A DEDICATED fitness fanatic, who has helped to boost the confidence of thousands of people, has received an award. Emma Brady, 37, a diet and fitness consultant, is celebrating her 10-year anniversary with the Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Club. Emma w

A DEDICATED fitness fanatic, who has helped to boost the confidence of thousands of people, has received an award.

Emma Brady, 37, a diet and fitness consultant, is celebrating her 10-year anniversary with the Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Club.

Emma who has run a franchise of the club in Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth GC, Baldock and Biggleswade for the past 10 years has been helping people to slim down and become fitter and healthier and as a result Rosemary Conley, CBE, has presented Emma with a 10-Year Award at a ceremony held at the Barceló Hinckley Island Hotel, Leicestershire.

Emma said: "I started running the business because I enjoyed exercise and agreed with Rosemary's principles of healthy eating and exercise.

"I set the business up because I wanted to help people get healthy, fit and lose weight. It's the only job I've had where you can see visual results and it feels fantastic to see people reach their goals.

"I am thrilled to reach my 10 years service with the club. It is extremely rewarding and in the last decade, I have helped thousands of members to achieve their weight-loss goals and I look forward to helping many more new members in the future."

Emma caught the fitness bug in her early 20s.

She said: "I've always had a passion for exercise and have been conscious of weight and it's overwhelming to think I have helped so many people achieve positive health changes and help a large percentage of the county

"Weight issues need to be address because there's an increase in obesity and people need to be educated. What people need to realise is they can lose weight and eat healthily without thinking they are being deprived.

"People should come along to my classes because they will be given a warm welcome and extra support outside."

One of Emma's biggest achievements from a business point of view is being a finalist in the top 10 Rosemary Conley franchises but she said she is also proud of the fact that she has halved so many people's body sizes.

She said: "In the future I just want to continue with my business and enjoy it and continue to help people slim down and lose weight."

Rosemary said: "We are delighted that Emma has achieved 10 years' service with Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Clubs. It is a fantastic achievement and in that time Emma has helped thousands of women to lose weight and become healthier.

"Emma is qualified in nutrition and to teach exercise to music. Our ongoing training programme ensures that our members are given the very latest and best advice to achieve success in their weight loss campaign. Our success rate is incredible."

Rosemary Conley established the franchised Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Clubs in 1993 and it is still the only national slimming organisation in the UK to offer exercise as well as dietary advice in the same class.

For more information about the Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Clubs call Emma on 01727 828334 or visit: www.rosemaryconley.com

FACT FILE

* Around 70 per cent of men and 63 per cent of women in the UK are overweight or obese

* Obesity costs the British economy over £2bn every year

* Obesity reduces life expectancy on average by nine years

* Obesity accounts for 30,000 deaths a year in the UK

* Cases of obesity in the UK have tripled over the last 20 years and by 2020, at least one third of adults, one fifth of boys and one third of girls will be obese