Unpaid SW Consultants?

[Barbette]

I go to group and I stay but being a veggie I find a lot of good ideas and recipes on here that I wouldn't in group. The way I see it is if someone asks a question whether they're a member or not they don't force anyone to answer, it's up to the person answering. I give as much as I take and I think that's a fair swap
I work full time and care for my partner who's been off work for 5 years as well so I don't have an abundant amount of spare money. We both attend group so double the money but I appreciate there are people out there who for whatever reason cannot attend group or afford online or both, I would not begrudge them trying to help themselves and like someone said you can google it these days and get the answers.
I think this site offers more than just support and ideas it allows people to make real friendships they wouldn't have made otherwise. I hope you do well with your journey and if it ever came to the point you couldn't go to group I would be more than willing to help in whatever way I could x

 

[Poppet12]

I'm a 100% freeloader/scrounger/sponger and any other way you want to call it- never been to group, never paid for my book, never paid online or so much as bought a mag! And I won't be making any justification as to why either, because I thought this was supposed to be a weight loss support group forum?!
Disappointed with the 'them and us' attitude held by some and the divisive turn this has taken.
If you're a paying member and think others should pay too, nobody is forcing you to contribute, keep your knowledge and carry on as you are.

 

[Lucky7]

There are many reasons why people don't attend a class; my reason it that I'm severely deaf and can't cope with large groups of people.

With you on that one Patty - esp as people often chat over the consultant and make it difficult to concentrate, and the halls are generally really echoey so even with my hearing aids in it's a nightmare.

I kind of agree about getting advice on here as I'm happy to pass on advice and ideas and also grateful to be on the recieving end, but I think generally (If possible) people should go along to class at least once and get the pack and the talk. There's just SO much information & lists of different food types etc, it must be really hard to start the plan just from advice from Minimins.

 

[lardylady]

Apartheid? Elitism? Blimey! Give the OP a break! If I had to live on a limited income and chose to spend some on attending SW classes, I would also get a bit annoyed at the free advice given out here. Having said that, some of the advice here is not particularly good, which is one reason why SW do not have an official forum!

 

[jogirl]

I'm a paying SW member and I couldn't give a flying wotsit about whether other people on here are current members of SW, ex-members or have never been members at all. I personally need the discipline of WI every week (and consider myself very fortunate that I have the means to pay for it), but a lot of people don't/can't attend group for a myriad of reasons, none of which are my concern. Like lickthelid has said, this is all sounding far too "daily mail" for my liking. I would not be comfortable contributing to a forum that made the kind of distinctions that the OP seems to want.

 

[lardylady]

She's not exactly suggesting that we flog non SW members in public!

 

[rm247]

Talk about an over reaction by some members. In no way has anyone of this thread been suggesting apartheid or anything like that. All that a few of us have stated is that we find it annoying. Just like the people who use torrents to watch a blockbuster rather than going to the cinema with the people who pay.

There appears to be a feeling that SW is a charitable organisation, but it isn't, it's a business. The vast majority of people manage to support the business in some form whether attending group, buying books, paying for online membership, whatever. We are completely within our right for feeling aggrieved by people who don't contribute. just like commuters dislike those who fare dodge.

 

[Revy]

I was at a group for the most part of last year but as a full time student I find it difficult to pay £5 every week and spend money on a weeks food. I still buy the Slimming World magazines when they come out though. I've only recently joined this site but I try to help give support to people when I can and I greatly appreciate the support I receive.

 

[lickthelid]

Apartheid? Elitism? Blimey! Give the OP a break! If I had to live on a limited income and chose to spend some on attending SW classes, I would also get a bit annoyed at the free advice given out here. Having said that, some of the advice here is not particularly good, which is one reason why SW do not have an official forum!

So you are saying that the OP is justified because she says she struggles to pay her fee? So if she was rolling in it she wouldn't be entitled to be hacked off? That those of us who can "afford" it should put up and shut up. At the end if the day whether you can afford to pay not you are here for the same reasons.

The elitism and apartheid comments were tongue in cheek. Not for the first time you have read my posting faaaar too literally.

 

[jogirl]

Talk about an over reaction by some members. In no way has anyone of this thread been suggesting apartheid or anything like that. All that a few of us have stated is that we find it annoying. Just like the people who use torrents to watch a blockbuster rather than going to the cinema with the people who pay.

There appears to be a feeling that SW is a charitable organisation, but it isn't, it's a business. The vast majority of people manage to support the business in some form whether attending group, buying books, paying for online membership, whatever. We are completely within our right for feeling aggrieved by people who don't contribute. just like commuters dislike those who fare dodge.

But this forum is not an off-shoot of SW - it is an independent support forum for people following various diets, including SW. The fare dodging analogy is not quite accurate - that would be people gate-crashing SW meetings without paying. No-one here contributes financially to the forum, and people who don't attend SW groups may contribute support to others on the forum in other ways.

 

[lickthelid]

Ps

some of the nicest, most helpful people I know on here don't pay online or attend meetings. I think this is slightly out of hand. It's hardly benefit fraud is it? If people don't like it...well don't use it. You won't change it and conversations like this only serve to highlight the disparity of views on here. We can't all get along with everyone but we can help out where and when we want. As is our prerogative. Yes SW is a business but it's not OUR business. It's not for us to defend its sanctity. As had been pointed out if they cared that much they would have their own dedicated forum.

 

[Hippopotamum]

Apartheid? Elitism? Blimey! Give the OP a break! If I had to live on a limited income and chose to spend some on attending SW classes, I would also get a bit annoyed at the free advice given out here. Having said that, some of the advice here is not particularly good, which is one reason why SW do not have an official forum!

If SW did have an official forum then the advice would come directly from the organisation, or at least be moderated by their staff, so I doubt that's why they don't have one.

I don't think that's very fair, people giving advice on here are only trying to help, we're all just ordinary, fallible people following the plan in our own way, and it's only advice, people don't have to take it if they don't want to, also don't forget, many consultants give conflicting advice too. x

 

[Hippopotamum]

How do we know who pays and who doesn't anyway? Am I missing something? x

 

[BlodynAur]

I'm not going to bother voicing my opinion because enough has been said on both sides, but man do I feel sorry for the OP right now...

 

[Pips87]

I go to group every week as I need the public weigh in or I hopeless. Personally I don't care whether people pay or not, no one makes me go to group every week it's my personal choice . I could understand this post if this was a official forum but it's not it's completely independent of sw. I don't see the issue.

 

[mo53]

I agree with many of th points that have already been made about the purpose of this site. I am taking Orlistat prescribed by the Doctor but with little information on how to use it. I used information and Ideas previously gained from membership of three different SW groups as well as from the magazines which I always buy to help me and which I have adapted. However the greatest asset of this site is the quality of the support, friendship and motivation which members give to each other. I think it is a wonderful website for many likeminded people gladly helping each other towards a common goal.

 

[lickthelid]

I'm not going to bother voicing my opinion because enough has been said on both sides, but man do I feel sorry for the OP right now...

Yes! You know when you wish you had never asked? Flood.gates.open. Hasn't been back though haha wind us up and watch us go...!

 

[PatchworkPuss]

Talk about an over reaction by some members. In no way has anyone of this thread been suggesting apartheid or anything like that. All that a few of us have stated is that we find it annoying. Just like the people who use torrents to watch a blockbuster rather than going to the cinema with the people who pay.

There appears to be a feeling that SW is a charitable organisation, but it isn't, it's a business. The vast majority of people manage to support the business in some form whether attending group, buying books, paying for online membership, whatever. We are completely within our right for feeling aggrieved by people who don't contribute. just like commuters dislike those who fare dodge.

Yet SW themselves have no problem with people asking for syn values on their FB page and they have said they are happy for posters on this forum to ask for syn values and be given them xx

 

[ladybird23]

The reason I haven't been back lickthelid is because I spent half of the day (and night as you can see from the time of this post) in a hospital. My opening post was carefully worded, and some of the responses have been quite enlightening as to why people don't attend groups - and made me think again to some extent. I don't think there's any need to resort to personal insults on any forum, I merely asked for other poster's opinions - but you seem to have taken a very extreme view in your posts and then point a finger at me because I wasn't online for a few hours! There's really no need to get so worked up about a post on an online forum!

As with another thread about SW groups, there seems to be quite a few people who are not overly impressed with the format of SW groups - as a relative newbie I did wonder if mine was the only group which seems to just be "weight lost - clap" "sts or gained, "oh dear, never mind what will you do next week?". Then we have SOTW, the raffle and then we all go home. I'm kind of waiting for something else to happen!

Thanks to all those who responded with their reasons for not attending or doing it online - as I said right at the beginning, I'm not here to offend anyone I was just eliciting opinions from both sides of the fence. And of course everyone has the choice as to whether they respond to posts or not. And yes, I do see that this is a support system regardless of what route your journey to losing weight is taking. I don't wish anything other good luck to anyone who is battling with the old "fat demons"!

 

[bilsat]

I have done SW for almost 3 years now & haven't missed 1 weekly meeting since I started but I don't mind helping anyone if I can, as others have said, we all give others advice as we see it & people should always check it out!
I feel that if our help helps someone to become healthy & fit then we are doing them a favour & boosting SW image, I for one am glad to help!
pete