Tuesday 24 November 2009

You’re never too old!

You’re never too old!

Last night I went to my diet and fitness class as usual. It is very exciting to be meeting lots of new members now that I have changed my venue from the centre of Leicester where car parking fees were extortionate to a suburb where parking is free.

Last week two new ladies joined - one in her mid-eighties and the other a little younger. With new hips and knees their mobility was somewhat restricted and whilst I tried to show them how to exercise sitting in a chair, it was obvious that this wasn’t really working. I had given them our Kick-start diet to follow but I couldn’t help feeling that with the cakes in the afternoon, the chocolate that they both confessed to love greatly, that were part of their life, I wasn’t too optimistic about either their success on the diet or with their activity. I even doubted whether they would return this week. I had suggested that walking was a really good form of exercise and the more they could do the more it would help them.

Imagine my delight when they both arrived last evening. Walking over to me at the scales they were full of excuses. ‘I don’t think I’ve lost anything but I have stopped the chocolate and I have been walking – and we won’t be staying for the exercises’ said June with a sense of disappointment at letting me down. Elsie, the older of the two, added to the pre-scales-excuses with ‘I’ve not done any exercise but I have stopped eating chocolate!’. I was impressed that they had made at least some effort and made some changes. June stepped carefully onto the scales, closed her eyes with a face that said she was bracing herself for the bad news but she had lost 4 ½ lbs! She couldn’t have been more thrilled if I’d told her she’d won the Lottery! She stepped off the scales and would have done a jig if it hadn’t been for the two new hips and knees!

Then it was Elsie’s turn. I held her hand as she stepped gingerly on to the scales. Elsie had lost 3 ½ lbs and shrieked with delight, smiling from ear to ear like a teenager! The two of them almost skipped to their chairs and were truly thrilled and encouraged. There was a feeling of ‘new beginnings’ about them.

When June came forward with a spring in her step to collect her Slimmer of the Week certificate the room cheered and applauded. It was a magical moment. That’s why I love my job!

Monday 23 November 2009

The value of team spirit!

Last week our lovely staff went on a challenging bike ride together to raise funds for Steps Leicestershire Conductive Education Centre in Shepshed, Leicestershire, which is the main charity that Mike and I support.

The bike ride had started in the Spring of this year with the idea that, cumulatively, the staff would cycle the 2,775 miles which is the distance of the circumference of the UK and, by doing so, raise sponsorship to support Steps. With the end of the year approaching it was decided to hold a half day bike ride and the more folk that joined in the fewer miles everyone had to cycle to meet the grand total of 2,775 Miles. In the end the distance to be cycled by everyone was 17 miles.

So, last Wednesday, in the middle of a gale and torrential rain, it was decided to close the office and mount the bikes. Sadly (?) I couldn’t participate myself as I had a prior speaking engagement in Essex that evening, but the majority of the office staff did cycle with a few volunteering to prepare refreshments - faggots and mushy peas and soup and bread - when the cyclists returned.

Of course there were a few punctures, minor accidents when riders fell off in the mud, but all in all it was, by all accounts, a fantastic afternoon. Our housekeeper and our gardener were the marshals on the course, and indeed everyone was involved. Despite them all returning back at Quorn House totally frozen, soaked and exhausted, the overall feeling was that of elation! They had pushed themselves, encouraged and supported each other and had a lot of laughs. People’s roles within the company were totally irrelevant and there is nothing better for building camaraderie than putting everyone on a level playing field and letting them interact – particularly for a great cause.

As I was being driven down to Essex in my warm and cosy car and dictating replies to letters and emails from my in-tray, I felt a mixture of relief that I had a legitimate reason for not participating in this physical and presumably unpleasant activity, combined with a feeling that I’d missed out on all the fun. And I was right. They had had enormous fun and the aching limbs and sore back-sides evident as folk walked around the office like John Wayne the next day were testament to that. Everyone enjoyed it so much they’re now looking forward to the next staff bike ride and, yes, next time I want to do it too. Hopefully it will be in the Spring!

Monday 16 November 2009

Look out for the warning signs!

Every week I meet wonderful folk who have lost weight and transformed their lives. And they all wish they had done it earlier.

Weight creeps up on us. Half a pound here and a couple of pounds there and, before you know it, half a stone has gone on – then a stone. Nobody who has lost 10 stone ever, in their wildest imagination, anticipated that their weight problem would become so great. Folk go through the stages of moving along their wardrobe to the clothes that used to be loose that now fit. When they get a bit worn, they are replaced with new, at possibly the next size up, telling ourselves that that particular brand ‘obviously comes up a bit small in their sizing’.

Relaxed eating habits, little exercise (if any), over-indulgence on occasions, too much alcohol, snacking between meals and whilst watching television, all massively affect what we weigh. And we have to make choices.

I was in M&S on Saturday and ready-made traditional favourite puddings were on offer: Sticky toffee Pudding, Spotted Dick, Treacle Pudding – the selection was fabulous. I could feel my mouth salivating as I picked up a couple of options wondering whether they could come in useful when we have visitors at some time. WHO AM I KIDDING! I didn’t buy them because I really do want to stay slim but it took a lot of willpower.

Food used to control me, thankfully, now it doesn’t. If you are thinking about food too much, and your size is creeping up, why not consider joining one of our classes or our online slimming service? We do understand your needs and we really want to help you – and we offer unbelievable value too! Just log on to www.rosemaryconley.com for details of how we can help.

Monday 9 November 2009

Poor Gordon!

Whilst I’m not a huge fan of our Prime Minister, I do feel really sorry for him today. Amongst his vastly hectic, globe-trotting, life Gordon Brown found the time to write a personal, hand-written note to a fallen serviceman’s mother offering his condolences at her sad loss. Unfortunately, Mr Brown addressed the letter to Mrs ‘James’, not Mrs Janes and as a result Mrs Janes is very upset and has publicly stated that she would rather he ‘hadn’t bothered’. How very, very sad.

The guns are out for Gordon Brown and the media are ready to jump on anything and everything they can but I don’t think they do themselves any favours when they appear so plainly vindictive. Having heard the complaint from Mrs Janes, Gordon Brown did no less than pick up the phone and call her to apologise. He is reported to be ‘utterly mortified’ by the fact that he made the mistake and that Jamie Janes’ mother has been offended rather than comforted. What else can the poor chap do?

Sometimes I receive letters that I feel I want to reply to ‘by hand’. It will not be a long letter, probably just a note on a post card. My handwriting is not pretty or stylish. I hope that the person who receives it is able to read it and I hope that they are pleased, and maybe surprised, that I have taken the time and effort to put pen to paper. But I may have to think twice in the future. Maybe I will have to show my notes to my PA to check that everything I have said is correct and appropriate. Such a concern takes away the spontaneity of the moment of goodwill and I think that’s sad.

So, I hope that on tonight’s 6 o’clock news Gordon Brown’s letter will not be the lead story and that emphasis will be given to other, much more important matters. Let’s move on.....

Friday 6 November 2009

Simple Rule of Life

Last Wednesday evening I was asked to present the prizes at a local school and to address the invited audience. I love talking to young people who have gone through the major part of their school lives and who are just off to college. It is such a significant and exciting time of their lives.

These are the lessons I passed on to them:

Be nice to people – it makes you happier.

Always tell the truth.

Dress smartly – people will respect you more if you do.

Own up to your mistakes (everybody makes them) and be prepared to say ‘sorry’.

If you know you’ve made a mistake, confess it immediately. It saves your worrying.

Try your best, work hard and don’t be frightened of asking for help.

No one becomes successful on their own. We get there because others help us.

Don’t expect to be good at everything - nobody is.

Treat others as you would like to be treated.

A ‘no’ now doesn’t mean a ‘no’ forever.

Decide on your goals – and write them down.

Follow your dreams and keep persevering. Never give up.

Don’t fear failure. Learn from life’s tough times and do it better next time

We should all have dreams, and we should find a career that we love so that we enjoy every day. I have loved every minute of mine.

Wednesday 4 November 2009

New class venue and a new era!

On Monday my Monday night classes moved from the Holiday Inn in the centre of Leicester to Birstall Golf Club, on the outskirts of the city. This may not be headline news but it was significant for my class members and very significant for me.

I have held classes at the Holiday Inn for almost 24 years. To put this into perspective, I have known my husband for 26 years and been married to Mike for 23 of them. Running my classes in the same venue for 24 years is a very long time.

In January 1986 I closed down a business that I had lovingly created and developed. This had not been my choice but in 1981 I had sold my business to a national magazine publisher who had retained me to carry on running the company. It proved to be a nightmare. The whole experience had been painful and exhausting and I learned from that situation that I never wanted to be employed by anyone else ever again. And I haven’t. I had been naive and inexperienced. I had bitten off more than I could chew and no matter how hard or fast I chewed, somehow this ‘business marriage’ just hadn’t worked. Four and a half years later, they ditched the enterprise and I was left bruised, battered and disillusioned.

The only saving grace was that I transferred my own personal diet and exercise classes across the road to the Holiday Inn. I was running 8 classes each week, including aqua-aerobics, and this was my new job. All the income I had came from those classes – and I was happy.

Around 20 of those original members who crossed the road with me are still attending my classes today. They are friends and we meet every Monday evening for a good time - keeping fit, chatting, laughing, and having fun. So when I announced to them six weeks ago that I was thinking of moving the venue, this was significant. Going to the Holiday Inn on a Monday evening had become part of our lives. It’s just what we did on Monday evenings.

So, when I woke up on Monday morning and thought – ‘ Tonight’s a new venue. What if nobody comes?’ I felt a mixture of excitement and trepidation. I even spring-cleaned my kit box ready for the big occasion. I visited some of the local business to offer a poster in case any staff members wanted to come along – something I hadn’t done since I started my business 38 years ago!

So when I turned up at the Golf Club early to set up my equipment, I was so thrilled to find a new member awaiting my arrival. She helped me carry my kit up the stairs and into the room. Within 30 minutes all my ‘old’ members had arrived. They were as excited as I was. This was a new beginning. I loved teaching my class and remembered my routine for once! It was an exciting change for all of us and we had embraced the challenge with optimism and I thanked them for their positive attitude and support.

For someone who has reached a time in her life when change is often resisted, this was definitely a change worth making. I’m looking forward to next Monday – and hopefully - so are my members.