It’s hard to believe that this is my 20th update on my journey to better health. But here we are, 20 weeks and 22 pounds later. Make that 23 pounds later. Check out the update below for details on how I did it:

The Successes

Sometimes you’re a home run hitter, sometimes you bat for average. This week was all about hitting for average for me. No 22-mile bike rides. No golf outings. It was a week of small victories:

• Tuesday: 20 minute walk at lunch
• Wednesday: 35 minute walk at lunch
• Thursday: 20 minute walk at lunch and mowing the lawn
• Friday: 17 minute walk at lunch
• Saturday: 1 hour of walking
• Sunday: 1 hour of walking

That’s about 3:30 of walking for the week, my best by far in several weeks. A combination of unseasonably cool weather and dry afternoons made it a productive week.

The Challenges

You’ll notice on the successes above that I didn’t mention Monday. Not only was Monday a washout for my afternoon walks, it was also my highest calorie intake of the week. That came thanks to a visit to Plum Creek Farm Market.

The small farmers market along Route 183 between Bernville and Reading has a wide selection of fruits and vegetables, homemade baked goods and other local products. But we skipped all that and went for the ice cream in celebration of my brother’s 30th birthday.

I ordered a medium cone of their peach soft serve, made with fresh peaches and not a flavoring mix. The fresh fruit made all the difference between a nice treat and an exceptional dessert. Every bite was loaded with peaches. I had to eat it a lot faster than I normally would though because it was not nearly as sturdy as an all-cream cone.

A small slice of peach pie on Wednesday wasn’t enough to ruin my two-mile lunch walk. Similarly, my chocolate chip cookie on Thursday was 80 less calories than I spent mowing the lawn.

Even Saturday, my trip to the West Reading French Fry Festival and a heavy dinner at the Indian Fort Inn (review coming soon) balanced out with the walking and my lack of snacking.

Sunday was the sixth wedding anniversary for Julie and I, and we celebrated with a trip to Willoughby’s on Park. I won’t give away everything before the review comes later this month, but my steak dinner and carrot cake for dessert was an estimated 1,400 calories (I couldn’t resist the carrot cake).

The Results

Current Weight: 166.2
Weekly Weight Loss: -1.0
Total Weight Loss: -23.2

Right on schedule this week. I believe this is the first time since I started that I lost exactly one pound, which was my weekly weight loss goal. I’m happy with the results; I just hope that we don’t put another “0” on the board next time.

The Week Ahead

This week will mark my annual pilgrimage to the Kutztown Fair, a yearly favorite of mine because I get to watch some dirt track racing, check out the exhibits, watch Julie’s face light up when she sees the sheep, and, oh yeah, eat some Dutch Fries.

Dutch Fries – any fried potatoes, really – can be diet killers. The calories add up fast so hopefully I can make smart decisions the rest of the week to overcome.