Grace Dent: George Osborne's on the 5:2 diet. Let's hope he isn't making Budget decisions when he's really, really hungry
Men love the diet as it combines hokey science with a chance to be more knowledgable about weight loss
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Chancellor George Osborne has lost a lot of weight on the 5:2 diet. I shall pause a moment here to allow jobbing Radio 4 satirists to slot in some gags about benefit cuts and starvation diets. I can think of 17 that would achieve a light ripple of glee. The 5:2 - in case one is lucky enough not to know anyone droning on about it - relies on eating less than 600 calories a day for two days per week and then developing strong neck muscles by doing patronising side-head tilts at friends who suggests this is a non-sustainable plan, or one which will give you two days a week of halitosis and headaches, because one has personally uncovered the secret of skinny-jean nirvana.
Men love the 5:2 as it combines hokey science with a chance to be more knowledgable about a subject - weight loss – on which women have always held the floor. But having lived on 600 calories a day on many, many occasions since my decision to be thinner in 1986 - still very much a work in progress - I have concerns about one of Britain’s most senior decision-making officials being oh so very hungry.
Osborne’s job requires a sharp mind, diplomacy and tenacity. At my very thinnest and calorie abstemious in1998 – could have been The Cabbage Soup diet, or the Atkins Plan, or a Low-GI schedule, but anyway the important thing was I could wear size-8 glitter shorts - I was so hungry and mentally awry that I could barely write the captions on a glossy mag shopping column. I was so Tasmanian Devil-style angry that none of the editors dared ask for them anyway. Osborne is currently planning Wednesday's 2014 Budget. Have a cream cake George. Go on, for all our sakes.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments