The problem with telling your friends and family, along with the rest of the world, that you’re going to lose 20 pounds is when you don’t have anything to show for it after a few months. I have not really lost any weight in the last two months. Sure, the graph might be trending downward, albeit very, very slowly, but I know that I’m not working hard enough to reach my goal.

As you can see on the chart, there are a few days when my weight swings up a few pounds. This is mostly due to sodium intake (thanks a lot, soup!) and restaurant food. I’ve been dining out more than I ought to, due to travel, illness, and hectic work schedules. My wife and I have resolved to eat better once again, though, which mostly means more fruits and salads, and less dining out. Hopefully I can get my weight loss rate back where it was in the summertime!

• Month-end target weight (moving average): 180.6 pounds
• Month-end actual weight (moving average): 180 pounds (0.6 pound over target)
• Year-end/ultimate target weight: 170 pounds

October 2009 Weight Chart