Discovery Health - Vitality & Team Vitality plus everything else you need to know

[Ferret69]

Seems I need to make a correction to my earlier post / comment.

 

Any ride under 70% of max gets you exactly ZERO points.

So a 3 - 4 hour base ride will be worth 0 points, same as sitting on the couch watching TV.

 

Pretty sure they going to move the goal posts again and again and again.

 

 

Or sit on a Golf Cart for 4 hours, drink 12 beers and get 100 Points..

[alleyne]

Some guy started this petition to get Starva integration back:

 

https://www.change.org/p/discovery-vitality-discovery-vitality-must-reinstate-strava-support?recruiter=86569071&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink

 

And lots of hate on the FB  page:

 

https://www.facebook.com/discoveryvitality/

[Veebee]

Miles, I don't go to the gym at all. I only cycle, do you think it is worth my while registering for the Vitality Active Rewards?

 

Gym only gets you 100 points so doesn't make much of a difference. And the rewards are free, so activate it and maybe you will get a free smoothie every week.

[Epic Rookie]

Been following it a bit on Twitter, they quickly making excuses for cutting Suunto, saying that they are working with them to create a direct link instead of going through Strava, again, something they perhaps should have adressed before making sweeping changes considering how many people use Suunto.

It's almost as if the healthier clients are getting the short end of the stick vs unhealthier couch surfers?

I'm not interested in training with an Apple/ Samsung watch and defintiely not getting a Polar or Garmin so i'm screwed until Suunto comes on board?

Fun times!

[Guest notmyname]

Another financial institution screwing it's customers. Why am I not suprised.

[Cyclewizz]

With the new points system it's actually better to do less.

 

My son goes to gym 3 - 4 times a week.

He's target is 300 points so he's achieving his target and getting his smoothie.

 

With winter around the corner it will be base riding for me and majority of cyclists.

Since any ride under 70% of max counts ZERO I'll go from 12 000 points a week to ZERO.

 

Better to just wait for the target to drop to 300 points and then just visit the gym.

 

I see Discovery is taking some abuse on Facebook - rightly so.

I think that whoever comes up with the points allocation does ZERO training.

[Guest notmyname]

Some guy started this petition to get Starva integration back:

 

https://www.change.org/p/discovery-vitality-discovery-vitality-must-reinstate-strava-support?recruiter=86569071&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink

 

And lots of hate on the FB page:

 

https://www.facebook.com/discoveryvitality/

Sign this petition, blast your disgust on social media. Doubt it will help anything more than bring this to the attention of potential customers.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Miles, I don't go to the gym at all. I only cycle, do you think it is worth my while registering for the Vitality Active Rewards?

Yes, definitely. Your loops around tygerberg etc will suit it well

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Have just coma across this now:

 

Effective from 2 April, Discovery will delist adidas miCoach, Moves, RunKeeper, Strava, MapMyFitness and Timex as recognised apps or devices, and members will no longer receive points if they track their activity with them.

 

the full article here:

http://www.htxt.co.za/2016/03/02/discovery-vitality-drops-strava-runkeeper-and-mapmyfitness-from-active-rewards/

 

thats a problem for me as i use Strava for all my activities, i do make use of my polar heart rate strap with it but that doesnt help if its not recognized.

Use tapiriik to sync directly to a new Garmin connect account. Can get one without a Garmin device

[Uni]

Sorry if duplicated

 

http://www.htxt.co.za/2016/03/02/discovery-vitality-drops-strava-runkeeper-and-mapmyfitness-from-active-rewards/

[carbon29er]

I took out Discovery medical aid and then life insurance because the premium benefit ratio made sense. Not because of Vitality.

 

Up until 4 months ago and for approximately 10 years I received either 100 points for any ride over 30 minutes and 150 points for a ride over 45 minutes at 70% plus. Subject to a maximum of 15,000 points per annum. A race got me 5,000 if listed, subject to a different maximum of 15,000 points per annum. I could only use a Polar watch for many years. Getting my exercise points to max out took about 9 months, getting to Gold 90,000 points about 6 months.

 

A mate swiping their card at Virgin got 100 or 150 points. Workout or not.

 

I never got a free hot chocolate. Not even once. When this Active Rewards launched my first target was 1,100 points and I got a free drink 3 out of 4 weeks at the old rewards rate. Pre 3,000 points for a coffee cruise.

 

Now I get a max of 30,000 points for exercise per annum, I don't have to do stupid assessments solely for points and I get 2 free coffees a week.  My target is 1,200. To stay in peak condition I do some sweating 6 days a week. But even 2 fairly decent rides get me 600 points a ride. Will I extend a current ride to get to the next points level? Hell yes. Will more points today stop me riding tomorrow? No. I don't do it for the points.

 

What have I got to complain about?

 

There is a simple rule in tax law: a transaction must make economic sense, it can't be just for the tax benefits. Same thing applies to free Apple watches.

[shaper]

I took out Discovery medical aid and then life insurance because the premium benefit ratio made sense. Not because of Vitality.

 

Up until 4 months ago and for approximately 10 years I received either 100 points for any ride over 30 minutes and 150 points for a ride over 45 minutes at 70% plus. Subject to a maximum of 15,000 points per annum. A race got me 5,000 if listed, subject to a different maximum of 15,000 points per annum. I could only use a Polar watch for many years. Getting my exercise points to max out took about 9 months, getting to Gold 90,000 points about 6 months.

 

A mate swiping their card at Virgin got 100 or 150 points. Workout or not.

 

I never got a free hot chocolate. Not even once. When this Active Rewards launched my first target was 1,100 points and I got a free drink 3 out of 4 weeks at the old rewards rate. Pre 3,000 points for a coffee cruise.

 

Now I get a max of 30,000 points for exercise per annum, I don't have to do stupid assessments solely for points and I get 2 free coffees a week.  My target is 1,200. To stay in peak condition I do some sweating 6 days a week. But even 2 fairly decent rides get me 600 points a ride. Will I extend a current ride to get to the next points level? Hell yes. Will more points today stop me riding tomorrow? No. I don't do it for the points.

 

What have I got to complain about?

 

There is a simple rule in tax law: a transaction must make economic sense, it can't be just for the tax benefits. Same thing applies to free Apple watches.

Well said and fully agree... it was never an issue before and wont be in the future!!

 

i guess people feel hard done by for maybe not getting a freebie that they got use to and never had before.

 

When the dust settles and the revised points system is in place.... it will be human nature to adjust/adapt and work the system to achieve the goals

 

For all those without a garmin or polar or any device that is not registered with Vitality... google Tapriik... and use that to sync to a fake garmin account and points will then be awarded when linked to Vitality

[Uni]

For me I'm not bothered by the free smoothie. I just signed up for that gym boost thing so it means of they don't readjust my point goals, without a HR thingie I won't get the money back. I just received my first payout this week, it's not a lot but it's nice. I'll miss it

As a weekend warrior I don't see the pt of me dropping a few K  for a hr monitor and all the fancies  around it.EDIT {thumbsuck}

Edited March 3, 2016 by Uni

[Ferret69]

I took out Discovery medical aid and then life insurance because the premium benefit ratio made sense. Not because of Vitality.

 

Up until 4 months ago and for approximately 10 years I received either 100 points for any ride over 30 minutes and 150 points for a ride over 45 minutes at 70% plus. Subject to a maximum of 15,000 points per annum. A race got me 5,000 if listed, subject to a different maximum of 15,000 points per annum. I could only use a Polar watch for many years. Getting my exercise points to max out took about 9 months, getting to Gold 90,000 points about 6 months.

 

A mate swiping their card at Virgin got 100 or 150 points. Workout or not.

 

I never got a free hot chocolate. Not even once. When this Active Rewards launched my first target was 1,100 points and I got a free drink 3 out of 4 weeks at the old rewards rate. Pre 3,000 points for a coffee cruise.

 

Now I get a max of 30,000 points for exercise per annum, I don't have to do stupid assessments solely for points and I get 2 free coffees a week.  My target is 1,200. To stay in peak condition I do some sweating 6 days a week. But even 2 fairly decent rides get me 600 points a ride. Will I extend a current ride to get to the next points level? Hell yes. Will more points today stop me riding tomorrow? No. I don't do it for the points.

 

What have I got to complain about?

 

There is a simple rule in tax law: a transaction must make economic sense, it can't be just for the tax benefits. Same thing applies to free Apple watches.

 

 

All good Points and cant argue with most of them... We lived a charmed life for a while there with regards to points and rewards..

 

However on the highlighted point above,... it may now get you 0 points a ride if less than 70% average HR or if not wearing a HR monitor, No matter how Long it is..

 

And even if you are above 70% and ride for 5hours only 300 points

 

I think that is the gripe... We went from 150 for a decent Ride/Run to 1500/3000 back to a possible 0

Edited March 3, 2016 by Ferret69

[shaper]

For me I'm not bothered by the free smoothie. I just signed up for that gym boost thing so it means of they don't readjust my point goals, without a HR thingie I won't get the money back. I just received my first payout this week, it's not a lot but it's nice. I'll miss it

 

As a weekend warrior I don't see the pt of me dropping a few K for a hr monitor and all the fancies around it.

you can pick up a HRM strap for R500 or so dont see where you get a few K

 

Bluetooth (for use with phone and apple watch)

https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/181029-polar-wearlink-with-nike-hrm-strap/

https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/181225-polar-hr-monitor-and-strap-excellent-condition/

or new at total sports http://www.totalsports.co.za/pdp/muvit-bluetooth-heart-rate-monitor-strap-bt4/_/A-132732AAAJ6

 

Ant+ (if you already have a garmin)

https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/176976-for-sale-garmin-hrm1g-heart-rate-monitor/

Edited March 3, 2016 by shaper

[Bub Marley]

Can someone just explain to me that if they're cutting Strava and all the fitness apps, are you then supposed to use the built in workout app on the watch to get the points?