I hate fad diets. Restricting certain foods – or entire food groups – seems an awful way to live. As someone who writes about food for a living – and spends weekends binge-cooking at home – dieting is just not my thing.
For decades, this has worked fine for me. I spent most of my life as a thin, fit person. I am (or was) athletic. I chose my university first based on how good the football team was and second for the journalism degree I was to earn there. I was one of only a handful of students at my university to play two competitive sports.
But sometime in the last several years, that person disappeared. I am no longer thin. Or fit.
Since arriving in the UAE nearly three years ago, I’ve gained nine kilograms. It’s shocking to admit, but somehow I failed to notice this weight gain. I have what I assume is a rare complex: when I look in the mirror, I still see my athletic, thin self. Then I see a photo where I’ve turned all pear-shaped and I don’t know who I’m looking at.
What slapped me back to reality was a visit a few months ago to a doctor who told me that it is OK to skip a meal once in a while. It was her very polite way of saying I needed to drop a few kilos.
So I ate a few salads and moped around for a couple of weeks with no resulting weight loss. And then I actually tried to lose weight. I limited certain foods – I had meat-free days, I didn’t eat all the cheese in the supermarket. And guess what? I gained another kilo. I had entered the frustrating world of dieting. It was unknown territory.
Search for the word “diet” on Google and you’ll get 461 million hits, with headlines that scream: “Diets that work”, “Best diets for women”, “25 best diet tricks”, blah, blah, blah.
The truth is, if one diet worked for everyone, we’d all be thin, and the person who came up with it would be on a yacht somewhere in the Mediterranean.
I found some mind-boggling dieting trends: low-carb, high-fat “treats” known as fat bombs; the hcg diet (an extremely low calorie diet paired with injections of something called human chorionic gonadotrophin); single-food diets (think cabbage or pineapple – or another food you will be sick of by day two); ear stapling (look it up).
And the breatharian diet, in which you align yourself with the universe so that you won’t need water or food. Or, as I like to call it, starvation.
A few years ago, I interviewed cardiologist Arthur Agatston, the man who came up with the South Beach Diet. He was, at that time, probably the only person in the world who was not actually on his own diet – he said so himself. The South Beach Diet was trendy and it worked for a lot of people. But it’s not rocket science – it is simply based on consuming good carbs, lean protein, healthy fats and fibre-rich foods. Yet labelling it the South Beach Diet made it wildly popular. No one’s going to tweet about The Sensible Diet.
But today, even the South Beach Diet feels a little uncool and outdated. If you’re going to put in the effort, you might as well choose a diet that’s trendy, so you have something to chat about with the girls while you’re loafing around, not at the gym.
You could, for example, try Bulletproof Coffee to trigger weight loss – a concept that ruins my favourite drink by adding a big slab of butter. Or the paleo diet, where you scarf down anything cavemen used to eat.
Or try the Whole30 – an extreme paleo-style diet that eliminates all grains, legumes, dairy, sugar and anything that is tasty for 30 days. If you mess up at all – even a little – you have to go back to day one.
Being my usual, defiant self, I snubbed those trendy diets and instead chose a 52-year-old dieting plan: Weight Watchers. This programme does not eliminate any foods, which was a big plus in my book. It is instead all about downsizing portions, not eating too much fat or sugar and keeping track of what you eat. It is, in short, a sensible diet.
Since April, I’ve lost five kilos. I have 11 more to go. I’ve gone off track several times – once during a gluttonous summer stint in Italy, during which I dined at seven Michelin-starred restaurants in six days.
I still eat meat and butter and chocolate. I just eat less of it – which is the only real change I’ve made since joining Weight Watchers. I’m losing weight (albeit very slowly), simply by eating less. Wait – is there a diet called The Eat Less Diet? Maybe I’m on to something.
sjohnson@thenational.ae
UAE Premiership
Results
Dubai Exiles 24-28 Jebel Ali Dragons
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 43-27 Dubai Hurricanes
Fixture
Friday, March 29, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons, The Sevens, Dubai
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
if you go
The flights
Emirates offer flights to Buenos Aires from Dubai, via Rio De Janeiro from around Dh6,300. emirates.com
Seeing the games
Tangol sell experiences across South America and generally have good access to tickets for most of the big teams in Buenos Aires: Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Independiente. Prices from Dh550 and include pick up and drop off from your hotel in the city. tangol.com
Staying there
Tangol will pick up tourists from any hotel in Buenos Aires, but after the intensity of the game, the Faena makes for tranquil, upmarket accommodation. Doubles from Dh1,110. faena.com
KEY%20DATES%20IN%20AMAZON'S%20HISTORY
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The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
57%20Seconds
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
New process leads to panic among jobseekers
As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.
“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.
Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE.
“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.
“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Company profile
Company: Verity
Date started: May 2021
Founders: Kamal Al-Samarrai, Dina Shoman and Omar Al Sharif
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Size: four team members
Stage: Intially bootstrapped but recently closed its first pre-seed round of $800,000
Investors: Wamda, VentureSouq, Beyond Capital and regional angel investors
SPECS
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MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Ukraine 2 (Yaremchuk 06', Yarmolenko 27')
Portugal 1 (Ronaldo 72' pen)
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
The biog
Favourite pet: cats. She has two: Eva and Bito
Favourite city: Cape Town, South Africa
Hobby: Running. "I like to think I’m artsy but I’m not".
Favourite move: Romantic comedies, specifically Return to me. "I cry every time".
Favourite spot in Abu Dhabi: Saadiyat beach
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
Afghanistan Premier League - at a glance
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Fixtures:
Tue, Oct 16, 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Kabul Zwanan; Wed, Oct 17, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Nangarhar Leopards; 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Paktia Panthers; Thu, Oct 18, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Kandahar Knights; 8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Paktia Panthers; Fri, Oct 19, 8pm: First semi-final; Sat, Oct 20, 8pm: Second semi-final; Sun, Oct 21, 8pm: final
Table:
1. Balkh Legends 6 5 1 10
2. Paktia Panthers 6 4 2 8
3. Kabul Zwanan 6 3 3 6
4. Nagarhar Leopards 7 2 5 4
5. Kandahar Knights 5 1 4 2
'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
RESULT
Valencia 3
Kevin Gameiro 21', 51'
Ferran Torres 67'
Atlanta 4
Josip Llicic 3' (P), 43' (P), 71', 82'
Global institutions: BlackRock and KKR
US-based BlackRock is the world's largest asset manager, with $5.98 trillion of assets under management as of the end of last year. The New York firm run by Larry Fink provides investment management services to institutional clients and retail investors including governments, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, banks and charitable foundations around the world, through a variety of investment vehicles.
KKR & Co, or Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, is a global private equity and investment firm with around $195 billion of assets as of the end of last year. The New York-based firm, founded by Henry Kravis and George Roberts, invests in multiple alternative asset classes through direct or fund-to-fund investments with a particular focus on infrastructure, technology, healthcare, real estate and energy.
WWE Super ShowDown results
Seth Rollins beat Baron Corbin to retain his WWE Universal title
Finn Balor defeated Andrade to stay WWE Intercontinental Championship
Shane McMahon defeated Roman Reigns
Lars Sullivan won by disqualification against Lucha House Party
Randy Orton beats Triple H
Braun Strowman beats Bobby Lashley
Kofi Kingston wins against Dolph Zigggler to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Mansoor Al Shehail won the 50-man Battle Royal
The Undertaker beat Goldberg