25th April 2008

I haven’t lost any weight this week but I’m very pleased with myself. 12st 12pounds.

I got back on to my weight-loss regime after wavering for a month or so. And I’m very proud of myself for being able to do this in a week where I travelled to Dubai and stayed for 4 nights, being wined and dined by my client and guests of the Middle East Council of Shopping Centres.

As I have oft repeated, I don’t have a drink problem (!) but I enjoy nice wine and the occasional beer – its just that the sugar in alcohol triggers sugar cravings – if I have a drink I invariably ‘have’ to have a dessert!! I stayed off the booze entirely – which meant I didn’t crave desserts either. An exclent result for me.
Business class on Emirates always has top wines and excellent food – but I didn’t partake of that hospitality (I just watched!)

One night whilst in Dubai we all went to the Dubai Creek Golf Club for a sit down dinner outside on a terrace overlooking the night time Dubai city skyline. The food was superb – a choice of various ethnic menus from Arabic Mezze to Asian curries. And I just looked at the desserts (honest!)

I met a former BBC reporter who has only been in Dubai for a month and fears for her waistline with all the top class food on offer by everyone who invite her to press launches!

What developers are doing in Dubai is breathtaking – and what is being planned will be even more impressive. Billions are being pumped into the infrastructure (except the roads – traffic in Dubai is still horrendous) but Sheik Mohammed, the ruler of Dubai is a true visionary – it’s quite amazing what is happening there.

So this coming week, I need to continue as I have and add in a bit of exercise – with some luck the weather this weekend will allow me to get stuck in to a load of gardening and burn off a few thousand excess calories!