DAY 7

There is a “Rice Krispie Square” between my teeth. I can smell it, I can almost taste it – I am going to take a bite. It’s the worst possible thing I could have in my mouth right now (OK, not the absolute worst) because it’s basically some puffed up rice and about eighty teaspoons of sugar. I’ll make the point now that I’m being forced to eat this; I’m at a casting and that’s the prop. I have to eat it seductively. I can’t very well turn round and refuse – that’d be my job chances right out of the window. But do you know what? I want to refuse! I have done so well and to be scuppered now by a Rice Square – well! It would be tragic.

As it happens, I nibble at a small corner and that is enough for Mr Casting Director. I tell him about my no-carbs and he laughs, takes the evil temptress Krispie away from me and chucks it in the bin. Hurrah! Challenge completed successfully.

It has been a good day in terms of challenges – first, a 7.15am start; I felt a little sleepy but OK. I was worried about whether or not I’d be starving throughout my shoot so I had a huge breakfast of – yes, you guessed it! – smoked salmon, cream cheese, walnuts. Even typing that makes me queasy now.. The day passed without issue and I wasn’t at all hungry – I had lunch, obviously. Green salad with prawns and lots of fatty mayo (no sugar) and my huge Amino-something tablets and an equally enormous multivitamin. I’m sure that these pill developers think we have gullets like rhinos.

Today is an ‘off gym’ day – my first one. That’s because I was shooting all day and physically couldn’t get to Harley Street – I was actually quite disappointed not to go. I like popping in there and feeling the burn – and then feeling very virtuous on my way out again! Back in tomorrow – it’s legs again. It was hard, hard work last time so I think tomorrow might finish me off! Overall, though, I haven’t had any serious muscle-aches, which is surprising considering the intensity of the workouts. There’s a reason for this lack of pain – Zana did tell me, but I immediately forgot what it was.

I’m feeling in very good spirits – I had lamb curry with sour cream for dinner which was outrageously tasty – I just made it minus the tinned tomatoes and it tasted just fine. Miss my regular chapati and spoonful of rice though..

A few people have asked what happens once my twelve days are over. Well you don’t just get chucked out into the big bad world, thankfully! You go onto a ‘maintenance’ plan which gradually reintroduces certain foods (carbs) but in small amounts. The ‘low-carb’ ideal is long-term (and one I wholeheartedly agree with!) so the allowed levels will never reach anywhere near the proportions that seem to be widely accepted. It seems a no-brainer, now that I think of it, that if you feed your body a load of sugar all the time, it’ll never function to the best of its capabilities. Keep blood sugar level controlled and your body will be happier and better behaved. Give it muscle instead of blubber and it will not only look better, but it’ll burn more calories and keep you looking better.

Just some thoughts. Now it’s time for my bath!

DAY 8

A fresh hen egg, bacon and walnuts (!) to start the day. I’m going to miss these rather wacky breakfasts I’m coming up with! I feel I’m out of the woods with the whole flu-feeling, although I can’t say I’m bursting with energy. The most brilliant thing is that the end (ish) is in sight – the end of the hard part at least!

Legs today at the gym and as I thought, it’s a killer. Only fifteen minutes though, and things are made easier when it’s one-on-one – there’s no giving up. It’s simply not an option, so you just plough on through. Not like when you try to do a little routine in a normal gym – I always cheat. “One, two, three…eight….twenty-eight…fifty. Finished!”

I am already looking ultra-svelte. I cannot tell you how delighted I am about this – my jeans are no longer way to tight in all the wrong places, my knickers aren’t making huge dents in my flesh, my tummy looks shapely and almost like something you’d see on the cover of one of those healthy magazines – Zest or similar. Impressed doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel about this Educogym set-up.

I was thinking, though, today; you wouldn’t want to do this plan too close to a big event – especially not your own wedding! Firstly, it’s quite a commitment – you have to be strict with your food planning and make sure you’re prepared each and every day so that you don’t end up panicking and eating the wrong thing. Secondly, it doesn’t put you in the greatest of moods if you’re anything like me! Thirdly, and most importantly, is that you will lose at least a dress size. At least. So if you did it too late on in the day, you’d end up wading down the aisle in a dress that was huge on you! I reckon a good four months beforehand would be the best time to start.

Anyway, as you can probably tell I’m radiating positivity today – nothing to whine about, apart from how sick I am of avocado! Oh – I almost choked to death again on one of my huge tablets, but you’ll be pleased to know I’ve made a full, speedy recovery.

Over and out…early start tomorrow so I must mentally prepare for the amount of cream cheese to be consumed at an ungodly hour…