Carrie Fisher Joins Jenny Craig as New Celebrity Client

CARLSBAD, Calif., Jan. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Jenny Craig, Inc., one of the nation's leading authorities on weight management, today announced Carrie Fisher as the newest Jenny Craig celebrity client and spokesperson. The actress and critically acclaimed bestselling author, best known for her role as Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy, is starting off the New Year with a resolution to lose 30 pounds.*  

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110112/LA28892)

Fisher has struggled with her weight for the past three years, and is finally ready to make a serious change.  "A day comes when you can no longer face not wanting to leave the house because you don't like the way you look," said Fisher. "A day comes when you want to stop apologizing for it.  When you want to make a decision to live the rest of your life in a healthy way." She went on to say, "I haven't been able to enjoy what otherwise is a good part of my life because so much of what's on my mind is about my weight."

After trying numerous diets to lose weight, and ultimately gaining it all back, Fisher decided to join Jenny Craig to make a lifestyle change to achieve healthy weight loss results.  "I have been on every diet in the world, and look at me.  This is the sum total of what that's amounted to." Despite Fisher's many weight loss setbacks, she remains focused on achieving success on the Jenny Craig Program and is optimistic for the future.  "I am more hopeful now than ever, because I have made this commitment, and I have my Jenny Craig consultant supporting me in my journey."

Joining successful Jenny Craig spokespeople like Valerie Bertinelli, Sara Rue, Nicole Sullivan and Jason Alexander, Fisher will appear in Jenny Craig's new advertising campaign that launches in February 2011.  Fisher also announced she is utilizing Jenny Craig's new Metabolic Max program, the next generation of the signature Jenny Craig program.  

In this new program innovation, Jenny Craig is taking an intensive approach to monitor and increase activity by accurately measuring calories burned to help clients achieve meaningful weight loss.  Incorporating the technology from the BodyMedia FIT™ Armband and Activity Manager, Jenny Craig consultants are able to plan a weekly menu, review the client's caloric intake and activity levels for the week, and adjust the program accordingly to help clients maximize their weight loss efforts.

"Jenny Craig's Metabolic Max program has changed the way I view losing weight. With the Armband, I can monitor how many calories I'm eating, and measure how many calories I'm burning, so there are no excuses. It is like having my consultant on my arm at all times! It is tailored to my personal needs so that I am able to maximize my healthy weight loss efforts.  I started the program a few days after Thanksgiving and I've already lost 12 pounds in six weeks!*" said Fisher.

"We are very excited to have Carrie as the newest member of our Jenny Craig family," said Patti Larchet, CEO for Jenny Craig. "She has overcome many things in her life, and is excited to tackle her next challenge head on.  We will support Carrie every step of the way with our one-on-one personalized approach, as we do with all of our clients.

"Although Carrie hasn't been successful in keeping weight off in the past, we are confident the Jenny Craig program will help her manage this for life," said Larchet. "We look forward to sharing in her journey."

About Jenny Craig

Jenny Craig offers a comprehensive Food-Body-Mind program designed to help clients manage their weight by creating a healthy relationship with food, building an active lifestyle and developing a balanced approach to living.

With its tailored YourStyle® program, Jenny Craig is committed to a personalized approach to weight loss by offering each client a one-on-one weekly consultation and a customized weight management plan designed to optimize individual success. With more than 80 delicious Jenny's Cuisine™ menu items, Jenny Craig's program is available in-centre and our at-home program, Jenny Craig At Home.

Jenny Craig, Inc., based in Carlsbad, CA, is one of the world's largest weight management companies, with more than 700 company-owned and franchised Centres in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Puerto Rico.

About Carrie Fisher

Carrie Fisher has been a compelling force in the film industry since her feature film debut opposite Warren Beatty in the 1975 hit Shampoo.  The daughter of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, she became a cultural icon when she played Princes Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy.  Her star-studded career includes roles in countless films such as The Blues Brothers, The 'Burbs, Austin Powers, Garbo Talks, Hannah and Her Sisters, The Man with One Red Show, and When Harry Met Sally.

In 1987, Fisher's book, Postcards from the Edge, leapt onto the New York Times' bestseller list, and netted her the Los Angeles Pen Award for Best First Novel.  Four more bestsellers have followed: Delusions of Grandma, Surrender the Pink, The Best Awful, and Wishful Drinking.  Fisher turned  Postcards into a screenplay for the hit film starring Shirley MacLaine and Meryl Streep, and is currently adapting The Best Awful for Lifetime and Sony Television with producers Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks.  

Her writing has also appeared in Details, Harper's Bazaar, The New York Times, Travel and Leisure, Vogue, and many other major publications.  Her television credits range all the way from "Laverne and Shirley" to "Sex and the City," with an Emmy nomination for her appearance on the popular NBC comedy, "30 Rock."  

Most recently, Fisher has received a number of awards and nominations for her work on Wishful Drinking. Her fifth novel, Wishful Drinking, is a New York Times best-seller and is the subject behind the HBO Documentary "Wishful Drinking." In 2009, she received a Grammy Award nomination in the Best Spoken Word Album category.  In 2009/2010, she was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance, and the Drama League's Distinguished Performance Award.  She won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Solo Performance. Carrie and Wishful Drinking plan on a tour for 2011/2012.

Her experiences with addiction and bipolar disorder – and her willingness to speak honestly and candidly about them – have made her a sought-after speaker and respected advocate for these communities.  She appeared on the California Senate floor urging state legislators to increase government funding on medication for people living with mental health issues, and has received dozens of various awards for her courage and commitment to fighting mental illness and the stigmas that are associated with it.

*Jenny Craig clients, on average, lose 1-2 pounds per week.

SOURCE Jenny Craig