Popular weight loss service Weight Watchers (WW) may have just found their saving grace: Oprah Winfrey.
The media mogul and one of the most influential and richest celebrities in the world has decided to place a 10% stake in the company, officially becoming a board member and part-owner. It's unclear how much she invested, but rumors have it that she contributed at least $40 million.
Immediately after the announcement including one found in the Facebook official page of WW, the stock price of the company soared to more than 50%. Early this year, WW experienced its biggest decline in revenues and subscriptions since its IPO launch in 2001 when shares fell more than 32% particularly due to the growing popularity of fitness apps and wearables.
However, money wasn't really Winfrey's motivation in joining the company but her personal journey. Speaking to Ellen in late October 2015, she shared how she became one of the members of WW in the 1970s, but she didn't try any of the programs or joined local meetings. In 2015, she received a call from the company asking for her endorsement. That's when Winfrey decided to try a program as she said she couldn't endorse a brand without using it herself. Since Aug 12, she has already lost 15 pounds from the program. She cited how WW is providing a "more holistic approach" to health for everyone.
This isn't the first time Winfrey tried to diet as she has gone through a rough battle with weight loss for many years. In 1988, she had a monumental transformation when she lost around 67 pounds from consuming a liquid diet called Optifast. Pulling a wagon filled with equal to the amount of fat she had lost due to the diet, she boosted the inquiries and sale of the brand. Two weeks after the memorable episode, though, she went back to regular diet and started regaining the weight she lost, especially since she didn't exercise.
