Miss Whiplash

That would be me, then. After everyone told me I should, I went to the doctors to get checked out, and low and behold, I have "a minor neck sprain - some people call it whiplash."

It's not terrible or anything, but it hurts when I move it too far and it's uncomfortable to sleep. Also, I am forbidden to do any lifting or "vigorous" exercise such as running. What a pity. I also have to do some lovely neck stretches and have been advised to do gentle exercise such as walking, cycling and swimming. I asked about spinning and he thought it was okay, but really, it is a fairly vigorous exercise, so I've already had to cancel one class. Which is pants.

This is not the first neck injury I have sustained. The first one, which happened when I was 13 or 14, I suppose, happened in equally dramatic fashion.

I was at gymnastics training. We were doing some preps on the asymmetric (uneven) bars which involved hanging from the top bar (something like 2.5 to 3m high). It was an exercise connected with, I think, spatial awareness and a prep for a backward somersault dismount which was how I used to generally finish my routines. What you had to do was bring your legs up through your arms until you were hanging with your arms half dislocated, then let go.

I couldn't do it. Not without touching the bar with my feet, anyway. So, in what with hindsight seems like an extraordinary stupid move, I decided to cheat. Instead of waiting until I was hanging to let go, I would just let go a fraction early, giving me the extra space to get those pesky feet through.

I plummeted to the ground and landed on my head.

I loved gym, me, and didn't want to curtail my session, so I was all like, no I'm fine. I tried to do a cartwheel as an example of how fine I was. I collapsed in a heap immediately and had to concede I probably should sit down at the side until my mum came.

Anyway, I can't remember exactly what I had done - not broken my neck, but it was relatively serious and painful, and the doctor gave me a really fetching neck collar which I had to wear. I think I got a couple of days off school and then I had to go back, and once the collar came off, I was supposed to wear a scarf to keep it nice and warm (as indeed I am doing now).

Looking back, I can safely say that neck injury was 100 per cent my own fault. This one, however, was completely out of my control. And has resulted in me doing less exercise and eating more (come on, you need sugar and creamy stuff when you feel crap).

So, this fortnight's weigh-in was the least successful to date. I have lost only 1.1lb. I was almost relieved when I saw it, though, cos I thought I might even have gained some weight.

But with Barcelona on Tuesday, I was hoping to have lost a bit more weight so I can really show off my twirly purple skirt.

More on that story later.