The Inspiration of a Successful Slimmer

Yesterday we had one of our photoshoots for my magazine, Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness. Four delightful women, with ages ranging from 23 to 49, travelled to our offices in Quorn in Leicestershire for a very exciting day. Their weight losses varied from two stone to six-and-a-half stone and every one of them was an inspiration and brings to life the reason I do the job that I do.

As I sit behind my desk trying to come up with a new diet that will be healthy and easy to follow, and not involving foods that folk just don’t like eating, I write in the hope that people will be able to shed their unwanted weight. When we put together one of my fitness DVDs, we bear in mind that people don’t have loads of space in their living room so we keep the movements to a manageable level within a confined space, but most of all, I want the exercises to be do-able, safe and effective – so that folk will workout regularly and burn away their unwanted fat and slim down to achieve a healthy, fit body. So, when I have the pleasure of meeting successful slimmers who have followed my diets, worked out to my DVDs and been to our classes regularly, it is very exciting.

When the girls arrive in the early morning, we ask them to come without make-up as our make-up artist will see to all of that later, after we’ve been shopping. I drive the slimmers to Fosse Park on the outskirts of Leicester where we usually go to the massive Marks and Spencer store, or, as we did for the shoot on Monday, to Next.

One by one I take them round the shop to select the clothes I think will suit their colouring, shape and age-range. It is tremendous fun and the assistants in the shop are always astonished when I tell them how much weight the slimmers have lost. The girls are made to feel like film stars and we all have a great time. They are happy to try on colours and styles they are not used to and so often announce that they ‘would never have thought of wearing that’ had they been shopping on their own. I love pushing back the boundaries for them and witnessing the reaction from others when we find something that suits them beautifully.

Of course, their body shapes vary enormously from being heart shaped with a large bust, apple shaped when they have slim legs but not much of a waist, and pear shaped when they have small waists but wider hips and thighs. That’s why I like to take them shopping rather than have a stylist come in with a variety of clothes. Until I meet the person, I don’t know what will suit, what leg length they are, what ‘style’ or colour suits them as an individual. Each one is unique and every ensemble needs to be spot on for that person as an individual.

After selecting the clothes, then the jewellery and shoes, we drive back to Quorn for hair and make-up. The photographer is waiting and as each girl emerges from being made-over, we see the true beauty of our wonderful successful slimmers. And they do too! Next, it’s to the photographer. For all of them, until recently, having their photograph taken was the one thing to be avoided at all cost. No one wants to be photographed when they are overweight so now they are entering into new territory. Different people react in different ways. Some are embarrassed and it takes time to relax them to get that wonderful shot that will appear in the magazine. For others, they suddenly find a previously hidden confidence which is now being allowed out for the first time for years. But for all of them, once they see their image on the laptop (which these days happens instantaneously the photograph is taken) they cannot believe what they are seeing! ‘Oh my goodness! Is that really me?’ they say with tears of joy in their eyes as they see this beautiful, slim swan that has emerged from the lacking-in-confidence, overweight, unfit, unshapely individual they once were.

Our magazine photoshoots are hard work but, my goodness, they’re so rewarding! And yes, it is a fantastically proud day for me as I see the results of those hours of wracking my brain for ideas for my diets. It is also a day for recognising the investment we have made into selecting and training the brilliant franchisees who run our Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Club classes because they are the ones who help these folk to reach their dreams. And long may it continue.