FAQs: Community & Support Questions

What is the Community?

It is an area designed to provide you with 'round-the-clock guidance and support for your program. Your community has Support Boards, member-created Groups, a personal Blog, ability to share Photos and Videos, an open Chat Room, expert support and much more.

Is this site free?

Access to the Community is part of your eDiets.com membership. Some members who have an unbundled plan might not have access to the Community. If that is the case with your membership, please contact Member Services to upgrade your membership plan. You can do this by calling 1-800-265-6170 or writing to Help@eDiets.com

Why should I get involved with my community?

Studies show that people with support tend to lose weight and keep it off more effectively than those who go it alone. It's also a wonderful way to interact with other dieters with common goals and interests.

How do I contact the Community support team for help?

Please send an email to Community@eDiets.com and include your username in your email. You may also receive assistance and support by calling toll free at 1-800-265-6170 or posting within one of the public Support Boards.

How do I interact with and receive help from the experts?

To access expert-led Support Boards, please visit one of the Meal Plan Specific boards or the Exercise and Fitness board. Our experts also regularly contribute articles to our newsletters. You'll be able to best interact with an expert within his or her support board (or by contacting Nutrition Support toll-free at 1-800-265-6170).

Who are the experts?

The professionals listed in the Expert section include specialists from a variety of disciplines. Our experts include:

• Pamela Ofstein, MS, RD, LD, Director of Nutrition Services
• Raphael Calzadilla BA, ACE, Exercise Specialist and Fitness Expert

How do I create an Account?

You need to log-in at eDiets.com in order to create your profile within the Community. When you first log into the Community, you will be prompted to set up your Profile page. Creating an account profile is a quick three step process.
Step 1: You will be asked to provide basic profile information.
Step 2: You will be asked to set your privacy settings.
Step 3: You can then build your site at your leisure by starting a blog, adding your mood, finding friends, posting photos, etc.!

What happens if I think my account has been compromised and I cannot log-in?

First, try to retrieve the password for your account through the "Forgot Password" link on the log-in page. Once you receive your password, you can log into your account and change the password to your account. Make sure the password for your account is never shared. Also, it's a good idea to not use the same password you use for your email account.

If you are still unable to log in to your account and you aren't receiving the password for your account from that link, please contact Member Services toll free at 1-800-265-6170.

How do I delete my account?

There is currently no option to delete your account.

How can I change my account settings that were selected when I first set up my Community Profile?

You can click on the "Settings" tab while on any of the pages within the Community to update these settings. You will need to be logged in to update your privacy settings.

What are the Community Conduct Standards?

The Community Conduct Standards are rules we've implemented to keep our site safe for you. Click here to review the Standards. It's good to familiarize yourself with the Standards so you don't accidentally violate them! We strive to provide a positive, safe and supportive environment within our Community.

How do I report inappropriate content or a member who's violating the Community Conduct Standards?

You can click the "Report" icon to report inappropriate content while within the Community or you can contact the Community Team directly by emailing Community@eDiets.com or calling toll free 1-800-265-6170. When calling or emailing, please include a screenshot or specific information on where to find the offending piece of content. Including the poster's username would be helpful as well.

How do I report a copyright violation?

Please use the same steps noted above to report any content that violates Copyright laws.

How do I block a user?

You can block a user by visiting their profile and clicking "Block User". This will prevent them from contacting you. You will receive a message once you do this to confirm that the user has been blocked.

Once a user is blocked, you can manage your blocked users by visiting your "Privacy Settings" page and selecting the menu item "Manage Blocks". You can access this by clicking on the "Settings" tab.

Someone on the site is bugging/harassing/threatening me: what can I do about it?

The best thing to do in such a situation is to ignore and block the user. If you do not respond or acknowledge them, it is likely they will leave you alone. Blocking them will also prevent them from contacting you.

Please also report any issues to the Community Team at Community@eDiets.com. Include as much detail as you can about the issue and report problems early rather than having the situation escalate. If you have been threatened, you may choose to contact law enforcement immediately.

Can I change if I've blocked someone?

Yes, you can unblock a member via the "Manage Blocks" page. You can access this by clicking in the "Settings" tab.

How can I update my Profile Settings?

Within your account settings, you have the option of controlling who can send you messages, being alerted when new comments and messages arrive, managing friend requests, displaying your birthday, and having your page viewable by the public, friends only or making it private (as well as other privacy settings.) To update/change your profile settings, click on the "Settings" tab located under the main Community tab when logged into your account. Make the desired changes and click on the "Save Settings" button at the bottom of the page.

How do I change my Profile information?

Once an account has been created, you can change your profile information as often as you like. After you have logged into your account, select the "Profile" tab along the top of your site. From here you have several choices. "Edit Profile" is what you will need to select to change your information.

You may share as much or as little as you'd like about yourself by filling in the optional fields of information. The only two required items are your display name and gender. Once you fill in the information you'd like to share within your Profile, click the "Save Changes" button to update your Profile.

How do I change my email address?

The only way to change your email address is to contact Member Services to make this update to your eDiets account information. You can reach Member Services toll free at 1-800-265-6170 or via email at Help@eDiets.com The email address is an important part of your profile as it is the email address used to notify you of changes to forums and threads you are watching. Make sure to keep this address up to date.

How do I change my profile Avatar or photo?

Avatars are the icons that will be displayed along with your posts, a nice way to customize your posts. You can either choose one of the optional avatars provided or upload your own avatar or photo to be displayed.

You will need to visit the setup wizard and click on "Upload a Photo" to select a new avatar, or you can click on the "Change Avatar" link from your main Profile page. To change your avatar, either select from the list of provided avatars or load you own to the forum.

You can use your own Avatar or image to display with your Profile by uploading a file or providing the URL when you click the "Browse..." button when first choosing your Avatar. To change it later, you can click on "Change Avatar" from the main Profile page and "Select" the image that you want displayed as your Avatar.

How do I upload my picture to my page?

Once you have logged into your account, select the "Photos" tab along the top of your site. Select the "Upload Photo" option. Photos you wish to upload from your computer can be selected with the "Browse" button. Once you have finished selecting your photos hit "Finished! Upload Now!" to add them.

Please note the following about your photo uploads:
Max upload size: 2MB
Allowed photo types: jpg, gif

You can upload up to seven photos at one time. Please make sure that photos are appropriate and do not violate the Community Conduct Standards.

What if I'm having trouble with uploading images?

First, make sure that the image you are attempting to upload is in one of the formats accepted — jpg or gif. Next, make sure the filename is simple and short, with no space or funny characters in it. "Image.jpg" is an acceptable filename. Next, make sure the file is less than 2MB. We do not allow images over 2MB in size. If these tips do not help, it's possible that the image is corrupted.

How do I change my default profile picture?

After you have logged into your account, select the "Profile" tab along the top of your site. Select the "Change Avatar" menu option. From here you will be able to choose from between any of the photos you have previously uploaded to your galleries, or upload a new photo.

Can I edit or move a photo after uploading it to my galleries?

No, images cannot be edited or moved between gallery folders once they have been uploaded. If you need to change a photo or move it to a new folder, you will need to download it, make your change, and upload it again.

How do I upload a video to my page?

Once you have logged into your account, select the "Videos" tab along the top of your site. Select the "Upload Video" option. Videos you wish to upload from your computer can be selected with the "Browse" button. Once you have finished selecting your videos click "Finished! Upload Now!".

Please note the following for your video uploads:
Max upload size: 100MB
Allowed photo types: mov, avi, mpg, mpeg, wmv, mp4, flv

Please note, by clicking "Upload" you are affirming that the video that you are uploading does not contain nudity, sexually explicit content, violent or offensive material or copyrighted images.

What is My Hub?

My Hub provides an all-in-one access point for your social networking. It shows the recent activity on your site, allows you to interact with other members or groups you have joined, displays your calendar and any RSS feeds you have chosen to display. Another name for "My Hub" is "Profile."

What is RSS?

RSS, or Really Simple Syndication, is a group of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated digital content, such as blogs, news feeds or podcasts.

Many popular Web sites offer these feeds to their users which can be displayed right on your own Site.

How do I add an RSS feed?

After logging in to eDiets.com, select the "Profile" tab found along the top of your site's page. Then select the "RSS Feed Manager" menu item.

From this screen you can manage all of the RSS feeds that you have added to your blog. You may add, edit or delete feeds.

Simply type in the URL of the RSS feed you wish to add to your "Profile" page in the box provided. Next, select how many items from that Feed you wish to be displayed. Hit the green + to add your Feed and you're done! All Feeds added will be displayed on your My Hub/Profile page.

What are Support Boards?

We offer a large array of Support Boards (or "message boards") where you can post messages and get advice from other dieters, day or night. It's a great way to connect to other people who share your interests, goals and challenges.

How do I get involved with a Support Board?

Just go to the main "Support Boards" page and click on a board that interests you. Then click on the thread links to read what members are saying. Once in a thread, you can post a reply or start your own thread within that Support Board. You can add your favorite forums to your "Favorite Support Boards" list for easy access.

What is a post?

A post is a comment or question to add to a forum (Support Board) that should have some relationship to the topics represented in the forum. Posts that do not adhere to the theme of the forum are considered "off topic" and quite often posting off-topic is considered taboo (and can be moderated, and may even result in being banned from the forum).

How do I create or edit a post?

To start a discussion about a topic of interest or to respond to comments or questions posed in another thread, you create a post. The first post in a thread defines the name of the thread. Therefore, the topic of the first post in a thread should be descriptive enough to give participants in a forum (Support Board) enough of an idea what the question is or what your opinion is that they can decide whether to participate without having to access the post's body.

A post has the following basic elements

• Topic - the title of the post, which is also the title of the thread if it is the first post in the thread. Should be a concise declaration of your question or observation.
• Body - the full text of the post, including links to images and content on external Web sites. You may also include a photo or video within your post.
• Formatting - HTML formatting options for text and smilies icons in the post.

To reply to a post, click on the "Reply" button at the top of the post in which you would like to respond. The next page will bring you to the previous user's post. You will need to type your reply above their post, by simply spacing (using the return/enter key) sufficiently for your reply. Click the "Submit Post" to post your reply. You can remove the quoted post that's displayed within your reply before posting it if you don't want that to be posted with your message.

How do I change my signature?

The signature is a statement, quote, or disclaimer the forum will attach to the bottom of each post you make. To make a change, log in to the forum site and click on the Forum Preferences link. Fill in the information that you want displayed as your Signature and then click the update button below.

Are there any formatting options available in my posts?

Yes! Your post can be formatted to bold, underlined or italicized text. Your post can also include links to a Web site, pictures and smilies by using the tabs above the text box. You also have the ability to select how your paragraph/text is going to display within your post as well as have the option to add HTML to your post.

What's the function of the Moderator?

Each Support Board has a Moderator who is responsible for watching over the posts to ensure that everyone's questions are answered. The Moderator will also welcome new members and look for posts that violate our posting standards. Moderators also often post threads within the Support Board they're moderating to encourage participation within the forum. These are usually experienced members who are great to reach out to for guidance.

How can I become a Moderator?

If you're interested in becoming a Moderator, please write to ModeratorProgram@eDiets.com. Although Moderators volunteer their time to assist within the Support Boards, regular membership fees are reimbursed while a member is assisting in this role. A member must be with eDiets at least 12 weeks and have an account within good standing in order to be considered for this role.

If you inquire about an opening, you will need to complete an application and agree to the moderator terms and responsibilities in order to be placed in this role.

What if the Moderator of the Support Board I'm active in is not there?

Please write to ModeratorProgram@eDiets.com. with any concerns related to a Moderator.

How do I create a blog post?

After logging into your account, select the "Blog" tab along the top of your site. Select the "Add Blog Post" menu option.

You will be prompted to supply a title to your post, a category the post belongs to and whether you want it to be viewable to anyone, your friends or kept private.

Photos and videos can be included in a blog post by clicking the "Insert Photo" or "Insert Video" buttons at the bottom of the posting window. Here's your chance to express yourself and journal while on your journey to better health!

What are Groups?

A Group is a small community within the larger one where you can connect with other members who share your same interests. You can create and join as many Groups as you'd like. When you create a new Group, you can select whether it's open to all members, is by invitation only or if it requires your approval to join (you'd screen requests to join).

How do I cancel or remove a Group I've created?

Once you have logged in to your account, select the "Groups" tab along the top of your Site. Select the appropriate group, and then select "Edit Information." At the bottom of the screen you'll be asked if you'd like to permanently delete this group. Click "Delete."

You can view the Groups that you're part of by clicking on the Groups link to the right of your Avatar on your main Profile page. Also, please note that Private Groups will not display on the main Groups page list as these are "invitation only" Groups.

How do I step down as the group moderator?

Once you have logged into your account, select the "Groups" tab along the top of your site. Select the appropriate group, and then select "Step Down as Moderator."

What are Challenges?

We offer about a half-dozen different formal Challenges that range from three weeks to eight weeks in length. The Challenges are terrific for motivation and support and help you to build a helpful online support network for staying on track. They're also devised to help you make positive progress with your goals. To find out more about a specific Challenge, just visit the Challenge Group and read the rules.

Our Challenges used to take place within the Support Boards, but now have their very own small community within the main eDiets Community by being featured in the Groups section.

You can create and join as many Groups as you'd like. When you create a new Group, you can select whether it's open to all members, is by invitation only or if it requires your approval to join (you'd screen requests to join).

How do I add a Friend?

Once you have identified a user you want to befriend, you can invite them to be a part of your friend list. Visit their profile page and you'll see a link below their name that reads, "Add Friend." Depending on the user's privacy settings, they will either immediately be added to your friend list or an email message will be sent to that user asking them to accept or decline your invitation.

Do I need anything on my computer in order to view chat rooms?

Yes, you need to have Flash on your system in order to have the chat/meeting rooms be accessible to you. If you see an error loading message on the page, please make sure that you have Flash on your system. The chat rooms currently run with Flash9.

What if I receive an error message when accessing the Chat page?

If you receive a message when logging into the Chat page that says "error loading chat" or something similar, please refresh the page or click on the Chat/Meetings tab again to try to reload the page. Usually, it will load when you re-try it if you receive that message when first clicking on the tab.

What is the Mentor Program?

Please note that the Mentor Program has been revised and members participating in the program will connect with one another differently within this new system. A Mentor period has traditionally been 30 days, but with the new system, Mentors and Apprentices can remain connected with one another after the 30-day period by remaining on each other's Friends list and keeping in touch.

How do I get involved with the Mentor Program?

Members interested in helping as a Mentor should contact MentorProgram@eDiets.com for information. Members interested in receiving help from a Mentor should visit the Mentor Room support board and view the information at the top of the page to learn how to get connected with a Mentor.

You will have the opportunity to review bio information from participating Mentors and will be able to connect with them via a Support Board or Group forum. When you select a person you'd like to be your Mentor, you should add them as a Friend to better connect with your Mentor. When you send a Friend request, please note that you're interested in their help as a Mentor.

Who do I contact with questions and feedback about the Mentor Program?

Send your questions or feedback about the mentor program to
MentorProgram@eDiets.com

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