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Weight Watchers(R) and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, Honor the Four 2006 WEIGHT WATCHERS INSPIRING STORIES OF THE YEAR CONTEST Grand-Prize Winners; Grand-Prize Winners to Receive Royal Treatment

Posted on: Thursday, 21 September 2006, 12:00 CDT

Weight Watchers today announced the four grand-prize winners of the 2006 WEIGHT WATCHERS INSPIRING STORIES OF THE YEAR CONTEST, an annual contest conducted by Weight Watchers since 1998, to honor some of the unique weight-loss success stories among its members and subscribers. Winners compete against thousands of entrants across the country that are selected by a team of judges based on a variety of factors, ranging from amount of weight lost to the magnitude and inspirational nature of their personal transformation. The winners are: Shannan Hutchinson of Danville, Virginia (71 pounds lost); Ethelyn Abellanosa of Seattle, Washington (204 pounds lost); PeTika Tave of Jacksonville, Florida (more than 200 pounds lost); and Victoria Tracey of Des Moines, Iowa (45 pounds lost).

"From my own experience, I know that weight loss is challenging," says Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. "I applaud everyone who shared their stories and I'm proud to help recognize such extraordinary people with different backgrounds and weight-loss goals to encourage others in their journey toward a healthier lifestyle."

Since 1997, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, has been a media spokesperson for Weight Watchers, inspiring people to take control of their weight. Today, a fit and trim Duchess of York, a Weight Watchers Lifetime Member herself, credits her relationship with Weight Watchers as one that changed her life.

The grand-prize winners are rewarded with a trip to New York City; a deluxe beauty makeover courtesy of Bliss Spa and Salon AKS; tickets to a Broadway show; and lunch with fellow Weight Watchers member Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, on Thursday, September 21 at Tavern on the Green.

"At Weight Watchers, we celebrate the success of each of our members and subscribers," says Linda Huett, CEO and President, Weight Watchers International. "This annual contest allows us to honor those members and subscribers who want to share their personal stories with others."

An additional 28 first-prize winners were selected and 128 entrants were awarded second prize. Entrants were asked to capture their weight-loss journey in fewer than 150 words, describing the positive changes and health benefits experienced as a result of weight loss, along with details about what kept them on track. All of the winners' stories feature inspiring individual triumphs, proving that victory in weight loss translates into victory in many other aspects of a person's life. The essays also capture a variety of "A-ha!" moments--the turning points that led them to realize it was time to take action and lose weight.

The following are the four winners of the 2006 WEIGHT WATCHERS INSPIRING STORIES OF THE YEAR CONTEST:

Petika Tave, 25, Jacksonville, Florida: For PeTika, inspiration arrived when she watched a videotape of her college graduation: "That image was an eye opener, it showed me I wasn't the social young woman I thought I was; instead, I was morbidly obese and literally eating myself into health problems. I didn't feel good about myself. I thought about my son and how I wanted to be a better role model for him."

Ethelyn Abellanosa, 36, Seattle, Washington: Ethelyn struggled with her weight for 25 years. Once she found herself using a cane and worrying about the possibility of diabetes, she joined Weight Watchers. Her weight loss also resulted in freedom from debilitating emotions: "I now know what it means to be free from fat and fear: "I celebrate all my victories -- from taking the stairs three flights to trying on clothes in a small dressing room without becoming a pretzel. Weight Watchers taught me I can do anything I put my mind to."

Shannan Hutchinson, 29, Danville, Virginia: Like many Weight Watchers newcomers, Shannan Hutchinson of Danville, Virginia, wrestled over the decision to start a new diet program, especially one that called for weekly weigh-ins and meetings. But in Shannan's case, the stakes were even higher; she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Determined to fight her illness, she made Weight Watchers a part of her life. "Weight Watchers changed my life forever," Shannan says. With every pound she lost, she gained a double dose of confidence.

Victoria Tracey, 43, Des Moines, IA: Victoria's lifetime weight problem reached its highest point after she agreed to become a surrogate mother for her brother and sister-in-law. But her sense of humor carried her through: "I decided the summer of 2004 that I, a fairly large-boned girl from Iowa, would carry my brother's babies. During the in vitro process, I became pregnant with triplets! So I made the commitment to myself and my husband that I would lose the weight from the triplets... and the cheeseburgers."

All of the 2006 WEIGHT WATCHERS INSPIRING STORIES OF THE YEAR CONTEST finalists' stories are featured on www.weightwatchers.com/inspiringstories along with other helpful weight-loss information.

What the winners all have in common is the understanding that believing in themselves makes anything possible. Weight Watchers message boards are full of remarkable stories that illustrate how the plan opens a new world for Weight Watchers members and subscribers. Whether it's encouragement for new mothers in the 'Calling All Moms' board with suggestions on how to lose that pregnancy weight, or bonding on the 'Guys on a Diet' board with men helping one another through weight-loss goals, or help maintaining goal weight on the 'Lifetimers' board - the Weight Watchers community helps one another to live their lives healthier, happier and more confidently.

About Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers is America's trusted name in weight loss and the global leader in weight-loss services, with approximately 48,000 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 their homepage.

Source: Business Wire

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