My scales recently disclosed a rather unacceptable level of flab that for some reason or other had materialised around my waist. While there was still plenty of muscle around to be moderately proud of, the ring around my waist had expanded to dangerous proportions and it was time (again) to do something about it.

As usual, there are numerous alternatives to get rid of this rather annoying (and ultimately life threatening) problem. All of them take a rather annoying long time.

• Eat Less
• Eat different
• Go to the gym
• Jog
• Swim
• Do everything at once.

In the end I decided to take a geek approach to this and eschew human contact with other sweaty, overweight (or even worse: the no-sweaty, lean) humans and rather do some exercises at home. While cheaper and less humiliating, this is also rather boring, even with some Hi NRG music pumping out of the IBlik while one is panting.  Seduced by the constant hype around it, I opted for a Wii and a Wii board, even though there was already a Playstation 3 standing accusingly behind the TV, gathering dust (the world’s only supercomputer only used for DVD viewing), but the idea of video game induced fitness was too good to be ignored.

After switching the little white thingie on and adjusting the bluetooth networked board, it was time for the first weigh in. Immediately my little avatar turned into a fat little creature, and the talking Wii board (don’t ask) was getting quite accusatory.

Nevertheless, after a week of stepping, skiing, hula hooping, yogaing and shadow boxing I have to say this is probably the most fun a man can have at 6 am in the morning. With Radio 4 accompanying the daily 40 minutes of light exercise this is a rather nice way to get up and the daily ‘body test’ gives added impetus to refuse that extra chocalate bar in the afternoon.

If I could now only beat the best girlfriend ever in the ski slalom..