Diary of a Dubai weight watcher going for gold

The National's reporter finds his attitude changing just one month after taking up the challenge to trade his weight for gold.

DUBAI // I had an email this week from a fancy-dress shop. It read: “Martin, are you still interested in your Men’s Caribbean Buccaneer costume, XL?”

About six weeks ago, I had added it to my shopping basket, but never bothered to take it through checkout. The plan was to wear it to the final weigh-in for the Your Weight in Gold campaign, while muttering about “pieces of eight” and demanding my “doubloons”.

As I write, I’m about to head to a weighing centre this evening to climb on the scales for the last time, and feel a little different about my motivations.

When I first started, it was all about trying to gather as much gold as I could. However, just over a month into the challenge and my attitude has completely changed. The discipline of having a goal has really helped me to get into a strict regime of dieting and exercise.

For the past two weeks I’ve run 10 kilometres almost every day, incorporating boxing and yoga.

I feel as if I’ve finally got my groove on, and I just wish the deadline could be extended.

Still, I feel like I’ve made a big change in my lifestyle.

Instead of using the stamped gold coins as part of an ironic modern-art installation as originally planned, I think they’ll just sit on the mantelpiece as a mark of pride. Or maybe in a treasure chest, under lock and key.