‘FITNESS SAVED MY LIFE’

Rosemary Conley has ahugeamount to thank fitness for.Not onlyhas it brought herfame, fortune and happiness, she credits it with helping save her life, too.

“When Iwas two, Ideveloped asthma. Iwas really very poorly as achild,and my parents were told Iwas unlikely to live beyond 10 years old,” says Conley –who shot to fame with her Hip And Thigh Diet in 1988, later launching anationwide chain of franchised Rosemary Conley Diet &Fitness Clubs.

“Thankfully,and obviously,I’ve lived alot longer than that!”

Now 76, she has made very good use of the ‘extra’ time she’s had. As well as her clubs, which went into administration in 2014, she’s written aplethora of books, made regular TV and video appearances –and even now still teaches exercise classes and keeps herself extremely fit.

Conley,who lives with her second husband Mike Rimmington in Leicestershire, continuestosee alung specialist regularly –and says he told her if she hadn’t become a fitness trainer,her life storywould be very different.

“I’ve been teaching fitness for 50 years, and it’s been good fortune that Iturned into acareer of fitness, which has developed my lungs,” she reflects. “My specialist cannot believe that Ido what Idowith the lungs Ihave.”

She now has monthly injectionsofa newbiologic asthma drug, which has“dramatically extended” her breathing capacity, as well as taking four inhalers every day,plus abronchodilator

“Right through my life, with inhalers, tablets, etc, I’ve managed my asthma,” she says. “I’ve never been hospitalised with it, but it has very muchbeen there. I’ve had to have steroids occasionally.I’ve had pneumonia, I’ve had chest infections, and

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DIET AND EXERCISE GURU

ROSEMARY CONLEY

TALKS TO LISA SALMON ABOUT LEADINGFITNESS CLASSES AT 76,AND WHY ASTHMA AND ARTHRITIS HAVEN’T HELD HER BACK my body will react badly if Iget areally bad cold.”

She also has the chronic lungcondition bronchiectasis, which damages the airways and can cause excessive mucus.

“It all sounds incredibly gloomy,but Ihave to tell you, I’ve led an incredibly full life,” she says. “I still teach classes, Igofor personal training twice aweek, and Idoaballet class on aFriday Normally,Iwalk for 30 minutes every morning as well.

“I work well in the gym, Ireally do,” Conley adds. “I invest myself in my fitness because Iwant to live –Iwanttolive as long as Ican possibly drag every year out of my life!”

The remarkable pensioner proudly states that she has blood pressure of 120/60: “At76yearsold, that’s not bad!”

But although she’s very slimand fitnow,she hashad her own weight problems in the past, she points out.

“I struggled to maintain my weight for quite awhile,and it was when Idiscovered low-fat eating in 1986 thatmywhole life changed as far as food was concerned, because Ifound Icould eat quite well and lose weight.”

Afew years later,her HipAnd Thigh Diet was published. “It was ahuge international bestseller,itmade me famous,” she says. “Itwas very appropriate then, it’s not particularly appropriate now.Istill bang the drum for low-fat, even though it’s completely unfashionable. Istill eat alow-fat diet myself, absolutely.”

She says she “absolutely never”eats takeaways, declaring: “I think they’reunhealthy. Ireally am a firm believer that we should try and cook our own food so we know what’s in it, and if we did, we’d feel so much better.”

Despite her age, she has no plans to hang up hertrainers, and is still full of infectious enthusiasm about theclasses she teaches and their loyal members –some of whom are even older than she is.

“I do two classes every Monday night, I’ve been doing them for 50 years, and Ihavemany members who’ve been coming for over 40 years and they’re still coming every week, bless them. Ilove them! They’re fitness classes, andwedosome aerobics and some strength work, andIhave three people who are over 80, and about 10 people in their mid-70s. We’ve all grown old together.”

Attending her weekly gym and ballet sessions help keep her core muscles strong,she notes–and shedoes all this despite the fact she has arthritis in herfeet and hands.

“I’ve got akneeinjury at the moment, and arthritic feet, but Ican normally manage my arthritic feet with paracetamol, and exercise –it’ssoimportant you move when you’ve got arthritis,” Conley stresses.

“It’s in my hands too, but they’re not painful, whereas my feet are painful.”

She’s determined to share her keep-fitmessage with other older people –in2021, she even launched anew website (rosemaryconley.com), designed to help the over-60s livelonger, healthier,happier lives.

“It’s about lifestyle,” says Conley “You’ve got to find a way to make one or two decisions, like stop snacking, for example ”

Of course, she believes exercise is crucial whatever your age, and for people just starting a fitness journey, she suggests it’s always a good idea to simply go for a walk

“It’s free, it’s healthy, it’s good for your legs, it’s good for your heart and lungs And if you ’ re feeling fitter, then find a walk with a bit of a hill in it, and that’s even better

“It’s never, ever too late to change your lifestyle If people in their 80s start exercising, the benefit will be enormous, ” Conley enthuses “With the right attitude and a love for life, it’s amazing what can be achieved ” n Rosemary Conley is an ambassador for Asthma + Lung UK For more information on lung conditions, call their helpline on 0300 222 5800 or visit asthmaandlung org uk