Losing Weight Is One Of The Most Popular New Year's Resolutions

Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Article Date: 29 Dec 2005 - 0:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

Losing weight is a popular New Year's Resolution for 2006. According to a new survey commissioned by Weight Watchers and conducted by Harris Interactive(R) about half (45%) of U.S. women say losing weight will be one of their New Year's resolutions for the upcoming year. Among those who will resolve to lose weight in the New Year, almost all (97%) say they think they will need some assistance to keep their resolution.

However, each year, many people try to go it alone without any support. Weight Watchers, the leading authority in weight loss, knows what it takes to help people lose weight, with a scientifically-based program that has proven success with thousands of people nationwide. This year, Weight Watchers has developed a useful resource, which gives a glimpse into the supportive environment provided by Weight Watchers meetings, to help motivate those adults struggling to stick with their resolution until they achieve their long-term weight-loss goals.

At 8:00 a.m. on January 2, 2006, Weight Watchers will activate a toll-free hotline for anyone who wants suggestions about weight loss. The hotline will offer practical tips about weight loss throughout the first month of the process. The tips will cover subjects related to kicking off a weight-loss plan; the impact of small changes; maintaining momentum, and making it last.

These tried-and-true tips and advice have been collected from Weight Watchers meeting leaders and members who have successfully lost weight through the Weight Watchers program and meeting support. Callers can dial 1-888-ATIP4YOU 24-hours a day, seven-days a week through January 31, to hear dozens of suggestions and ideas to help with their New Year's weight-loss resolutions.

A sample of the tips available through the hotline, along with other weight-loss tools and information, such as meeting details, articles and recipes, are also available during the month of January at weightwatchers.com/ATIP4YOU.

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and Weight Watchers media spokesperson, will greet all callers with a special welcome message, and offer her own personal thoughts. "Insight and wisdom from people who have successfully lost weight can give people the motivation they need to start losing weight," says Ferguson. "It was my meeting leader who coached me through the entire weight-loss journey, through each small step, challenge, and victory. I knew that she did it and so could I. I've maintained my weight for nearly ten years now and want to help other people do the same."

The hotline will offer new tips on a weekly basis throughout the month of January. The tips are examples of unique and successful insights gathered by Weight Watchers meeting leaders and members. Each week will be devoted to one of four topics:

-- getting started;
-- the impact of small changes
-- staying motivated;
-- making it last.

For each week's topic, suggestions and ideas are offered in seven categories:

-- challenges;
-- eating out;
-- beauty and fashion;
-- new recipes and nutrition;
-- changing your surrounding;
-- fitness and exercise;
-- managing the weekend.

The tips are all easy-to-implement suggestions to make the weight-loss process easier. Weight Watchers has designed every element of its program to be truly livable, from the choice of two broad food plans to the wide variety of meeting topics and locations, and the simple suggestions that make healthy eating and exercise a way of life.

Sample Helpline Tips

Challenges Tip: Every challenge you face and deal with builds character and makes you stronger for the next time. Begin by resisting just one small food item per day or walking around the block one more time -- it all adds up. Success breeds success! Tip provided by Weight Watchers meeting leader Myra Coutee, Missouri City, Texas.

Exercise/Fitness Tip

A little fitness can go a long way! I recommend taking your body measurements with a piece of ribbon. Let's face it -- we've seen the number on the scale and that's about all we can take. If we use pieces of ribbon for each measurement, we don't have to face the numbers. A month later, using the same ribbon, re-measure and cut off the excess. This will show how many inches you have lost in each area, without knowing the "number" where you began. Tip provided by Weight Watchers meeting leader Kim Chmiel, Reisterstown, Maryland.

Nutrition/Recipes Tip

If you're finding it hard to stay motivated, you may be feeling deprived or bored with the foods you're eating. Make eating an adventure! Makeover recipes you've enjoyed in the past and see if you can make a healthier version. Try foods you've never tried before. Experiment with recipes that sound like they'll taste good and be fun to make. By adding variety, you will discover new foods to enjoy and reap the nutritional benefits! Tip provided by Weight Watchers meeting leader Linda Reese, Wheat Ridge, Colorado.

Weekend Tip

Enjoy spending time with friends and family on the weekend -- but don't make food the focal point. Instead, find other activities that you enjoy doing together -- play a board game, take a hike, or go shopping. Tip provided by Weight Watchers meeting leader Ellen Abramson, St. Louis, Missouri.

Survey Methodology

Harris Interactive(R) fielded the online survey on behalf of Weight Watchers between November 30 and December 2, 2005, among a nationwide sample of 1,139 U.S. women ages 18 and over, of whom 513 plan to make a New Year's resolution to lose weight in 2006. The data were weighted to be representative of the total U.S. adult population on the basis of region, age within gender, education, household income, race/ethnicity, and propensity to be online. In theory, with probability samples of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the overall results have a sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Sampling error for the sub-sample of those who plan to make a New Year's resolution to lose weight in 2006 is plus or minus 7 percentage points. This online sample is not a probability sample.

About Weight Watchers International, Inc.

Weight Watchers International, Inc. is the world's leading provider of weight loss services, operating in 30 countries through a network of company- owned and franchise operations. Weight Watchers holds over 46,000 weekly meetings where members receive group support and education about healthy eating patterns, behavior modification and physical activity.

Weightwatchers.com provides innovative, subscription weight management products over the Internet and is the leading Internet-based weight management provider in the world. In addition, Weight Watchers offers a wide range of products, publications and programs for those interested in weight loss and weight control. 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.

The toll-free hotline, 1-888-A-TIP-4-YOU, and the special URL, weightwatchers.com/ATIP4YOU, are available to consumers from January 2 to January 31.

*Women who will have a New Year's resolution to lose weight for 2006

Weight Watchers International, Inc.
weightwatchers.com/ATIP4YOU