Bugger.

The one thing I had not foreseen in weight management was the effect of shite sleep. I usually sleep brilliantly, right through the night, for as long as I need. Anything up to 10 hours, sometimes as little as five or six.

Since we've been in the new house though, sleep has suffered and with a couple of reasonably major obstacles in our way early on, I've been waking around 4am and worrying about stuff.

It also doesn't help that bed is two double mattresses on the floor, one on the other.

So for the last couple of weeks, to assist my sleeping, I have been getting pissed right up most nights. Well, having a fair bit of wine at least, and my gut has responded accordingly to the massive number of extra calories and no exercise.

I do have a plan in my head though for next year. I'm running the London Marathon, injuries allowing, and have a pretty solid training plan drawn up in my ind which will improve my cardio fitness no end. See, I can do the stamina side of distance running no problem, but that doesn't burn anything like the number of calories that regular speed training does. So I plan to have one speed session a week in my training, possibly combining speed with hill work too. It quickly and simply makes you a much stronger runner.

I've done one speed session before; it was 50m sprints, then trot back to the start, then 50m sprint, all out, again… repeat. x15. In the middle of that incredible humidity of summer 2006.

But the next run I did… I just flew. Felt faster, stronger and much fitter. After one session.

So with speed sessions every week, I think B-Diddy will be relatively svelte before too long… Especially as when I'm getting lots of exercise, I eat very well. It's when I'm lazy that I eat badly.

Of course, tonight I drink wine and play cards with my lovely wife. 2007 has been very kind to us, and we shall toast in 2008 this evening.