Just over a month into the new regime, and I'm already doing a mile or so a day on the home cross-training machine.

What's most pleasing is that I'm starting to see the effects. I was able to get the really heavy boxes up the ladder and into the loft while helping tamaranth move house. There's also definitely less of me round the waist and the thighs - in fact I'm already two notches into a belt I'd had to stop wearing.

Go me!

And I'm now seriously considering getting some running shoes so I can at least get a little jogging in while we're away round the world...