I had a feeling that the Yukon Dukan Diet, strictly adhered to, would do the trick; that and eight hours of back-breaking work in the garden yesterday. I wonder how many calories I burned off. Okay, I was so stiff that I could hardly get out of bed this morning but after dragging myself upstairs and onto the dreaded scales I nearly jumped for joy. It’s amazing what a little weight loss can do for your morale.

I really hope that the Dukan Diet played some part in the process because I don’t think my body could stand spending every day in such a way (stand being the operative word), even if I could bear not having fruit or tasty carbohydrates for evermore. After breakfast of porridge again (horrible porridge – surely there are nicer ways to have one’s oats?) I thought I’d limber up by cycling to the gym where I spent nearly an hour on the cross-country machine and the rower. In order to take my mind off the pain, boredom or any annoyances in the gym, I listened to Ray Bradbury’s 1968 UCLA speech, which I find very inspirational and motivating because the famous author encouraged young Americans to follow their dreams… and my present dream is to be thinner.

It was a lot easier going home – downhill.

I spent the rest of the day productively doing my own creative thing (Ray Bradbury would be pleased… if he was alive, which he isn’t) but I have to admit that I’ve been sat down all afternoon. Now I must get up and walk stiffly to the kitchen. It’s chicken breast for dinner – that and no accompaniments. Ah well, “no pain, no gain”. It should be “loss” not “gain”; just hope there will be no gain again or I shall be at a loss.

And here is a photo of today’s artwork…