How do you feel about large consultants?

[Veggiegirl]

I feel that expecting your consultant to be slim or consistently losing weight is like expecting your doctor to never be ill. Surely they are no more immune to weight gain than anyone else - in fact I'd imagine it's doubly worse. 1. Because they are looking after other people's weight losses and perhaps putting themselves on the back burner and 2. because it seems there is some expectation from members for their consultant to be at target or on the way - losing weight just for you is hard enough, let alone for a room full of other people. Two extra pressures that we as just members don't face. I'm sure many of us have lost weight, gained it again, lost the plot, given up, rejoined etc etc and I can't see how being a consultant would be a magic formula for making any of that any easier.

 

[HelsAngel]

I feel that expecting your consultant to be slim or consistently losing weight is like expecting your doctor to never be ill. Surely they are no more immune to weight gain than anyone else - in fact I'd imagine it's doubly worse. 1. Because they are looking after other people's weight losses and perhaps putting themselves on the back burner and 2. because it seems there is some expectation from members for their consultant to be at target or on the way - losing weight just for you is hard enough, let alone for a room full of other people. Two extra pressures that we as just members don't face. I'm sure many of us have lost weight, gained it again, lost the plot, given up, rejoined etc etc and I can't see how being a consultant would be a magic formula for making any of that any easier.

That's the comparison I should have made in my previous post about doctors. Spot on.

 

[Stackhead]

But being ill is something you can't control, weight (not taking into account medical issues) is something you can so the comparison doesn't really stand.

I agree that becoming a consultant doesn't magically give you the key for permanent weightloss and I also agree that consultants sometimes have rough patches and put weight on. These two I have no problem with. I don't expect my consultant to be super human.
I expect my consultant to be open and honest with the group and expect that consultant not to give up and stop following plan.

I also expect that a consultant would be ready for the pressure of staying at/reaching target when they became a consultant. After all no-one forces anyone to be a consultant. It's a personal choice of that person.

xx

 

[Veggiegirl]

My friend and I went to an opportunity event a few years ago - she went on to become a consultant and I didnt - and nearly everyone in the room said they thought that it would make it easier to lose weight and keep it off as a consultant (including us!) but apparently its one of the biggest reasons consultants give up, because its too hard to look after everyone else and still try to put yourself and your own weight loss first. My friend moved away and decided to change career rather than try to take over a group in her new area, partly for the reason that her own weight was creeping up. We keep in touch and now she is "just" a member, rather than sitting there trying to be a member but with her consultants head on and she is doing ok again. So I do think its difficult to prepare for being able to stay at or get to target as a consultant. The being ill thing maybe wasnt the best example so here's a better one lol - imagine being a smoker and then qualifying as a GP and deciding to practice what you preach as a doctor and try to quit smoking - would the willpower to do that suddenly appear? Im not convinced. I think weight loss is a lot to do with willpower - the willpower to say no to extra syns, to plan your food, cook SW friendly meals, cope with eg weekends and I still dont think consultants have a magic formula to get over those hurdles ESP when they are trying to help everyone else. Im also not sure I think its our right as members to expect the consultant to share their own personal weight loss journey (especially if shes struggling) with the group - I think its up to them to do that at the group they attend as a member, if they do so. As a member I would hate to feel obliged to share stuff I didnt want to - my group is a safe environment where I can tell as much or as little as I feel I want to. To me, a consultants size is never ever going to be relavent as I dont feel it has any impact on my own weight loss journey.

NB - when people post on here that they've had a terrible week or they come back after an absence when they gave up or they've put all the weight back on etc, they are welcomed back with encouragement and open arms which is how it should be and is fantastic - if one of those posters turned round and said they were a consultant, I dont think anyone would tell them that they should know better, that would be a little harsh x

 

[kerryathome]

But being ill is something you can't control, weight (not taking into account medical issues) is something you can so the comparison doesn't really stand.

I agree that becoming a consultant doesn't magically give you the key for permanent weightloss and I also agree that consultants sometimes have rough patches and put weight on. These two I have no problem with. I don't expect my consultant to be super human.
I expect my consultant to be open and honest with the group and expect that consultant not to give up and stop following plan.

I also expect that a consultant would be ready for the pressure of staying at/reaching target when they became a consultant. After all no-one forces anyone to be a consultant. It's a personal choice of that person.

xx

if not putting weight on was controllable would we all really be here fighting the same battle?

 

[I_dream_slim]

Gonna be honest and say that when I arrived at group and discovered my con wasn't 'slim' (I put this in inverted commas as think everyone has a different idea of what this is) it did make an impact on me. I'd live to say o didn't notice-she is very passionate, hands on and great by the way-but I did. If I didn't care what people look like I wouldn't wanna lose weight in the first place. When it was explained to me that you set your own target (not necessarily within a healthy bmi) I realised that she had obviously lost her weight and was for the moment at target. I wouldn't want to guess her dress size as no kne can ever guess mine correctly but she is pretty short like me and has a tummy (albeit smaller than me ) tbh I'm not sure what impact this had on me thinking she made a good consultant- none I don't think!! I figured she had set her own target. I stayed and listened to her talk a lot of sense. I saw the respect that lots of members had for her and realy enjoyed myself. So to summarise yes I did notice that she wasn't tiny but then I learnt about the plan, stayed to get brilliant classes and am losing weight having been spurred on by her and her classes. Oh yeah and she's got by order of joes sausages in her freezer until I get back off my hols! What a gem! X

 

[Stackhead]

if not putting weight on was controllable would we all really be here fighting the same battle?

I'd say it was controllable and we're here because we either chose not to control or didn't know how to control our weight.

And again, I don't expect my consultant to be superhuman losing weight is hard and making the decision to become a consultant is brave BUT you chose to become a consultant and therefore step into a world where you will be scruntinised by those sceptical of the plan or those struggling with the plan.

And if you can't or won't set an example as a consultant then I question the motivation to be a consultant.

Before you shoot me down i'm not saying that larger consultants aren't good and i'm not saying that slimmer consultants are better by the very fact that they are slim.
I put enough caveats in my previous posts to say that the consultant being large in itself is not a reason to question their consultant status it depends on a lot of things.

My main concern is with those consultants that are not following plan and then expecting their group members to follow plan. It seems a little hypocritical.

xx

 

[kerryathome]

I'm not sure consultants 'expect' us to follow the plan, thats our choice to make, they're their to guide us through and help us in times of need, just cos they don't do it themselves doesn't mean they havenb't got the knowledge, back to the medical professional comparison - if you're having a baby and your midwife has never had children do you question their knowledge and training?

x

 

[lucyc35]

I've just asked my bf about this to see what his opinion was as there seems to be a good debate going on. Didn't get much of an answer from him more of a grunt lol but he did say that if he was to think about hiring a personal trainer to increase his fitness, muscles etc then he'd want them to look the part and be fit themselves. It would give him more confidence. Whether it's a similar comparrison I don't know.

 

[kingleds]

My main concern is with those consultants that are not following plan and then expecting their group members to follow plan. It seems a little hypocritical.

xx

I agree with this - its completely hyprocritical - i'm really not sure anyone would disagree that a consultant who does not follow the plan is being a hypocrite. The point is that some people are connecting not on plan with overweight, which is an invalid assumption to make - of course there are overweight consultants who don't follow plan, just as there are thin consultants who don't follow plan - both are frauds imo!

 

[HelsAngel]

I've just asked my bf about this to see what his opinion was as there seems to be a good debate going on. Didn't get much of an answer from him more of a grunt lol but he did say that if he was to think about hiring a personal trainer to increase his fitness, muscles etc then he'd want them to look the part and be fit themselves. It would give him more confidence. Whether it's a similar comparrison I don't know.

I just had the exact same conversation with my bf and he said exactly the same thing too. We're now having a chat about male midwives and female willy doctors. Surely it's the knowledge and support. I understand that a smaller consultant could be more inspirational in aspiration terms but that doesn't mean that a larger consultant can't advise, help and support to provide the same level of confidence as a smaller one.
I don't look at my consultant and think I want to look like her. I think I want to do as well as she has. Be that losing 1 stone or 10 stone.

 

[fabstitcher]

I have just been reading this thread and have a couple of points to make:-
1. On SW you choose your TARGET and the rules are the same for Consultants too - thats the great thing about SW you can say I want to be this weight, or I will call target when I am happy about the way I look.

2. I have been to SW, WW, Rosemary Conley over the years and to be honest the SW Consultants appear to be the happiest of the bunch - this could be because they know they are promoting a great product.

3. It says a lot that we, as a society, still judge people by the way that they look and we perseeve that as a Consultant for SW a person needs to been thin.

4. We all come in different shapes and sizes and each n every one of us will have an opinion on how we should look BUT who are we to say what another person should look like - if they are happy then we should respect that they have made their choice.

 

[ladyantionette]

If im honest it would bother me - I wouldnt want them to be a super model but if they were following the plan themselves they shouldnt be that size? Unless ofcourse they had been even bigger and lost alot of weight...I just think the consultant shouldnt just talk the talk they should be fully commited to slimming world themselves.

But I suppose it would depend - but then if they were good at the job then who am I to judge?

 

[BuzzyBee]

I genuinely cannot believe how many people on here seem to think its acceptable to label someone due to their size. Me thinks some people have very short memories.

Personally, I've been called names and teased and bullied about my weight. I would never tease or bully someone about their weight. However, I wouldn't be leading a slimming group when I myself haven't reached a healthy BMI weight. I feel like I'd be a hypocrate. I think it's best to wait to slim down before becomming a consultant. for example, When you stick to the plan and you've lots to lose..you lose quickly.. as you get closer to a healthy bmi weight it slows down.. if my consultant hasn't gone through the whole journey .. she might not relate to those with a stone to lose and how they're struggling to lose the last stubborn few pounds..

 

[kingleds]

Personally, I've been called names and teased and bullied about my weight. I would never tease or bully someone about their weight. However, I wouldn't be leading a slimming group when I myself haven't reached a healthy BMI weight. I feel like I'd be a hypocrate. I think it's best to wait to slim down before becomming a consultant. for example, When you stick to the plan and you've lots to lose..you lose quickly.. as you get closer to a healthy bmi weight it slows down.. if my consultant hasn't gone through the whole journey .. she might not relate to those with a stone to lose and how they're struggling to lose the last stubborn few pounds..

This is actually a really good point - but still makes the assumption that an overweight consultant has always been overweight. Its entirely conceivable that an overweight consultant has got to target, and struggled to maintain, and has got overweight again. I am sure that if and when I get to target I will think that getting there was the easy part - maintaining always seems hard to me.

Plus, its not always easy to see from looking at someone whether their BMI is healthy or not. If I told 100 people I was classed as clinically obese (despite loosing nearly 3 stone in weight) I bet 95 would not believe me. I'm a size 16 btw - which apparently would make me far too overweight to be taken seriously as a consultant.

 

[Jess2305]

I don't see a huge problem with larger consultants, there is one in my area and she is wonderful. I have only really ever visited her class when i have been unable to go to mine. While i can see some peoples view that at their target they have been through their journey and can support you through yours, but there again if they are slimming down at the same time etc etc then you can possibly relate to them more at the time.
I originally went to a class where the consultant had lost a stone and a half and with me needing to loose over 8 stone, a lovely woman do not get me wrong but did not have the knowledge of loosing a huge amount of weight and the impact it does have.
There again who is anyone to judge at what size is someone large or healthy? we make our own journey and own targets.

 

[BuzzyBee]

With the doctor falling ill or being a smoker example, I see it a bit differently.. like this:
If I was an alcoholic who decided to go to an AA and found that the leader is a bit drunk.. not a lot but a bit.. but was told that hey it's a massive improvement to drink a couple of pints from drinking a bottle of vodka a day.. yes it's an improvement but it's not really what I aspire to..

 

[kerryathome]

TBH, I don't think we can compare alcoholism and the qualities of an AA leader to any of the other things that have been used as a comparison.

 

[KSDec]

Ive had 4 consultants - 2 were ex members who lost and maintained and felt inspired to start their own group, both were about a size 12 and looked great. 1 is in it ( IMO ) for the business side rather than the inspirational side, didnt stay there long. the 4th is the one ive ALWAYS lost weight with, she seems to lose 1-2 stone , gain it back over a year or so , lose again, and so on. I perhaps find her the best as my own weight journey is so similar, I can lose well, just cant keep it off. So I think it very much depends on their own story and ability as a consultant and what works for you too.

 

[Cazzie26]

Ive had 4 consultants - 2 were ex members who lost and maintained and felt inspired to start their own group, both were about a size 12 and looked great. 1 is in it ( IMO ) for the business side rather than the inspirational side, didnt stay there long. the 4th is the one ive ALWAYS lost weight with, she seems to lose 1-2 stone , gain it back over a year or so , lose again, and so on. I perhaps find her the best as my own weight journey is so similar, I can lose well, just cant keep it off. So I think it very much depends on their own story and ability as a consultant and what works for you too.

Surely the point of attending SW is to hopefully work hard to achieve target and then maintain that target? You say yourself that you can lose well but cannot keep it off; surely what you therefore need is a consultant who can inspire you to the next level, not someone who you can relate to as they are the same?

I just think that a consultant should be an example to the class; someone whose journey they can relate to and who will provide inspiration that it can be done! I would not take dancing lessons from someone with two left feet and therefore would not take diet instruction from someone who is unable to follow a diet themselves!