Dry January: How I dropped 6lbs in two weeks with non-alcoholic drinks and an Aldi exercise bike

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January. What a long, drab, usually uninspiring month. But this year I have a focus.

Women of a certain age may be struggling with their weight, as I am.

How much I weigh has never really been an issue before. I was chubby in my late teens – working in a pizza takeaway and drinking sweet cider made sure of that.

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After several years on the rave scene my weight dropped off – well it would if you spent 48 hours every weekend dancing like no-one was watching.

Ever since I have remained slim, so much so that at the age of 30 I didn’t find out I was pregnant with my daughter until I was five and half months gone – I kid you not!

And here we are now, aged 52, and suddenly no-one is calling me the crisp licker anymore, or Skeletor. Imagine Homer Simpson (without being yellow) naked – that’s me!

Now apparently I look better for having weight on but I HATE IT. I have put three and a half stones on in two years. Unsurprisingly nothing fits me and something had to be done.

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So this month I took it upon myself to quit the booze, allowing Friday and Saturday only for a drink, not eating after 6pm and getting off my backside at least once a day – my job means eight hours sat a desk which isn’t great for weight loss!

And I turned to Aldi for a little help.

The supermarket giant was offering exercise equipment in the Special Buys aisle. Yoga mats, dumb bells, stepdecks, boxing gloves and pads, everything you could think off to help get in shape, I opted for the easy way in – an exercise bike.

Priced at just £79.99 this was a steal – granted it took some time to put the thing together but it was worth it.

Starting off with ten minute sessions and then slowly building my time up to avoid unecessary muscle injury I’ve taken to it like...like a duck to water!

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It can be a bit dull pedalling to nowhere but I either slap my phone in the holder which is included, or prop my book up and start reading, and off I go.

The bike features adjustable resistance to tailor workout regimes as well as a fully customisable saddle with seven height options and an LCD screen to track speed, calories burned, time, distance and heart rate, all in real time.

Whether looking to boost stamina or burn calories, this at-home essential makes staying active simple and convenient. What’s more, it’s 89% cheaper than Argos.

I am only two weeks in and I can already feel the difference – well at least my legs have stopped turning to jelly after each session.

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As regular Aldi shoppers will know, once it’s gone it’s gone so if you want to pick up a bargain you best head to your local store asap.

To complement my exercise I’ve cut down on the booze. I didn’t drink everyday but I drank more than enough and when I worked out the calories I was consuming something had to give, so I turned to the Aldi non-alcoholic range.

It’s like the placebo effect. A nice drink at the end of a busy day but without the guaranteed hangover – they definitely get worse as you get older.

I have been trying the new Greyson's 0% can range which is available in two refreshing flavours – Greyson’s 0% Pink Berries Lemonade and Greyson’s 0% London Dry Gin and Tonic, for just 79p. I wasn’t expecting much from them if I’m honest but they are delicious.

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Alongside these is the return of Greyson's 0% London Dry (£8.99, 70cl) offering the taste of a classic London Dry, crafted with the finest distilled botanicals. It is best served with a premium tonic, ice and a squeeze of lemon.

But my favourite is Greyson's 0% Pink Berries (£8.99, 70cl) with a refreshing blend of berry flavours and a hint of juniper. Enjoy it with tonic and fresh strawberries to garnish.

If you’re a fan of fizz then try the Zerozecco Rosé (£2.99, 75cl) or Zerozecco (£2.99, 75cl).

There are also 0% beers and lagers available, in Aldi stores now.

I have a long way to go yet, I would like to drop at least half of the weight I have gained but I am already 6lb down. You just wait and see...

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