Rosemary Conley's Seven-Day Slim Down is more than a best-of compilation, it's a fitness regime in its own right. The slimming guru might have declared that The Ultimate Body Workout was to be her last, but fans will be delighted that she's gone back on her word to produce a combination of her favourite sequences from her four videos. The seven sessions designed for each day of the week last from 14-25 minutes and address different aspects of fitness: aerobic, toning, targeting certain body areas, incorporating weights and being chair (office) based. With a set that looks like Changing Rooms gone over-enthusiastic, leotards reminiscent of the 1980s, plenty of good old-fashioned aerobic moves, and stomping disco music, this is hardly modern stuff. But Conley knows her market-based on her dieting clubs-and knows that this market laps up her formula. The smiles and glows of her participants featured in the seven sessions are an indication of the adoration accorded to their dieting icon. Cynics might sneer, but you can't fault Conley for once again coming up trumps with a format that works on every level: easy to follow, effective but not exhausting, upbeat, unpretentious and all in all accessible. On the DVD: The Seven-Day Slim Down on disc comes with itemised scenes which makes daily selection painless, plus there is an extra on circuit training. The informative section on menu planning offers comprehensive advice on exactly what to eat and fat-saving tips. Conley's low-fat premise might be out of date in relation to the current high protein-low carbohydrates fashion, but it obviously works for some. [+]

When dieting guru Rosemary Conley declares that the Ultimate Whole Body Workout is her last fitness video, cynics might either be relieved that the population is finally to be spared her evangelical diet-speak, or conclude that she's "past it". However, this programme is not so easily dismissed. There might be nothing new here, but there is no doubt that a great deal of Conley's success comes from her ability to motivate. Conley first runs through the key moves featured in the work-outs, cleverly eliminating the problem of figuring it out during the sessions-and the risk of giving up. The 35-minute aerobic workout and the 20-minute body conditioning session are designed to be done on alternative days, while the final chair programme is for those with limited mobility (including pregnant women) who still want to burn calories. With no expense spared on the original soundtrack, a series of pop hits make this all the more easy to go along with. Conley punctuates her instruction with references to members of her backing team and their weight-loss successes. This is a work-out for the woman committed to being slim against all odds, and for whom dieting is likely to be a lifestyle. -Lorna V.

Famous for her bestselling book Rosemary Conley's Complete Hip and Thigh Diet and many other exercise and diet tapes, Rosemary Conley is such an established name in the fitness business that you know that any video from her won't be faddy, but based on solid research that definitely works. There are no fancy clothes and visual tricks here, and the only "prop" you'll need is a solid dining chair for the abdominal section. We are taken straight into the exercise studio where Conley acts as our instructor, describing the moves in a calm, clear voice. The exercises that promise to burn up our surplus flab are divided into five 10-minute sessions, followed by body conditioning and a cool-down. She recommends doing one session each day, with a day off every four days, so as not to overdo things. The idea is to step up our level of fitness gradually, until we can fit the sessions together into one mammoth workout. The people accompanying Conley on the video have all successfully lost weight with her programme. Conley reminds us of this at carefully spaced intervals-"Hayley lost five and a half stone"-to give us a goal and keep us at it. We are instructed to keep our eyes on the individual whose exercise level best suits our own. So we can leap along with Annette, or march with Debbie. [+]