'Haven't you lost weight?'

He was flabby and nearly 50 - Stan Szecowka, GulfWeekly's editor, has put the Dream Body Centre at Seef to the test to see whether the claims made in its advertisements proved true. After sweating away for 23 minutes, three times a week for three months to transform his body, here are the results ...

OUR eyes met across the hotel lobby, and Rafat Kazi, Sheraton Bahrain Hotel's public relations manager, looked the other way.

Now, it's not the first time I've been snubbed by a beautiful lady and I'm sure it won't be the last.

But Rafat was kind enough to apologise saying those magical words: "Sorry, I didn't recognise you - haven't you lost weight!"

Bless her; the last business meeting we held was almost a year ago and after all this time she couldn't have said anything nicer to a fat man who is nearly 50.

Perhaps I should correct myself; a chap who is a lot slimmer than he was three months ago after putting the Dream Body Centre's advertising claim in GulfWeekly to the test that you could lose weight in 23 minutes.

I didn't believe it was possible but I must admit that three sessions a week have resulted in a three-and-a-half-inch reduction to my telly tubby. It has shrunk from a slobbering 45 inches to 41-and-a-half inches.

I've also lost two-and-a-half inches off my man boobs and two inches off my hips.

I may not be able to wade out of the surf at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and Spa with my day pass entry to the beach and look like Daniel Craig in his swimming trunks ... but at least my suits fit me better and I'm no longer looking like a beached whale.

I promised the Seef centre's owner Suhail Algosaibi that I wouldn't write anything until I had finished the agreed number of sessions on the understanding that he could not see anything I planned to write before publication.

I was determined not to touch the circuit equipment one second over 23 minutes and I didn't ... but Suhail promised me a renewed sense of energy and motivation for that commitment alone and he sincerely delivered.

I've decided to carry on sitting down, standing up, pulling and pushing, stepping and running on the 30 second a time magical merry-go-round of equipment because during the time of writing this short series of articles I've lost another half an inch off my waist and can now envision a time when I'll fit into trousers with a waist measurement of less than 40-inches.

The good lady wife, Kathryn, will have to keep her eyes peeled when all the pretty ladies turn round as 007 Stan walks by ... here's dreaming!