MARILYN PRICE BIRNHAK WILL MARK HER

                                     50^TH YEAR WORKING FOR WEIGHT WATCHERS®

            Marilyn Price Birnhak, of Bala Cynwyd, PA will mark a momentous and special milestone in her storied

career in the weight-loss industry. As of February, 2013, it will be her 50^th year working for Weight Watchers®.

            A native of the Fern Rock section and a graduate of Olney High School in Philadelphia,

she first became affiliated with the international weight-management company while living in New York where

and when she attended founder Jean Nidetch’s weight-loss class to lose weight personally. Following her successful weight-loss which she accomplished along with her husband, J.Robert Birnhak, she became a Leader for the program.

            In 1964, she and her husband started Weight Watchers of Philadelphia, Inc., the Philadelphia franchise,

in the Mount Airy section of the city with two meetings and just eight members, some of whom were their family. Today, in its 49^th anniversary year of being continuously family owned and operated, the highly successful franchise serves as many as 25,000 members weekly in more than 600 meetings in 11-counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southwestern, New Jersey.

            Through the years the company has helped hundreds of thousands of people to live and enjoy healthier lifestyles by successfully losing weight and has provided employment to hundreds of employees who

reside within their geographic marketing regions in the Keystone and Garden states.

            Although busy operating their business, the Birnhaks have made time to volunteer on the boards of

numerous charitable and non-profit organizations and have been singled out for honors by many including, The

Madlyn and Leonard  Abramson Center For Jewish Life where they dedicated the Birnhak Transitional Center. Bob and her son, John, a company vice president, also serve on its board of directors. They have additionally received honors from the Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Magen David Adom and the National Liberty Museum. Bob additionally has been on the board of the State of Israel Bonds and The Jewish Theological Seminary. Marilyn also is a founder of the AIM Academy, an educational program for bright children who learn differently.

            In addition, not forgetting the communities they serve, the Birnhaks have been active in fund raising and

contributors to numerous charitable causes including, The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, The

Wellness Community, TheUnited Way, The Philadelphia Thrill Show, Inc., American Heart Association,

Alzheimer’s Association, Beth Sholom Congregation, Weight Watchers of Philadelphia Feeds The Hungry,

The Kidney Foundation, Susan B. Komen Race For The Cure and the Philadelphia Theatre Company.

            Marilyn and her late daughter, Tracey, who died after and long and courageous battle with breast cancer, founded the “I Have Strength Fund” associated with the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, the Birnhaks have endowed the Nutritional Counseling Center at the Abramson Center located in the Perelman Center for Advance Medicine. The Birnhaks also have another daughter, Valerie, who does not work for the franchise.

            Marilyn additionally has appeared on numerous television and talk radio shows and has participated as

a speaker and panelist for many health oriented events and fairs. She also has been a guest lecturer for many of the area’s medical colleges and universities.

            Weight Watchers ® now features Weight Watchers 360º, a new weight-loss program built for human nature that builds on its renowned PointsPlus® system in which members build on Tracking to learn strategies necessary to make healthy choices second nature. 

            PointsPlus values take into account all of the components that make up calories, which includes protein, carbs, fat and fiber, factoring in the conversion cost of processing these components in the body, as well as how these nutrients affect feelings of hunger and satiety. Some nutrients require more energy to process and are more filling than others. Protein and fiber for example require more energy to process than fat and carbs and are also more filling. The fact that PointsPlus values account for these differences means that one gets a more accurate measure of how much energy is available to your body when eating food and is also directed to more

satisfying food choices..

            PointsPlus includes PowerStart, a special two-session introduction that provides an easy to follow guide designed to get members off to a powerful start with their goal to lose weight.      

            Sometimes it’s hard to make the best choices even when members know what they are. Food temptations are all around, all the time and the latest science shows that simply telling ourselves “no”

is unlikely to work.

            Weight Watchers 360º is the answer to that challenge. It not only teaches members the Tracking

steps needed to follow PointsPlus, but also steps required to create healthy Spaces and build healthy Routines.

The aim is to put members in control of their eating and exercise choices and to help healthy living become

second nature to them.

            The latest science in brain chemistry confirms it: Food cues are all around us, helpful or not, make a huge difference in the decisions we make about eating. That’s why it pays to set up surroundings designed for

success, clearing out Spaces of trigger foods and filling them up with foods that make it easy to stay on the plan. Routines are helpful habits that can become second nature and Weight Watchers 360º provides a series of strategies that provide healthy approaches.                                         

            The Weight Watchers approach has always been based on healthy eating, regular physical activity,

behavior modification and support. Weight Watchers additionally offers a unique confidential aspect at meetings with private weigh-ins, while providing Leader motivation and encouragement for members. There also is the Program’s hallmark, its unique weekly meetings in which members interact to help each other

achieve their weight goals.

            Weight Watchers is the world’s leading provider of weight management services, operating globally through a network of company-owned and franchised operations. Weight Watchers holds over 45,000 weekly meetings around the world where members receive group support and education about healthy eating patterns, behavior modification and physical activity. Weight Watchers.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 of Philadelphia’s services, visit wwphl.com. To find the nearest Weight Watchers meeting location, call 1-800-456-6363 or click on Find A Meeting.   

            Now in its 49th anniversary year, Weight Watchers of Philadelphia, Inc. serves as many as 25,000 members weekly in more than 600 local meetings in southeastern Pennsylvania and southwestern New Jersey.

Weight Watchers of Philadelphia is part of a larger organization franchised by Weight Watchers International,

Inc., owner of the registered trademark. Additional details at 1-800-456-6363.

                                                                                        #

                                                                                                                                           1-31-13

* People following the Weight Watchers plan can expect to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week.

  For Further Media Information:

Stu Coren

ROSEN COREN AGENCY

215-741-2003