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I don't do diets. Winter vomiting and heartbreak are the only two I've ever had. I lost a shed load, although I wouldn't recommend it.

The thought of slogging it out on a treadmill or swinging a isn't enough to convince me that a moment on the lips is a lifetime on the hips.

Then again with the humid conditions expected for the Olympic sailing events I won't need a sweaty gym. We're talking nearly 100% humidity in .

Britain will have its skinniest sailing team ever in north east China. Team manager says you can't be lardy or you won't go anywhere. I guess a tubby crew is an anchor too many then!

In terms of nautical strategy it's been a case of porridge for breakfast and salad for tea, with an evil exercise regime thrown in for good measure.

Two hours of cycling before breakfast? Not a chance. It sounds more like a boot camp, although I'm sure the atmosphere amongst the sailors is a lot better than an army style dormitory.

Take for example. She's by no means an outsider for a medal after winning the Olympic test event on her RS:X last year (that's to you and me) but she's had to lose two and a half kilos to make sure she's shipshape for this summers action.

Some of her team-mates have had to lose even more.

Cycling is an important part of a windsurfer's life when it comes to building up strength. Driving through the board and pumping the sail takes some doing. Even more impressive is the fact that Shaw is still here after what happened to her at the start of the year.

"I took my bike out to New Zealand and got knocked off. It was a miracle I wasn't badly injured," she said.

"I was going down a hill and had a guy cycling with me. He saw a car indicating really late to come out of a parking spot. I went to overtake it, but I ended up coming out of my clip-ons, thank God, rolling over the bonnet and ending up in front of it"

The hopes to join the ranks of those who've made their names at the Games.

It'll be interesting to see which one them succumbs to the mother of all fry-ups once the competition is over.