"Christmas is coming...

...and I'm not getting fat-ter!" (I couldn't give a fois-gras about the goose)

Anyhoo, my mantra is now 'make it to mid Jan no more than 2lb heavier'.

Have you noticed that come December every year, women's mags barrage us with a shed load of confusing messages? On the one hand you'll get an article aimed at the weight conscious telling us how easy it is to stay slim if we only 'stay away from the crisps and dips', limit ourselves to one spritzer at the office party and substitute low fat semolina for Xmas pud, whilst a few pages further on they'll wheel out Delia (do they only let her out at Xmas?) and encourage us to give our suet-splashed bird a damned good full-fat stuffing.

Stuff semolina, I'm with Delia!

So, dear readers, all bets are off till I get back from skiing in Austria mid Jan (for there lies schnitzel, goulash soup and weissbier with my name on it). Don't get me wrong, I still want to get to a size 14, but I have had an epiphany of sorts. Speed is not the issue. It took me a decade to gain this extra 3 stone of lard. If it comes off in a year I should be bloomin' delighted!

Sure enough, this revellation alone did seem to help me lose a pound this week. And I've even survived my self imposed Curly Wurly cold turkey.

Cause for celebration indeed.

PS. ANd did I mention I bought a frock in a size 16? Oh I did...well, it is something worth crowing about!

ANd while I like beef too, I'm not quite as obsessed as these cool cats. Enjoy! And don't forget to check out www.rathergood.com where this clip originated.