I’m really quite excited to welcome onto my blog tonight a lady who in the late 1980s made a big impression on me as a young twenty year old; in fact she still impresses me today.  I was then and still am attracted by her boundless energy, by her “can do” attitude, by her very smiley demeanour, by her lithe and petite figure.  Even today, at 8pm she tweets her daily challenge …sometimes easy, sometimes hard, always fun.  That lady is the gorgeous Rosemary Conley CBE…. who has had over 40 years experience of helping people lose weight and keep fit…. and I was so pleased that she agreed to chat with me about her online weight loss club, her life and  of course, we talked about fashion and shoes too…. hi Rosemary…..

Hi, I am Rosemary Conley CBE and I am a diet and fitness expert living in Leicestershire, England. I have been in the business of helping people to lose weight and become fitter for 45 years, and I have written 37 books and presented 30 fitness DVDs of which their combined sales total almost 10 million.

What inspired you to launch the Rosemary Conley online Weight-Loss Club?

Rosemary Conley Online is a digital weight-loss club which launched some 15 years ago. It has been an exciting enterprise as we have been part of the online revolution as it has grown and developed. We have a new and exciting website which enables our members to enjoy over 2000 videos of how-to-cook recipes, exercises, motivation, a food & fitness diary and advice from nationally recognised top experts as well as real-life coaches. We also offer a personal One-2-One coaching service.

Your weight-loss club offers, as well as real life coaching, a variety of eating plans. Why do you offer a range of 6 different plans? Which “plan” seems to be the most popular amongst your members?

Selecting the best eating plan to help you lose weight is very much down to the individual. We offer plans from my new 3-2-1 Diet which is based on ‘light’ and ‘normal’ days of eating along the lines of the 5:2 diet but more generous, or there are my ‘classic’ diets from which to choose which are calorie based for those who want more structure, and then we have our new Complete Lifestyle Change Plan which is a 12 week programme of information and inspiration to help member to make permanent changes to their lives. No one diet is more popular than another. It is all down to personal preference.

What diet plan do you personally stick to?

I stick to a low fat, low Gi, eating pattern without any calorie counting or dieting. I avoid high-fat treats such as crisps, chocolate, biscuits and cake because, whilst I love them, I know they will make me gain weight. It all comes down to the fact that I like being slim more than I want the treats! I spent too many years being overweight and hating myself for being so to run the risk of going back there. I used to weigh 2½st more than I do now. I like being a size 8 (UK) and I weigh 8 stone (112lb/51kg) which is ideal for my 5’2” height. I stay physically fit by still teaching a couple of aerobics classes each week, walking the dogs at weekends, going to a special gym with a physiotherapist for an hour a week and ice skating when I can – probably every two or three weeks.

I believe that keeping healthy not only relies on food intake, but also moving about/exercising. I try to do yoga and Pilates; and I do enjoy the odd aerobic session too. I monitor my steps on a Fitbit ….What forms of exercise do you personally enjoy? What forms of exercise seems to appeal to your weight loss club members?

I think it is important for us to find a form of exercise we enjoy so that we keep doing it. I hate swimming or running but I love exercising to music and walking in the countryside but I am limited by my arthritic feet which has come upon me in the last year. I am 70 now and it seems as though my body has suddenly realised my age! That’s why I go to the physio gym as my physiotherapist is aware of my limitations but still pushes me hard so I stay fit in the rest of my body. I want to live a long and healthy life – even if my feet hurt! Rosemary Conley Online members are offered all kinds of exercise on our site from Pilates to Salsa, chair workouts and aerobics or toning. There really is something for everyone, even new mums.

Although you live in the UK, is your online weight loss club available to access overseas?

Our online club is available to anyone across the world except for the USA or Canada. We have lots of overseas members and I love the fact that with an online weight-loss club you can access it anywhere, anytime, 24/7.

Are you looking at writing other books in the future? What topics would you like to cover?

I think my 3-2-1 Diet is probably my last diet book but I am beginning to work on my autobiography. In 2018 my Hip & Thigh Diet will be 30 years old. I think it would be great to have my life-story published in that year.

The Rosemary Conley Online Weight Loss Club is one of the UK’s leading online weight loss clubs.How can people sign up to be a member? Are there any restrictions? What are the main benefits to joining your club?

Anyone can join Rosemary Conley Online providing they have weight to lose, are over 18 and are not pregnant. Everyone is asked to complete a health questionnaire which is personally checked. Once signed up, all a member needs is internet access. It really is very simple. With basic computer skills anyone can navigate our site. We have monthly, quarterly and annual memberships available as well as a premium One-2-One personal coaching service which members can opt-in and opt-out of. Our results are amazing and my favourite part of my job is meeting members who are invited to our photoshoots. To see these amazing successful slimmers looking toned and gorgeous is just heart-warming. It’s why I, and the rest of our Rosemary Conley team, love our job.

You have over 2500 healthy recipes online – have you got any particular favourites?

We continue to add to our online recipes and one of our team is a supreme cook who has a real talent for creating recipes so there’s always something new appearing on the site. I can’t say I have a particular favourite. I love them all.

There are general concerns about the growing global obesity epidemic. What do you feel are the reasons behind this epidemic?

I think the main reason for the obesity epidemic is lifestyle change. The advent of the internet, internet shopping and mobile phones all mean that we can run our lives without moving around as much as we used to. I really don’t know where it will end unless people take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing. We have to eat less and move more!

When you’re not working, what hobbies/past times do you enjoy?

I have a lovely life because I enjoy my work and I enjoy writing. I love spending time with my family as well as ice skating and walking our dogs around our beautiful garden.

Personal now- what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

I love clothes – a lot! – and I have spent the last 50 years wearing stilettos and am now having to come to terms with the fact that I can only wear flat and kitten heel styles due to my arthritic feet! I am a pear shape which means I have a decent waist so I like to wear fitted styles and ice skating is fantastic for shaping up your butt so I am happy wearing jeans and trousers too.

Do you have any favourite shops/online sites?

I buy most of my clothes from the Madeleine catalogue, as they fit me so well and the quality of the fabrics and workmanship is second to none. They seem to be ahead of the game as far as fashion and style is concerned and I just love their clothes as well as their shoes which are fabulous and great quality. I enjoy having them delivered to home so that I can try the clothes at home in my own time and with my own accessories. If I don’t like something, I just send it back free of charge. It really works for me.

What’s next on your clothes/shoes wish list?

I love the Spring as my colouring is Spring/Summer so I will be ordering some lovely bright shades of dresses and tops for this year.

Boots or Shoes?

I wear boots more now than I ever used to and they are always flat. I started wearing flat ones five years ago when I was on ITV’s Dancing on Ice. As a high-heel devotee for so many decades I needed to train my heels to be happy nearer the ground as when you skate that’s essential! I have grown to really like wearing stylish military-looking knee-high boots which seem to work well with fitted leggings and a long jacket/coat.

Links you wish to share:

Go to www.rosemaryconley.com to find out more about Rosemary Conley Online. I am personally on Twitter at @rosemaryconley and I do a daily fitness challenge at 8pm (UK time) each evening. You can find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RosemaryConleyOnline.

It has been a real honour to have you on the blog, Rosemary – thank you so much for taking part. I do love that you like bright shades for tops – for me, bright shades make me feel happy! Dear readers, do you have certain shades that you feel happy?  Do shades of yellow make you smile? Does red make you feel daring?  Do tell, I’d love to know!

Linda x

All photographs have been published with kind permission of Rosemary Conley CBE