UNTIL their house is renovated, my daughter, son-in-law and three kids are staying with me, which is great except that every drawer, cupboard and shelf in my house now contains the lure of crisps, chocolate and sweets.

For me, it is impossible to resist.

With Christmas around the corner, I decided to try the 5:2 diet.

The idea is that you eat normally for five days and diet for two.

The diet also suggests exercise which will help speed up weight loss. Simple.

After much thought, I decided that Tuesdays and Thursdays would be my two strict diet days.

So on Sunday afternoon, I went food shopping and bought the necessary meagre food items for the week ahead.

I resisted the usual treats and even the wine. Serious or what, I thought to myself.

Everything was planned to perfection.

Tuesday arrived and I walked three miles during my lunch break followed by a light snack.

I refused birthday cake in the office.

I turned down the offer of a quick drink after work and I succeeded in walking past the chip shop on the way home.

All in all, I was proud that I had stuck to my plan of action.

Returning home from my three-mile evening walk, I ravenously tucked into my low fat meal before a long soak in a bubble bath.

However, on stepping out of the bath, I was stopped in my tracks by the wonderful aroma of hot sugary apple pie, which hit me like a sledge hammer.

My daughter shouted: "Do you want some mum?"

"No thanks," I shouted, "not on a diet day."

And for a fleeting moment I was feeling pleased with my self control.

However, on stepping into the living room, everyone was tucking into a large bowl of piping hot apple pie with ice cream. Mmmmm... I was salivating like a dog with a bone.

"Go on," Tony, my son-in-law, goaded. "It's amazing. One wee bit won't do any harm."

"Nope," I shook my head. "Definitely not."

"Are you sure?" he teased. "One wee bit?"

"No. Well...," I said and that was it.

Perhaps one tiny wedge and a teaspoon of ice cream, I tried to convince myself. Just a taste.

Twenty minutes later, my house guests watched as I returned from the kitchen with more.

In fact, three times I went back for more and no one dared say a word.

AND on heading to bed later, I thought to myself.

What a waste of a diet day.

By Thursday, my next diet day, I was back on track.

Another three-mile walk at lunchtime followed by a low fat snack and in the evening I had the good sense to stick to my miniscule dinner in the oven before I went out for another three-mile walk with my sister Jean.

"I'll run you a bath," Tony said, "It'll be ready for you coming home."

Although dreading the walk as I was already cold and hung-ry, I soon got into the pace of it when out of the blue Jean announ-ced: "Do you mind if we nip into Tesco.

"I need to pick up something for my dinner?"

"What in the middle of a power walk," I squawked.

"We are passing it anyway," she replied. "I'll only be a minute."

Reluctantly, I followed Jean into the store and stood as she eyed up the hot barbecue chicken which both looked and smelled amazing.

"What I wouldn't do for one wee chicken leg," I drooled.

Now, traipsing around a supermarket when on a diet is no fun so I headed to the till to wait for Jean.

After all, I thought, she can't be much longer.

BUT no, 20 minutes later, as I stood getting colder and hungrier, Jean appeared with a basket containing more than my week's shopping.

"What's up with your face?" she had the cheek to ask.

"You look a bit frosty."

"Frosty?" I snapped, as my stomach rumbled and I wanted home to my lovely hot bath.

And not content with keeping me standing for 20 minutes, Jean discovered that she had forgotten popcorn and headed off again down one of the aisles. Arghh...

Frosty? Yes, I was frosty alright.

Finally arriving home, I discovered that my longed for dinner was frazzled to a crisp.

My bathwater was just about tepid and when I attempted to top it up I realised there was no hot water left.

"Janice, sit down and I'll pour you a glass of wine," offered Tony.

"You look like you need it."

"Thanks," I replied feeling sorry for myself.

"And bring me a packet of crisps with that."

PS I have another diet plan in place for next week.