Carl Harding was furloughed from his job as a bus driver during the first weeks of the COVID-19 crisis because of his obesity making him at a greater risk. The 55-year-old has now returned to work after losing an incredible six stone and is a successful Consultant for The 1:1 Diet alongside his wife, Julie.
“Lockdown hit the country incredibly hard, and when I was told that I was on the Government’s vulnerable list, the news really brought it home for me. From that day my life changed forever, and I was determined to lose weight,” said Carl.
“For my own safety, I was furloughed from my job, as it was too risky for me to come into regular contact with people during the COVID-19 crisis.
“After 40 years of abusing my body and trying different diets, The 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan was my lifesaver.
“After only 13 weeks I had managed to lose six stone and increased my daily exercise levels.
“Because of the positive effects the diet had had on me, and the inspiration I’d received from my own Consultant, Georgina Jeffery, I decided to take up the opportunity during lockdown and become a Consultant myself.
“I had always wanted to be my own boss, but it’s about plucking up the courage to take the plunge. Now running a full-time consultancy alongside my wife, it’s incredibly rewarding and has been a wonderful addition to our lives.
“Obviously we did face some challenges doing this during lockdown, but we’ve been able to adapt – video conferencing and social media played a huge role in this. We simply changed the way in which we communicated with our dieters.
“I do feel some of this will continue to be a factor even when life as we know it returns to normal – it’s allowed us to see more people within our schedule, which is great, especially when doing this alongside other commitments.
“Sales also increased for us, by at least 40 per cent, particularly after people started to understand the current situation more and wanted to use lockdown in a positive way to improve their health. We’re incredibly optimistic about the future of our business.
“To anyone considering a change of career, particularly during this time, I think what COVID-19 has taught us is life is too short. Someone once said to me that if your life was to be presented by a series of photographs showing your highlights, make sure it’s worth looking at – that stuck with me.
“The 1:1 Diet offers a wonderful opportunity to not only reap financial rewards, but also help others, and to me, that’s a no brainer. Make your own decisions, take control of your life, and help others achieve their life-changing goals.
“If I could share any advice for those looking to be a Consultant you need to do four key things – listen, sympathise, encourage and be organised.
“The highlight, so far for me, on top of being able to support a whole host of different people, has definitely been being interviewed live on LBC’s Nick Ferrari show, as well as my story featuring on the Mail Online and Metro. I’m still receiving responses from it!
“It seems odd to say it given the devastating effects it has had for so many, but COVID-19 saved my life and The 1:1 Diet has completely turned it around.”
Want to know more about the business opportunity with The 1:1 Diet? Check out our Become a Consultant page and get the low-down on how to be a great weight loss cheerer-onner.