This week I am visiting Crufts not once but twice! I’ve never been there before but, due to my unconditional love of our canine friends, I am looking forward to it.
I have been seconded, invited, enticed?..I’m not sure which ... to head up the Get Fit With Fido campaign which has been created as there are too many overweight dogs and far too many overweight owners. In fact, it is proving that the fatter the owner, the fatter the dog is likely to be! And that’s doubly tragic as it really shouldn’t be like that. We have made a series of videos to help get you and your dog active. Click here to view the first in the series and click here to view an interview with the Kennel Club to find out how to get involved in the campaign.
Owning a dog is one of the healthiest things we can do for our health and our waistline. Not only do dogs offer unconditional love and companionship, they absolutely love walking. Walking is not only good for them, it is positively miraculous for their owner. Every mile we walk – which takes only 20 minutes – will burn 100 calories, increase our fitness levels, burn fat, increase our metabolic rate and put 2,000 steps on our pedometer towards our daily 10,000 target. Dogs also need mental stimulation so attending an obedience or agility training class could be perfect for both of you.
We own three dogs – Waise the lurcher ‘princess’ who is extraordinary and the most frustrating and wonderful dog I have ever owned, plus two young black Labradors called BB and Sky who officially belong to my husband, Mike, as they are trainee gun dogs. They are beautiful, greedy and naturally obedient because they will do anything for food. In fact, they represent the human race remarkably well. BB and Sky are the type of characters who think about food all day long, will eat anything that’s going – I even saw BB eating a rocket leaf on Saturday! – at a rate that would win prizes on the TV. On the other hand there is Waise (pronounced ‘Visor’), who will eat at a quite leisurely rate and who will just walk away from her dinner bowl when she’s had enough. If she’s been very active, she’ll eat more. If she’s had a lazy day, she leaves food in her bowl. She has a brilliant ability to eat just what she needs and no more. And that’s why she stays slim.
For dogs, going for a walk is the equivalent of going to an aerobics class. Interaction – though they tend to communicate by pee-mails – is incredibly rewarding for them and for us. The joy of seeing them trotting along with a spring in their step is just a joy. How Waise can wee 16 times in one walk is beyond me but hey, she absolutely loves walking on a public footpath. For us women, we just love to chat and commiserate and congratulate our weight loss achievements.
So, yes, we do need to take responsibility for our own life and for those around us – those we love hugely and who we would miss more than words can say. So let’s get our family and our pets in good shape. We will all benefit.
I’m launching Get Fit with Fido on Tuesday 8th March at the Crufts Press Launch and I’ll be there on Saturday too. I’ve delayed our holiday by a day specially for it because I feel the message is so important. If you want to sign up just go to www.thekennelclub.org.uk/getfitwithfido
If you want to lose weight faster than you imagined possible, join one of our Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness classes or join http://www.rosemaryconleyonline.com/, and go walking further and faster with your Fido!
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Thursday, 24 February 2011
It's all been very busy!
I feel guilty that I haven’t blogged for a month! We’ve been on a skiing holiday in Austria for two weeks which was brilliant but somewhat blighted by the fact that my hubby Mike had a serious chest infection while he was there and half of one of his lungs appears not to be there. However, his chest infection is now better and he is in significantly better health and on the mend. Hopefully things will be back to normal soon.
We then returned to the usual backlog of work awaiting us and my serious schedule to get on with my new book. It’s coming along really well and I’m enjoying writing about something different from solely diet and exercise. This book is about staying youthful and looks at skincare, bone care and loads more.
Last week I visited Leicester Prison to give a talk to visiting employers to encourage them to consider employing ex-offenders on a two-week work experience experiment. If ex-offenders are given the opportunity to work for a company for two weeks, unpaid, and leave with a reference and a certificate that they completed the two week stint, then they are 70% more likely to achieve gainful employment which then reduces their chances of re-offending very significantly. Other Speakers explained how they had transformed ex-offenders who rose to the challenge and were offered permanent employment. They turned their lives around and made brilliant, hard-working, loyal employees. We had a tour of the prison and met a couple of the inmates. It was a fascinating experience.
Yesterday I had a radio day with Dr. Hilary Jones discussing the subject of gastric bands and how two of our Slimmers of the Year had avoided the operation. Having originally asked their GPs for the surgery, and joining their local RC Diet and Fitness Class, they lost weight on a sensible low fat diet and through exercise at our classes and took great delight in turning down the operation as they just didn’t need it anymore!
Plans are now afoot for our Training Convention at Center Parcs at the beginning of April and also for our four day presence at the Vitality Show in London's Earl Court. Details are given on our website but the Vitality Show is hard graft for all of our team. To be on the stand for four days meeting thousands of lovely people is a delight but tiring. I also give a talk each day and this year I’ve been asked to speak at the Ideal Home Exhibition which is going on at the same time! Hey ho!
On Saturday 12th March I launch Get Fit with Fido at Crufts! I love dogs so I know I will enjoy it but I don’t usually work at weekends.
One thing’s for sure. No-one can say my life is dull.
We then returned to the usual backlog of work awaiting us and my serious schedule to get on with my new book. It’s coming along really well and I’m enjoying writing about something different from solely diet and exercise. This book is about staying youthful and looks at skincare, bone care and loads more.
Last week I visited Leicester Prison to give a talk to visiting employers to encourage them to consider employing ex-offenders on a two-week work experience experiment. If ex-offenders are given the opportunity to work for a company for two weeks, unpaid, and leave with a reference and a certificate that they completed the two week stint, then they are 70% more likely to achieve gainful employment which then reduces their chances of re-offending very significantly. Other Speakers explained how they had transformed ex-offenders who rose to the challenge and were offered permanent employment. They turned their lives around and made brilliant, hard-working, loyal employees. We had a tour of the prison and met a couple of the inmates. It was a fascinating experience.
Yesterday I had a radio day with Dr. Hilary Jones discussing the subject of gastric bands and how two of our Slimmers of the Year had avoided the operation. Having originally asked their GPs for the surgery, and joining their local RC Diet and Fitness Class, they lost weight on a sensible low fat diet and through exercise at our classes and took great delight in turning down the operation as they just didn’t need it anymore!
Plans are now afoot for our Training Convention at Center Parcs at the beginning of April and also for our four day presence at the Vitality Show in London's Earl Court. Details are given on our website but the Vitality Show is hard graft for all of our team. To be on the stand for four days meeting thousands of lovely people is a delight but tiring. I also give a talk each day and this year I’ve been asked to speak at the Ideal Home Exhibition which is going on at the same time! Hey ho!
On Saturday 12th March I launch Get Fit with Fido at Crufts! I love dogs so I know I will enjoy it but I don’t usually work at weekends.
One thing’s for sure. No-one can say my life is dull.
Monday, 17 January 2011
Removing Temptation!
There’s nothing quite so focussing on ones weight than putting on a freshly washed pair of jeans.
I’d sailed through Christmas and New Year. Had the odd chocolate and mince pie – nothing excessive. Nothing out of control. Lots of walking and activity. A feeling in fact that, for the first time in years, I had actually managed my weight remarkably well, that is until I put on my freshly washed jeans! Ouch! I could hardly zip them up, and if I did, the overflow would have looked horrendous! ‘OK! Focus. Get on with it’, I said to myself.
Mike, my husband, has been away skiing in Colorado for the last seven days so now was my opportunity to get back on track and lose a few pounds.
I don’t weigh myself because it has a perverse affect on my psychology and I gain weight (I accept I’m peculiar) but I do measure myself with my Magic Measure. I had to move my ‘slim’ tag up one inch which was humiliating. My weight gain was real, and not just that the jeans being washed in some stupid shrinking washing powder!
So I embarked on my week. Back to teaching classes on Monday – two classes which I thoroughly enjoyed and at which I burned loads of calories – and because Mike wasn’t at home, I had a smaller supper.
Next day I went ice skating and skated on my new Christmas-present-ice-skates which was a nightmare. It was as though I had never skated before – but stress burns calories! Then on Tuesday afternoon I helped launch the Active Together in the Workplace initiative in Leicestershire and had to teach an aerobics workout to a very mixed group for 30 minutes. Challenging to say the least but great fun! And great for the weight loss!
Wednesday saw me sitting in the car for 6 hours as we drove to and from London for QVC shopping TV channel. Fortunately my products almost sold out during our slot so that was great news but during the feature I tasted some soup cooked in my wok. The problem was it was boiling and I nearly choked on air, totally burning my throat! Excruciating and still painful now – Sunday!
Home for 7 30pm and ready for two writing days. No treats in the fridge. No treats in the cupboards. And it made me realise that had I had a yogurt in the fridge, a mousse or some ice cream in the freezer, I would have been right in there. But there wasn’t and by Saturday morning I could see in the mirror a big difference. I measured myself with my Magic Measure and a whole inch had gone from my waist. I was so happy. I tried on my jeans and they zipped up and I went shopping and felt I was walking on air. Yes – it really is true - nothing tastes and good as being slim feels!
It is still newly into the New Year and the opportunities are there for the taking. Check out our website for everything you need to help you find a new body for 2011. If there’s one of our classes near you, join it. Click here to find your local Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness class. There is not a better class in the land because we teach exercise as well as weight loss and all of our franchisees are professionally qualified and outstanding. If there isn’t a class, try Rosemaryconleyonline.com. It is an outstanding service and every one of the coaches is an ex-franchisee, fully qualified and totally experienced to help you reach your goals.
And if you want a diet to help you succeed, look no further than my Amazing Inch Loss Plan book. It really works. Look in your local supermarket or buy it online. But if you want to succeed, just get rid of temptation!
I’d sailed through Christmas and New Year. Had the odd chocolate and mince pie – nothing excessive. Nothing out of control. Lots of walking and activity. A feeling in fact that, for the first time in years, I had actually managed my weight remarkably well, that is until I put on my freshly washed jeans! Ouch! I could hardly zip them up, and if I did, the overflow would have looked horrendous! ‘OK! Focus. Get on with it’, I said to myself.
Mike, my husband, has been away skiing in Colorado for the last seven days so now was my opportunity to get back on track and lose a few pounds.
I don’t weigh myself because it has a perverse affect on my psychology and I gain weight (I accept I’m peculiar) but I do measure myself with my Magic Measure. I had to move my ‘slim’ tag up one inch which was humiliating. My weight gain was real, and not just that the jeans being washed in some stupid shrinking washing powder!
So I embarked on my week. Back to teaching classes on Monday – two classes which I thoroughly enjoyed and at which I burned loads of calories – and because Mike wasn’t at home, I had a smaller supper.
Next day I went ice skating and skated on my new Christmas-present-ice-skates which was a nightmare. It was as though I had never skated before – but stress burns calories! Then on Tuesday afternoon I helped launch the Active Together in the Workplace initiative in Leicestershire and had to teach an aerobics workout to a very mixed group for 30 minutes. Challenging to say the least but great fun! And great for the weight loss!
Wednesday saw me sitting in the car for 6 hours as we drove to and from London for QVC shopping TV channel. Fortunately my products almost sold out during our slot so that was great news but during the feature I tasted some soup cooked in my wok. The problem was it was boiling and I nearly choked on air, totally burning my throat! Excruciating and still painful now – Sunday!
Home for 7 30pm and ready for two writing days. No treats in the fridge. No treats in the cupboards. And it made me realise that had I had a yogurt in the fridge, a mousse or some ice cream in the freezer, I would have been right in there. But there wasn’t and by Saturday morning I could see in the mirror a big difference. I measured myself with my Magic Measure and a whole inch had gone from my waist. I was so happy. I tried on my jeans and they zipped up and I went shopping and felt I was walking on air. Yes – it really is true - nothing tastes and good as being slim feels!
It is still newly into the New Year and the opportunities are there for the taking. Check out our website for everything you need to help you find a new body for 2011. If there’s one of our classes near you, join it. Click here to find your local Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness class. There is not a better class in the land because we teach exercise as well as weight loss and all of our franchisees are professionally qualified and outstanding. If there isn’t a class, try Rosemaryconleyonline.com. It is an outstanding service and every one of the coaches is an ex-franchisee, fully qualified and totally experienced to help you reach your goals.
And if you want a diet to help you succeed, look no further than my Amazing Inch Loss Plan book. It really works. Look in your local supermarket or buy it online. But if you want to succeed, just get rid of temptation!
Friday, 7 January 2011
Slimmer of the Year Celebrations in London
Wednesday was such an exciting day! This year we awarded 10 Slimmer of the Year titles including Bride Slimmer of the Year, 50+, Super-Fit, Biggest Loser, Entrepreneur, Student and we also gave our first ever Slimmer of the Year title to one of our Online members.
The event was held at the glorious Marriott County Hall Hotel on the Thames in London. Each winner enjoyed being made-over with our team of hair and make-up artists and, once dressed in their beautiful evening wear – except the Bride who wore her wedding dress, and our two male winners in their evening suits, they were ready to meet the press. They looked stunning – toned, confident, beautiful - and you would never have guessed that between them they had lost a monumental 100 stone! It was a very proud moment.
Press PLAY to watch a video from the event:
Dr. Hilary Jones also joined us for the celebrations and had a one-to-one medical consultation with each winner to establish their current health status. With several of the winners having halved their weight the results were impressive. Not only had they turned their health around by losing their weight, they had added years to their life expectancy – in fact, cumulatively, 87.5 years!
I had asked Dr Hilary to come along this year because I had never had so many successful slimmers who had lost weight so fast. I wanted to be able to confirm to the press that with a healthy low fat diet, group support and regular exercise, it is possible to lose weight fast but safely. Dr. Hilary confirmed this and he was really impressed by their levels of fitness and improved overall health. Depression, diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, joint pain - the list of conditions that these 10 folk had had was endless, but now it was different. So many were now off their medication completely. They really had saved their lives!
The champagne flowed, the TV cameras rolled and the flash bulbs went crazy as the press captured the moment. Many regions carried their stories in their 6 O’clock News bulletins that evening. It is such an exciting time for everyone and has a real touch of Hollywood about it!
But the best bit of it all is just seeing the smiles on the faces of the winners and the pride on the faces of their husbands, wives, families, RC class instructors and friends who were there to witness this exceptional event. An event that celebrated a massive amount of dedication, determination, will-power and energy expenditure! These worthy winners had worked very hard to achieve the trimmed down and toned up body that they owned today. They each totally deserved their £1000 prize.
Here is a quick rundown of our winners but check out http://www.rosemaryconley.tv/ and click on Slimmer of the Year 2011 to see them in person. You can also see them being individually interviewed on the channel.
Biggest Loser – Female: Stephanie Hughes. Steph lost 12st 7 lbs in a year on my Amazing Inch Loss Plan and at her local RC Class.
Biggest Loser – Male : Michael Hutchinson. Michael lost 12st 7lbs in a year on my Amazing Inch Loss Plan and at his local RC Class.
Super Fit – Male: Carl Williams. Lost 10st in 9 months on my Amazing Inch Loss Plan and at his local RC class and by using his Wii Fit for two hours a day!
Super Fit – Female: Joanne Dreher. Jo lost 11st 6 lbs and halved her weight as a member of RC Classes but now she is a qualified exercise teacher taking six RC classes a week!
50+ Margaret Balneaves: Margaret lost her husband because he was so overweight and decided to lose weight in his memory. Margaret lost 10 stone.
Online : Patricia Harvey works night-shift for NHS 24 in Scotland and couldn’t attend classes. Patricia lost 6st 6 lbs with RosemaryConleyOnline.
Entrepreneur: Sarah Humphries suffers with dyslexia and dyspraxia and had been bullied throughout her life. When she was made redundant from the bakery at Morrisons she set up her own dog walking business and now walks between 5 – 25 miles a day! Sarah has lost 10 stone!
Bride: Laura Powell: Laura lost 11 stone to look like a princess on her wedding day last week!
Yummy Mummy : Fiona Dunn. Fiona lost 8st 7 lbs to become a slim and fit mummy who can now run around with her two young boys.
Student : Eve Leonard. Eve shed 6st 4 lbs to transform herself from an unfit student to a stunning young lady!
A massive well done to all our winners and I hope you will be inspired. If they can do it, so can you!
A massive well done to all our winners and I hope you will be inspired. If they can do it, so can you!
Monday, 3 January 2011
Happy New Year!
Well, at last it is the New Year! And a very happy and healthy New Year to all of you!
I love January because it’s the time when our business is at its busiest. We announce our 2011 Slimmers of the Year to the press on 5th January in London at a glittering ceremony and on 6th January my latest book is published – my Amazing Inch Loss Plan in its new paperback version that has many chapters added to it and lots of wonderful testimonials from slimmers who have followed the diet over the last 12 months and transformed their lives as well as their bodies. At only £6.99 I know it will fly off the shelves. You’ll find it in your local supermarket or bookstore - no doubt at a very low loss-leader-price - or, of course, you can buy it from our website.
This year’s Slimmers of the Year are outstanding. There are 10 winners have lost 100 stone between them. Four of them have lost all their weight over the last twelve months on the Amazing Inch Loss Plan diet at their local RC Diet and Fitness Club. Because we teach exercise as well as weight loss at our classes, their bodies are amazing. Toned up, sylph-like and looking as though they have never been overweight in their lives. I so love the moment when the press meet them in the flesh. The photographers often say to me, “Your Slimmers of the Year are always the best because they are always so toned up”. I am like a proud ‘mum’ as I show off these wonderfully transformed, confident folk to the world. It is what we work towards all year! This is what we do. We help people to lose weight, get fit and live life!
All of our Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Club franchisees will have been walking miles over the last week or so delivering leaflets advertising their classes because January is the time when most people join a slimming club. Just think - the four Slimmers of the Year I mentioned earlier who, this time last year were embarking on their own war on their weight - it you could be you standing in their shoes next January! They will be rewarded with not just a cash prize of £1000 each on Wednesday but they have a new body that they didn’t think could be theirs and instead of wearing size 28 they are wearing size 10! Money can’t buy a new body but with the help of our wonderful instructors at our classes, or our coaches on www.rosemaryconleyonline.com , we can support, nurture, encourage and motivate you to success – success that is sweeter that you could ever imagine. As one of my own members told me before Christmas, ‘I can now get into my old wardrobe of clothes I haven’t worn for three years. I can’t believe it! It is so exciting’. To find your nearest Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Club click here.
We are also launching our Solo Slim range of ready meals that can be delivered to your door or purchased at our classes. In a Solo Slim trial we asked 30 folk to stick to the Solo Slim plan for four weeks. They lost 32 stone between them! That means that the average weight loss over a month on Solo Slim was 1st 1 lb. That’s amazing! Just check out our website for more details. It’s the easiest, foolproof way to lose weight healthily. There’s no tie-in tricks or hoops to jump through, you just select what you want to order, add fruit and veg and your preferred breakfast and you lose weight like never before. You decide how long you want to stay on the Solo Slim plan or you can dip in and dip out. It’s dead simple. My new Amazing Inch Loss Plan book has a couple of chapters offering menu suggestions where I have done all the calorie counting for you for your accompaniments or alternatively, you will get a free booklet at our classes or when you order a 28 Day Solo Slim food box. It really is so easy.
So, yes, I am excited about January and I hope you are too. It’s a time for new beginnings - making a decision to look after our body because if we don’t, no one else will!
I love January because it’s the time when our business is at its busiest. We announce our 2011 Slimmers of the Year to the press on 5th January in London at a glittering ceremony and on 6th January my latest book is published – my Amazing Inch Loss Plan in its new paperback version that has many chapters added to it and lots of wonderful testimonials from slimmers who have followed the diet over the last 12 months and transformed their lives as well as their bodies. At only £6.99 I know it will fly off the shelves. You’ll find it in your local supermarket or bookstore - no doubt at a very low loss-leader-price - or, of course, you can buy it from our website.
This year’s Slimmers of the Year are outstanding. There are 10 winners have lost 100 stone between them. Four of them have lost all their weight over the last twelve months on the Amazing Inch Loss Plan diet at their local RC Diet and Fitness Club. Because we teach exercise as well as weight loss at our classes, their bodies are amazing. Toned up, sylph-like and looking as though they have never been overweight in their lives. I so love the moment when the press meet them in the flesh. The photographers often say to me, “Your Slimmers of the Year are always the best because they are always so toned up”. I am like a proud ‘mum’ as I show off these wonderfully transformed, confident folk to the world. It is what we work towards all year! This is what we do. We help people to lose weight, get fit and live life!
All of our Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Club franchisees will have been walking miles over the last week or so delivering leaflets advertising their classes because January is the time when most people join a slimming club. Just think - the four Slimmers of the Year I mentioned earlier who, this time last year were embarking on their own war on their weight - it you could be you standing in their shoes next January! They will be rewarded with not just a cash prize of £1000 each on Wednesday but they have a new body that they didn’t think could be theirs and instead of wearing size 28 they are wearing size 10! Money can’t buy a new body but with the help of our wonderful instructors at our classes, or our coaches on www.rosemaryconleyonline.com , we can support, nurture, encourage and motivate you to success – success that is sweeter that you could ever imagine. As one of my own members told me before Christmas, ‘I can now get into my old wardrobe of clothes I haven’t worn for three years. I can’t believe it! It is so exciting’. To find your nearest Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Club click here.
We are also launching our Solo Slim range of ready meals that can be delivered to your door or purchased at our classes. In a Solo Slim trial we asked 30 folk to stick to the Solo Slim plan for four weeks. They lost 32 stone between them! That means that the average weight loss over a month on Solo Slim was 1st 1 lb. That’s amazing! Just check out our website for more details. It’s the easiest, foolproof way to lose weight healthily. There’s no tie-in tricks or hoops to jump through, you just select what you want to order, add fruit and veg and your preferred breakfast and you lose weight like never before. You decide how long you want to stay on the Solo Slim plan or you can dip in and dip out. It’s dead simple. My new Amazing Inch Loss Plan book has a couple of chapters offering menu suggestions where I have done all the calorie counting for you for your accompaniments or alternatively, you will get a free booklet at our classes or when you order a 28 Day Solo Slim food box. It really is so easy.
So, yes, I am excited about January and I hope you are too. It’s a time for new beginnings - making a decision to look after our body because if we don’t, no one else will!
Monday, 29 November 2010
Snow and soon it will be Christmas!
There is something very magical about snow when it first arrives. It looks so beautiful and so fresh and when there’s a really heavy frost the trees become fairytale-spectacularly beautiful.
For us it was lovely to see our black labs, now aged 9 months, experiencing snow for the first time and it made me realise the fun the children will be having, particularly the ones who are just old enough now to realise that it’s ‘different’ and not just very cold!
The good news for dieters is that the extreme cold causes our body to burn lots more calories so going out for a walk, well wrapped up, of course, will burn extra fat from your body. Getting to our classes will be challenging this week but when we get there we’ll be glad we did and there’s nothing like that weekly weigh-in to motivate us forward towards our goal.
We’re all looking forward to our Christmas party at my own diet and fitness classes. Since I moved venues for my Monday night class I have never had so many members nor seen such spectacular weight losses as I have this year. It has been brilliant. We have our Christmas party at our offices, Quorn House, which looks amazing when it is all dressed up for Christmas – and the trimmings are going up on Friday. My clever and artistic friend Jennie is coming over to weave her magic and turn the office into a gloriously festive country house. On party night (20th Dec) all my members bring food and drink and a small charge is made which we will give to Steps – the charity I work hard to support. We will have a lovely time and it would be lovely if there was some snow on the trees to make it look particularly Christmassy! We just need the roads to be clear!
So, if you have snow this week – and apparently it is going to be bitterly cold – do your best to get to your Rosemary Class to tone up and slim down ready for the festivities. If you do, you’ll be all the slimmer for Christmas for you to enjoy a few treats! Wear sensible shoes and wrap up warmly and enjoy the beauty of the snow!
For us it was lovely to see our black labs, now aged 9 months, experiencing snow for the first time and it made me realise the fun the children will be having, particularly the ones who are just old enough now to realise that it’s ‘different’ and not just very cold!
The good news for dieters is that the extreme cold causes our body to burn lots more calories so going out for a walk, well wrapped up, of course, will burn extra fat from your body. Getting to our classes will be challenging this week but when we get there we’ll be glad we did and there’s nothing like that weekly weigh-in to motivate us forward towards our goal.
We’re all looking forward to our Christmas party at my own diet and fitness classes. Since I moved venues for my Monday night class I have never had so many members nor seen such spectacular weight losses as I have this year. It has been brilliant. We have our Christmas party at our offices, Quorn House, which looks amazing when it is all dressed up for Christmas – and the trimmings are going up on Friday. My clever and artistic friend Jennie is coming over to weave her magic and turn the office into a gloriously festive country house. On party night (20th Dec) all my members bring food and drink and a small charge is made which we will give to Steps – the charity I work hard to support. We will have a lovely time and it would be lovely if there was some snow on the trees to make it look particularly Christmassy! We just need the roads to be clear!
So, if you have snow this week – and apparently it is going to be bitterly cold – do your best to get to your Rosemary Class to tone up and slim down ready for the festivities. If you do, you’ll be all the slimmer for Christmas for you to enjoy a few treats! Wear sensible shoes and wrap up warmly and enjoy the beauty of the snow!
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
Strictly weight loss!
We are away for a few days in Portugal which means that I buy a daily newspaper to read on the flight and occasionally to read while away. I don’t normally buy newspapers (other than our local evening one) and rely on the television news to keep me up-to-date with world events. But, ridiculously, I do enjoy reading all the comments and self-written columns on the subject of Strictly Come Dancing!
I enjoyed reading Pamela Stephenson’s column in the Mail on Sunday as she described being squeezed into her dress, with microphone back cleverly secreted in her bra and donning two pairs of tights to keep her legs in good shape. She was brutally honest about the wizardry of the hair and make-up artists that went on to make her look so glamorous and I found her refreshing and entertaining.
For some reason Strictly does seem to generate masses of interest and of course, Ann Widdecombe’s entertaining presence is a gift to the tabloids. Completely resistant to any bad press or judges’ comments (after all, by her own admission, compared with the criticism she endured as a politician anything thrown at her during Strictly is small fry), Ann is enjoying being the centre of attention while Anton bravely soldiers on. He deserves a medal for his strength in throwing and dragging her around as well as his good humoured efforts in creating entertaining choreography. The BBC must be rubbing their hands – and why not? It’s good, clean family entertainment that makes you laugh out loud. Brilliant!
Yesterday the press were reporting that Pamela Stephenson and Felicity Kendall had both dropped two dress sizes and Patsy Kensit had lost two stone since signing up for the show. It reported that apparently celebrities were now seeing Strictly as the best route to take to lose those unwanted pounds that have crept on over the years. And it’s not really surprising, is it? Being physically active for around six hours a day, six days a week is enough to trim down the most stubborn figure but dancing with such precision and with adrenaline pumping nineteen to the dozen, is a sure-fire way to slim down!
However, the newspaper reported that Ann W had not enjoyed the same slimming down effect. Are we surprised? I don’t think so. Ann doesn’t appear to be spending a huge amount of energy within her dance routines. It seems to me that to execute the 90-second routine Anton is burning enough calories for both of them as he carries, spins and drags Ann across the dance floor.
Hopefully all this publicity about weight loss due to increased activity will help the penny to drop to the nation that if we want to lose weight we need to eat less and move more. It isn’t rocket science but it is a very simple and serious message. Being overweight and unfit is really bad for our health yet we have it within our control to do something about it. Let’s get more active today and if you want to lose weight as well, just have a look on www.rosemaryconley.com to find our slimming and dance/aerobic classes. They are fun and they work! Enjoy!
I enjoyed reading Pamela Stephenson’s column in the Mail on Sunday as she described being squeezed into her dress, with microphone back cleverly secreted in her bra and donning two pairs of tights to keep her legs in good shape. She was brutally honest about the wizardry of the hair and make-up artists that went on to make her look so glamorous and I found her refreshing and entertaining.
For some reason Strictly does seem to generate masses of interest and of course, Ann Widdecombe’s entertaining presence is a gift to the tabloids. Completely resistant to any bad press or judges’ comments (after all, by her own admission, compared with the criticism she endured as a politician anything thrown at her during Strictly is small fry), Ann is enjoying being the centre of attention while Anton bravely soldiers on. He deserves a medal for his strength in throwing and dragging her around as well as his good humoured efforts in creating entertaining choreography. The BBC must be rubbing their hands – and why not? It’s good, clean family entertainment that makes you laugh out loud. Brilliant!
Yesterday the press were reporting that Pamela Stephenson and Felicity Kendall had both dropped two dress sizes and Patsy Kensit had lost two stone since signing up for the show. It reported that apparently celebrities were now seeing Strictly as the best route to take to lose those unwanted pounds that have crept on over the years. And it’s not really surprising, is it? Being physically active for around six hours a day, six days a week is enough to trim down the most stubborn figure but dancing with such precision and with adrenaline pumping nineteen to the dozen, is a sure-fire way to slim down!
However, the newspaper reported that Ann W had not enjoyed the same slimming down effect. Are we surprised? I don’t think so. Ann doesn’t appear to be spending a huge amount of energy within her dance routines. It seems to me that to execute the 90-second routine Anton is burning enough calories for both of them as he carries, spins and drags Ann across the dance floor.
Hopefully all this publicity about weight loss due to increased activity will help the penny to drop to the nation that if we want to lose weight we need to eat less and move more. It isn’t rocket science but it is a very simple and serious message. Being overweight and unfit is really bad for our health yet we have it within our control to do something about it. Let’s get more active today and if you want to lose weight as well, just have a look on www.rosemaryconley.com to find our slimming and dance/aerobic classes. They are fun and they work! Enjoy!
Monday, 25 October 2010
What a fantastic day!
On Friday 22nd October we held our Annual Franchisee Convention which is the main event of our year when all our franchisees are invited for a day of motivation and information, rewards and Awards. And it’s fun!
It was wonderful to see almost all our franchisees in one place, all looking fabulous and fit, and ready to be inspired. Running a franchise means you are running your own business but under the ‘umbrella’ of the franchisor who creates the marketing, systems, training and in our case, the diet and materials needed for the members to achieve their weight and fitness goals. The system works because our franchisees are exceptionally special and highly talented and motivated as well as caring by nature so that our members really are well looked after and supported. The Convention is our opportunity to share our plans for the next twelve months to enable the franchisees to be as successful as possible whilst, at the same time, giving them the tools to enable them to help our members to achieve their goals.
Our Keynote Speaker was awesome. Adventurer, rock climber and runner Karen Darke fell off a mountain when she was 21 and became paralysed from her chest downwards. But she turned despair into challenge and has returned to her adventures and has completed the London Marathon alongside Tanni Grey-Thompson and has, after massive challenges and trials, managed to climb the 3000 ft El Capitan mountain in Yosemite National Park in California. The room, filled with over 200+ high-energy women was silent as she told her story and inspired and motivated everyone. The hour passed like five minutes. Karen was captivating!
Another highlight of the Convention is the presentation of 5, 10 and 15 Year Awards and I take great delight in presenting a smart glass award to those franchisees and staff who have loyally worked alongside us for five years. For the ten year Awards we are delighted to present a diamond studded Gucci watch, whilst those wonderful folk who have been franchisees or staff for fifteen years receive a diamond necklace. Needless to say, these awards are greatly appreciated and treasured. And this year, I presented our Chef Dean Simpole-Clarke with a rather fabulous watch as a thank you for working alongside me, creating recipes for my cookbooks and magazine and now featuring so much on http://www.rosemaryconley.tv/. He is a very special and talented guy. Thank you Dean!
The day was packed full of inspiring presentations from our staff and some of the franchisees. It was all brilliant.
At the end of the afternoon is the Awards Ceremony where top franchisees are rewarded for their incredible efforts to run brilliant businesses that help their local communities to become fitter and healthier. I presented our franchisee for Norwich, Sarah Skelton, with my own personal award because Sarah has been working with us to enhance and improve how we operate our classes. Sarah is an amazingly talented, bright lady and thoroughly deserved the Rosemary Conley Award.
Our Newcomer of the Year Award went to Sandie Martin (from Bournemouth) for launching her new franchise this year and turning it into a massive success story.
Our Business Development Award was given to Cherie Hunter from Swansea. Two years ago Cherie was thinking of leaving her franchise but after attending our Annual Convention that year she realised that it was her attitude that was wrong, not the business. So, with a change of heart - and attitude – Cherie set herself a goal to reach the Top 10 of all our franchisees in the network. And this year she did just that!
Our Franchisee of the Year Award is greatly coveted and highly respected and we always have ten finalists. To be in the top ten you have to be incredibly good on every level so all the finalists should feel extremely proud. Our winner this year is Lindsey Peters for Ware, Welwyn Garden City and St Albans. Lindsey was an instructor (working for a franchisee) for over 10 years before she bought a franchise herself. Since then she has won Newcomer of the Year in her first year and Franchisee of the Year in year two and she has been a finalist every year since starting as a franchisee. In that five years Lindsey, (supported by her partner Michael who also works in her business), has raised over £180,000 for charity and has also supported and mentored many other franchisees along the way. When I announced Lindsey as the overall winner the room immediately sprang to its feet as everyone applauded her with a standing ovation. Lindsey was totally shocked and just dissolved into tears – as did I – at being given the Award again. It was richly deserved as her class numbers, business performance and so much more are outstanding.
Well done to all our Award winners but also a massive ‘well done’ to all the finalists who had also achieved amazing performances.
The day finished with a glittering Black Tie Dinner and Dance and everyone looked stunning. There is always much dancing, laughter and general celebration and a warm feeling of satisfaction. The franchisees are re-energised. We have delivered our plans and everyone is happy. It’s a nice feeling.
It was wonderful to see almost all our franchisees in one place, all looking fabulous and fit, and ready to be inspired. Running a franchise means you are running your own business but under the ‘umbrella’ of the franchisor who creates the marketing, systems, training and in our case, the diet and materials needed for the members to achieve their weight and fitness goals. The system works because our franchisees are exceptionally special and highly talented and motivated as well as caring by nature so that our members really are well looked after and supported. The Convention is our opportunity to share our plans for the next twelve months to enable the franchisees to be as successful as possible whilst, at the same time, giving them the tools to enable them to help our members to achieve their goals.
Our Keynote Speaker was awesome. Adventurer, rock climber and runner Karen Darke fell off a mountain when she was 21 and became paralysed from her chest downwards. But she turned despair into challenge and has returned to her adventures and has completed the London Marathon alongside Tanni Grey-Thompson and has, after massive challenges and trials, managed to climb the 3000 ft El Capitan mountain in Yosemite National Park in California. The room, filled with over 200+ high-energy women was silent as she told her story and inspired and motivated everyone. The hour passed like five minutes. Karen was captivating!
Another highlight of the Convention is the presentation of 5, 10 and 15 Year Awards and I take great delight in presenting a smart glass award to those franchisees and staff who have loyally worked alongside us for five years. For the ten year Awards we are delighted to present a diamond studded Gucci watch, whilst those wonderful folk who have been franchisees or staff for fifteen years receive a diamond necklace. Needless to say, these awards are greatly appreciated and treasured. And this year, I presented our Chef Dean Simpole-Clarke with a rather fabulous watch as a thank you for working alongside me, creating recipes for my cookbooks and magazine and now featuring so much on http://www.rosemaryconley.tv/. He is a very special and talented guy. Thank you Dean!
The day was packed full of inspiring presentations from our staff and some of the franchisees. It was all brilliant.
At the end of the afternoon is the Awards Ceremony where top franchisees are rewarded for their incredible efforts to run brilliant businesses that help their local communities to become fitter and healthier. I presented our franchisee for Norwich, Sarah Skelton, with my own personal award because Sarah has been working with us to enhance and improve how we operate our classes. Sarah is an amazingly talented, bright lady and thoroughly deserved the Rosemary Conley Award.
Our Newcomer of the Year Award went to Sandie Martin (from Bournemouth) for launching her new franchise this year and turning it into a massive success story.
Our Business Development Award was given to Cherie Hunter from Swansea. Two years ago Cherie was thinking of leaving her franchise but after attending our Annual Convention that year she realised that it was her attitude that was wrong, not the business. So, with a change of heart - and attitude – Cherie set herself a goal to reach the Top 10 of all our franchisees in the network. And this year she did just that!
Our Franchisee of the Year Award is greatly coveted and highly respected and we always have ten finalists. To be in the top ten you have to be incredibly good on every level so all the finalists should feel extremely proud. Our winner this year is Lindsey Peters for Ware, Welwyn Garden City and St Albans. Lindsey was an instructor (working for a franchisee) for over 10 years before she bought a franchise herself. Since then she has won Newcomer of the Year in her first year and Franchisee of the Year in year two and she has been a finalist every year since starting as a franchisee. In that five years Lindsey, (supported by her partner Michael who also works in her business), has raised over £180,000 for charity and has also supported and mentored many other franchisees along the way. When I announced Lindsey as the overall winner the room immediately sprang to its feet as everyone applauded her with a standing ovation. Lindsey was totally shocked and just dissolved into tears – as did I – at being given the Award again. It was richly deserved as her class numbers, business performance and so much more are outstanding.
Well done to all our Award winners but also a massive ‘well done’ to all the finalists who had also achieved amazing performances.
The day finished with a glittering Black Tie Dinner and Dance and everyone looked stunning. There is always much dancing, laughter and general celebration and a warm feeling of satisfaction. The franchisees are re-energised. We have delivered our plans and everyone is happy. It’s a nice feeling.
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Celebrating women everywhere!
On Monday I was privileged to be invited to the Women of the Year lunch at the Intercontinental Hotel in London. The Women of the Year Foundation have given hundreds of thousands of pounds to help support, care for, cherish and respect women across the world. Women who need our help and who are valued. It is a brilliant charity run by exceptional women who bring together, twice a year, a group of women who work hard to make a difference on this planet.
The women who are given awards at the event are exceptional. They are women who go beyond the boundaries, some are completely selfless, some are phenomenally talented and some are just extraordinary.
The Window to the World Award went to Susie Hart. Sue changed the lives of many disabled people in Tanzania by creating businesses to employ special, but rejected, people and to give them a sense of purpose, worth and respect. Tears trickled down my cheeks as I heard what this very special lady had achieved. Well done Susie!
The Outstanding Achievement Award went to Zaha Hadid, an exceptionally talented architect. Zaha has designed the stunning Aquatics Centre for the London Olympics among many, many other stunning creations across the world. There is no doubt Zaha has an amazing gift and vision.
The Yes You Can Award went to a wonderful woman who has created a youth dance and cheerleading group called Ascension Eagles. Shara Brice has put the purpose and motivation, inspiration and energy into young people in Newham in London and has changed their lives unbelievably. Instead of muggings and violence caused by young folk with nothing better to do, Shara created a challenge which the young folk of the area embraced and perfected to become a world class act. I cried when this award was given too. Shara is an exceptional woman and the award was so well deserved.
The Women of the Year Award was given to Annie Lennox for her amazing work in campaigning for HIV Aids victims in Africa to be given medication to help their condition, as well as her exceptional talent as the most successful female singer in the UK, having sold 8o million records. She made a moving and inspirational speech and the work she does in Africa is awesome.
There were almost 400 women who attended the lunch and I was on a table hosted by Baroness Floella Benjamen. What an extraordinary woman Floella is! She is feisty, inspirational and incredibly beautiful. And she made us all feel like we were the only women in the room that mattered. Thank you and ‘Well done Floella’!
Monday honoured women who had made a massive difference to this world in vastly different ways. It wasn’t about fame or fortune. It was about women who have actually made this world a better place and who make we women proud to be women. Yes. Monday was a very special day. Not for ourselves, but for the exceptional women with whom we shared this very special occasion.
The event was spectacularly well organised so well done to all the exceptional women who are the Women of the Year Foundation! Monday was very special.
The women who are given awards at the event are exceptional. They are women who go beyond the boundaries, some are completely selfless, some are phenomenally talented and some are just extraordinary.
The Window to the World Award went to Susie Hart. Sue changed the lives of many disabled people in Tanzania by creating businesses to employ special, but rejected, people and to give them a sense of purpose, worth and respect. Tears trickled down my cheeks as I heard what this very special lady had achieved. Well done Susie!
The Outstanding Achievement Award went to Zaha Hadid, an exceptionally talented architect. Zaha has designed the stunning Aquatics Centre for the London Olympics among many, many other stunning creations across the world. There is no doubt Zaha has an amazing gift and vision.
The Yes You Can Award went to a wonderful woman who has created a youth dance and cheerleading group called Ascension Eagles. Shara Brice has put the purpose and motivation, inspiration and energy into young people in Newham in London and has changed their lives unbelievably. Instead of muggings and violence caused by young folk with nothing better to do, Shara created a challenge which the young folk of the area embraced and perfected to become a world class act. I cried when this award was given too. Shara is an exceptional woman and the award was so well deserved.
The Women of the Year Award was given to Annie Lennox for her amazing work in campaigning for HIV Aids victims in Africa to be given medication to help their condition, as well as her exceptional talent as the most successful female singer in the UK, having sold 8o million records. She made a moving and inspirational speech and the work she does in Africa is awesome.
There were almost 400 women who attended the lunch and I was on a table hosted by Baroness Floella Benjamen. What an extraordinary woman Floella is! She is feisty, inspirational and incredibly beautiful. And she made us all feel like we were the only women in the room that mattered. Thank you and ‘Well done Floella’!
Monday honoured women who had made a massive difference to this world in vastly different ways. It wasn’t about fame or fortune. It was about women who have actually made this world a better place and who make we women proud to be women. Yes. Monday was a very special day. Not for ourselves, but for the exceptional women with whom we shared this very special occasion.
The event was spectacularly well organised so well done to all the exceptional women who are the Women of the Year Foundation! Monday was very special.
Thursday, 7 October 2010
Judging our Slimmers of the Year!
On Monday we had our judging session for our Slimmer of the Year Contest. There was a massive file full of applicants who had lost over 8 stone. That’s what I weigh! I cannot imagine what life must be like carrying that sort of weight everywhere you go.
We were spoilt for choice and will shortly be inviting our Regional Slimmers to attend a ceremony at Quorn House for for us to make our final selection. It should be a very special day.
On Tuesday we had our Low Fat Food Awards and representatives from many of the companies came along to Quorn to receive their awards. It was exciting and rewarding as all of the awards were voted for exclusively by our readers and members. Well done to all those who received awards. Look out for the results which will be published in our next issue of Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness Magazine out on 11th November.
Last Friday we had a Roadshow in Maidenhead and we had a great day. The weight losses of some of those present were awesome and two were entrants for our Slimmer of the Year awards. It was exciting to say the least.
Today we had a photoshoot for the cover of our Christmas edition of our magazine. Our cover girl is such a beautiful girl who looks like a fairy princess in her Christmas party dress. We also photographed other successful slimmers who also looked stunning! I love these days.
The pups are growing fast and are giving Mike and I so much joy as they are just lovely and Waise adores them so everyone’s happy.
If you want to lose weight, check out all that we have to offer. If you saw as many successful slimmers as I did, you would join our classes and transform your life! That’s what they did!
We were spoilt for choice and will shortly be inviting our Regional Slimmers to attend a ceremony at Quorn House for for us to make our final selection. It should be a very special day.
On Tuesday we had our Low Fat Food Awards and representatives from many of the companies came along to Quorn to receive their awards. It was exciting and rewarding as all of the awards were voted for exclusively by our readers and members. Well done to all those who received awards. Look out for the results which will be published in our next issue of Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness Magazine out on 11th November.
Last Friday we had a Roadshow in Maidenhead and we had a great day. The weight losses of some of those present were awesome and two were entrants for our Slimmer of the Year awards. It was exciting to say the least.
Today we had a photoshoot for the cover of our Christmas edition of our magazine. Our cover girl is such a beautiful girl who looks like a fairy princess in her Christmas party dress. We also photographed other successful slimmers who also looked stunning! I love these days.
The pups are growing fast and are giving Mike and I so much joy as they are just lovely and Waise adores them so everyone’s happy.
If you want to lose weight, check out all that we have to offer. If you saw as many successful slimmers as I did, you would join our classes and transform your life! That’s what they did!
Monday, 20 September 2010
Will exercise alone make you slim?
Yesterday the Observer carried a feature headed ‘Why exercise won’t make you thin’. It concludes that exercise alone will not make you lose weight unless you diet as well. Well! There’s a revelation!
When I read articles like that I get pretty frustrated. Research study after research study is commissioned to prove or disprove facts that are plain, straight-forward common sense.
Being overweight is dangerous to our health. Being unfit is dangerous to our health. Being overweight AND unfit it VERY dangerous to our health! Fact!
To lose weight we need to eat fewer calories each day than our body spends in living and going about our daily lives. If we eat more than we spend in energy, we gain weight. It is not rocket science. Every time we walk a mile we spend around 100 calories. If we drink half a bottle of wine or eat a Mars bar, we need to walk three miles extra to burn it off if we don’t want to gain weight. But if we eat a bit less cereal at breakfast, eat one less sandwich at lunchtime and cut our evening-meal portion by 20%, and try to be as active every day as we can, we can get away without having to walk the extra three miles. It is about choices and a desire to be slim.
Being physically active burns extra calories, helps our heart and lungs to become fitter, reduces our cholesterol and blood pressure and helps our joints. If we could take a pill that gave us the benefits that exercise gives us, we would all be taking it. We really do not need anyone to give us any discouragement to exercise and that’s why articles such as the one in the Observer, make me mad. We need encouragement to exercise and we need to build it into our everyday lifestyle so that we don’t see it as a chore but part of living. Eating healthily, and a few hundred fewer calories each day while we are trying to lose weight, will transform our health, our figure and our confidence. But we do need to do both diet AND exercise to see fast, effective and transforming results that will encourage us. That’s why 17 years ago we launched Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Clubs to teach exercise within a slimming clubs to encourage faster weight loss. And it works. It really, really works!
And when I read today the story of our Mr and Mrs Slimmer of the Year, Maria and Toby Webber, running in yesterday’s Great North Run having lost 18 ½ stone between them, I feel very proud. They epitomise what ‘diet’ AND ‘fitness’ can do for you. Brilliant!
Wednesday, 1 September 2010
What a fantastic night!
The sun shone, the countryside looked magnificent and the crowds arrived. The villagers marshalled, the farmer mowed the car park, the bands played, the Pimms flowed and the guests opened their purses and wallets for three great charities.
Music in the Meadow is a fun night out for all the family held in the grounds of our house which nestles in a valley in the east of Leicestershire. Surrounded by mature trees our quiet little village that houses only 80 inhabitants suddenly was rocking to the sound of music - and lots of it!
Last Saturday night we raised £27,500 for charity from a relatively small pop concert. Around 600 folk enjoyed their picnics, drank a few bevies and danced the night away to great music in aid of a charity called Steps that helps children with celebral palsy and Down syndrome (http://www.stepscentre.org/); a 25 year-old young man who had his neck broken whilst training for the under 21’s England Rugby team five years ago, (www.matthampson.co.uk); and the village hall and church of Ashby Folville where the event was hosted.
A ‘Mega Raffle’ is the main fund raiser with no less that 10 holidays or breaks to be won from South Africa to Turkey, Center Parcs to the Marriott County Hall Hotel in London, from Ragdale Hall to Stapleford Park both in Leicestershire. Then there’s the Tombola to beat all tombolas. Hundreds of super prizes up for grabs with a great chance of winning as we up the stakes from one in ten to one in six chances of winning. No one goes away disappointed.
But this year we’d been given a diamond necklace by Goldsmiths, a CAT watch by Lumbers and a crystal flying dolphin by Swarovski, so we ran an extra raffle for the night which raised an extra £500.
The key to our event raising so much cash is simply that there are no expenses deducted. The bands (four of them: three local and one from the USA - Don Watson and his band who flew in specially from Vail, Colorado for the event), all play for free. The marquees are provided by Owen Brown. The toilets and the generator that enable the event to happen are paid for by Raynsway Properties. The electrics, staging, lighting and technical back-up is given by Hawthorn. Then there’s the insurance, printing, website, design, publicity and much more – all given for free.
Even the Pimms and the wine that’s sold during the event is paid for by a sponsor. There are no expenses.
The end result - a fantastic night of fun and everybody wins. Long may Music in the Meadow continue and long may we dance and laugh, spend and smile and enjoy every moment of a very special event. Thank you all for coming, helping, supporting and giving. It was fun!
To view the pictures taken during the event (thank you Lionel Heap) and for the winners of our raffle prizes, log on to http://www.musicinthemeadow.co.uk/.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME, EVERYONE WHO GAVE AND EVERYONE WHO MADE IT FUN!
Music in the Meadow is a fun night out for all the family held in the grounds of our house which nestles in a valley in the east of Leicestershire. Surrounded by mature trees our quiet little village that houses only 80 inhabitants suddenly was rocking to the sound of music - and lots of it!
Last Saturday night we raised £27,500 for charity from a relatively small pop concert. Around 600 folk enjoyed their picnics, drank a few bevies and danced the night away to great music in aid of a charity called Steps that helps children with celebral palsy and Down syndrome (http://www.stepscentre.org/); a 25 year-old young man who had his neck broken whilst training for the under 21’s England Rugby team five years ago, (www.matthampson.co.uk); and the village hall and church of Ashby Folville where the event was hosted.
A ‘Mega Raffle’ is the main fund raiser with no less that 10 holidays or breaks to be won from South Africa to Turkey, Center Parcs to the Marriott County Hall Hotel in London, from Ragdale Hall to Stapleford Park both in Leicestershire. Then there’s the Tombola to beat all tombolas. Hundreds of super prizes up for grabs with a great chance of winning as we up the stakes from one in ten to one in six chances of winning. No one goes away disappointed.
But this year we’d been given a diamond necklace by Goldsmiths, a CAT watch by Lumbers and a crystal flying dolphin by Swarovski, so we ran an extra raffle for the night which raised an extra £500.
The key to our event raising so much cash is simply that there are no expenses deducted. The bands (four of them: three local and one from the USA - Don Watson and his band who flew in specially from Vail, Colorado for the event), all play for free. The marquees are provided by Owen Brown. The toilets and the generator that enable the event to happen are paid for by Raynsway Properties. The electrics, staging, lighting and technical back-up is given by Hawthorn. Then there’s the insurance, printing, website, design, publicity and much more – all given for free.
Even the Pimms and the wine that’s sold during the event is paid for by a sponsor. There are no expenses.
The end result - a fantastic night of fun and everybody wins. Long may Music in the Meadow continue and long may we dance and laugh, spend and smile and enjoy every moment of a very special event. Thank you all for coming, helping, supporting and giving. It was fun!
To view the pictures taken during the event (thank you Lionel Heap) and for the winners of our raffle prizes, log on to http://www.musicinthemeadow.co.uk/.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME, EVERYONE WHO GAVE AND EVERYONE WHO MADE IT FUN!
Monday, 23 August 2010
An Interesting Tuesday!
Last Tuesday was one of those days when lots of things happened that were very different but still were interesting and exciting.
Abbi Morrell-Faulkner is an 18-year old girl who was bullied at school and who has turned her terrible experience into an extraordinary strength. Abbi is now a campaigner against bullying and has won numerous awards, has been introduced to David Cameron and David Beckham and has recently been chosen by Channel 4 as one of eleven young people to be part of their Battlefront project. Her charity is called ‘abs-kids’ which stands for Anti Bullying Shared and her website is http://www.abs-kids.co.uk/.
I first met Abbi when she was a keynote speaker, aged 16, at a Young Enterprise County Final event where she spoke about her experiences of being bullied. In front of 600 school children, Abbi’s speech was delivered with the panache and confidence of any keynote speaker I have had the privilege to listen to. I was instantly impressed and wanted to support her in taking her campaign further.
On Tuesday last week I saw a young woman who was now hitting the road running. C4’s Battlefront project was giving her the opportunities she’d been waiting for. Abbi needs to be heard and to make a real difference, and now she is. I am so proud of what Abbi has achieved and I think Abbi and her charity will go a long, long way. Watch this space! Click here to watch an interview with Abbi on http://www.rosemaryconley.tv/
After seeing Abbi, it was time to launch Leicestershire’s Walking Week which starts on 4th Sept and runs until the 12th. With 75 walks to chose from around the glorious countryside of Leicestershire, this is a good initiative and one that I wholeheartedly endorse.
We met at the delightful country park called Watermead, along with the Lord Mayor of Leicester, the Mayors of the various districts, as well as the Leader of the County Council and other dignitaries. As Champion of the Physical Activities Champion Group I was asked to offer a few words alongside the Lord Mayor and the Leader of the Council. As I arrived the weather turned to a heat wave and, as I had Waise my dog in the car, I had no alternative than to invite her into the proceedings.
All was well until we started walking. With photographs taken, speeches made and everyone - around 100 folk – was ready to walk the one mile route around the lake, the blackest of clouds suddenly came upon us. Umbrellas were commissioned ‘just in case’ and the walkers set off with the Lord Mayor, with me and Waise taking the lead.
About a quarter of the way round the heavens opened and rain and hail stones poured down so ferociously that Waise (pronounced ‘visor’) looked up at me as if to say ‘I don’t do rain and I most definitely don’t do hail!’. And it’s true. At home, if it’s raining I have to put a coat on her and go outside with her with an umbrella to shelter her and wait for her to have a pee! Anyway, Waise was not going to move and the whole walking crowd had to shelter under branches of nearby trees awaiting the rain to ease. I even took off my coat to give to Waise in the hope that that might help but no, the situation was not negotiable!
After about 10 minutes the rain subsided. I looked as though I had just stepped out of the shower, Waise was still looking miserable, but the Lord Mayor was looking very unruffled given the circumstances (and much slimmer by the way as he is losing weight on my diet during his year in office). Some 20 minutes later, we all arrived back at the car park looking somewhat bedraggled but satisfied that we had burned off our 100 calories and walked a very picturesque mile.
As I approached, one of the organisers informed me that Central ITV News were there and could they have an interview? Soaked to the skin, hair looking stunning (I don’t think so!), I then put on my professional metaphorical hat, swallowed my pride and proceeded to enthuse about this truly brilliant initiative. (I did say to Darren the reporter that if he cut my introduction during which I explained my drenched appearance I would have to kill him, he obviously took the threat seriously as it stayed in!). We had a real laugh in the office later when Waise appeared looking somewhat forlorn wearing my jacket!
It is actually great fun when things go pear-shaped and you have to just get on with it. Sometimes I think we take life too seriously and we lose the fun out of situations. It really was a hilarious situation and thankfully everyone was very tolerant and forgiving of my extremely sensitive, temperamental dog who is actually a real treasure!
If you are anywhere near Leicestershire checkout the website www.leics.gov.uk/walkingweek.
Abbi Morrell-Faulkner is an 18-year old girl who was bullied at school and who has turned her terrible experience into an extraordinary strength. Abbi is now a campaigner against bullying and has won numerous awards, has been introduced to David Cameron and David Beckham and has recently been chosen by Channel 4 as one of eleven young people to be part of their Battlefront project. Her charity is called ‘abs-kids’ which stands for Anti Bullying Shared and her website is http://www.abs-kids.co.uk/.
I first met Abbi when she was a keynote speaker, aged 16, at a Young Enterprise County Final event where she spoke about her experiences of being bullied. In front of 600 school children, Abbi’s speech was delivered with the panache and confidence of any keynote speaker I have had the privilege to listen to. I was instantly impressed and wanted to support her in taking her campaign further.
On Tuesday last week I saw a young woman who was now hitting the road running. C4’s Battlefront project was giving her the opportunities she’d been waiting for. Abbi needs to be heard and to make a real difference, and now she is. I am so proud of what Abbi has achieved and I think Abbi and her charity will go a long, long way. Watch this space! Click here to watch an interview with Abbi on http://www.rosemaryconley.tv/
After seeing Abbi, it was time to launch Leicestershire’s Walking Week which starts on 4th Sept and runs until the 12th. With 75 walks to chose from around the glorious countryside of Leicestershire, this is a good initiative and one that I wholeheartedly endorse.
We met at the delightful country park called Watermead, along with the Lord Mayor of Leicester, the Mayors of the various districts, as well as the Leader of the County Council and other dignitaries. As Champion of the Physical Activities Champion Group I was asked to offer a few words alongside the Lord Mayor and the Leader of the Council. As I arrived the weather turned to a heat wave and, as I had Waise my dog in the car, I had no alternative than to invite her into the proceedings.
All was well until we started walking. With photographs taken, speeches made and everyone - around 100 folk – was ready to walk the one mile route around the lake, the blackest of clouds suddenly came upon us. Umbrellas were commissioned ‘just in case’ and the walkers set off with the Lord Mayor, with me and Waise taking the lead.
About a quarter of the way round the heavens opened and rain and hail stones poured down so ferociously that Waise (pronounced ‘visor’) looked up at me as if to say ‘I don’t do rain and I most definitely don’t do hail!’. And it’s true. At home, if it’s raining I have to put a coat on her and go outside with her with an umbrella to shelter her and wait for her to have a pee! Anyway, Waise was not going to move and the whole walking crowd had to shelter under branches of nearby trees awaiting the rain to ease. I even took off my coat to give to Waise in the hope that that might help but no, the situation was not negotiable!
After about 10 minutes the rain subsided. I looked as though I had just stepped out of the shower, Waise was still looking miserable, but the Lord Mayor was looking very unruffled given the circumstances (and much slimmer by the way as he is losing weight on my diet during his year in office). Some 20 minutes later, we all arrived back at the car park looking somewhat bedraggled but satisfied that we had burned off our 100 calories and walked a very picturesque mile.
As I approached, one of the organisers informed me that Central ITV News were there and could they have an interview? Soaked to the skin, hair looking stunning (I don’t think so!), I then put on my professional metaphorical hat, swallowed my pride and proceeded to enthuse about this truly brilliant initiative. (I did say to Darren the reporter that if he cut my introduction during which I explained my drenched appearance I would have to kill him, he obviously took the threat seriously as it stayed in!). We had a real laugh in the office later when Waise appeared looking somewhat forlorn wearing my jacket!
It is actually great fun when things go pear-shaped and you have to just get on with it. Sometimes I think we take life too seriously and we lose the fun out of situations. It really was a hilarious situation and thankfully everyone was very tolerant and forgiving of my extremely sensitive, temperamental dog who is actually a real treasure!
If you are anywhere near Leicestershire checkout the website www.leics.gov.uk/walkingweek.
Monday, 9 August 2010
Music in the Meadow - we're getting there!
For the past three years Mike and I have hosted a live pop concert in the grounds of our home to raise funds for Steps Conductive Education Centre, Matt Hampson - the under-21s England Rugby player who broke his neck in training in 2005, and the church and village hall where we live in Ashby Folville in Leicestershire. This year the event is being held on Bank Holiday Saturday, 28th August. Every pound taken for the event goes to the charities and the proceeds are distributed 70% to Steps, 20% to Matt and 10% is divided between the village hall and the church. In the last three years we have raised over £70,000 from this event which offers a fun night out listening to live bands in glorious surroundings plus a mega raffle which boasts 10 holidays/breaks to be won!
We are very fortunate to live in such an idyllic village which is surrounded by magnificent mature trees, has a cricket field, a beautiful pub – the Carington Arms, a church, and that’s it! On Music in the Meadow night the villagers help to steward the event and everyone has a fantastic time. Folk come from far and wide and bring along their gazebos, picnics and chairs or they sit on bales of straw. The stage looks magnificent against the backdrop of such a lovely piece of Leicestershire which nestles in a valley just below Melton Mowbray.
The event attracts about 500 – 1000 music-lovers who thoroughly enjoy themselves as well as buy raffle tickets galore as the prizes are so amazing plus we have a tombola which boasts a phenomenal number of outstanding gifts that have been donated from local firms. The tombola will include hundreds of prizes including vouchers for meals out, days out, hampers, cosmetics, gifts, pictures, flowers – you name it, it’s on there! On Saturday I was even given a diamond pendant by Goldsmiths in Leicester for the event which we are going to raffle separately on the night along with a stunning watch which has been donated by another jeweller, Lumbers, and Fenwicks have given us six Royal Doulton wine glasses ..and there’s so much more.
We serve Pimms and we will be dancing the night away until gone midnight. Personally we will have a house full of guests which I adore. There will be camp-beds for the children snuggled into various corners and every one of our bedrooms will be fully occupied and our bathrooms will be working flat out.
On the Friday I will be cooking bacon sandwiches for Mike and the workers who are setting up the marquees, staging, lighting, toilets and so on. Incredibly, all of these facilities are given to us free of charge which is how we can give every penny we receive to the charities. Companies like Raynsway and Owen Brown are phenomenally generous.
Then of course there are the bands who give their time and energy for free. The lead act, the Don Watson Band, fly in specially for the event from Colorado, USA. They are an extraordinarily gifted band who play requests from the audience throughout and I have yet to find a song that they don’t know or cannot play. They are outstandingly talented. The support acts are local bands Rock Bottom and Hopwood Junction plus we have a brilliant guitarist/singer David Wyatt who opens proceedings at 6 pm.
Check out the website www.musicinthemeadow.co.uk to see some of the pictures from last year and details of this year’s event. It really is a fantastic night out so if you don’t know what to do with yourself on bank holiday Saturday, why not pop along?
For tickets for the event or raffle tickets, please call Gaynor Cawood on 01509 622022.
We are very fortunate to live in such an idyllic village which is surrounded by magnificent mature trees, has a cricket field, a beautiful pub – the Carington Arms, a church, and that’s it! On Music in the Meadow night the villagers help to steward the event and everyone has a fantastic time. Folk come from far and wide and bring along their gazebos, picnics and chairs or they sit on bales of straw. The stage looks magnificent against the backdrop of such a lovely piece of Leicestershire which nestles in a valley just below Melton Mowbray.
The event attracts about 500 – 1000 music-lovers who thoroughly enjoy themselves as well as buy raffle tickets galore as the prizes are so amazing plus we have a tombola which boasts a phenomenal number of outstanding gifts that have been donated from local firms. The tombola will include hundreds of prizes including vouchers for meals out, days out, hampers, cosmetics, gifts, pictures, flowers – you name it, it’s on there! On Saturday I was even given a diamond pendant by Goldsmiths in Leicester for the event which we are going to raffle separately on the night along with a stunning watch which has been donated by another jeweller, Lumbers, and Fenwicks have given us six Royal Doulton wine glasses ..and there’s so much more.
We serve Pimms and we will be dancing the night away until gone midnight. Personally we will have a house full of guests which I adore. There will be camp-beds for the children snuggled into various corners and every one of our bedrooms will be fully occupied and our bathrooms will be working flat out.
On the Friday I will be cooking bacon sandwiches for Mike and the workers who are setting up the marquees, staging, lighting, toilets and so on. Incredibly, all of these facilities are given to us free of charge which is how we can give every penny we receive to the charities. Companies like Raynsway and Owen Brown are phenomenally generous.
Then of course there are the bands who give their time and energy for free. The lead act, the Don Watson Band, fly in specially for the event from Colorado, USA. They are an extraordinarily gifted band who play requests from the audience throughout and I have yet to find a song that they don’t know or cannot play. They are outstandingly talented. The support acts are local bands Rock Bottom and Hopwood Junction plus we have a brilliant guitarist/singer David Wyatt who opens proceedings at 6 pm.
Check out the website www.musicinthemeadow.co.uk to see some of the pictures from last year and details of this year’s event. It really is a fantastic night out so if you don’t know what to do with yourself on bank holiday Saturday, why not pop along?
For tickets for the event or raffle tickets, please call Gaynor Cawood on 01509 622022.
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
When everybody cares...
When one of our staff was recently diagnosed with cancer everyone felt devastated. We are a close-knit family at our offices at Quorn House and we take a lot of time and trouble to organise staff events so that everyone gets to know everyone else within our complicated business. I say ‘complicated’ because we are an amalgam of different companies who work in synergy with each other, delivering the best service we can to help serve the consumer and support our franchisees.
So when one of our ‘family’ is threatened with a potentially life-threatening illness, we all feel it.
Illness is a strange thing and many times in our lives we find ourselves shying away from folk who are suffering because we feel either embarrassed or guilty that we are well and they are not, but we were determined not to do this for this very special member of staff. So, we, as a team, decided that we wanted to give him every support and care and prayer that we could.
A group photograph was orchestrated with the words ‘we miss you Mark XXX’ emblazoned across it. The photograph was made into a card and everyone signed it with a personal ‘get well’ message. Next, we all decided that we would donate DVDs that would be humorous and entertaining so that Mark could watch them when, after his radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments, he felt like doing little else.
Texts, emails, home visits have also become common place and Mark has responded with amazing graciousness and courage.
If you are reading this and you have a faith, please pray for Mark. He is a great guy. If you want to send him a get well message you can email him on markp@rosemaryconley.com. Let’s join together and help make Mark well again.
Thank you!
So when one of our ‘family’ is threatened with a potentially life-threatening illness, we all feel it.
Illness is a strange thing and many times in our lives we find ourselves shying away from folk who are suffering because we feel either embarrassed or guilty that we are well and they are not, but we were determined not to do this for this very special member of staff. So, we, as a team, decided that we wanted to give him every support and care and prayer that we could.
A group photograph was orchestrated with the words ‘we miss you Mark XXX’ emblazoned across it. The photograph was made into a card and everyone signed it with a personal ‘get well’ message. Next, we all decided that we would donate DVDs that would be humorous and entertaining so that Mark could watch them when, after his radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments, he felt like doing little else.
Texts, emails, home visits have also become common place and Mark has responded with amazing graciousness and courage.
If you are reading this and you have a faith, please pray for Mark. He is a great guy. If you want to send him a get well message you can email him on markp@rosemaryconley.com. Let’s join together and help make Mark well again.
Thank you!
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
So, you'd like to present a fitness DVD?....
When the producer of BBC Radio Leicester’s lunchtime programme rang my office last week to ask if I would help with a ‘weekly challenge’ for the presenter Bill Buckley, of course I said ‘yes’. The challenge is ‘can Bill learn a fitness routine to sufficient a standard to present it as a fitness routine for fellow listeners to follow on the BBC website? If not, he fails!’. Bill is one really busy guy. Just check out his website and you may recognise him from That’s life, many moons ago.
So, on Monday I went into the studio to offer the challenge ‘live’ and on Monday evening Bill visited the class I personally teach in Birstall, Leicestershire and worked out with my members. Bill can move reasonably well and most of the time can hear the beat of the music but occasionally he misses the beat and the rhythm so this really is going to be a challenge. My members were very encouraging and there is no doubt that Bill is a good sport and very determined. After all, Bill has already won 'Come Dine With Me', not once but twice!
It was arranged that Bill would be recorded at our studios on Wednesday but on Tuesday we had an emergency phone call. Bill is suffering symptoms of flu so Wednesday’s recording has been postponed until next week.
I’m not sorry about this. For any of my videos we rehearsed for around a month, admittedly to record around 16 tracks and Bill only has to do one, but nevertheless, to expect Bill to learn and professionally present an exercise track so that viewers could actually follow it and exercise safely in just two days, as well as work full time, is a tall order.
So, Bill has a week to learn his routine, to learn about cueing so that you can tell the viewer what’s coming next when you’re doing something else, and to keep in time with the music. Let’s hope he soon feels better and can start rehearsing. I really want him to succeed as he has tremendous determination and a great spirit. Get well soon Bill!
The track Bill is learning is track 3 from my Real Results DVD. Check out whether Bill succeeds from Friday 30th July on www.bbc.co.uk/leicester.
So, on Monday I went into the studio to offer the challenge ‘live’ and on Monday evening Bill visited the class I personally teach in Birstall, Leicestershire and worked out with my members. Bill can move reasonably well and most of the time can hear the beat of the music but occasionally he misses the beat and the rhythm so this really is going to be a challenge. My members were very encouraging and there is no doubt that Bill is a good sport and very determined. After all, Bill has already won 'Come Dine With Me', not once but twice!
It was arranged that Bill would be recorded at our studios on Wednesday but on Tuesday we had an emergency phone call. Bill is suffering symptoms of flu so Wednesday’s recording has been postponed until next week.
I’m not sorry about this. For any of my videos we rehearsed for around a month, admittedly to record around 16 tracks and Bill only has to do one, but nevertheless, to expect Bill to learn and professionally present an exercise track so that viewers could actually follow it and exercise safely in just two days, as well as work full time, is a tall order.
So, Bill has a week to learn his routine, to learn about cueing so that you can tell the viewer what’s coming next when you’re doing something else, and to keep in time with the music. Let’s hope he soon feels better and can start rehearsing. I really want him to succeed as he has tremendous determination and a great spirit. Get well soon Bill!
The track Bill is learning is track 3 from my Real Results DVD. Check out whether Bill succeeds from Friday 30th July on www.bbc.co.uk/leicester.
Wednesday, 14 July 2010
Getting a dog is the answer to the nation's obesity problem!
Last Sunday our pet-family number doubled. Waise our whippet/greyhound/lurcher dog, and Tom the black cat were invaded by two extremely energetic, totally adorable black Labrador puppies – BB and Sky.It’s some 14 years since Mike and I took on a new pup. The last one was a German Shepherd called Max who was unique. Incredibly hard work at the beginning, an extraordinary character in the end and a dog we loved to bits. She spent her life following our old gardener Ken wherever he was working, happily sitting close by him and supervising! As Max grew old, Ken was reaching his 80s, and they loved their days together in our lovely garden. When Max died a year or so ago, she left a real void and we have spent many a happy time remembering her quirky character with enormous fondness.
But now we have BB (pictured, above, right) and Sky (pictured, above, left). I do the early and late shift and Mike does the day. It’s hard work. In the morning, at 6.15, I let them out and we go for a walk around the garden. They are so exuberant that it is almost impossible to walk as they weave in and out of my feet. Toilet duties accomplished it’s time for breakfast. Two bowls, identical, but each wanting to eat the other’s as they dash from one to the other in case there’s something extra in that one! BB is bigger and fatter than Sky. I can see why. She is at the front of the queue for food, pushing Sky out of the way as she gobbles down her puppy food. It’s just like humans really – scared that maybe after this meal there will be a world famine and this really is their last meal on earth!As I write this they are asleep, fast asleep, in our kitchen. At last they have exhausted themselves. I’m going to bed too. After my hour of exercise with them this morning and another good walk again tonight, I feel I’ve had the equivalent of an hour and half in the gym – but it’s been much more fun! If I carry on at this rate I’ll be able to drink that extra glass of wine and not gain an ounce. I love you, puppies!
What has surprised us more than anything though, is how Waise has accepted the pups. Waise is a spoilt-to-death dog who has had our undivided attention since Max passed away. She has totally embraced the pups, lying down with them – almost baby-sitting – when they collapse into sleep after a highly energetic play period. She allows them to crawl over her, nibble her ear, and generally ‘play’ with her. It is totally enchanting. There is no jealousy, just pleasure at taking on the role of auntie! Long may it continue!
And Tom the cat? He’s really cool about the pups. As he sits in his usual spot on the settee the pups come and say ‘hello’. Tom taps them gentle on the nose as if to say, ‘If you’re nice to me, I’ll be nice to you and these claws will stay inside my paws’, and the pups carry on with their game.
Monday, 12 July 2010
The magic of Austria
I’m writing this on the flight back from our Activity Week in Austria. This is the 25th year we have organised this special holiday when members of the public are invited to join us for a week of fun, fitness and fabulous scenery.
As we met at the airport a week ago it was exciting to meet up with lots of new faces and one or two familiar ones. Of our 30 strong guest list, only nine had been before. We love it when new people sign up because we know that it is for them a week full of surprises, new experiences and exciting emotions. We have never had a disappointing week yet in our two and half decades of this trip to the family-run ‘der Berghof’ hotel in Lech in Austria.
From the trout fishing walk, (when we catch our own lunch), to the Tyrolean evening with very fit young Austrians slapping their thighs and leaping in the air, the swimming in the open air pool among the mountains, hiking through meadows that look like a scene from the Sound of Music, doing aerobics in the school gym with myself and my colleague Mary, the week is action packed from beginning to end.
The highlight of the week is our Concert Night when Mary, a brilliant performer in her own right, carefully nurtures and encourages those among our guests who can sing or recite, inspire or delight, through a variety of performances that are unique. The reputation of this annual spectacle has now encouraged other un-connected hotel guests to book the same week so that they can enjoy the cabaret! There is always a finale which involves a very willing audience into participation leaving everyone on a high.
Each day started with an optional early morning walk followed by a weigh-in. Our lone male guest, Ryan, was Slimmer of the Week having lost over 8 lbs, whilst our female Slimmer of the Week, Barbara, lost 5 lbs. Almost everyone lost weight which wasn’t surprising as the average daily number of steps clocked up on their pedometers was around 28,000!
So, we go home today feeling fitter, healthier, happy and content that everyone has had the time of their life.
And why do we do it? We, the team who lead it, are exhausted but satisfied. Very satisfied. This is a holiday that brings together people who have experienced more than their fair share of life’s ups and downs, trials and tribulations, but who, together, grow and embrace the beauty of one of the world’s most exquisite countries, who push back the boundaries and grasp new challenges and make new friends. While we continue to witness such wonderful experiences we will keep going. It really is worth all the effort. Who says losing weight and getting fit can’t be fun!
As we met at the airport a week ago it was exciting to meet up with lots of new faces and one or two familiar ones. Of our 30 strong guest list, only nine had been before. We love it when new people sign up because we know that it is for them a week full of surprises, new experiences and exciting emotions. We have never had a disappointing week yet in our two and half decades of this trip to the family-run ‘der Berghof’ hotel in Lech in Austria.
From the trout fishing walk, (when we catch our own lunch), to the Tyrolean evening with very fit young Austrians slapping their thighs and leaping in the air, the swimming in the open air pool among the mountains, hiking through meadows that look like a scene from the Sound of Music, doing aerobics in the school gym with myself and my colleague Mary, the week is action packed from beginning to end.
The highlight of the week is our Concert Night when Mary, a brilliant performer in her own right, carefully nurtures and encourages those among our guests who can sing or recite, inspire or delight, through a variety of performances that are unique. The reputation of this annual spectacle has now encouraged other un-connected hotel guests to book the same week so that they can enjoy the cabaret! There is always a finale which involves a very willing audience into participation leaving everyone on a high.
Each day started with an optional early morning walk followed by a weigh-in. Our lone male guest, Ryan, was Slimmer of the Week having lost over 8 lbs, whilst our female Slimmer of the Week, Barbara, lost 5 lbs. Almost everyone lost weight which wasn’t surprising as the average daily number of steps clocked up on their pedometers was around 28,000!
So, we go home today feeling fitter, healthier, happy and content that everyone has had the time of their life.
And why do we do it? We, the team who lead it, are exhausted but satisfied. Very satisfied. This is a holiday that brings together people who have experienced more than their fair share of life’s ups and downs, trials and tribulations, but who, together, grow and embrace the beauty of one of the world’s most exquisite countries, who push back the boundaries and grasp new challenges and make new friends. While we continue to witness such wonderful experiences we will keep going. It really is worth all the effort. Who says losing weight and getting fit can’t be fun!
Monday, 28 June 2010
Oh dear!
I was happy to present medals at the Leicestershire and Rutland Youth Games on Sunday and fortunately the organisers had, in their early planning stages, anticipated an important World Cup game kicking off at 3 pm on the same day so the event was organised that it would end at 2.30 pm. No-one hung about and at 2.30 there was a mass exodus.
With a sinking feeling at the pit of my stomach and the realisation that England would now been playing for their World Cup life, Mike and I started watching the game at 3 pm on Sunday. Full of optimism and hope after their great game on Wednesday which we watched with the majority of our staff in the library at Quorn House, here we were again stressed out of our box and hoping beyond measure that Fabio Capello had got it right and that our players would play their socks off.
The first goal from Germany was painful. The second, more so. Then, miraculously, England scored and suddenly ‘hope’ was back on the menu. Then the unimaginable happened. A second goal was scored but disallowed! The endless replays only served to prove that technology should be used in such occasions but alas, FIFA had ruled that no such technology could be incorporated. The 2:1 score remained.
Two further painful goals from Germany left the commentators with nothing good to say about the England side. It was a desperate result from a team that individually were supreme when playing with their various teams at home with their extraordinary skill and talent, but who were woefully inadequate when played as a team at international level. What a desperate shame.
Yes . It is only a game. Nobody died and the result hasn’t suddenly solved the desperate problems facing this planet. But we have emotions and passion and that is a good thing. Long may that continue.
As human beings we respond to emotions and that’s good. Falling in love; getting excited about a new job; seeing yourself as a slim person immerging from an overweight body – these are great motivators that are golden. Finding that spark that makes you feel extraordinary instead of ordinary. But those feelings don’t come every day and some are easier to come by than others.
I work in a world where folk can transform their bodies from being tired and lifeless, unattractive and unfit into bodies that are full of life and energy, and feeling beautiful and confident. Such feelings and aspirations ARE within our control. Our control. If you want some help check out our website. We are happy to turn your life around and turn you into a champion!
With a sinking feeling at the pit of my stomach and the realisation that England would now been playing for their World Cup life, Mike and I started watching the game at 3 pm on Sunday. Full of optimism and hope after their great game on Wednesday which we watched with the majority of our staff in the library at Quorn House, here we were again stressed out of our box and hoping beyond measure that Fabio Capello had got it right and that our players would play their socks off.
The first goal from Germany was painful. The second, more so. Then, miraculously, England scored and suddenly ‘hope’ was back on the menu. Then the unimaginable happened. A second goal was scored but disallowed! The endless replays only served to prove that technology should be used in such occasions but alas, FIFA had ruled that no such technology could be incorporated. The 2:1 score remained.
Two further painful goals from Germany left the commentators with nothing good to say about the England side. It was a desperate result from a team that individually were supreme when playing with their various teams at home with their extraordinary skill and talent, but who were woefully inadequate when played as a team at international level. What a desperate shame.
Yes . It is only a game. Nobody died and the result hasn’t suddenly solved the desperate problems facing this planet. But we have emotions and passion and that is a good thing. Long may that continue.
As human beings we respond to emotions and that’s good. Falling in love; getting excited about a new job; seeing yourself as a slim person immerging from an overweight body – these are great motivators that are golden. Finding that spark that makes you feel extraordinary instead of ordinary. But those feelings don’t come every day and some are easier to come by than others.
I work in a world where folk can transform their bodies from being tired and lifeless, unattractive and unfit into bodies that are full of life and energy, and feeling beautiful and confident. Such feelings and aspirations ARE within our control. Our control. If you want some help check out our website. We are happy to turn your life around and turn you into a champion!
Wednesday, 23 June 2010
Be Inspired!
Last Sunday I had the privilege of being invited to present the Compassion Awards at a Church service organised by the Trinity Life Church in Highfields in the centre of Leicester. The Awards had been created by their charity Open Hands.
I have been fortunate enough in my lifetime to meet some wonderful people who have achieved extraordinary things - from captains of industry to celebrities who have changed the world and the way we think. But Sunday was about celebrating special people who showed compassion to some very vulnerable people, and who gave their time for the love of those people, for the love of mankind. They didn’t even expect a thank you.
Awards were given to Colin Austin who used to be an MD of a printing company until he retired. Then he turned his skills and energies to volunteering to work for Intercare who send surplus patient-returned medicines to 107 rural health units in six African countries. 80 year-old Laura Williams has been visiting inmates in Leicester and Gartree prisons for over 20 years and is held in the highest esteem and honour by those she visits. Paul Bagworth has Multiple Sclerosis and has for years raised funds and worked extensively to support the Leicester MS Society. A giant of a man, when he came up to receive his award I said ‘I feel so small next to you’. He replied ‘You are small!’. My hand is still recovering from his unbelievably strong hand shake!
Bethany Rowley is only 18 and works to support children with disabilities and other charity initiatives. It was great to see such a young person giving so much of herself to improve others’ lives. Ramesh Mistry, who a few years ago himself survived a brain tumour, has devoted his time to helping others. Mary Gamble, aged 87, works tirelessly to represent and support Age Concern and Chris White runs a soup run with the Salvation Army and a Drop-in Centre for the homeless. Inspiring? Definitely. Humbling? Without question.
I came away from that ceremony feeling uplifted. In this world of uncertainty and economic crisis it made me realise that this country should be really proud of some very, very special heroes who are making a difference to those who probably will not be affected by our challenging economic times but who help people who are just concerned about survival. Long may we continue to applaud such special community treasures.
Yesterday, George Osbourne delivered his first budget. Yes, times are going to be tougher but compared with some disadvantaged folk – through all kinds of reasons and not necessarily of their own making – we really shouldn’t complain.
Let’s hope England win this afternoon and then everyone will feel better about everything!
I have been fortunate enough in my lifetime to meet some wonderful people who have achieved extraordinary things - from captains of industry to celebrities who have changed the world and the way we think. But Sunday was about celebrating special people who showed compassion to some very vulnerable people, and who gave their time for the love of those people, for the love of mankind. They didn’t even expect a thank you.
Awards were given to Colin Austin who used to be an MD of a printing company until he retired. Then he turned his skills and energies to volunteering to work for Intercare who send surplus patient-returned medicines to 107 rural health units in six African countries. 80 year-old Laura Williams has been visiting inmates in Leicester and Gartree prisons for over 20 years and is held in the highest esteem and honour by those she visits. Paul Bagworth has Multiple Sclerosis and has for years raised funds and worked extensively to support the Leicester MS Society. A giant of a man, when he came up to receive his award I said ‘I feel so small next to you’. He replied ‘You are small!’. My hand is still recovering from his unbelievably strong hand shake!
Bethany Rowley is only 18 and works to support children with disabilities and other charity initiatives. It was great to see such a young person giving so much of herself to improve others’ lives. Ramesh Mistry, who a few years ago himself survived a brain tumour, has devoted his time to helping others. Mary Gamble, aged 87, works tirelessly to represent and support Age Concern and Chris White runs a soup run with the Salvation Army and a Drop-in Centre for the homeless. Inspiring? Definitely. Humbling? Without question.
I came away from that ceremony feeling uplifted. In this world of uncertainty and economic crisis it made me realise that this country should be really proud of some very, very special heroes who are making a difference to those who probably will not be affected by our challenging economic times but who help people who are just concerned about survival. Long may we continue to applaud such special community treasures.
Yesterday, George Osbourne delivered his first budget. Yes, times are going to be tougher but compared with some disadvantaged folk – through all kinds of reasons and not necessarily of their own making – we really shouldn’t complain.
Let’s hope England win this afternoon and then everyone will feel better about everything!
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