yeah, not impressed with the forums. I am not following the meal plan, because I follow Weight Watchers, so have no need for the meal plan (although I have incorporated parts of it at times); but I posted a thread, just to see if one of the other WW people had calculated the PP values for the meal plan, and someone came on getting stuck into me, saying that I shouldn't be doing the challenge if I am not following that specific meal plan! Like setting goals, and working towards the same thing as everyone else, but simply eating different healthy food means I shouldn't be there?!?!?

I think the tools they have (the meal plans, exercise plans, weight trackers, receipies, etc) are fantastic, expecially given that they are allowing everyone to access them for free; but really think they need more 'expert' presence on the forums (so many people have questions, but at times it is like the blind leading the blind) and certainly some moderating is required.

I also might add that some of the concerns regarding cost of the food and the rigidity of the food plan are real concerns. IMHO - there will be many people who simply do find trying to incorporate such a huge difference into their families live extremely hard, and impossible in the long term. I know that 'one' of the reasons I don't follow the meal plan, is that the cost is higher then what I am able to spend now - simply because of the sheer variety of food. We eat very healthy in my house (both myself and my DH are long term Weight Watchers), but we make the WW program fit into our $$$ budget, being able to change our diets to include those foods which are on sale or bought in bulk. I think alot of people think that because you are following a meal plan, you cann't vary it at all - but if they knew what foods they can swap out without affecting the nutritional make up of the meal, they would find it alot easier to follow. The probllem is that "you don't know what your don't know" and alot of people are there because they don't know aboout nutrition, and no-one in a position of knowledge (ie, one of the experts) is addressing their issues, and everyone else is fobbing them off as excuses. All the problems can be overcome (if a person wants to overcome them), but if that person genuinely doesn't know how they can overcome their particular issue (whether it be cost, or fussy children, or lack of time due to long work hours), then they are going to get stuck and give up. People should be offering solutions to these problems, rather then simply letting others get on the forums and hassling these people for "not being commited". Amd of course the moderators need to be deleting those thread from those people who really are just there trying to stir the pot (like that person going on and on about how they don't need to eat breakfast and lunch, but will just starve themselves ).