Rosemary Conley is synonymous with healthy eating, exercise and weight loss. One of Leicestershire’s most focused and successful women, Rosemary has bagged the freedom of Leicestershire and a CBE. After almost four decades working in health and fitness, she’s not ready to hang up her trainers yet…

Have you always led a healthy lifestyle? James Nail, Hinckley
I haven’t always eaten a low fat diet and exercised. I first became overweight back in the late 60’s when I learnt how to cook from a cordon bleu cookery course. I gained two and a half stone and just couldn’t stop eating.

What inspired you to change your lifestyle? Georgie Lamb, Melton
In 1986, I had to go on a low fat diet because of my gallstones to avoid surgery. It transformed my eating habits and my body and I’m now able to maintain my weight relatively easily. I wrote a book too called ‘The Hip And Thigh Diet’, which was an international best seller and sold a couple of million copies. It’s the basis of all of the books I’ve written since then, 31 in total.

Do you ever wake up and feel like having an unhealthy day? Margaret Dodd, Netherhall
No. I don’t want to be fat. I know how miserable I was. I hated being overweight and my self image was poor. I hated how I looked and felt and there’s no way I ever want to go back there. Would I want to eat a load of chocolate? I like chocolate, but I’d rather be slim beneath the chocolate. I see food now as fuel and I need it to survive.

Are there any success stories that have really touched you? Bev Mistry, Whetstone
One I’ll never forget was a woman who was told she wouldn’t be able to have children. She was overweight and unfit and told that she’d need to adopt. She lost weight, got fitter and fell pregnant. She wrote this beautiful letter and I cried when I read it. It was so joyful to realise that because she had been on my diet and exercised to my videos, she’d got herself so healthy that her body was ready to make a baby.

How much input do you have on the recipes for the books you produce? Robin Jenkins, Loughborough
In any book that I write, I write the diet completely from scratch. I employ a chef, Dean Simpole-Clark, who puts the recipes together, bearing in mind the criteria that I set.

Which part of your job gives you the most satisfaction? Lee McKenzie, Quorn
I get massive rewards psychologically from the work that I do and the people that I meet that have lost weight. We had a ‘Slimmer of the Year’ shoot with seven people and they had lost 62 stone between them. When you meet people that have lost the weight, they’re just so grateful.

Have you worked with many celebrities to help them lose weight and improve their fitness? Emily Robertson, Oadby
Coleen Nolan and I did a DVD together two years ago and she lost two stone. The other notable person was the previous Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey.

Have you got any funny stories from your time on television, maybe on This Morning with Richard and Judy? Kim Li, Nuneaton
I was getting a taxi to catch a flight from Heathrow to Liverpool, where the show was filmed and the driver arrived late. He was almost out of petrol and had to drive slowly to conserve fuel. I got to the airport but missed my flight. I eventually arrived at the studio where we were doing a cookery demonstration. I was cooking a pork chop and Richard Madeley said, ‘Shouldn’t you cut the fat off?’ And, I said, ‘Yes you should!’ I’d had a really bad day and forgotten!

There were some exciting moments, like listening to Michael Ball sing Aspects of Love at 8.30 in the morning, three feet away from me. I met loads of celebrities, including Terry Wogan, Chris De Burgh and Lionel Ritchie, who were all charming.

What are your aims and ambitions for the future? Pauline Potter, Huncote
I’ve been commissioned to write a book about how to stay young as we get older. We’ve also just opened a new TV studio called Rosemary Conley.tv. It’s on the internet and launches in January.

It must have been a great honour to receive your CBE and the freedom of Leicester? Pam, Eyres Monsell
It was astonishing. I was immensely proud to be honoured by my own city. For my CBE, I was gob smacked and it was fantastic collecting it from Prince Charles. I’m proud because both honours are not given away lightly.

Tell us a bit about the Rosemary Conley franchise? Erica Gibbs, Birstall
We pride ourselves on having the best training department in the land. We have 170 carefully chosen franchisees who work anywhere between Scotland and the Isle of Wight. They buy a license to operate in a certain territory and pay us a set fee per class, irrespective of whether they have 4 or 40 members. Are you a sports fan and do you follow any of the teams in Leicester? Jenny, Scraptoft I’m a big Leicester Tigers fan and we’ve had some dealings with the Tigers as they support an event we do which raises money for Steps and for Matt Hampson. I’m interested in Leicester City and delighted they’re doing better.

What does Leicestershire mean to you? Barbara Castle, Evington
It is a beautiful county with interesting landscapes and wonderful areas like Bradgate Park. I love Leicestershire and I’ve had the privilege of meeting lots of people from around the county. It’s also beautifully positioned, when you’re running a nationwide franchise.

What is your guilty pleasure? Joseph, South Wigston
I enjoy a glass of wine. I like chips. I tend not to have them on my own plate but will steal someone else’s! I love Pringles too, but I can’t be trusted with them. I can’t buy a whole tube because I will eat it. I also love blueberry muffins from Marks and Spencer and I have them as a treat on a Saturday sometimes.

To learn more about Rosemary visit www.rosemaryconley.com