DUBAI // There are just more than 10 days to go before I climb on the scales again, and with every passing hour I can see that gold slipping through my fingers.
My time on the Dubai Diet has been one of false starts, broken promises and guilty junk dinners.
After a month of what feels like a minor eating disorder, I have come very close to abandoning all hope of replacing my dentures with municipality-branded gold.
Before I roll out the excuses, it might be worth a recap on what I've been up to so far.
Lured by the promise of rapid weight loss, I have spent the past three weeks on the alternative-day diet.
It's simple every other day you fast, and every other day you can eat whatever you want.
The diet's adherents say it fends off illnesses such as cancer and Alzheimer's. In reality, it feels a bit like bulimia.
Over the past few weeks, using a few iPhone apps, I've kept a close watch on my daily calorie intake, as well as half an eye on the scales.
I found that during the days I was eating as I liked, I was consuming sometimes up to 4,000 calories. Which meant that despite fasting three or four days a week, I was about even, or even slightly over when it came to totting up my average weekly calorie intake.
A weekly weigh-in yesterday, and my fears were confirmed. I had lost only 1kg in the past three weeks. If it weren't for my so far unbroken habit of running for 40 minutes every day, I don't doubt that I would have gained weight.
So with 10 days to go, we're back to square one, and I'm facing the prospect of losing all that gold I had promised myself in my own head. The good news is that there are still 10 days left, and that is plenty of time to lose at least a few more kilos.
My plan this time around is simple: eat healthy, run more. I'm averaging about 7km in 45 minutes, so my goal is to up that to 10km every day, and by the time the weigh-in swings around, I should be golden.
* Martin Croucher
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Company%20Profile
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Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs: Macan Turbo
Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October
Vikram%20Vedha
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Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5