I know. It's unbelievable. Chris Cordner, king of sweet land, is a sweet free zone. Midget gems, chocolate eclairs, fruit salads - I loved the lot. Nay, worshipped them, in the past.

Not only am I a sweet free zone. I am also a crisp, pop, ice cream and cake free zone.

It's only when I sat down to write this article that it really dawned on me how much of a change I have made to my lifestyle.

Back in March, I would have found it no problem to buy a big bag of sweets and have it down my neck by the end of the night.

Now, though, I've said a fond farewell to junk food and hello to all things healthy.

Bye bye sweets. Hello apples, grapes and bananas.

Tara to crisps and cakes. Greetings to cucumbers, celery and carrots.
No more ice cream. Plenty of fresh veg, pasta and cereal.

The thing I really find in incredible is, I don't even feel like I am suffering.

My Springs personal trainer, Chris I'Anson, has made sure I know exactly what sort of food I should be eating - and the time of day I should be eating it.

So these days, I get up half an hour earlier than normal and tuck into a bowl of muesli. I never had breakfast until five weeks ago.

Chris was astonished. "It's the most important meal of the day. It sets you up for the rest of the day," he adds.

He's right. I now feel full of energy when I get to work and I feel more alert. Chris reckons that's the endorphin factor kicking in.

The feelgood factor which your body adopts when endorphins are released as your body exercises more.
The other surprising thing is. I am eating more now than I ever did before.

In the past, I would eat one or two meals and cram myself with snacks in between.

Now, it's FIVE meals a day. Breakfast, 10am (banana and yoghurt), 1pm (pasta), 4pm (chicken breast) and 7pm (main evening meal).

The new me loves the lifestyle I am leading.

In fact, I am now wondering why I didn't get fit years ago.

Next week: The big weigh-in – but it is a weight gain or weight loss?

HAVE you set a personal best on the rowing machine?
Or perhaps you've battered your own previous record on the cross trainer.

The static cycle may be your thing or even the weights.
Whatever your record, well done!

It's an achievement you should shout about.

Mail2 today starts a new column where we encourage people to send in their records in the gym.

Each week, we will publish a list of those times, weights and distances you are really proud of.

So come on. Get sending your personal bests to the Mail's head of features Chris Cordner by emailing chris.cordner@northeast-press.co.uk