Weight watchers is taking 3 of my fit points a day! Why?

[Crazy4smartpoints 10]

Hi All,

my name is Katie. I've been a lifer for 11 years and have seen a lot of changes over the years with weight watchers. This week they are going to be taking 3 of my fit points per day. When I called, the weight watchers member on the phone couldn't really tell me why.

I can't seem to get my head around this! Does anyone have any thoughts? I have a theory. It's for basic bodily functions?

she said it equals 3,000 steps and I can go to the website at the end of the day and add them back in. I decided to increase my daily points by 3.

Good Grief!

[JimL3222 10]

I suspect that the reason why they were unable to explain is that the people in the IT department of WW are in over their heads, and likely cannot find the bug causing it to happen.

 

WW is first a service-based company, helping out dieters. Secondly it is a merchandising company, selling the extra tools and journal items to members. Third, and far less it is a minor player in the food sales business, more for convenience.

 

I have been Lifetime since reaching my goal in the 1990's. At that time, as well as for the other couple of times when I fell off the wagon, the tools have essentially been the same. You had the reference pamphlets in different forms, and a journal to write down what you are and the points you used. If you wanted you could buy a much lager booklet of foods and their respective point values, and another one for all kinds of restaurant menu items.

 

About ten years ago they introduced a very crude calculator type device that you used rather than writing things down. As an IT guy I check d it out. It cost a lot and did IMHO very little for the $40 it cost. I kept writing stuff in the paper Tracker. When I tracked I lost. When I didn't I stalled.

 

At one point I tried the online WW system. The system was clumsy, had a lot of lag, and it just didn't work well. They also had a big time double billing issue. I dropped that.

 

About three years ago the use of smart phones and small tablets took off. A lot of companies have suffered, trying to become a wiz IT company. That is NOT the kind of people that WW has traditionally employed. They employ people who are successful weight losers, who maintain the loss, and who can do well motivating newbies and parroting back a basic program. I was asked one - so I know they do not pay all that well to the leaders. Likely it goes up as you work up the food chain, but you are not going to likely have an IT savvy leader at meetings.

 

WW tried to get on the tablet - smartphone wagon by hiring a CIO. In my opinion they got the wrong guy. They hired the man that was the brains behind AutoTrader. That is basically a display-ware program with a big database of cars and information for online truck and car sales. There is not a real forum, or education, or a need to have a huge portal so that members can look up the points in a gyro sandwich or the points from running on the beach. Smart guy, wrong experience.

 

So I am here now because I one again have to drop weight. I once again looked at the online program as well as the app that you can load onto an Android phone. In most reviews both are given something like a "C" grade. As a result the WW stock value is falling hard. Five years ago they were rising stars, now they are grasping defeat from the jaws of victory. They are a service company that is trying to be an IT company and are failing. The smart thing to do is look to but someone who can provide a point tracking system for android and Apple phones that works. There is one out there. I bought the app for $4 online. It rocks.

 

I suggest getting the third-party points tracking software, use that, and ditch the official WW app that is screwing up, and be able to track your fit points. Just one guy's opinion, of course.

 

Jim

[Little Chubber 10]

I use iTrackBites. It works well and has a few WW program options on it.

[JimL3222 10]

I have been using Ultimate Food Value Diary Plus. A tiny $4 cost. Way cool features. I especially like the scanner for bar codes of stuff in my cupboards or when deciding what to buy in the grocery store.