fitness technology is gameification. Apps like
Fitocracy and Monkey Dojo, new features on existing sites (such
as MapMyFITNESS.com’s Courses feature) and even video
games like YourShape Fitness for Xbox Kinect all encourage
users to exercise by rewarding them with points and badges.
+ Is changing the mindset from “I hate exercise” to “this is fun”
the key to motivating more people? Will it discourage those
who consider themselves “hardcore athletes”?
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5. Your Health, Connected
+ Wearing fitness sensors take the guesswork out of the wearer’s
vital statistics. The wearer simply puts on the sensor, and
information like steps traveled, calories burned, and heart rate
are logged. The wearer then accesses the information by
plugging in the sensor, connecting to the respective site, and
reviewing the generated analysis.
+ Can wearing fitness sensors reverse the obesity trend, by
making it incredibly easy to track one’s fitness? Or will most
people balk at wearing a device that will track their statistics?
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6. “Diet” is a Four-Letter Word
+ The diet industry (particularly the diet pill industry) thrives on
those looking for a “magic bullet” for weight loss.
+ With so many conflicting studies, diets and messages out there,
it’s no wonder that for many people, eating healthy has gone
from “easy” and “common sense” to “what in the world do I
eat?”
+ New apps like Fooducate scan barcodes and provide nutritional
information and suggestions for better dietary choices, right
from the user’s phone.
+ Is mobile technology, in fact, the “magic bullet” for weight loss
and healthy eating?
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7. We The People (Are Getting Fit)
+ MapMyFITNESS’ Fittest of the Fit Index provides a sampling of
user fitness trends around the U.S.
+ How can the fitness industry as a whole encourage cities and
states to motivate their constituents? How can they keep the
top cities active, while spurring lower-ranked cities and states
into action?
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8. From Drugs to Dumbbells
+ Finally, does this go above and beyond the fitness industry?
+ How can fitness companies and professionals work with doctors
to prescribe “hard work and a healthy diet” over prescriptions,
when the pharmaceutical industry as a whole offers subsidies
to physicians?
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9. Speakers
Richard Jalichandra is the CEO of MapMyFITNESS, Inc., an
Austin-based company offering comprehensive consumer
and enterprise fitness solutions. Previously, he was the CEO
of Technorati Media, where he remains Executive Chairman
of the Board.
Robin Thurston is the co-founder and Chief Product Offer of
MapMyFITNESS, Inc. Previously, he worked in the investment
management industry as a senior manager at a number of industry-
leading firms. Notably, Robin rode as a professional cyclist for the
Swiss Helvetica-Lugano team and still enjoys competing in USCF-
sanctioned Masters bicycle races.
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10. About MapMyFITNESS, Inc.
Headquartered in Austin, TX, MapMyFITNESS, Inc. was founded in
2007 and operates a suite of websites and mobile applications,
including the popular MapMyRUN and MapMyRIDE brands. The
MapMyFITNESS network offers more than ten million fitness
enthusiasts the ability to record and store their daily running,
cycling, walking or hiking routes in an online database or map out
tomorrow’s path.
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