OK I had leg surgery two years ago and since then I have not been as active as I used to… not sedentary by any means but not running the distances that I used to (50 miles a week).

I have since turned the corner and have started running again ( 20 miles a week) mixed in with cycling x 2pw, weight training sessions x2 pw and always an active weekend.

My new regime has been going on for 4 months – and twinned with a healthy diet has seen me lose a little bit of weight but not the additional (1 stone )weight that I would like to lose.

I have decided to give myself a week of eating normally again ( sarnie, yoghurt for lunch)and a regular healthy evening meal.

And guess what…7 days later…I feel trimmer than ever?

Would I have been overtraining? And surely this so called ‘starvation mode’ where the body stores its fat to guard against rapid weight loss would have stabilised a long time before reaching the 4 month point?

Confused?