Dear Oprah,
I am happy you used some of the money in your couch cushions to buy a stake in Weight Watchers. I am happy that, buoyed by your angel investment, that WW stock has soared, and that you made an additional $10 million or so to add to your overflowing coffers.
I am also happy that published reports say that you have started losing weight, using the same program that many of us lifelong fatties have used in our battle against chunk.
However, I believe you are destined to fail. Here's why: As one of the wealthiest, busiest people on the planet, you have throngs of people at your beck and call to perform the most dreary tasks in your life - scrubbing toilets, paying bills, counting WW points and cooking your own food.
Oprah,one of the reasons that WW is successful for so many people is that we have to enter our own points. We attend meetings. We portion our own food and put it on our own chipped plates.
We do not have liveried help to weigh and measure our pasta and potatoes. We do not have people who scan our pantries looking for errant cookies and wayward potato chips. We have to do this ourselves, in the process, slowly building up our resolve, willpower and drive.
I'm sorry Oprah. You may be able to buy some short-term weight loss, but true change will come only if you do it yourself.
