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Post by diva49 on May 2, 2019 19:08:16 GMT
Jae, looks like your app has a magic charm attached . CONNECT posters report many issues with it. Sorry to be clueless, what does that mean? There have been people on CONNECT and also on the FB page who have stated that they have problems every time they use it no matter how many times they reload it. Many people, not just one person repeating. You're lucky. You haven't had problems with the app. That's all. No dig.
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Post by keshet51 on May 2, 2019 19:14:42 GMT
Hello all, I don't generally post here but I do read every time there's a thread in general discussion about WW and what went wrong and what might happen in the future. I was a Lifetime member (reached lifetime in 1983 or 84) who had regained some weight and episodically would rejoin with each loss and regain. WW was kind of home for me. I got down to my goal weight again just as Freestyle was rolled out and it triggered a huge binge episode for me from which only now am I recovering. One of my complaints about WW was that there was a really inadequate maintenance plan offered (with all previous plans) so after I lost my weight each time, I had no idea what to eat to ensure I didn't regain. I received even less information with Freestyle when so many things weren't counted. I had no idea what or how much to add and the "freedom" part of freestyle turned into a free for all.
I felt truly abandoned by WW, had been a member off and on since the early 70's (am 68 now), and really resentful that these changes were made and were so unsuited to me. The Freestyle program, "studios," "coaches," etc. all really were a turnoff. And after a year or so of floundering I started a program called Bright Line Eating which has worked really well for me in getting down to my goal weight and has a very structured and clear maintenance plan. But it is so restrictive I just wish there were a realistic WW plan I could return to, and there isn't. I did try the various free apps and tried to follow one of the old programs, but I enjoyed the camaraderie and accountability of meetings (and the bling and challenges, I confess), and those aren't available with the apps. I also loved the old WW board but am so grateful for this one (Connect just didn't do it for me - I found it really hard to follow, not to mention all the bare feet on the scale and half naked bodies you couldn't unsee). So a free app just doesn't cut it for me.
I didn't mean to write a dissertation here but all the posts here really resonated for me and I just wanted to jump in. I love everyone's ideas of changes to the program. I'd mainly like to see points have some relation to calories, very limited free foods, no penalties for healthy fats beyond their calorie content i.e. nuts, avocado and even butter, and no penalties for sugar, even though it's something I generally steer away from anyway. I'd also like to see elimination of all the focus on fat free foods, light breads, artificial sweeteners. But that's just me... A girl can dream.
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Post by Jennifer on May 2, 2019 19:17:40 GMT
Sorry to be clueless, what does that mean? There have been people on CONNECTĀ and also on the FB page who have stated that they have problems every time they use it no matter how many times they reload it. Many people, not just one person repeating. You're lucky. You haven't had problems with the app. That's all. No dig.Ā Humm. I would have understood if I read on connect or the fb page lol. Thank you for explaining.
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Post by zazzles on May 3, 2019 1:50:32 GMT
Well .. i never said I like connect lol (honestly I very rarely go there, when I think of the WW app, it doesn't come to mind) I just use it to track my foods and calculate points for stuff. I understand. But Connect is a big part of what WW hypes as a major feature of the appāso I kind of expect an award for āworldās best appā or whatever the award was to consider the whole of the usability, not just selected features. Anyway I donāt really use WW to track; when I need NI info for an item for my personal tracker and database I look it up on WW and enter it into my system. Thatās the value of WW to me these days.
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Kitty
Transcendent Member
Posts: 1,449
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Post by Kitty on May 3, 2019 5:11:12 GMT
So I just read the earnings call transcript. It was interesting. They seem to be clearly gearing up to make a plan change at the end of the year (not earlier) as they talked about their 2020 innovation. Mindy said they have been working on for two years. So it was in the works when Freestyle started. Therefore, I expect they may make some changes but I don't expect them to get rid of zero point foods. She said that more people are tracking food and activity (she attributes that to the WellnessWins) and she says people have really embraced Zero Point foods.
They attribute the disappointing member numbers at the start of the year basically to failures to recruit new members in the first quarter rather than failure to retain members. Average retention is still 9 months. I get the feeling that they think part of the problem in recruitment was not having enough of a bridge between Weight Watchers and WW. This whole presentation was much weight loss centered, IMO, then wellness centered.
There was a lot of stuff about marketing. They are going to do rewards for digital members like the charms that meeting members get for making milestones (it is not clear to me if those are digital charms or actual charms). She talked about how much members like getting that recognition (of course, I couldn't help but think about everything they have taken away).
She said that the have focused a lot in the past about flexibility (no food is forbidden) but now they really want to also focus on the sustainability of the program. She talked about personalization but it didn't really sound like it was program personalization. For example, she taking about coaching personalization that kind of thing.
They are getting more male members (still mostly female) and the Recruit A Friend helped drive them getting more female members.
They don't really expect their numbers to improve that much this year as the weak membership at the start of the year (they get 40% of new members in the first quarter) will lead to lower numbers throughout the year.
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Post by linda72 on May 3, 2019 12:34:16 GMT
Kitty, thanks for that update. Now I'm interested to think about what the actual changes to the program will be in 2020.
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Post by zazzles on May 3, 2019 13:30:57 GMT
Kitty , I have always suspected that the original plan for SmartPoints was to have the formula punish ADDED sugar since the rollout of SmartPoints concided with what was to have been the mandatory implementation of the new nutritonal labeling law before the Feds pushed the date out. The mandatory date for the majority of food manufacturers is now January 2020 with January 2021 as the date for small smaller manufacturers. So it would make sense that a formula change might occur to punish only added sugars starting in January. That would be a major improvement to SmartPoints (SmarterPoints? EnlightenedPoints?).
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Post by fullmahina on May 3, 2019 15:08:41 GMT
I attend several meetings a month in various places and there is SO much success, it's really amazing. I wonder if any of them are doing what I am doing---I'm calorie counting but using the WW meetings for weigh-in accountability and because I am getting something from the meetings themselves. Curious to see how many old timers have gone back to the plans that were the most successful for them after abandoning Freestyle? I've only been back to meetings for a month or so but I have seen more than a few roll-eyes and heard disparaging comments about Freestyle from members. Makes me think that, like me, they have tried it, disliked it, and tossed it aside. The leader keeps on rollin' right past those comments but they do not go unnoticed. I see a lot of heads nodding in agreement. Congratulations on your success with Freestyle. For various reasons I discarded it and struck out on my own with MFP. Occasionally I double track and remain amazed at the disconnect between Freestyle points and actual calorie counts. I do like the emphasis on lean proteins but the rest of it...nope, not for me.
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Kitty
Transcendent Member
Posts: 1,449
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Post by Kitty on May 3, 2019 17:21:47 GMT
Kitty , I have always suspected that the original plan for SmartPoints was to have the formula punish ADDED sugar since the rollout of SmartPoints concided with what was to have been the mandatory implementation of the new nutritonal labeling law before the Feds pushed the date out. The mandatory date for the majority of food manufacturers is now January 2020 with January 2021 as the date for small smaller manufacturers. So it would make sense that a formula change might occur to punish only added sugars starting in January. That would be a major improvement to SmartPoints (SmarterPoints? EnlightenedPoints?). Yes, I have always said the same thing. I have been convinced of that for a long time. I also wonder what they will do if this gets pushed back (I'll believe it is here when it gets here). I do think it would improve the program by a lot.
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Post by debinprogress on May 3, 2019 17:43:27 GMT
I thought the Webby award for the WW app was ridiculous.
I have a lot of things Iād like to see the app incorporate. Many of them were options in the past, or are currently options on free tracking apps such as Myfitnesspal and iTrackBites.
Here is my brainstorm of things that would improve the app and website, in no particular order.
App:
*A more logical search function, especially in the recipe builder. Itās terrible!
*The ability to share /copy recipes with other WW members
*The ability to share/copy meals with other WW members
*The ability to let other WW members see your tracker
*Customizable meal slots:ex. morning snack/afternoon snack/ evening snack, etc.
*Meal time recording
*The ability to download your daily or weekly tracker to print or save to a file.
*Better data in general.
*Goal setting options
*More coaching features, such as suggesting lower point meals at the end of the day,
*Tracking reminders
*Better Streak /tracking recognition (seems to be hit or miss)
*A notes /journal spot that allows for reflection, and even a place to keep track of water intake, or how many zero point foods you are having, or how you are feeling that day, etc.
How about a spot on the tracker to record your why???!!
*customizable programs.
For Connect: As has been mentioned, Turning photos on/off and sensitive/off topic posts off.
*Search features within groups
Webpage specific: *Recipes that are printer friendly
*Better search features- itās very difficult to navigate.
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Kitty
Transcendent Member
Posts: 1,449
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Post by Kitty on May 3, 2019 20:08:09 GMT
Those would be great app and webpage improvements.
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Post by DebDoesWW on May 3, 2019 20:19:47 GMT
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Post by limefan on May 3, 2019 20:43:17 GMT
fullmahina I attend meetings, but no longer follow Freestyle. I gained 20 pounds between Smart Points and Freestyle. Finally after two years (way to long) trying to get both programs to work, I gave up and went back to Points Plus and I track on paper. I do track just a few items on the app in order to earn wins. I get a lot out of the meetings - accountability and friendships. I am still not ready to give up on Weight Wathcers and still hope they will come to their senses. I want to get back to lifetime, so I keep trying. There is eye rolling at my meeting as well. The majority of those that attend the meetings are the ones that have been with Weight Watchers for a while. There are some new members that come and go. Just in conversation with a few of the ladies at the meeting, they are also struggling with Freestyle; however, I think they are still trying to get it to work for them. I have told my leader (coach -whatever) that I am following Points Plus. She just nods and does not say much. I have mentioned once in the meeting setting, but since there are new members I try to refrain from talking about it during the discussion time.
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Post by fullmahina on May 3, 2019 21:40:21 GMT
limefan , I haven't mentioned that I am not following FS when I am at meetings. When I told about my first week weight loss the leader asked what helped with staying on plan and I simply said "I tracked." No lie, but it was with MFP, not WW. But I felt a little uncomfortable and since then, even though I've lost more weight, I haven't mentioned it when the leader has asked about successes for the week.
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Post by limefan on May 3, 2019 23:57:27 GMT
fullmahina I felt uncomfortable mentioning also that I follow Points Plus, but then I think it was a Weight Watchers program so why should I feel hesitant to mention it. But I understand what you are saying. Feels like I am doing something I should not be doing. Lol.
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