May 06 2009

Important LaaLoosh Update Regarding Changes to the Website!!!


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Hi Everyone! Thank you all so much for reading my blog! I know that most of you are Weight Watchers members and have found these recipes to be really helpful. They have been incredibly helpful to me as well, which is why I created this blog in the first place.

But now I have some news to share regarding some changes that I am being forced to make to the site. I was recently contacted by Weight Watchers about using their “Points” calculator, their recipes, and the useage of the term “Points” or the useage of the term “Weight Watchers” for any recipes that I’ve created, or any that have been submitted by my readers. Bottom line is, I’m not allowed to use any of their info, as it is trademarked and is their copyrighted property. I tried to work with them, explaining that my website only says positive things about Weight Watchers, and that it’s quite helpful to their members, but they felt that my site would confuse people into thinking that I am affiliated with Weight Watchers. I get the legality of it all, but it’s really such a shame, and unfortunately, the only people who get dis-serviced here are all of you. These recipes are here to help you, as Weight Watchers members, achieve weight loss success. I’m really quite surprised that such a large corporation as Weight Watchers would take the time to bother with an individual like me, who is nothing but supportive of their program and their paying customers, but it is what it is.
So, from now on, I have to make some changes to the site….don’t worry, there will still be plenty of recipes that I will post, but I cannot refer to them as Weight Watchers Recipes nor can I give them a “Points” value. So, I need to spend a LOT of time going through my blog and removing all the Weight Watchers Points and Weight Watchers Recipes terms, and until I have finished that, I may not be able to post a lot of recipes as frequently as I used to. But please check in, because I WILL still be posting…just not daily for a while. Also, I will need to find alternative phrasing in order to supply you all with the info that you need to know from the recipes. Hopefully, you’ll be able to understand my new recipe format. :)

So that’s the scoop for now! And if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me! Thanks again for all your support and for taking the time to read me!

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This entry was posted by on Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 at 6:47 am and is filed under Dieting Tools, Weight Watchers Diet.

  • Sue

    This is the pits!! I recently found your site and have been printing recipes like crazy! I love it! But yeah, just change your wording a little bit and we will still understand it. WW needs to understand that not everyone can afford to pay a monthly fee and sit in meetings. Especially now a days. But please….don't leave us!

  • Lynne Gratton

    This is SOOOOO discouraging! I found your site to be easier to navigate than Weight Watchers. I am a lifetime Weight Watchers member and see no reason why both of you can't contribute to the success of millions of people who desire to lose weight in a healthy manner eating delicious food.

  • Vickey Laird

    I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE YOUR RECIPES! I can even find stuff to "surprise my hubby with" he never has to know, that it was a WWESQUE RECIPE. I've been a member with WW's since 2001. Never have made it to goal. But still I try…..-55 lbs. And counting. I can believe WW'S would do this to you, since there is nothing in it for them…..they have made ALOT OF MONEY OFF ME! we drew the line with the online site when they first started it…..$29 monthly! HA! My husband is an I.T. GUY…He said NO WAY, THAT IS RIDICILOUS! since he hosted many different sites. Even though, the site would have been awesome to have, we boycotted! We knew then…..IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY! YOU KEEP DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING, WE'LL KEEP READING!! YOU ARE MUCH APPRECIATED!!!

  • Debra

    I just found your blog and also love it. I just restarted WW and have looked at several other blogs recently for recipes. Most talk simply list calories, fiber, fat grams so you can compute points yourself. It is really easy to google WW points calulator so you can convert to points yourself.

    I agree that this is a silly postion for a huge company to take….especially when it helps them in the long run. Thank you so much for bogging.

    Deb

  • Cindyc325

    Hi! I just found your site today and your issues with Weight Watchers. I work for a law firm and it doesn't surprise me a bit – you'd be amazed at how greedy huge corporations get when they think they might be missing out on a nickel somewhere amongst their billions. But, as you said "it is what it is" and I'm THRILLED you're not letting it stop you because you've helped me tremendously just in the past hour!

    Thanks!

  • http://www.laaloosh.com/ LaaLoosh

    Hi Kristin,
    Thanks so much for your support! I am still listing the points value for all the recipes, but I can't use the term "Points" or "Weight Watchers Points". So, I'm currently using "Point Total", which is a phrase that is NOT trademarked by Weight Watchers. You wouldn't believe the hard time they are giving me about this stuff! Basically, I'm just trying different terms and seeing if Weight Watchers will let me use it. It's really ridiculous. I still want it to be as close to the WW terminology as possible so that people can understand.

    As for Hungry Girl, she has an affiliation with Weight Watchers, which is why she is allowed to use their trademarked property. She has many more subscribers than I do, and that's why WW is working with her.

  • Kristin

    I noticed that you are still using points values in your new posts and was wondering if you found a work around. You may want to look into how Hungry-girl uses points values. I guess they probably pay to be able to do that. I like the idea of using starts instead of points. I guess Weight Watchers fails to realize that sites like this help me stay motivated, so I stay on track and keep going to meetings and they keep getting my money. Oh, well.

  • Barbarainnc

    I just found your site and sorry you have to change all things "WW"!!! I like the stars idea, oh the pizza has 5 stars per slice. I could count stars instead of points !!!! :) :) :) Thanks for a great site!!!

  • Tami

    I just found your site and very excited to see everyday recipes on it. Sorry to hear about WW coming in and asking you to change things. Just a thought, what if you did the points with the alphabet. A-0, B-1, C-2 etc…. I also think the idea of the stars would work. Just my 2 cents. Thanks for the great posts.

  • Alyssa

    I just found your website today and I'm already in love. I'm very health conscious and my fiancee is very picky and this site REALLY helped me come with ideas that we can both enjoy. It's a shame that WW is being such a stickler. Good luck with the revamp and keep posting the awesome recipes!

  • Barbara L

    I too am a life time weight watcher and nearly back to my goal for the third time in my life. This time I am more serious in controlling my weight for the rest of my life because of being diagnosed as a diabetic. Now I also have to be concerned about the amount of carbs in my recipes. I recently found your website and was thrilled to find such a helpful site in putting some extra flare (within the points range) into my menus and being able to go so easily to your website to gather this awesome information. I purchased the "Miracle (angel hair) Noodles" and was excited to see your low calorie garlic and tomatoes pasta recipe. Thank you! I hope something can be worked out and I look forward to your return.

  • Kayla

    the word "points" is a trademarked term? That seems a little odd to me but oh well.

    Sorry to hear about the run in.

    Are you still going to be posting the points value along with the recipes you post? that is what I value most about this site, it helps me plan appropriately for the points I'm allowed day to day.

    I like the stars idea, and I'm sure you can rename the recipe's to something else instead of writting "Weight Watchers" you could write "Boom Town" lol, whatever works.

    I can't wait until your back to posting lots of new recipes. That ranch dressing you mentioned above sounds fantastic!!!

  • Carrie

    You have a wonderful website and it is so nice during troubled times to still be able to keep up with eating healthy and losing weight. Is there anyway you can send your point calculator – this is really an amazing site and WW should be paying you!! Keep up the great work!!

  • David Spor

    I'm sorry to hear about your run-in with Weight Watchers, but I am not surprised. Your experience is just one more reason why I intend to stop using them once the ten-week plan I've purchased ends.

  • Allyson

    Boo. I like the stars idea previously posted. I love your site and as a WW member that is silly. No harm in changing the points to stars or how about pointers! How can they copywright a word like point?

  • Yvonne

    I just found this site looking for a WW-friendly Jambalaya recipe! I understand why they're making an issue of it, but…well I hope to try more of these recipes in the near future! My best to you!

  • Kate Broughton

    Add my voice to those of your other fans. I just lost 30 pounds by following the WW "at-home" program (the materials cost $99+), and have also purchased countless WW cookbooks and frozen foods. It's hard to imagine that a site like yours would do anything other than add credibility and appeal to the WW brand. Oh well…keep me posted when you revise your recipes. I am a web designer and editor and would be happy to help at no charge, just to speed up the process. Good luck!

  • Bernie

    My daughter was on Weight Watchers before she left for college. At college she had to take the two-meal option. The cafeteria had limited selections and because she had two evening classes she missed two dinners a week. She's back home and is trying to get back on track with her weight loss. I googled Weight Watchers Backed Apple Recipes and got your site. She is not fond at all about desserts with baked fruit, but she told me I should have doulbled your recipe and she asked for it again the next night. Her sister loved it, too, and they were fighting over the last bit. I also tried your chocolate cake and it's being gobbled up by the two of them along with their brother (they don't know your secret ingredient yet). I've said all this to say, I am so sorry to hear of your problem with Weight Watchers, because in only the short time I have used your site it has been a blessing; and, I look forward to trying even more of your recipes. Thank you so much.

  • gwen

    That is so crazy – Weight Watchers should be offering to PAY you to continue to support and advertise their system. I would like to write a letter to WW and explain that it is so much more fun and possible to continue WW when you can find all kinds of info on the web. The internet is here to stay, they can not really hold back the information flow so they should make the best of it and ENCOURAGE people like you who keep reminding of that WW is such a great program… So short sighted of them.

  • Joe

    can you forward me the Points Calculator you used on your site. That was a great tool for me at lunch time. I was able to keep track of my points and write them down. Thanks for your site!!!

  • Beau

    Please don't give up; I just discovered your site 2 days ago and am thrilled with it! Stick with it.

    I sent an Email to Weight Watchers expressing my disappointment in their absurd litigious behavior and I suggest you all do the same. This is a community with completely free advertising.

    Send an Email here: http://www.weightwatchers.com/help/contactus.aspx…

  • Patty

    I am very upset about this!! It doesn't make any good sense to me. But like you said "It is what it is". I appreciate all the work you have put into this site and will keep coming back with or without the WW name on it. If the nutritional value of the recipes is posted it is easy enough to figure out the points. Keep up the good work – it is much appreciated.

  • http://Fitness4realwomen.com Lori

    I too hope you can modify your points calculator but not remove it completely! It's a life saver when I'm using a different brand of ingredient than what is called for in your recipe. I am always checking to see that the points are still the same and it's so easy to use. Keep up all the good work. I can't tell you how many people I have sent a link to your site to who were so grateful.

  • Rhonda

    Your website has helped me tremendously. Please find a way to keep giving us healthy, helpful nutritional information without stepping on you know who's toes.

  • http://www.gardensandcrafts.com Dottie

    That's a shame, but to tell you the truth, I am not surprised. I have a weight loss blog also and have posted recipes that we have tried, but have been reluctant to publish a points value for them. My main thought was because the brand of products I might be using may have different values than another brand, but I was also a little worried about Weight Watchers coming after me….LOL. I hope you don't have to remove the Points Calculator. I have it linked to my blog so that others can use it too. That would really be a bummer. I don't always carry my calculator with me, but know that it is only a web page away. Keep up the work and don't be discouraged. I think if you can post the total calorie count, fat count and fiber count for each recipe, we can take it from there to figure out the points. Good luck with everything and I think you are doing a terrific job!!

    http://dandgweightlossjourney.blogspot.com/

  • Tina

    It's a shame when you get punished for helping WW and promoting them. You need to find a way to "code" your things so we all know how many "points" we are discussing. Good look getting you site re-vamped!!!

  • http://tawetzel@windstream.net Tammy

    Well, I agree with everyone else. Your web site has been a great help. I have shared your web site with several of my family members. I tried the chocolate chip cookies and they were the BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I don't think I could have stayed on my diet without them. Keep up the good work. We'll all still be here waiting and watching. Thanks for all you do for the "skinny challenged" people of the world. :-)

  • Jennifer

    That is too bad that you had to make changes to all your work but I really do appreciate all you have done and I will definitely continue to vist you however you end up posting your information.

  • Janine McBee

    Don't be discouraged. You've done a wonderful thing to encourage folks. Though I understand, it is sad that you have to give in to WW request. It's the right thing to do. Yet for those of us on the weight watch journey, it is helpful to have others to share with. I'm much more willing to try a new food item or recipe when someone else has and tells me they enjoyed it. If WW is going to block out bloggers, wish they would add ratings and comments to the recipes on their websites. Hoping you can still post calories, fiber and fat where you have the information. Keep blogging and encouraging others. Like you, it is a life long journey.

  • http://www.laaloosh.com/ LaaLoosh

    Thanks so much for your support Eric. It's much appreciated. I will have more recipes on the way soon, so please keep reading. We are all here to lose weight, and eat healthier, and I will continue to do my best to help all of my readers (and myself!) achieve this goals, with or without the support of Weight Watchers.

  • http://www.laaloosh.com/ LaaLoosh

    Thanks Tim :) Great suggestion. I'm working on the best way to handle this, and I think that a Point Value Total may be included with each recipe.

    The funny thing is, with the Weight Watchers Recipes I posted, I always gave them credit. It's just a shame that they have to be so strict regarding the sharing of their info. It's not like I'm a competitor trying to steal their business! I'm SUPPORTING it! It's free advertising for them! But I guess they'd rather you all go out and spend more $$ on their Weight Watchers cookbooks and online program instead of getting recipes for free on LaaLoosh.

  • Eric W

    This is quite upsetting. I found your site searching for a low fat gumbo recipe and that eventually led me to joining Weight Watchers online. They gained my business because of Laloosh. So, now they can lose my business the same way…. and I e-mailed them telling them such.

    Such a shame that yet another corporate entity chooses to take the low road rather than work with someone that can help generate business for them. Keep the great recipes coming please. I hope WW loses a lot more business than my own because of such a lack of vision.

  • Jennifer

    Sorry to hear WW is cracking down on you. Your site and recipes are so lovely – and not full of preservatives like the HG website, I've made quite a few of your recipes and they are delicious.

    Looking forward to more recipes in the future, in whatever format you post them – thanks!

  • Tim

    Not a big shock. When I saw your postings stalled, I figured it was something like this. Weight Watchers is careful to protect their proprietary rights. If the don't they can lose them through "indifference." It's what the must do.

    Honest, I was quite surprised to find your site with recipes directly from the Weight Watchers site and with Weight Watchers points.

    What you will need to to is attach a Nutrition Facts box to the recipes so we can figure it out for ourselves. Additionally, full credit for the recipes needs to be given to the legal owner of copyrighted material. Maybe even supply a link back to the original page.

    Interestingly enough, there apparently is a proposal to include some king of point value on the nutritional labels. The fact that those points happen to be the same value as Weight Watchers would assign is probably no more than a mathematical coincidence.

  • Amy Btw M

    You should just come up with some code words (easy so everyone can figure it out) that will basically mean the same thing. Be sneaky!! Love your site. Keep up the good work.

  • Stacy

    Thank you for all the work you put in — it's too bad that WW doesn't realize how much your site supports their efforts.

    I hope this doesn't discourage your efforts, because you are appreciated!!

  • cosmom

    Thanks so much for all the great recipes. Sorry you will have to be wasting your time getting their name of the website. What a pain! But I'll still be here no matter what points or "whatever" they are called!

  • http://www.laaloosh.com/ LaaLoosh

    Fear not, my fellow foodies! I WILL still be getting you guys ROCKIN' recipes with the correct Point value…I know that's incredibly important for anyone following the Weight Watchers Program ( I am a member myself!). I WILL find a way for you all to understand the "Point Total" without breaking any trademark or copyright rules. :) Thanks for reading!! I've got LOTS of great recipes to come! One of which is a fabulous low calorie ranch dressing recipe, submitted by one of my readers, with just 1 Point Total for 6-7 tablespoons of ranch dressing!! Oh yeah…

  • Cyndall

    I guess WW doesn't realize that blogs like this are like free advertising to them! It was sites like that that really got be excited about WW and keeps me sticking to it! How sad that you're going to have to go through so much work to undo what was practically a service for them.

    I'm gonna keep on reading no matter how you have to change it up!

    Cyndall

  • Karla

    That is just too bad! How horrible! I agree that you should have some alternative name for the points values so you don't have to remove them. I love how easy you make it to know the points for your recipes and such. Hope you can get stuff fixed! Keep going though with the site! You have a great thing here!

  • kaklmf

    I agree with Kelly! I JUST found this site and was SO looking forward to the convenience of the points listing and it won't be near as helpful without points! I think calling them stars is a great idea!

  • beverly

    oh thats not good your great you have helped my girls so much thank you and keep up the great work

  • clrgy2

    I too love your recipes. They've helped me where WW left off. Keep up the good work. God loves you every moment of every day. I look forward to your return — I've come to depend on you for variety and excitement in my food. M

  • http://Laaloosh.com Love2Cook

    Keep up the good work. Your recipes are delicious AND healthy. You provide a great service.

  • Trying2BThin

    This sucks. I just told everyone at my WW meeting yesterday about your site. I'm still glad I told them and hopefully WW won't give you a deadline. I love-love-love your site. I hope you'll still find a way to give us the point values. Yours is the only site I go to for WW recipes since I'm not a cook yet can still make what you post.

  • http://happytexans.blogspot.com/ Kelly

    That's terrible! How about calling them "stars" instead of points. They don't have the trademark for stars and we would all know what you are talking about. And instead of Wegith Watchers call it Scale Gazers or something. ;-) Sorry they wouldn't be more understanding. That's just sad.

  • FOODIE

    Well that's too bad! Thanks for all you have done and will have to do to fix it! Love your recipes!