Maybe if WeightWatchers sold frozen Schweddy Balls, NPR would lay off

National Public Radio has been boxing WeightWatchers soundly about the ears lately over their new ProPoints system and how it doesn't work too well with their line of frozen, processed meals.

The new ProPoints system favors healthier, "natural" fare, including fruit, vegetables and lean protein. Whole grain and high-fiber choices are rewarded. Foods that are rich in fat and added sugar get dinged a little more than in the past.

But, we wondered, how the revised points approach squares with the foods it sells, such as nutritional bars, and those that carry the WeightWatchers name under license?

When they didn't get the answers they want, NPR popped down to Safeway to find out for themselves.

After scanning the freezer case, we grabbed a box of WeightWatchers Smart Ones Artisan Creations Grilled Flatbread Savory Steak & Ranch. It's a reasonable 300 calories, but then there's the 570 mg of sodium, and an unimpressive 4 grams of dietary fiber.

Wait a minute! A major American company guilty of hypocrisy? Get out of town! No way!

Seriously, I've never been a huge WeightWatchers fan. I suppose the support system is useful, but the old point system was deeply flawed. It favored weight loss over health and I didn't need NPR to tell me that the frozen meals are little more than iced sodium slabs. In fact, there's so much salt in there, I'm surprised it doesn't thaw the meal out in the freezer. Next time your driveway is frozen over, just throw a couple Smart Ones Salisbury Steaks out there. The 840 grams of sodium per steak ought to melt that ice in no time.

(And by the way, NPR, I didn't need to go to the supermarket to get those nutrition facts. I looked that shit up on the Internet. Why are you wasting my subscriber money with pointless road trips?)

Anyway, I like this new ProPoints system. It even gives fruit a free pass - as in all you can eat, which I think is incredibly innovative - for human beings at least. The entire rest of the animal kingdom, including many molds and bacteria, have already cottoned on to the fact that it's really hard to get fat from too much fruit. But all hail human progress, I guess.

But here's the deal: WeightWatchers is a huge international company. Getting them to rethink what they've been doing for almost 50 years is going to take a little time. It's like trying to get an aircraft carrier to turn on a dime. Be patient. Hopefully, we'll see changes in the frozen crap soon. Companies like Amy's have proven that it's possible to make slightly more benign frozen crap. I'm hoping WW is in the process of following suit.

So, for once, The Fitness Nerd is going to give a big multinational some respect. Nice work, WeightWatchers. You're still a big, obnoxious, foolish Goliath of an organization, but props nonetheless.

(I can't remember who sent me this NPR link, but you know who you are. Pipe up so I can thank you.)