Weight Watchers International Inc.’s stock got another boost from the falling weight of Oprah Winfrey, the company’s backer and most famous customer. 
 
 The shares climbed as much as 19 percent after Winfrey announced that she’d lost 40 pounds using the program. The diet company, whose shares had fallen 54 percent this year before Thursday’s surge, is unveiling new TV ads featuring Winfrey that tout her weight loss. The media magnate and talk-show veteran became a centerpiece of Weight Watcher’s comeback plan last year when she bought a stake in the company and joined the board. 
 
 In October 2015, when Weight Watchers first announced its deal with Winfrey, the shares more than doubled in a single day. Though the previous rally has faded, Winfrey’s subsequent endorsements of Weight Watchers have given the stock temporary jolts. The shares gained 27 percent over two days last December when Oprah tweeted a video about using the weight-loss program, and there was a 20 percent bump in January after Winfrey said she had lost 26 pounds while still eating bread every day. 
 
 The latest marketing push begins next week, just before the New Year’s holiday. The coming weeks are critical for Weight Watchers: The company typically adds about 40 percent of new customers in the first quarter, when resolutions push people to seek out diets. 
 
 The stock climbed as high as $12.50 on Thursday, its biggest intraday gain since February. 
 
 Heavy Competition 
 
 Weight Watchers has been hit hard by the rise of free fitness apps, and a move away from strict calorie counting among dieters. But Winfrey’s wide-ranging influence has brought new life to the brand. Weight Watchers has added subscribers for three straight quarters after years of declines. 
 
 The New York-based company hopes that Winfrey’s new ads, which emphasize that she still enjoys pasta and tacos, will convince dieters that its updated program is an effective weight-loss tool. 
 
 “It’s vitally important that Oprah is living the program and articulating it in a way that’s authentic,” said Maurice Herrera, the head of marketing at Weight Watchers. “It really connects with prospective members.” 
 
 Despite the subscriber gains, it’s been a rocky year for Weight Watchers. The company has billions in debt, and its stock is heavily shorted. In September, Chief Executive Officer Jim Chambers announced he was leaving after about three years at the helm. That sent the shares plummeting to their lowest level in nearly a year. 
 
 Interim CEO 
 
 Chambers had been working to turn around the company, an effort that included revamping its nutrition program and adding a social-networking component to its app. Now, Weight Watchers is being run by a trio of executives who constitute the “interim office of the CEO.” 
 
 The ads rolling out next week show Winfrey doing yoga and cooking pasta. As consumers have changed their perception of wellness, Weight Watchers has pivoted to emphasize that weight loss and indulgence aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive. Winfrey will hammer that message home, Herrera said. 
 
 “People want to know what’s on her mind and how she’s living her life,” he said. “This will definitely get people’s attention.” ||||| CLOSE USA TODAY's Shannon Rae Green and Nathan Bomey talk about Oprah Winfrey's purchase of 10% of Weight Watchers. USA TODAY 
 
 Oprah Winfrey's cable network has scrapped a reality show about the father of 34 children by 17 women. (Photo: Todd Williamson, WireImage) 
 
 Oprah Winfrey has helped to significantly fatten up Weight Watchers International's market value. 
 
 The diet company's stock -- which had been slumping for the last few years -- soared after the firm announced on Monday that Winfrey would take a 10% stake. The billionaire media mogul, who will also receive options to acquire an additional 5% stake, is joining the Weight Watchers board as well. 
 
 Weight Watchers (WTW) concurrently announced an expansion of its brand beyond a pure focus on weight loss to a general emphasis on healthier, happier living. 
 
 Investors sent the stock up 105% to close at $13.92 on Monday. The company's stock had lost nearly 73% of its value in 2015, prior to the news of Winfrey's investment being publicized. 
 
 I believe in the @weightwatchers program so much I decided to invest, join the Board, and partner in #wwfamily evolution. — Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) October 19, 2015 
 
 "Weight Watchers has given me the tools to begin to make the lasting shift that I and so many of us who are struggling with weight have longed for," Winfrey said in a statement. "I believe in the program so much I decided to invest in the company and partner in its evolution." 
 
 Winfrey bought her shares at $6.79 apiece for a total investment of $43.2 million, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. 
 
 Analysts expect Winfrey to use the considerable influence of her brand and media presence — including her well-known knack for promoting health-related initiatives — to drive interest in Weight Watchers meetings and products. 
 
 The TV host, actor, producer and publisher "will not just bring attention to the stock, but will accelerate sales and profit recoveries" as Weight Watchers benefits from "free publicity and media savvy," S&P Capital IQ analyst Efraim Levy said in a research note. 
 
 In addition to her role as a board member, Winfrey, who has long shown an interest in health issues and dieting programs, will serve as an adviser to the company. 
 
 "Through our conversations, it became clear that there is tremendous alignment between Oprah's intention and our mission," Weight Watchers CEO Jim Chambers said in a statement. "We believe that her remarkable ability to connect and inspire people to realize their full potential is uniquely complementary to our powerful community, extraordinary coaches and proven approach." 
 
 CLOSE Jefferson Graham looks at how Weight Watchers is competing with calorie counting apps like MyFitnessPal and LoseIt to attract digital audiences, on #TalkingTech. By Jefferson Graham 
 
 A spokesperson said Chambers was not available for an interview. 
 
 Nicole Nichols, a spokeswoman for the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), said in an email: "There are no current plans to promote through OWN or O Magazine, but that could change down the road." 
 
 Weight Watchers has struggled to keep up as dieting tools have increasingly gone high tech. Its total revenue fell 19% from $1.84 billion in 2011 to $1.48 billion in 2014. That included declines in meeting revenue, product sales and licensing fees. 
 
 About 800,000 members attended Weight Watchers meetings in 2014, down 38% from 1.3 million members in 2011. The number of Weight Watchers meetings has fallen about 20% from 45,000 to 36,000 during that period. 
 
 Those meeting declines come as an increasing number of dieters count calories with smartphone apps and monitor their physical activity with high-tech devices. The company, which offers digital tools for users, has also invested in new services such as one-on-one health advice delivered advice through email, text-messaging and phone calls. In addition, it created personalized online accounts that sync with activity-tracking devices such as FitBit. 
 
 About 1.5 million people subscribe to the company's online products. 
 
 As for Winfrey's deal, it includes the option to buy an additional 5% of the company for $6.97 per share. She can't sell any Weight Watchers stock for the first two years, according to deal terms filed with the SEC. She can sell up to 15% in the third year of her investment, up to 30% in the fourth year and up to 60% in the fifth year. 
 
 In five years she would have the right to sell all of her shares. 
 
 Follow USA TODAY reporter Nathan Bomey on Twitter @NathanBomey. 
 
 CLOSE Oct. 19 -- Bloomberg's Julie Hyman updates the latest markets news. She reports on "Bloomberg Markets." Bloomberg 
 
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– Want to win in the stock market? Start paying attention to Oprah's waistline. Bloomberg reports Weight Watchers stocks rose up to 22% Tuesday after Oprah announced she lost 26 pounds using the program. Oprah—an investor and spokesperson for Weight Watchers—tweeted a video in which she claims she was able to lose the weight while continuing to eat her beloved bread. That tweet appears to be responsible for sending Weight Watchers shares as high as $13.54. Weight Watchers stock performing inversely to Oprah's weight is a growing trend, as the same thing happened a few months ago when the star announced on Ellen that she'd lost 15 pounds, according to CBS News. Oprah bought a 10% stake in Weight Watchers last October.