Extrapounds.com launches site version 2.0: Please read about the important new developments to the website!

Warning: We apologize in advance for producing a particularly long news bulletin. However it does contain a lot of important information about changes to the website, so please take the time to read it!  

Introducing Gold Memberships 
Since the launch of Extrapounds.com a year ago, the site has proven to be very popular and successful. In fact, in the last six months, the traffic to the web site has increased ten fold and our server was at death’s door!

So, to be sure that Extrapounds.com copes with the increasing traffic, we have upgraded our server to a brand new super server. At the same time, our team has worked hard to improve Extrapounds.com and to include new features.

Needless to say, we've had to invest a lot of money to make sure that you experience the same quality experience when you use Extrapounds.com. In order to finance all these improvements and to continue developing Extrapounds.com, we have decided to introduce two ways to generate some income:

- Advertising

- A paid GOLD membership (optional)

The advertising option consists of some banners we will put on Extrapounds.com and the blogs. Extrapounds.com remains FREE for everyone, with all the features you've been using so far, however, the gold membership gives you the option to use advanced features such as advert-free blogs (please see below for more information).

We think, and hope you agree, that this way of financing Extrapounds.com is fair as it gives members the choice: a FREE service or a paid membership. In addition, it is a guarantee that Extrapounds.com will have the means to grow and bring you more benefits in the future.

You have been upgraded to a GOLD membership for the next six months!

We would like to take this opportunity to THANK YOU for your feedback over the past year. It is because of your support and suggestions that we have been able to develop the site to suit your needs and as a gesture of good will, as existing members, you are automatically upgraded to the GOLD membership for the next six months.

Launching Extrapounds.com 2.0
Please now take a moment to read the details of site version 2.0 and how you can make the most of the new developments.

New and faster servers
The Extrapounds.com techies have been working hard to improve the service we provide you. We now have more servers that distribute all traffic to the site more effectively. You can now experience a faster navigation time and we can take more traffic as the site expands. This new server uses a cluster technology and will allow us to grow as well as improve the speed, the response time and the reliability.

Site Improvements
Several Extrapounds features have been improved that will benefit all members.  

Ø       More weight loss trackers!
You can now create more trackers (silver members 2, gold members 5) enabling you to track more than one goal at the same time.  For example, you can create a tracker for your goal weight and another for your Valentine’s Day goal! 

Ø       Customize your weight loss trackers!
Since you can have more than one tracker, you can now change the text that appears on each tracker. It was previously fixed to 'weight loss tracker' but you can now change it to whatever you want, for instance 'summer goal', 'final goal', etc...

Ø     Food Database
The food database is now easier to use by searching for your food by category.  You can still use the original search option, but this new way of searching and viewing foods in the database is easier to navigate and more user-friendly. It also allows you to see a more detailed nutritional summary.  Give it a try, it's really great.  

Ø       More photos
All members can now add 4 more photos (a total of ten) to their blog and save them as an album.

Ø       Auto-login Option
To save you time and allow you quick access to the site, we have introduced an automatic login option. This means you will be logged in automatically whenever you enter the site. You can alter this setting in your profile section.

New design
Extrapounds.com has a new look for 2007. This fresh new design and layout hopes to keep you motivated to visit your account. The new layout will make it easier for you to navigate around the site. We hope you like it.

Gold Membership Upgrade Option
Extrapounds.com is FREE for everyone. When you register with the site you are automatically given a silver member status. Extrapounds.com now brings you the option to upgrade to a GOLD membership for as little as $6 a month, bringing you a wider range of user tools and options. As a loyal member of Extrapounds.com we are giving you a FREE 6 month trial (worth $42). You will notice that your account has automatically been upgraded, so make sure you try out the upgrade features detailed below. All you have to do is visit your account administration panel and activate any of the Gold Membership benefits you want to try – details of how to do this for each benefit are given below. In 6 months time we will send you a reminder that your free trial is coming to an end, so you have time to decide if you would like to continue with your GOLD membership.

Gold Membership benefits:
Email your posts to your blog
This feature allows you to write a post as an email and send it via email directly from your email account to your blog. This is the ideal feature for those who want to quickly post on their blog privately at work or at home.
How to use this feature: Simply enter the blog section of your administration panel; create an email address that you will send the post (as an email) to. Write your post as an email with the title of your post in the subject line and the post in the main body of the email. Then send it to the address you have just created. Your post will then appear on your blog.

Make your blog private
Many users have requested the option to make their blog private and only allow access by people they know. We understand the need for security and privacy, so with this option you can create a username and password that people have to obtain from you in order to visit your blog.
How to use this feature: This is activated from the blog section of your administration panel. Click on the privacy option, and then create a username and password that you will give to others in order for them to be able to access your blog. You can also write a short message to those trying to enter your blog without this access information.

Share more photos
Display five times as many photos as a silver member. You can upload up to fifty photos, organized and stored in five albums of ten. Now you can, for example have an album for before, during and after photos, as well as share photos of your family or holidays.
How to use this feature: Enter the photo gallery of the administration panel. Open a new album, give it a name and upload the photos you want to appear in this album. You don’t have to use all the space on one album before creating another.   These albums will then appear as a list within your photo gallery on your blog. You can choose the two main blog page photos from any of the albums. Please note that the photos you previously uploaded have been automatically stored for now in album one.

Create more trackers
Create three extra trackers, giving you a total of five. As well as your main goal weight you could for example set a two month goal weight, a Valentine's Day goal, Easter goal and hot summer body goal!
How to use this feature: This is an enhanced feature and works the same way as you have previously created a tracker. The tracker that is created first is the one that will appear on your blog.

Remove adverts from your blog
We have tried to display the adverts so that they blend in with your blog and do not detract from the design. However as a paid member you have the option to deactivate any adverts appearing on your blog.
How to use this feature: Enter the blog section of your administration panel and uncheck the appropriate box.

Gold Membership Gift 
We have introduced a new feature that allows you to send a Gold Membership as gift to another user. If a friend or relative joins from today onwards and therefore isn’t entitled to the free trial, then you could treat them to an upgrade by paying for the membership on their behalf. This option could also be the prefect birthday or thank you gift for one of your existing EP friends when the free trial ends.

We thank you for taking the time to learn about the new developments at Extrapounds.com and we hope you enjoy using the new features and are inspired to keep goal getting!

The Extrapounds.com Team. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION!

To all EP members!

Please be aware that you may experience some temporary problems when accessing Extrapounds.com on Tuesday 6th February, as we will be making important improvements and changes to the site.

We hope to minimize any site closure time as much as possible and apologize in advance for the inconvenience.

However, keep an eye out for the exciting developments after this date and be one of the first to see and try the changes!

The Extrapounds.com Team

WISHING YOU A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR! Extrapounds.com in 2007

The Extrapounds Team wishes all EP members a very Happy New Year and welcomes new members joining in 2007!

Already this year the Extrapounds community has grown significantly with many new members signing up to gain support and motivation as they embark on their weight loss journey. The New Year provides the perfect opportunity for existing members to meet new weight loss mates and boost your weight loss success. For our new members it is the ideal moment to make the most of positive new beginnings and start on your weight loss journey with great enthusiasm.

So what's in store for you on extrapounds.com in 2007?

Coming very soon….

January will see the launch of a MAJOR new release that includes the improvement of existing tools such as the trackers and food database.  

We are currently finishing the upgrade of our servers which will allow the site to grow faster and at the same time improve the speed of the navigation (what techies refer to as response time!).

We will also be introducing MANY exciting new features – so watch this space! Use of the site will remain free for everyone but it will also offer the added option of paying for even more features, bringing further variety and possibilities for everyone.

Alongside these developments the site will also be given a fresh new look to inspire you.

It doesn’t end there…..

During the year the site will grow even further with new features being added, particularly within the community. You will soon have new ways of meeting and communicating with like-minded people and EP challenges to help you to reach your goals through team spirit. The site is continually upgraded and changed so that you feel encouraged to keep pursuing your weight loss goals.

Extrapounds.com aims to keep you focused and excited throughout the year in order to help you achieve your weight loss goals in a fun and friendly way! The only figures going up in size this year will be the communal weight loss and the number of people in the EP community! 

Finally, we would like to THANK YOU for your support and excellent feedback we have received during the past year.

To your health!!!

The Extrapounds.com Team 

Happy Holidays to all EP Members!

Dear EP members,

We wish you all a:

Merry christmas and a happy new year!

We hope you enjoy the holidays and look forward to seeing you in 2007 when you can discover some fantastic new changes and features we will be making to the site.

Keep an eye out for more news in January!

The EP Team

Listen to Extrapounds.com live on US Radio!

Last weekend Extrapounds.com featured for the first time on live radio!

You can listen to the show and hear Louise from the Extrapounds Team chatting on the Dr. Fitness and the Fat Guy Radio Show about the Extrapounds Community and future developments for the site in 2007.

Simply click on the link below to download the podcast:

http://weightlossradio.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=153532#

Or visit drfitnessandthefatguy.com and listen directly from their website:

Direct download: weightlossradio_11192006_ENTIRE_64.MP3

Extrapounds.com would like to thank Adam and Lee for inviting us on the show and allowing us to take part in "The funniest weight loss and fitness radio show on the internet." It certainly was good fun and we hope to appear on their show again in the New Year to discuss the fantastic new developments to the site that will be released very soon!

Visit their website drfitnessandthefatguy and sign up for their newsletter and get the weekly skinny on weight loss.

Extrapounds.com debuts on US radio!

Extrapounds.com is excited to tell you that it will be making its first appearance on live radio this weekend! Louise from the Extrapounds Team will be representing the website on the Dr. Fitness and the Fat Guy Radio Show (WGSR-Atlanta, GA, US).

You can listen to the latest on your favorite weight loss website this Sunday (19th November) between 7 - 8 pm EST. Either connect and listen live online, or if you are an Atlanta resident then tune in to 710 AM WGSR-Atlanta.

Louise will be chatting with Dr. Fitness and the Fat Guy about how the website is helping members to lose weight, encouraging new members to join the thriving EP community and revealing what’s in store for 2007.

It’s the perfect way to end your weekend as this fantastic radio show is the funniest weight loss and fitness radio show around, providing you with the skinny on health, fitness and weight loss. It guarantees to make you laugh out loud. For more information and to listen to previous shows, please visit their official website.

But don’t worry if you have plans for this Sunday evening and miss it, or simply want to listen again, you can download the podcast and listen as you write your latest Extrapounds blog entry and catch up with your EP friends.

Extrapounds.com on Dr. Fitness and the Fat Guy: Sunday (19th November) between 7 - 8 pm EST.

We hope you will be listening!

Best wishes,

The Extrapounds Team.

CONGRATULATIONS FROM THE EP TEAM!

Congratulations to everyone for achieving an incredible communal weight loss of over 100,000 lbs!!

This figure was recently added to the site and is shown on the homepage. It shows the total weight loss of all extrapounds users. Today  it hit the 100,000 mark and keeps increasing. It  is a major recognition of how you support each other to keep losing those extra pounds.

If you have your settings on kilos then we wait to see a total weight loss of 50,000 kilos - not far to go! You can change your weight measurement preference from your admininstration panel - under "measurement units".
Well done to everyone in the extrapounds community - keep up the hard work!

The Extrapounds Team.

Toolbar problems solved

Hi all !

We have looked into this issue. Thanks to some of your contributions we have been able to understand what the problem was. We have changed some programming parameters and it should work correctly now.

Please try again and let us know if it also works fine for you.

Best regards,

The ExtraPounds.com Team

FABULOUS NEW FEATURES MAKE FOR A BRAINIER BLOG!

Great news! As of today we are very proud to introduce six new features to your blog; making it cleverer than ever! We hope these new tools will make it easier and more fun for you to record your weight loss journey – and provide some motivation to keep going.

1. Your blog now has direct log in – simply enter your blog directly (eg. http://news.extrapounds.com/) and you will see a box where you can log in. This takes you directly to your administration panel.

2. Another difference you will notice to your profile section, near this log in section, is a list of previous posts. This is a list of the titles of past posts you have made, making it easier for you and others to have an overview of your experiences.

3. From the blog section in the administration panel we have added the option for you to be able show a counter of the number of times your blog has been visited. Just mark the box and submit the changes if you want this to appear at the bottom of your blog page.

4. If you are unhappy with a comment placed on your post, you can now delete an individual comment. This is done from the blog section of the administration panel, by entering the post you made with the edit icon. The comments are listed below and, once you have selected the comment to be deleted, click on the trash can icon and it will disappear!

5. It is a very subtle change but very useful: at the bottom of your post you will see the word TOP – click here to be taken up to the top of your blog, to save you scrolling for minutes!

6. Finally – express yourself!  You now have another way to show how you’re feeling with emot-icons! Show your highs and lows with symbols. These can be used in posts and comments.

Look out for our future changes and let us know your feedback  through this news section of the website and have fun playing with the new features!

The Extrapounds.com Team.

GET A BETTER CONTROL OF YOUR BLOG!

Extrapounds.com is pleased to announce the release of a new feature to the site, allowing you to prevent other users from posting on your blog.  By using this feature you will also have the option of hiding the comments that person has made.

To use this feature simply enter the community section from the administration panel (previously referred to as friends list) and enter the user's name that you wish to prevent from posting (as displayed on his or her blog) and add a personal note.

In order to hide or show any comments that this user has made in the blog, simply click on the "eye"-icon next to each blocked user you have entered.

We hope this will allow all users to control the content their blog more effectively.