If you could redesign SW, what would you do!

[Wegle]

I wouldn't want SW to go down the route of making their own pre-packaged foods. The joy of SW is that you don't have to buy specialist, expensive diet foods to follow it. There are plenty of pre-packaged stuff already that is free or low syns so I don't think there is any need. I would also hate the inevitable sales pitch that groups would then become. I think small things like Hi Fi bars have a place (not that I've ever bought any) but to turn SW from a weight loss support group into a food production company would be wrong. It's one of the main reasons I wouldn't go to weight watchers.

The website and the apps are my pet peeves with SW. Come on SW it's 2014! A fully functioning, easy to navigate and user friendly website and app is essential. The MyFitnessPal app is free and is a joy to use when calorie counting. This should be priority number one for SW at the moment.

I do find group meetings a bit repeptitive but I'm not sure what I would do to change them. I like the idea of a little talk but if like me you have been doing SW for a few years it might be a bit like teaching the older, regular members to suck eggs and would discourage them from staying. I think something like finding out stuff that members do to help and getting them to do a little 10 minute talk about it would be good fun. For example if someone is into a certain exercise they could give a demonstration to the class and talk about the best ways to get into it. Or if they are a very good cook they could bring in some samples and recipe sheets and talk through some of their favourite recipes.

I'm not overly fussed by SOTW or SOTM but it would be fairer to be based on % lost. There are not really many of the competitions that someone like me with a smaller amount of weight to lose could win. I appreciate the incredible achievement of someone who has managed to lose 6 stone in a year and think they should be recognised but it would also be nice to be recognised for some of my efforts. Maybe some more obtuse awards like, biggest super free eater of the week, most inventive meal of the week, these are all things that everyone could win regardless of their weight loss.

 

[Violet Shrinks]

To make ready meals commercially viable (shelf life etc) they would have to put a load of extra 'nasties' in them. Even if they stayed syn free, they wouldn't be as healthy as cooking from scratch with fresh ingredients. To be honest, I'm not keen on them promoting Muller Lights etc as syn free as they have lots hidden extras like sweetener etc, which are worse for you in some ways as a little extra fat - which is not to say I don't eat them occasionally, of course!!!

I'd much rather they invested in improving the website/diary/app etc - they really are behind the times with their tech.

 

[liquoricet]

I agree with most folk - better tech (it's painful at the moment) and thinking about the meetings.

Our C is very good, we've had a few great discussions about self sabotage and self image. I think less clapping (maybe just acknowledge milestones) and more discussion of the psychology of overeating and ways of dealing with issues behind it would be helpful.

More leaflets like ww would be good so you feel you get something for your money.

I've mixed feelings about ready meals. I'd find them very useful but I think I'd rather they partner with some food manufacturers and put syn values on and maybe promote them on the boards in class.

I agree that their emphasis on fresh foods is a big positive. I prefer full fat but less of the item than fake food with lots of additives. Although danio, liberte and total 0% yogurts are remarkably tasty!

At the end I want to be able to continue eating the same way and I won't if I'm fake treat foods with fat out and sugar added.

 

[slimmingmadhouse]

I'd like to see a better deal for online members, we pay the same so it would be good to get the same deal as class members including access to hi-fi bars. With regards to contacting them. I'd recommend Facebook as they are the same team and they reply within a few hours.

 

[Jo43]

Many years ago in class we were able to order for home delivery ready meals, I never ordered as I am sure they were expensive and I am sure they were not ordered by many. Had forgotten about them.
Would love the app and website to be as good as others have mentioned. So frustrating.
I have emailed SW twice in last year and although advised may be 7 days before get a reply, I have had reply same day.
I do find the classes are better when C says will just cover awards, asks if anyone has any questions, problems, concerns rather than each person as takes forever and there's always the rude people who talk all the way through. I don't like the team games - sorry but I am not into them . xx

 

[Nanny Doreen]

As the title says, how would you design the way SW works.

1/ Allow the consultants to plan their own ways of presenting the plan.
2/ Get SW to answer all Emails.
3/ Change SOTW & SOTM by using % of weight lost not actual weight.
4/ SW to make suitable pre-packed foods similar to WW

No2 - never had a problem getting replies. Well only emailed twice.
No4 - not for me. I try to keep away from prepacked meals, not enough in them for me.
No3 - I like it as it is- my group anybody losing consistently does get mentioned once in a while.

No1.- My group was sooo large after Christmas it took forever to get round everyone which is a pain I agree. Some people like that acknowledgement every week.
It is always the committee members that take the longest about what they have done last week and will do next week.
WW when I used to go only asked for a show of hands if you were pleased this week, big losers would raise their hand. Those that had put on or maintained very seldom put hands up so no help given Therefore I feel SW is slightly better in that respect.
Having said that C are always looking for new members to boost their class that the groups don`t get any smaller and we all need help.
I go to a class that has only 34 through the door. Not all stay, but there is a talk to start, gets round everyone quite quickly (clapping too) and I feel I learn something.
My normal class must have more than twice that number so something needs to give.
It is nice though to hear how everyone is getting on especially when you stay to class regularly.

Lastly again to no1 we do need to hear more about the plans apart from the talk when you first join and maybe facebook or ringing/texting C.

I`ll shut up now. What did you start Pete.

 

[Redapple]

I dont go to group but the reason i chose to follow sw was my love of cooking and the fact it doesnt push its own brand - unlike ww.

wen i reserched ww alot of it was usin its own brand of products like breads or ready meals. I think sw would be silly to introduce this as group sessions i would imagine could turn into a marketing speech rather than support?

Just something to think about?

I love sw plan, but i prefer ww meetings, leader never said that we had to buy theirs meal, she always thought cook fresh meal would b better. Ww always gave us alternatives from others brands.
I learn a lot in the meetings, also the website is much better than sw, i find the group meeting very boring, and they r not fair on praise the slimmer of the week...
But i wanted to change, from ppoints, and love the sw plan, easy to follow.
I think we have to do the best for us, coz we r different, so do our way, and learn how to eat good food, i like to read about healthy choices rather than eat from a can, like sw groups always talk about.

 

[Littleslimmingbee]

SW massivly need to step up their game on the tech front. The £ for an online membership and what you get is poor imo. And in general the whole website and online resources lack big time in comparison to ww.
I also cannot stand the continual clapping and mundane chat at groups, it needs a shake up! Some nights it really felt like a chore! but it also bought me lots of support and a night out so it is swings and roundabouts i suppose, but i do think consultants need a bit of free reign when it comes to delivering the plan.

 

[Snozzberry]

I would get rid of SOTW/M altogether as I really don't see what it achieves apart from a bag of on the turn fruit for the winner. So far I haven't gained once since I joined but have never and probably will never get SOTW since I am losing steadily at the recommended amount each week, yet week in week out it gets awarded to people whose weight is up and down like a tart's knickers.

I would also change the format of the actual meeting so that it doesn't last several lifetimes in a popular group and you can speak up as much or as little as you wish and not be forced cringing into the spotlight before you feel ready.

Finally I would make the online food diary a little less clunky.

The plan itself, I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[Saltwater]

I must admit I have only stayed to meetings a couple of times and don't feel I'm missing anything by not staying. In the past I have been to WW and enjoyed the meetings.

The SW plan is good but I pay to be weighed by a volunteer. At WW you would either be weighed by the leader or in a large class where there was a volunteer helping you could chose to be weighed by the consultant. It was always possible to have a private word with the consultant if needed. At SW my consultant is doing the new members talk during weigh in, and there is another meeting directly after ours so there is no chance to catch her then.

I would also get rid of the raffle as most of the prizes are packets of food people want to get rid of, or only have a couple of prizes such as vouchers to be used in the shop.

I would prefer the meeting to concentrate on the plan, new or own brand alternatives to HeX' s and best places to eat out.
I find Image Therapy painful, it is dominated by the same few members and you find other members who prefer to stay out of the spotlight. I also find setting a target for the following weeks weightloss is strange as we all know weight loss is not predictable and in many cases is affected by factors other than how well you followed the plan.

Having said all that, SW is an excellent plan but the meetings could do with being updated.

 

[Kay_kayleigh]

I'm joining sw on Tuesday with some friends who already go and I haven't been for years. Until this thread, I'd actually forgotten how awful the meetings could be! I've just finished a cbt group based around weight and it would be amazing if sw could focus much more on the emotions around weight and less on the numbers.

going through every single persons weight every week is pointless. You should get asked at weigh in if you want to talk about anything that night and if you do a little note could go in the consultants pile and they would know you wanted to talk. Cos some people HATE talking and just want to listen, some people only want to say something some weeks etc.

also, if the consultant knew one week say, 20 people wanted to talk, they would have to be fairly quick. Whereas another week, if only 4 people wanted to talk, they could have a lot longer. The idea of group support is being able to pool ideas and glean support from your peers and rushing through people in a list style manner takes away from the element of support that the so-called image therapy is supposed to offer.

I'm trying to remain positive though. I will only get out what I put in.

 

[lardylady]

^^^That is a really good idea!!

 

[Littleslimmingbee]

I agree kay_kayleigh!

 

[Gwella]

I would:
1) Radically overhaul the website and app. It's hard to navigate (especially to find hexes and free food lists), doesn't have enough products' syn values listed, needs more info on eating out, the food diary is awkward, and it could do with giving more personalised feedback when you enter your weekly weight.
2) Change the meeting format. On the whole I enjoy it and have found it helpful, but I'll probably leave soon after getting to target as our group is getting massive, and the format gets very repetitive once you know the plan inside out. I don't get that many useful tips any more. I think it would be more productive to talk to those who need help, cut down on the clapping, and incorporate a more in-depth look at certain topics - whether those were practical things (like eating out, how to deal with office snacks, quick meals for families, buying veg on a budget) or psychological (comfort eating, how eating patterns replicate through families, whether being fat has had a function for us in our lives, whether we are giving food too much power, that sort of thing - there are LOADS of interesting books out there).

Personally I wouldn't have them introduce ready meals. I think it undermines the educative element of the plan. Also it would lay them open to accusations of being just another diet company that wants to hook people on their products, not reeducate us, and make more and more money from us.

 

[*EB*]

I would make the person who gained the most wear a pig mask/hat and only allow them to answer questions by oinking.

The person who lost the most would get a crown and a robe and everyone would refer to them as 'your highness'

Kidding.

But funny no?

All good ideas and a fab thread - seems to be a hate for the tech developers at SwHq! Although i have seen different apps - my iphone seems to use a mobile site and i have better access through this? Not sure if thats a mobile related perk or what???

I would get rid of happy clapping and just do the pda round up and then have a big clap at the end. Sometimes we have to clap people who have gained and that seems bizarre. Ie - shes gained 4lb this week but overall she has lost 6lbs...clap clap clap.

No. There should be help and support about why she gained that week not clapping the remainder of weight! Seems a little backward personally.

X

 

[SarahButterfly]

After reading this thread I'm actually quite glad I chose to join online rather than go to group! Compared to the WW meetings it does sound a bit repetitive with the clapping etc. At WW every week the leader personally weighed us and then gave a talk about a topic- could be ranging from dealing with christmas to eating out to portion sizes.
Some of the new products would be mentioned briefly, things like the weighing scales that work out pro points etc but nothing was pushed on us and the WW branded food was never mentioned at all. Though ultimately the plan didn't work for me!

I do miss my scales. I'd love it if SW brought out scales that worked out syns.