It's been a good week for … zombie diets

It's been a good week for … zombie diets

A woman has lost almost seven stone in weight after deciding she wanted to be fit enough to survive a zombie apocalypse. Siobhan Maccow from Slough was inspired after watching hit US television show The Walking Dead.

She is reported to have based her transformation on her determination to emulate the honed physique of Michonne, played by Zimbabwean-American actress Danai Gurira.

"I put Nicki Minaj on and pretend that I'm running through a zombie wasteland," said Maccow, referring to her training regime.

You can't fault her logic. Having taken part in the zombie chase event 2.8 Hours Later in Edinburgh earlier this year, I can testify that it's very much a case of survival of the fittest. Chubsters like myself soon found themselves becoming zombie chow as attempts to outrun them proved futile.

It there's ever been a motivator for shedding some pounds, being able to evade the clutches of the undead is certainly up there.

It's been a bad week for … lettuce

On paper, it all started out so well: an animal rights group would visit Holyrood to promote the start of World Vegan Month while serving up appropriately-topped pizzas to raise awareness of their cause among MSPs.

So far, so gloriously PC. Until, in an effort to better publicise the event, People for Ethical Treatments of Animals (Peta) announced that its "Sexiest Vegan in the UK" - Jenna McGuinness from Glasgow - would be wearing a gown made entirely of lettuce.

At which point all hell broke loose. Marco Biagi of the SNP declared he would no longer be attending due to what he dubbed "body image misogyny". Labour's Cara Hilton said that she too would be boycotting the event if it involved a scantily clad Ms McGuinness turning up adorned in nothing but leaves.

Amid the copious subsequent hand-wringing, Scottish Conservative MSP and former livestock farmer Alex Johnstone claimed the issue was "being dominated by do-gooders desperately trying to outflank each other in the sanctimonious stakes".

Like the proverbial lettuce, it's fair to say that PR stunt has gone a little limp.