Show Off Your Weight Loss Success In USA Today

America's #1 newspaper to publish series of weight loss success stories

The bestselling newspaper in America by far is USA Today which can be found virtually everywhere newspapers are sold. It's arguably the most recognized paper in the media today read by literally tens of millions of people on a daily basis. I've always enyoyed the look and format of USA Today because they set themselves apart from the rest.

With all these eyeballs looking at this newspaper on a daily basis, how would you like to be featured in one of a series of upcoming stories? Does that sound appealing to you? Yeah, I thought it would. It seems they are looking for weight loss success stories who have met the following criteria:

- Lost 25 pounds or more
- Kept the weight off for at least a few months up to many years

That's it! So, if you've been a weight loss champion and want others to read about what you did to shed the pounds, then USA Today wants to hear from you. They have promised to feature a "sampling of readers" both in the newspaper and at their web site located at USAToday.com.

In order to be considered for publication, here's what they need from you:

1. Your name
2. Your address
3. Your daytime and evening telephone numbers
4. Your e-mail address
5. A brief description of how you lose weight and are keeping it off

Before and after pictures are not necessary, but are certainly welcomed. However, the newpaper will not return any photographs that you mail to them.

To submit your information by snail mail, send it to:

USA TODAY Weight-Loss Challenge
c/o Nanci Hellmich
7950 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, VA 22108

OR

Send an e-mail to Ms. Hellmich at nhellmich@usatoday.com. Be sure to write "Diet Challenge" in the subject line of the e-mail.

You must either mail or e-mail your story to USA Today no later than January 16, 2007, so don't delay. A group of nutritionists and fitness experts will select the stories they would like to feature in the newspaper. I'm assuming these articles will begin running sometime in the next month or so and will be a regular feature of the paper.

I sent my story to them today, so we'll see what happens. Here's what I wrote:

NAME: Jimmy Moore
ADDRESS: XXXXXX, Spartanburg, SC XXXXX
DAYTIME PHONE: XXXXXXXX
EVENING PHONE: XXXXXXXX
E-MAIL ADDRESS: livinlowcarbman@charter.net

On January 1, 2004, I started the Atkins diet along with regular workouts at my local YMCA when I weighed an extremely unhealthy 410 pounds. By the end of that year, I lost a total of 180 pounds and dropped over 20 inches from my waistline. I have been able to keep the weight off and even lose a few more pounds in the two years since by incorporating the same sugar-free, low-carb principles into my diet as I did when I lost my weight. I appreciate your consideration.

BEFORE PICTURES
AFTER PICTURES

Also feel free to visit my blog at LivinLaVidaLowCarb.com for what I am now doing to help others who struggle with weight loss find the hope and inspiration they need to do it just like I did. THANKS again for letting me share my story with you. Take care!

Within just a few hours, I heard back from Ms. Hellmich:

Jimmy,

Great story. Thank you. We'll be back in touch.

Nanci

So, here goes nothing! :) If they feature my story, then that'll be great. But even if they don't, I know I am doing all that I can to spread a positive message to tens of thousands monthly. I'd really LOVE to see USA Today get a lot of low-carb weight loss success stories so they realize people are STILL losing weight by livin' la vida low-carb in 2007.

Let them hear from YOU if you are a weight loss success because you may be the person who inspires Mr. or Mrs. Obese American to finally do something about their weight problem. Let me know if you hear back from USA Today and they feature your story!