Fans of Celebrity Fit Club Weigh in on Celebrity Diets  6/12/07

Fans of VH1's Hit TV Show "Celebrity Fit Club" Weigh in on Celebrity Diets

Expert Advice, Tools and a Summer Makeover Contest on www.CelebrityFitClub.com

NEW YORK, NY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- Do you think it is easier for celebrities to lose weight than the average American? Is it ok for a celebrity to gain 10 - 20 pounds? In a recent VH1.com poll*, "Celebrity Fit Club" fans reveal their thoughts on celebrity weight gain and loss and their expectations of those in the spotlight.

For the 69 percent of the respondents who said they are currently taking steps to lose weight, they can find additional inspiration to get fit like the famous by joining www.CelebrityFitClub.com, a weight loss program from VH1, Rodale Inc. and St. Martin's Press. For $19.95 per month, www.CelebrityFitClub.com provides members access to a wealth of weight loss wisdom and tools such as "boot camp" fitness tips, dream dress size logs, daily and weekly meal planner and tracker, more than 200 recipes and even a "panic button" for help during those discouraging days.

The program is based on medical and diet expert Dr. Ian Smith's No. 1 New York Times bestselling "The Fat Smash Diet" and "Extreme Fat Smash Diet" books. Fans can also access exclusive advice on the site from the show's team of experts, Dr. Smith, fitness guru Harvey Walden IV and psychotherapist Stacy Kaiser. VH1's hit fitness and nutrition series "Celebrity Fit Club" is currently in its fifth season and airs Sundays at 9PM ET/PT.

Poll results

Fans may be jealous of how easily celebrities seem to be able to lose weight, but they also believe celebrities have an image to uphold:

-- 56 percent agree/strongly agree that is it easier for celebrities to

lose weight than the average American

-- 53 percent agree/strongly agree that if a celebrity loses a

significant amount of weight, they should be forthcoming about the methods

they used to lose the weight

-- 37 percent agree/strongly agree celebrities have a responsibility to

project a healthy body image

-- 29 percent agree/strongly agree celebrities should do whatever it

takes to stay fit and trim

Fans also empathize with celebrities, plus find motivation from a star's effort:

-- 65 percent of respondents are sympathetic when a celebrity gains

weight, especially since they are under a lot of scrutiny

-- 66 percent of respondents have been inspired or motivated to lose

weight after seeing a celebrity who has lost weight

-- 46 percent agree/strongly agree that it is ok for a celebrity to gain

10 - 20 pounds

-- 59 percent of respondents like to see celebrities go through the same

struggles as they do when it comes to losing weight

To encourage fans to start their own weight loss regimen, www.CelebrityFitClub.com is offering three chances to win a one-on-one phone consultation with one of the experts from the Show, an annual subscription to www.CelebrityFitClub.com and a VH1 gift bag with DVD's, books and more through The Celebrity Fit Club Expert Makeover Contest. Visitors to the site are automatically entered for a chance to win by completing the diet profile. The contest runs from midnight, June 6, 2007 until midnight, July 15, 2007.