Beatrice

I was at a Scottish dancing dinner do last night, and was chatting to a lady across the table from me. Her face looked vaguely familiar, but I hadn't seen her at the classes much.

She revealed that she'd played the part of Mrs Sands in Hunger. And a quick google revealed where I REALLY knew her from - she was the famous Miss Helen off of Romper Room, a kids tv programme I absolutely loved when I was wee. And I'd met her before when I was a nipper, presented her with a bunch of flowers at some event.

Small world, eh.

Ok, special offer in the travel agent's window was just too good to pass by, so we're heading for Vegas baby in August!

Anybody been? Any tips or suggestions?

Primarily the Norn Irn crew, but you never know.

Anyone want to join me at a St Patricks Ceili on Monday 18th, 7.30pm St Johns, Castlereagh Rd?

There was a Horizon documentary on thsi last year, and then a Sunday Times article about it in January. So I've decided to try it out for a month or 2.

The premise is really simple - for 2 non-consecutive days a week, you eat about 25% of your normal calorie intake (so that's roughly 500 for women, 600 for men). The other 5 days you eat what you like. While not primarily for weight loss, that's a common result. Hugh Fearnely Whittingstall has just revealed that he's trying this too, as a post-Christmas regime.

There's something very reassuring about the fact that for 5 days a week you can eat (and drink) what you like. I've always said I could do anything as long as I didn't have to do it every day - one day's suffering is bearable.

The measl aren't so bad with a bit of proper planning. I'm a grazer by nature, and do not cope well without breakfast, so for me it's better to have 3 small meals and a couple fo snacks, whereas others prefer to have all their calorie allotment in one meal.

I've just done Day 2: For breakfast I had half a banana mashed with a whisked egg white and some cinnamon, nuked to make a sort of pancake, with a handful of berries. Morning snack was 2 crackerbreads with a laughing cow light, lunch was a 50 calorie cupasoup and a cottage cheese salad, afternoon nibbles were celery sticks and radishes, and dinner was a slice of pastrami with stir-fried courgettes, mushroom and spinach. I must admit I was a bit hungry in the evening, so I did nibble on a dry cracker, while dreaming about what I was going to make for breakfast the next day....

30 days hath November -
I shall count them all
As I try to make it through
With no alcohol
And to max the benefit
I shall exercise
Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30
To tone my arms and thighs
And to keep my brain in fettle
I shall write in verse
Will I reach December feeling
Better or much worse?