I can't believe it but I'm through to the semi-finals of Dancing on Ice following my solo skating routine last Sunday. It's hard for me to take it in that this is all happening because just two months before I started the ITV1 skating show I was two stone over-weight and seriously out of shape. Back then, I realised that I had to get down the gym fast otherwise I was going to look like Comicbook Guy from The Simpsons in my tight lycra outfits.
I had been on tour eating take-away food and five cans of lager a night and was weighing in at 14 stone. I'm 5' 9" so I can't carry that amount of timber, I had a pot belly and I hated it, but not only was I in the worst shape of my life but I was also about to start the most physically demanding prime-time show on British telly.
So drastic measures were called for, with only eight weeks to go I put myself on a strict Carb tapering Caveman diet and five gym sessions a week.
The caveman diet is so called because it's meant to only include foods that pre-historic man would have access to - no processed foods, potatoes, pasta and bread. The take-aways were knocked on the head and I no longer eat after 8pm, and the fatty meals during the day were replaced with lean meats, fresh steamed greens and brown rice.
I also had a secret weapon in my armory - Forza T5 Super Strength. A couple of these before a morning work-out gave me extra energy and helped with fat burning. Also they are really handy in the early afternoons for a bit of will power if I was craving some snacks.
Dancing on Ice was the kick start I needed, the training is grueling enough- up to seven hours a day - so I wouldn't have got through the first day had not got fit beforehand.
To drop two stone in two months you have to be really committed to at least five gym sessions a week, but this is pretty extreme and you could do it slower and steadier pace with two or three sessions, it's just I didn't have that choice I was going to be on a TV in a matter of weeks.
My diet before
Breakfast: Fried bacon and eggs
Snack: Coke and crisps
Lunch: Pizza and chips/ pre-packed sandwiches and crisps
Snack: Chocolate bar and fizzy drink
Dinner: Chinese or fried chicken take-away with four to six cans of lager
My diet now
The general rule is carbs taper down during the day and protein tapers up.
Breakfast: Bowl of porridge
Forza T5 Super Strength Supplement x two tablets prior to gym session.
Protein shake after work-out with one spoon of peanut butter
Mid Morning snack: Three or four pieces of fruit and handful of almonds
Midday Meal: Steak, green salad and cous cous
Snack: Dried meat biltong
Dinner at 6pm: Lean turkey breast, sweet potato, green veg
Protein shake at 8pm.
Don't have anything after 8pm.
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My 80-Year-Old dance teacher came to support me
I was really made up this week that my dance teacher Mary came to see me perform. She is 80 years old now and was there for me when I started dancing at the age of eight. It was great to meet up with her and my mum in the bar afterwards to celebrate, I couldn't have done any of this without these two amazing women in my life supporting me all the way.
It was sad to see Kyran go. I really felt for him because he had worked so hard and had to overcome the added hardship of having to break in new boots (trust me, this is not fun at all) and also had a broken foot, bad back but was still knocking out headbangers in his routine. But he was up against Sam Attwater at his best, and he had really brought his A-game on the night.
Now the pressure is on and everyone left - Hayley Tamaddon, Beth Tweddle, Sam and I all desperately want to be in the final - so the tension is going to be intense for this Sunday's show.
Wish me luck and I hope you can see me then, Ray.
Dancing on Ice is on 6.15pm to 7.45pm on ITV1 this Sunday 2 March