Question - becoming a consultant - your opinions please

Annie68

Annie68

Silver Member
I have a question for you lovely folks here.

A bit of background for you. About 12 years ago I lost 9 stone with slimming world and thought about becoming a consultant. My marriage broke up (c'est la vie) and I had two young kids on my own with no baby sitter, so I ditched the idea of becoming a consultant.

Fast forward to today. My eldest to kids are grown up and I have a 3 year old. A steady, happy marriage and a lot of weight back on.

I've been on the SW plan since 1st October and have lost 12 pounds. My motivation is high but I have another 6 stone to lose before I'm at a 'comfortable' weight and more than that to get to my ideal target weight. (probably another 3 stone)

My consultant approached me and said that she thinks I would make a great consultant for various reasons. There is an opportunities night coming up next week. I don't know whether to go or not.

I still have a LOOOONG way to go on my weight loss.

How would you feel walking into a slimming world class where the consultant is over-weight? What you don't know at that point is that she is also following the plan and losing weight successfully, until she tells you. Would it put you off? Would you think OMG, how can she be a consultant looking like that? Or would it have a reverse effect on you in that you think great, someone who knows what it's like and it's great that she's 'with us' on the plan?

I really would appreciate VERY HONEST answers from you.

I'm sure I could do the job, I think I am confident enough, or I would be in this situation because we're all in the same boat, to stand up there in front of everyone, and I really think I'd give it as much as I possibly can to help these other people lose weight on the plan. I just can't get past the thought of a new member walking in and seeing a 'large' lady running the class, or how members would feel with a larger lady running the class. I know this would only be a short term thing because this time next year there will be a lot less of me :) I'm THAT determined to get the weight off and keep it off this time.

On the positive side, it helps keep me on track too.

Like I said, I'd really appreciate your honest opinions. Do I go for it now or wait until I'm nearer target?
 
Last edited:
iNaTiZ said:
How would you feel walking into a slimming world class where the consultant is over-weight? What you don't know at that point is that she is also following the plan and losing weight successfully, until she tells you. Would it put you off? Would you think OMG, how can she be a consultant looking like that? Or would it have a reverse effect on you in that you think great, someone who knows what it's like and it's great that she's 'with us' on the plan?
Click to expand...

when i first joined my current sw group and my consultant had lost about 6 stone (i think) i was inspired and really admired her for her achievements. she spoke with passion about her own journey had a big board of piccies and i was really impressed. she always looks fantastic at group and it is definitly an inspiration.

i did however go to another group a few years back when i was 16 and lost about half a stone. the consultant was rubbish, uninspiring, unsympathetic and didnt seem interested in the plan. im not sure if she had lost much weight with sw but she never mentioned it and i think she was a little overweight herself but im not sure.

i did cambridge diet last year, the lady who sold us the shakes was very overweight talked about 'oh i need to start doing it but i can never seem to stick to it!' and you could tell she was doing it for the money. that gave me a lot of confidence. not.

so here i am, ive been attending group since april and the weight is coming off very slowly but i go back to group every week and most of that is down to my consultant. i enjoy the meetings and i enjoy the plan.

i really do think its down to how you present your situation in all honesty. if you welcomed the group and began with what youve just told us, your own journey and were enthusiastic and showed everyone the plan really works then i think you would be a fantastic consultant. do you have photos of yourself before and after your first big loss? you need to use yourself as an inspiration to others and even if you are still overweight when you start as long as your supportive and inspirational to your group i think thats the main thing that matters.

my consultant now still follows the plana nd always talks about her own continuing journey, she will tell us if she has gained and what she is going to do about it and i think thats great.

good luck with it, i have often fancied it myself but i already work 40 hours + some nights!!
 
I posted nearly the same question last week and everyone who answered said they wouldn't mind, so long as the consultant was going through the journey with them.

I have another 8 stone to lose, but I have been told by my SWC that I would also make a good consultant so I am going to go along to the recruitment evening to see what's involved.

I say def go for it! I think a lot of larger ladies will not feel so intimidated if the consultant has some weight to lose as well. Good luck!
 
My opinion? Go for it!

I think if you dont you will always wonder what if.. I think if I walked into a SW class and the consultant was bright and articulate passionate and enthusiastic I wouldnt care what size she was.. if she is following plan then we are all on the journey together. My consultant (when i went to class) was tiny.. and wasnt particularly inspirational so I stopped going.

Go to the oppurtunities night and see what its all about

Good luck :D
 
my 1st consultant has lost 8+ stone and she's slim now - she still sticks to SW plan and to be honest i don't think she's a great consultant because she's slim - i think she's a great consultant because she has a great personality, she's funny and if i occassionally pop to her class to get weighed i'm greeted with a massive hug....i know she really wants me to get the weight off and when i lost 2 stone my consultant text her to let her know and she sent me a letter :D

i've also had an overweight consultant - however she had lost around 6 stone to get to where she is now, so although she's still overweight she had done brilliantly.

i had a consultant who was a size 8 and had gone down from a size 14! she was a gym freak and kept telling everyone to join the gym - i enjoyed her classes because she ws VERY funny, but wasn't inspired diet-wise as i couldn't relate to her and she also drank LOTS of alcohol and told us EVERY week how bad she was. this isn't something you want to hear when you're sizee 24/26 and you have a whole person to lose in weight!

....i'd say go for it! :D if it goe t*ts up it goes t*ts up, at least you will have given something a try that you've wanted to do for a long time.
 
I don't go to class as the local one to me is not at a convenient time but I would want a leader who was there to support me and encourage me regardless of where they were on their own journey, It is the person that matters, if you can inspire people and support them then that is what is important.

I can see both points if view in that you will want to be inspired by someone who has made the journey in a kind of 'look what you could have won' type of way!! but I think it is equally important to have someone who is following the plan now and going through the same problems.

It will be marvellous motivation for you to stay on the straight and narrow...

If SW are happy then I would go for it..

Sx
 
Do it hun!

I think it would be a huge inspiration to your members.

When I went to my very first class the woman running it showed me her before and after pictures.

She had gone from a size 28 to a size 16, just think.. in a few months you'll be able to inspire member in this way to. You can be living proof of how it works. xx
 
I agree with the the other "posters"...

I have previously done slimming world a number of times - lost weight, put it on etc etc. and the best consultant's were not necessarily the thinnest consultants.

You want someone to inspire, motivate, empathise and chivvy you along. You want great recipe ideas, funny and inspiring stories and a jolly good night out for your money!!!

I don't want preachy, smug and self-righteous - and none of the above is size related - its about who you are and HOW you are with other people on the same journey as you

Go for it....

LRO xx
 
It's actually quite interesting reading this from a CDC perspective. On numerous occasions, there have been threads about overweight CDCs, about how they shouldn't be allowed, how they are not inspirational because they haven't kept the weight off. So it's incredibly refreshing to read people considering the personalities behind the weight, that your consultants are human as well, and struggling with the same things that you are.

I say go for it ;)
 
if your going to go for it let me know how it goes. i have mentioned it a few times to my OH but he always says its a bad idea because of my current work commitments btu i think in the future if i have kids or whatever and need more flexible hours its something i would consider
 
Thanks so much for your opinions. they really do mean a lot.

It's very hard to take a look at yourself from another person's perspective. I've always been told (and my hubby is still adamant) that I should be a nurse or somewhere in the care / social worker career path because I'm 'that type of person'. :eek: whatever he means by that LOL.

What is really nice to read is that you would have faith in someone over weight but on the plan. Personally I wouldn't have a problem with an over weight consultant who is going through the same as the members. Empathy goes a long way. I think it also gives for conversation in the class and for sharing hints and tips etc. I still wish I were a bit lighter than I am now, but that said, I think I will go to the opportunities evening and see how it goes. By the time I've got enough info and training etc, I could well be a lot lighter :)

Thanks ever so much, you've made me feel much better about it and I'm gonna go for it.

The opportunities evening is on the 7th November. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks again for your support :D
 
Hey - ive only just caught this thread, but am glad to read you're going for it xxx
 
I think it is a wonderful idea.... I am a fully trained Beauty/Holistic Therapist, teacher blah blah etc and people always expect a stick insect for a therapist....

Customers love it that you can relate to them on all levels... you will have the drive for this position as you are doing it yourself, so you can spur them all on and while you are doing all that you are also learning... so it is fantastic... and don't let anyone put you off.

Go for it!!! Can't wait to hear how your journey goes!
 
I am going to an info evening next week. I will let you know what it's like.
 
Oh oh......... I was just thinking..... I like inatiz, she's human etc.. I wish she lived by me............. AND YOU DO!!

I'll come and join your class!! Hehe x
 
my consultant wants me to do it too but i unsure
not struck on the self employed bit, used to be a self employed avon sales leader was top in my area but it was more hassle than it was worth
xx
but let us know how you get on
xxx
 
By the time she qualifies Lou, you'll be in need of another as you'll have exhasted ALL of the others near you lol - love ya really mate x
 
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