Project Then & WOW!: Real Women Lose Weight and Gain a New Perspective

Project Then & WOW!: Real Women Lose Weight and Gain a New Perspective

Weight Watchers' Winners Get 'Model' Treatment During Fashion Week

NEW YORK, Sept. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- This year, the hottest trend on the runway is self-confidence. To celebrate the physical and emotional health benefits of weight loss, Weight Watchers has partnered with women's fashion designer Betsey Johnson to celebrate the winners of their national, annual Then & WOW! weight-loss contest by giving them "model" treatment during Fashion Week. Winners will be flown in from their hometown to model in a Betsey Johnson Fashion Show on NBC's "Today" Show, Monday September 12th.

After searching through the Weight Watchers members' applications, Martha Parker of Pelham, Alabama, Nathalie Bolin of Cincinnati, Ohio, Heather Haouchine of Middletown, Connecticut and Renita Goetz of Fargo, North Dakota were selected as the winners of the national contest. Each winner demonstrated remarkable commitment and personal evolution throughout their experience and illustrated the transformation and newfound confidence that can occur with weight loss.

"I dropped a lot of weight and it changed my life," says Martha Parker, national winner. "During my weight-loss journey, I never felt alone. I had constant support and encouragement at Weight Watchers meetings to help me make positive changes to my diet and lifestyle. I am excited about going to New York and sharing my story with other people who don't realize that they can do it too," she adds.

Results from the Weight Watchers new Then & WOW! national survey -- designed to capture the mindset of women who recently committed to losing weight -- reflect that weight loss is not just a physical struggle, it is an emotional one as well. "I know, from my own experience, how challenging it can be to lose weight. I want to thank everyone who shared their personal experiences with us as part of this contest and applaud each of the winners. I'm proud to help celebrate such terrific people and put them in the spotlight," adds Weight Watchers media spokesperson Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York.

Weight Watchers' Then & WOW! survey reveals that more than 33 percent of women surveyed feared exercising in public before they lost weight. Additionally, 37 percent were less motivated to date or spend time with their significant other before weight loss.

There is hope however, since many women, just like the Then & WOW! winners, are focusing on a weight-loss routine. In fact, more than 80 percent of women surveyed in the U.S. have recently committed to a healthy lifestyle in an effort to lose weight and gain a new perspective. After successfully losing weight, 50 percent of the women surveyed said they felt more confident and were more motivated to try new things or sample a new look.

"The Then & WOW! winners have such an amazing attitude. They feel great and that confidence comes through when they come down the runway. I've styled them all in a modern way that reflects their new look," says Betsey Johnson, women's fashion designer.

Additionally, the four Then & WOW! winners will be attending Betsey Johnson's fashion show on September 12th at 3:00 pm in Bryant Park. "We'll be the girls at Fashion Week laughing and having a great time," says Parker.

About Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers is America's trusted name in weight loss and the global leader in weight-loss services, with approximately 46,000 weekly meetings in 30 countries. The mission of Weight Watchers is to help people reach and maintain a healthy weight. At the heart of Weight Watchers are weekly meetings that provide the coaching and tools to help people make the positive changes required to lose weight and keep it off. Weight Watchers also offers Internet subscription products for people wanting access to interactive weight management resources over the Internet. To learn more about Weight Watchers services, products and publications, visit WeightWatchers.com. To find the nearest Weight Watchers meeting location, call 1-800-651-6000 or click on the 'Find a Meeting' link at the top of our homepage.

Then & WOW! is an annual essay contest conducted by Weight Watchers since 1998 to spotlight the most inspirational and incredible weight-loss success stories among its members. Four grand-prize winners and 60 first-prize winners are chosen throughout the country. Winners are selected by a team of impartial judges based on a variety of factors, ranging from amount of weight lost to the magnitude and inspirational nature of the personal transformation.

Fieldwork for the Then and WOW! national survey was conducted by ORC International from July 28 to August 1, 2005. Ketchum Global Research Network was responsible for questionnaire design and data analysis. The survey was conducted via phone using a random digit dial methodology among a representative sample of adult women. Final results are based on adult women who committed to weight loss or more exercise in the past 6 months and have successfully lost weight. Findings are statistically significant at the 95% confidence level with a +/- 4.5% margin of error.

Source: Weight Watchers

CONTACT: Adrianna Giuliani, Ketchum, +1-646-935-4077, adrianna.giuliani@ketchum.com, or Donna Fontana, Weight Watchers, +1-212-589-2737, fontanad@weight-watchers.com

Web site: http://www.weightwatchers.com/

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