I joined the Rosemary Conley diet and fitness club in January of this year as a new years resolution to lose weight. Well, i'm still a member, have so far lost 29lbs (2stone 1lb) and am loving every minute of it. Ok, so it hasn't been easy by any means especially if you are a fatty food fanatic ... Read review
Advantages: An easy way to lose weight, make friends and get in shape Disadvantages: Indian takeaways are not part of the diet plan
I joined the Rosemary Conley diet and fitness club in January of this year as a new years resolution to lose weight. Well, i'm still a member, have so far lost 29lbs (2stone 1lb) and am loving every minute of it. Ok, so it hasn't been easy by any means especially if you are a fatty food fanatic like me, but I have to say, this diet or "change of lifestyle" should I say, has been the most effective and enjoyable I have tried...and believe ... ...includes a motivational CD of Rosemary conley, which is really good to listen to when you are in the car or washing up etc. you also get a food diary or the bible as I call it which is a little black book of loads of foods with less than 5% fat that you are allowed. After your first 2weeks on the kick start diet, I lost nearly 1/2 a stone in these 2 weeks, you are given a calorie allowance by your class instructor which is calculated especially for ... more
I joined the Rosemary Conley diet and fitness club in January of this year as a new years resolution to lose weight. Well, i'm still a member, have so far lost 29lbs (2stone 1lb) and am loving every minute of it. Ok, so it hasn't been easy by any means especially if you are a fatty food fanatic like me, but I have to say, this diet or "change of lifestyle" should I say, has been the most effective and enjoyable I have tried...and believe me, i've tried them all.
---Joining--- It costs £7.50 to become a member and then £4.95 per week to get weighed and do 45 minutes of areobic exercise. If you don't want to do the exercise you don't have to - its optional and nobody will think any less of you if you don't. Once you are a member you can go to as many exercise classes as you like for just £3.50 per class. You should also look on the website www.rosemary-conley.co.uk before joining as there are sometimes vouchers to join for free or a free exercise class. You can also find your nearest class and find out information about the the instructor in your area with a list of all the times and venues that the classes are held. There are three different payment options, you can pay as you go, as explained above or you can become a premier member, its £18.99 per month paying by standing order or direct debit from your bank, you get all your weigh-ins and exercise classes (one per week) paid for, you also get a subscription to Rosemary's Diet and Fitness magazine which has loads of recipies and success stories. It works out at a small saving from the pay as you go option. The other option is Premier Plus which is what I do. It is £26.99 a month and with this you get everything you get with normal premier but you can go to as many exercise classes as you like, I go to about 5classes a week as I enjoy it so much! So if you are going to be doing as many classes as I do it works out really good value for money as its generally cheaper than a gym membership.
---The Diet--- In the first two weeks you are put on a "Kick Start" Diet, where you can eat no more than 1200 calories a day and all fizzy or carbonated drinks, alcohol and tea and coffee is banned! But this is just for 2 weeks and basically shocks and detoxes your body so these are the weeks you will see your biggest weight loss, this also gives you the motivation to continue as you are seeing results. You get a kick start diet plan in your first week that you have to follow, you choose a breakfast, Lunch and Dinner from the list of options which is really good as it is designed to cover every level of lifestyle and cooking ability. In the second week you are given your pack which includes a motivational CD of Rosemary conley, which is really good to listen to when you are in the car or washing up etc. you also get a food diary or the bible as I call it which is a little black book of loads of foods with less than 5% fat that you are allowed. After your first 2weeks on the kick start diet, I lost nearly 1/2 a stone in these 2 weeks, you are given a calorie allowance by your class instructor which is calculated especially for you depending on your age, weight and health. From then on you are allowed any foods under 5% fat per 100g as long as you stick within your calorie allowance for the day. You are also allowed a treat every day of any fat content as long as it is 150calories or less. You can also save these treats up and have them all at once if you want to, I often save my treats up for a Saturday night and have a few glasses of wine or a big ol chocolate bar! It is very easy to stick you, you just have to get in to the right frame of mind, to look at everything you eat and make sure that it is 5% fat or less. Its so much easier nowadays as well with all the healthier options avaliable. You do have to be careful though as a lot of foods that are advertised as "low fat" are often very high in calories so you really have to look at the back of all foods you buy.
---The Exercise--- The exercise is a 45 minute aerobic workout including a proper warm-up, the main workout where you can work to your own pace depending on your fitness level. When I first started I was so unfit, I could not do any high impact work, but I have to say I did not feel out of place at all, there are people of all different ages and abilities so its really welcoming. The instructor will plan different routines for you to do (she will usually change these every 6 weeks or so) these include things like ham string curls, grapevines, double side steps, its all very straight forward and you can pick new moves up easily as everyone is in the same boat, the instructor will only work as fast as you can go. The warm up and main workout last for around half an hour after you have cooled down you will do some toning exercises like sit ups or leg raises or push ups (i hate them!) So it is advisable to take a towel or a mat to lay on. If the exercise is in a school or a gym they may have mats avaliable but I always take something just incase. The session is finished by cooling right down, stretching all the muscles and having a relaxation period where you can just "flop" out and chill (this is my favourite part!) I strongly reccommend taking a big bottle of water or squash with you as you do get really sweaty and dehydrated. My instructor has just started doing "Salcacise" classes which is just fantastic, you get to workout and feel sexy whilst learning salsa moves, I would really reccommend this class.
---Being a member--- One of the best things about being a member (other than losing weight) is the people. You make so many friends, and its great seeing everyone doing so well around you. It honestly gives me more motivation to go along so I can see how all my new friends have got on. Every week your instructor will read out how much everyone has lost (she will never read out your actual weight or tell people if you have put on weight that week - it does happen believe me!) We all clap everyones progress and the person who has lost the most weight that week is awarded with a "Slimmer of the Week" certificate. You are also awarded with a certificate with every stone you lose (i got my 2 stone one last night!!) Every week your instructor will give you a short talk about motivation for the next week which is always a good laugh! When getting weighed you stand in a queue with the scales placed well away from anyone else so nobody other than you and your instructor will know you weight.
---Instructors--- The instuctors are highly trained to help you with a healthy weight loss and exercise programme. They are always there to help you with any questions or queries about the diet. They are not like the stereotypical "fat fighters" instructors that will tell you off for putting on or anything like that. If you do happen to put on weight one week your instuctor will go through what you have eaten and any reason there may be for your gain. She may give you a diet sheet to fill out so that you can go through where you are going wrong for the next week. With the exercise, if for some reason you are unable to do a particular move due to health or injury reasons your instructor is there to help you with alternative exercises and movements. I class my instructor as a friend now, she has 100% dedication and genuinely loves to get involved with how well you are doing, its like a little family!
---Conclusion---
In conclusion I have to say that I love everything about the Rosemary Conley diet and fitness club. And it really works! The only slight criticism I have and I will say it now as I want to end on a high note, is that not many men go to the classes, which I feel is a shame as it will suit everyone. A male friend of mine has actually joined the class and he really enjoys it, however I think he feels a little uncomfortable when doing the exercise as he is the only male. So all those men out there that want to lose a some weight and get fit should get themselves down to a class! In comparison to some of the other weight loss programmes like Weight Watchers and Slimmers World, Im sure the diets they provide do work, but Rosemary Conley is the only programme that gets you back in shape by doing exercise as well, and I think thats the best thing about it. Its not always easy but equally its not a race, and they do say the longer it takes to take off the more likely you are to keep it off. Its more of a lifestyle change than a diet and the people make it the wonderful little community that it is. The diet itself is only a small part of what can be. Together with the help of your instructor you really will see good results.
Advantages: LOADS OF ENCOURAGEMENT, MEET PEOPLE, EXERCISE Disadvantages: CHOCOLATE CAN'T BE EATEN BY THE BUCKET-LOAD
...tow, I joined our local Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Class. I must admit that it took a lot of courage for me to go there as I have been to many slimming clubs in the past, but found them full of ultra slim stick insects that looked down at you. But kicking and screaming I went in the door and was met by the very friendly instructor, Maggie. She immediately took us under her wing and told us that we had already done the hardest part, now was ... ...pack, which included a free Rosemary Conley diet magazine, a pack of recipe cards and a really handy pocket-sized calorie and fat converter book. I take this everywhere with me and it is really helpful as it lists almost every food and gives you the amount of calories and fat in a 100g serving. As well as these there is a self-help tape particularly useful for those times when you feel like giving in. Rosemary’s soothing words encourage you to carry ...
wardenblw431 04.09.2003 (02.02.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness Clubs
Advantages: common sense, excercise included in class Disadvantages: no free membership after target weight, pointless free CD
...not have done it without Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness clubs.
I have been gradually gaining weight for about ten years. At a size 18-20 on my lower half I was a bit depressed at my appearance. I have tried to diet by myself but I always chuck it in after one too many packets of crisps that have tempted me. I had thought about slimming clubs in the past to motivate myself but I was not sure I wanted to spend £5 a week on being weighed and lectured.
... ...main difference between Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness clubs and other slimming clubs is the emphasis on fitness. I think others would recommend exercise but this one goes further and you get a 45 minute aerobics workout at every meeting. Each meeting costs £4.95 and consists of a weigh in, a talk from the group leader and then the exercise part. I do not mind paying this as an aerobics class at my local leisure centre costs £3.60 so this is comparable. ...
duskmaiden 04.05.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness Clubs
Advantages: You get support inyour weight loss plan from the instructor and other members and you do eat more healthier meals. Disadvantages: Can be a bit pricey
...not lose anything. With th Rosemary Conley clubs, you couldn't be further from the truth.
I started going to a local class in September 2000 as I decided if I was going to lose that last stone or so of post pregnancy flab, i needed to go somewhere where I would be weighed weekly in front of other people - a bit of an incentive for me. At my first visit, the instructor, Tracey, got me to fill out a form telling her of any medical conditions I may ... ...me and explained how things worked, explained the eating plan and gave me the starter pack which icluded a small booklet with a few ideas of what to eat during the day (very handy hen you're not sure what to eat for breakfast!). She then asked me how much weight I wanted to lose - it made me feel better that the choice was mine and I wasn't told how heavy I should be. If or when I get down to the weight I have chosen, if I want to change the goalposts ...
frannie 29.04.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness Clubs
Advantages: exercise class included, no bulky printed material, friendly Disadvantages: costs more than Weightwatchers,slimming world etc
...suggested i join her at Rosemary Conley two things went immediately throught my mind....
1. I don't know whether i fancy sweating/panting/dying in front of other people.
2. What do i wear? As someone who always wears a skirt, the thought of wear 'lycra' in public was humiliating.
But...i eventually buckled and went along to my first class. (Wearing the scruffiest, oldest and only pair of trousers i owned) Of the three different locations i have ... ...has ever done any of Rosemary Conley videos then you are definately going to be able to keep up. The class generally includes a warm up (5 mins)--> stretch (3-5 mins)--> cardio/aerobic activity (approx 30 mins)--> 5 mins cooldown --> floor exercises or stretching (5-10 mins). These are approximations as the classes vary according to time, size and intensity.
I'm 36yrs old but would recommend RC to people of all ages. In the classes i have been too, ...
tracyjane71 10.08.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness Clubs
Advantages: Diet and exercise in one class Disadvantages: Can be expensive long term
...afternoon I stumbled across the Rosemary Conely website and was impressed by the fact her classes include an exercise session for the around the same price as the other slimming clubs.
So off I toddled one Thursday evening to my local class. The welcome I had was great, I was taken off to a quiet area of the room and had the diet (I say diet more like a health eating plan) explained to me and was also given a starter pack that included a detailed ... ...that are organised and the Rosemary Conely magazine bimonthly included for this price.
Once I meet my target I will continue to go as I have made some great friends - including the photographer for my wedding. Joining Rosemary Conely's class was the best thing I could have done to prepare for my wedding as I have more confidence and look so much better. ...
dmwilson 26.05.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness Clubs
