Well, guys and gals, for too long now I have been a lard-a** and the time has come to do something. For the 3rd year running I have declined the chance to go to the Oman Caledonian Ball for the simple reason I don’t fit my kilt anymore. I will not go in a DJ, so I will not go at all. I will also not buy a bigger kilt as I would look like King George IV during his Edinburgh visit in 1822.

After being an acceptable 30-32” waist for many years, I am now an embarrassment to myself. After watching my weight all these years, I decided to relax sometime ago. I don’t stuff my face with food all the time, but alas my diversions into eating the types of food and drink I can enjoy have cost me, plus I don’t like exercise and I sit and work at a desk. Too many delicious Indian curries, Indonesian rendang and sate, Chinese etc and of course my wife is Filipina, the national food of which is deep-fried anything (served with the oil). I don’t eat MacD etc very much as I know that is cholesterol city. However, enjoying life, plus wine, cider and beer has finally done for me.

So now I’m on a diet as of this week. It’s the fat-burning soup diet. I don’t believe it’s a miracle cure where the soup eats the fat (presumably air-heads are told that so it makes sense), but it does get results, as my colleagues can testify – what possible side-effects remain to be seen however and the internet is full of conflicting stories on the diet.

Wish me luck, I want to wear my kilt to the OmCal Ball next year.