Keisha Orr of Edgewater Park, New Jersey is Named Philadelphia's 2007 'Local Loser'

Keisha Orr of Edgewater Park, New Jersey is Named Philadelphia's 2007 'Local Loser'

Friendship All Natural Cottage Cheese and NBC 10 Announce Winner of Healthy Lifestyle Challenge

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Eight weeks and 23 pounds later, Edgewater Park, New Jersey resident Keisha Orr has been named Philadelphia's "Local Loser" in the "NBC 10 and Friendship All Natural Cottage Cheese Local Loser Contest." In a mere eight weeks, the 35-year-old administrative assistant moved the scale from 196 pounds to 173 pounds, dropping 13.3 percent of her total body weight and changing her life for the better, by learning how to eat right and adopt proper exercise techniques.

"This contest has taught me that I'm stronger than I give myself credit for," says Orr. "I've learned that if I put my mind to it, I can do anything. I've regained self-confidence and a love for myself. I've lost the lazy, complacent attitude, always battling myself, eating and then hating myself afterward. I make much better choices now and I have much more energy. I look forward to keeping up my new healthy lifestyle."

Married with four children, Orr realized she needed to take control of her weight when her daughter asked her if she was having another baby (and she wasn't). Today, Orr is on the right path, mapping out her meals, eating small portions six times per day and drinking plenty of water. Not only has she lost weight and inches, but the dread of facing a closet full of too tight clothes has also disappeared. Orr is motivated to work out and sweat and says she feels great while she's exercising and afterwards.

As a reward for all of her hard work, Orr won two tickets to NBC's The Biggest Loser finale in Los Angeles, an iPod supplied by Friendship All Natural Cottage Cheese, plus a two-year membership from Philadelphia Sports Clubs. Runner-up Marcia Logan of Philadelphia and the other contestants each received an iPod from Friendship, a gift bag from NBC 10, a one-year Philadelphia Sports Clubs membership, and a Biggest Loser Scale.

"We'd like to congratulate Keisha Orr and all this year's Local Loser contestants," says Paige A. Pistone, Director of Marketing of Friendship All Natural Cottage Cheese & Sour Cream. "It takes a lot of courage and motivation to face and overcome the challenge of changing the way you live. We realize it is difficult to incorporate a high level of commitment into one's already busy daily routine. We hope the Local Loser contest has given Keisha and the other contestants the tools they need to continue traveling down the path of healthy living as well as inspire others to do the same."

This year's "Local Loser" contest was kicked off by NBC 10's "The 10! Show" host Lori Wilson and Friendship on September 25th. "The 10! Show" closely followed the trials and tribulations of the contestants as they endeavored to learn and embrace good eating habits. Registered dietitian, Althea Zanecosky, from the Mid Atlantic Dairy Association, guided each contestant toward a customized dietary plan and taught all five Local Losers about healthier food choices, including Friendship All Natural Cottage Cheese, which is packed with lean protein and other nutrients that helped the contestants keep their metabolism primed and build muscle tissue. Philadelphia Sports Clubs paired each contestant with a personal fitness trainer who guided them through work out routines three times per week.

"Considering the fact that it takes a full six weeks just to become acclimated to a new dietary regimen, the contestants' progress is impressive," says Zanecosky. "After the first six weeks are over, they're on the right path toward a healthier lifestyle, they've all made huge refrigerator and food pantry changes by clearing out the high calorie, nutrient-deficient junk in their houses and replacing with smart food choices, which has helped them to embrace a better way of eating as part of their daily routine."

Also competing for this year's "Local Loser" title were a 46-year-old massage therapist, a 41-year-old comedian and computer help desk analyst, a 50-year-old CT Scan tech, and a 43-year-old substitute teacher. The contestants' progress -- including personal history; diet and exercise program; updates from nutritionist and trainer plus expert blogs -- was tracked on the "The 10! Show" web site at www.nbc10.com/10.

They're All Winners: Four Other NBC 10 Viewers Change Their Lifestyle For the Better!

Marcia Logan is a 43-year-old substitute teacher from Philadelphia and the 2007 "Local Loser" runner-up. Before competing in "Local Loser," the married mother of two weighed 255 pounds. Today, she is focused on eating more fruits and vegetables and low fat dairy. She fights her cravings with exercise and other distractions, taking on the world again the way she did as an extra in feature films such as "Boomerang" and "Malcolm X."

"This contest has proven to me that I can truly accomplish great things, through perseverance and the belief that the goal is possible," says Logan. "I think I didn't try to lose weight before, because I didn't think I could lose weight. I no longer have the quick fix mentality. I know now that control is a choice and that life should be fun. Weight loss and healthy eating can be exciting, and will always be an important part of my everyday choices."

Sue Kelly is a 41-year-old professional comedian and computer help desk analyst from Philadelphia. When the "Local Loser" contest began, she weighed 245 pounds and routinely picked up fast food to eat on-the-go. She didn't know how to prevent impulse eating. Today, she has learned to incorporate healthy eating and exercise into her life. She is organized about her food choices and on the way to accomplishing more by using her professional and personal goals as incentives to lose the weight.

Erick Kendall is a 50-year-old CT Scan tech from Philadelphia. Beginning the contest at 278 pounds, his goal was to become a healthy and fit husband for his wife and an active father for his son. But, his daily food intake was out of control and his health had become a concern. He has learned about reasonable portion sizes and how to eat out and he says he's gained a whole new outlook on life. Eating more fruit and working breakfast and exercise into his daily routine, he is on the right track.

Kathy Stahl is a 46-year-old massage therapist from Hartsville. The married mother of two knows first-hand the importance of maintaining a healthy weight. Yet, she allowed her weight to take control of her body. Weighing 212 pounds, she began the "Local Loser" contest and dedicated herself to keeping computer records of her daily food intake, which fed her strong interest in good nutrition. Today, she remembers how tired she used to always feel. She knows that everyone, from her family to her clients, benefits from her increased energy level and she is on her way to accomplishing everything she wants.

Friendship All Natural Cottage Cheese Local Loser Results

NAME/HOMETOWN STARTING FINISHING TOTAL TOTAL %
WEIGHT WEIGHT LOST LOST

1. Keisha Orr (Edgewater Park, NJ) 196 lbs. 173 lbs. 23 lbs. 13.3 %

2. Marcia Logan (Philadelphia, PA) 255 lbs. 225 lbs. 30 lbs. 13.3 %

3. Sue Kelly (Philadelphia, PA) 245 lbs. 221 lbs. 24 lbs. 10.9 %

4. Erick Kendall (Philadelphia, PA) 278 lbs. 255 lbs. 23 lbs. 9 %

5. Kathy Stahl (Hartsville, PA) 212 lbs. 195 lbs. 17 lbs. 8.7 %

About Friendship Dairies

Founded more than 90 years ago, Friendship Dairies is a leading manufacturer of All Natural, cultured dairy products including cottage cheese, sour cream, buttermilk, and farmer cheese. Quality, freshness and superior taste are the foundation for every product that bears the Friendship name. This tradition of excellence has earned Friendship its reputation as preferred brand of choice up and down the east coast. For additional product information, recipes and special offers visit Friendship Dairies' website at www.friendshipdairies.com.

About NBC 10

NBC 10, one of 10 Owned & Operated NBC television stations, is located in Bala Cynwyd, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia. Millions of viewers throughout Greater Philadelphia, Lehigh Valley, South Jersey and Delaware tune into NBC 10 everyday for the most up-to-date news, weather, sports, consumer, health and traffic reports. NBC 10's 4PM news -- "All That & More with Tracy Davidson" -- is the only fully interactive news program in the region. Viewers also tune in daily to watch the "The 10! Show," an upbeat, one-hour lifestyle and entertainment show featuring local, national and internationally known celebrities. The program airs 'live' Monday through Friday at 11 a.m. Recognized as the #1 web site (www.nbc10.com) in the top 50 markets, NBC10.com received the prestigious National Edward R. Murrow Award.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: NBC 10/WCAU TV

CONTACT: Laura Phillips Ward of Wiggin Communications, LLC,
+1-860-573-4809, wiggincommlaura@comcast.net

Web site:

http://www.nbc10.com/
http://www.friendshipdairies.com/

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