I was meeting friends for lunch on Saturday at Moe's Grill in Junction One when it jumped out of the menu at me. "I will if you will," said one of my mates.

That was all the persuasion it took and a few moments later I was dolloping on the red sauce and tucking in. Another friend arrived late, took one look at our plates and declared 'that's what I'm having!'

Was it enjoyable? Yes. It was absolutely mouth-wateringly fantastic.

Was it worth it? No.

As the six of us got up from the table a couple of hours later and I looked at them in their size 8/10 jeans, I was reminded that I was the only one who was actually struggling with my weight.

I immediately felt inwardly guilty and very annoyed with myself.

Fast forward 24 hours and him indoors was ordering a fish supper. 'Do you want one?' 'No,' I answered resolutely. When the cod and chips arrived, he automatically halved the fish and put it on a plate for me with a few chips, which were giving off that tastebud tingling salt and vinegar aroma. (You see, usually, when I say I don't want a fish supper, I have 'a wee corner' of his.)

I gave him the plate back and tucked into a couple of crackerbread and a few slices of tomato instead.

Was it enjoyable? Well, you can't really compare crackerbread with a fish supper, can you?

Was it worth it. Definitely. I felt really smug, pleased with myself and, above all, in control. What a difference a day makes.

I told the Flamingo's Personal Trainer Bernie Doran about it as she started me off with a gentle walk on the treadmill. There were no lectures but, as she pointed out to me, I know which feeling I enjoyed more.

Guilt verses control. There's no contest.

It's great having someone like Bernie to talk about potential and actual food mishaps. As well as an hour of personal training, it's like a 60-minute therapy session. She knows where you're coming from and where you want to go.

We're still only doing 20 minutes of cardio (it seems almost too good to be true!) but the variety of pace and intensity, made possible by having Bernie at my side pressing the right buttons at the right time, means that I'm getting great results. I can feel my fitness level gradually increasing and am able to do things now that I simply couldn't have contemplated before. Don't get me wrong, I haven't so much as broken into a jog yet, but I'm really working up a sweat.

When I was a little girl I remember I used to love the 'moving stairs' in the big shops in Belfast. Now, of course, we have escalators in Ballymena and my children love them just as much as I did.

The Flamingo has it's own version and I can't say I'm as keen although I can see a love-hate relationship with it developing in the future. Put simply, it's a raised high-step mini-escalator and you've got to climb the stairs, which go at a varying degree of resistance and speed (depending on what buttons Bernie is pushing at the time).

LOVE it because it's really working my back end, HATE it because I'm rubbish at it - I did three minutes on it this week and it felt more like three hours.

Interestingly, the first time I got on, I naturally settled into what Bernie called the 'cheat's position', leaning on my elbows. There's no cheating when she's around - just as well, really, since I can seemingly cheat without even knowing it.

I made another discovery this week. My lower tummy muscles. You know that soft roll of underbelly that seems to have settled for life? Well, I have discovered that I have muscles lurking beneath it. I know because, for the first time ever, I'm sore there.

Bernie has shown me a new type of abdominal crunch that works your tummy right from the top to the very bottom. This is a real revelation to me. Could it be possible that I wll tone the overhang that I thought was inevitable once you were the wrong side of 30?

Bernie tells me it can be achieved - as long as I steer clear of those three little words: ALL DAY FRY!

Three more words for you - time will tell.

FIND OF THE WEEK: Check out the Snack a Jacks website www.snackajacks.co.uk if your spirits need lifted. They have a 'body beautifier' section that will make you smile.


BERNIE DORAN is a personal trainer at Flamingo Fitness. To book a session or to find out more, contact her at the Flamingo on 2565 9598.