Operation Transformation Leaders collectively lose 00 LBS

Operation Transformation Leaders collectively lose 100 LBS

The Operation Transformation leaders have lost 100lbs more than seven stone - between them since starting on the food and fitness plan eight weeks ago, as the nation continues to shed weight in the Million Pound Challenge.

John Conmy, Clare Scanlan, Lucy Dillon and Noeleen Lynam have collectively lost seven stone two pounds since embarking on their Operation Transformation journeys.

The leaders' reactions to their success will be revealed on a special double-bill finale airing on Thursday, February 25th on RT One starting at 8.30pm and continuing after The Nine O'Clock News.

This years' leaders have inspired the nation to put down the chocolate and get moving. Thousands have signed up for the Million Pound Challenge* with Ireland collectively losing an amazing 73,000lbs since the show opened the campaign on January 4th. The challenge, supported by Healthy Ireland and The Irish Pharmacy Union, continues throughout the year.

Young girls all around the country have taken part in It's Your Move' an initiative to encourage secondary school girls, an estimated 80 per cent of whom are not getting enough exercise - to start getting fit by dancing. Operation Lunchbox has introduced primary school children and their parents to a healthier way of fuelling their day.

The show teamed up with parkrun to promote the voluntary organisation's weekly 5Ks. The result was a trebling of the numbers attending the parkruns on Saturday mornings and more than 15,000 new registrations since the start of the year. Thousands around the country took part in last Saturday's annual Operation Transformation 5K, in association with Sport Ireland, and the Nationwide Walks earlier in the series were the biggest ever with 19,000 people taking part.

In its ninth series, Operation Transformation, sponsored by safefood, has proved as fit as ever with a consolidated average** of 489,900 people watching the show weekly, up from 475,300 last year. The show has also increased its share*** to 29.5 per cent, up from 26.6 per cent last year. Throughout the series, RT Radio 1's The Ray D'Arcy Show has followed the leaders, featuring them, their families and the experts.

Operation Transformation host Kathryn Thomas said: This year's series has been the most emotional and inspiring that we have ever had. There have been plenty of tears along the way and I couldn't be happier for John, Clare, Lucy and Noeleen that they have done so well on the plan. That is not only borne out by their success on the scales but in the way that they have embraced this new lease on life and we saw that transformation for our own eyes when they took to the catwalk for the OT finale. I know that Dan, even though he wasn't able to continue with his plan for health reasons, is also on the path to a healthier life now.

Half a million people have been watching the leaders as they changed their lives and they have inspired thousands of those viewers to make the move toward a healthier lifestyle. I am especially delighted that Operation Transformation is going year-round with regular updates on radio and online. It makes so much sense and I've no doubt it's going to lead to a healthier, fitter nation .

Operation Transformation is going year-round for 2016 on radio, online and social media to help people keep motivated on their journey to well-being.

For the next 12 months there will be regular updates on our leaders' progress, new seasonal recipes and exercise plans, and, most importantly, we will be keeping up contact with all the communities and groups who have been following the Operation Transformation plan since the start of the year.

Operation Transformation will be found at major national events, parkruns nationwide, and on RT Radio 1 and RT 2FM. Facebook and social media accounts will be updated with interesting and engaging content, linking in with communities and the activities of our groups. The country's progress in ditching the collective spare tyre for the Million Pound Challenge will continue to be tracked.

LINK:	http://www.rte.ie/about/en/press-office/press-releases/2016/0225/77070...
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