By Don Patterson, Staff Reporter

I really need to find a better balance.

Just over a week after winning the weight loss challenge at the Western Wheel I was enjoying a fine meal of fish and chips with a pint of beer and a deep-fried Mars bar with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce for dessert.

Yes, I won the challenge after losing 10 per cent of my weight  — 11 per cent to be more precise. A full 20.2 pounds gone after two months.

My new goal is to keep it off.

I know falling off the deep fried wagon isn’t going to make this any easier.

Throughout the challenge, I probably took the most drastic dietary steps of anyone here to lose weight. In fact, the secret to my success was all in the diet. For much of the past two months most of my meals were homemade. I surprised myself as I discovered new abilities in the kitchen making homemade soups, salads, vegetable dishes and stir-fries.

My favourite new breakfast, cinnamon stewed apples. Best new salad, grilled chicken breast, pecan and blueberry salad. Best new soup, slow roasted spicy red vegetable soup.

I was religious in cutting things out of my diet. Sugar, pasta, red meat, salt, cakes, sauces and chocolate bars, all gone. Fresh fruits and vegetables took up a prominent position in my fridge.

Yes, it was a crash diet, but I started to notice the changes right away. I felt more energized and didn’t feel tired in the mid-afternoon.

I did have cravings. There were moments I wanted nothing more than a cheeseburger, a donut or a chocolate caramel cheesecake. Hamburgers and my sweet tooth have always been my weakness.

I’ve had great willpower for the last two months. When Mr. John Barlow brought a cake to work, I avoided it. When someone left A & W coupons on my desk, they went right onto someone else’s.

I withstood my girlfriend’s temptations – freshly baked chocolate chip cookies or butter cookies with cinnamon hearts (the cinnamon hearts ended up on the Western Wheel’s kitchen table). I withstood the pounding craving to drive to Calgary for a Fat Burger. (I have actually run across the Las Vegas Strip to get a Double Fat with cheese, but not this time.)

I eased my rules a little bit in the past couple weeks, but I was still able to keep my diet under control.

So, what happened on Saturday night?

The last thing I want is to rebound backwards and suffer the jabs of my co-workers.

It was bad enough to be asked, “how’s the diet going?” when I came in with a Home Ground cinnamon bun. Just wait ‘til they read about my fish and chip binge.

I just have to keep an eye on things from here on in.

Moderation, as my girlfriend tells me, yes, everything in moderation.

I guess I can allow myself a few treats now and then, but I’m going to have to learn to strike a balance.

In the meantime, I’m now about a $100 richer. I had thought of putting it towards a good dinner out, but I think I have a better idea.

It’s going to the Okotoks Food Bank. They could put it to much better use than me. I’d probably just spend it all on food I really shouldn’t be eating anyway — like deep fried Mars bars.

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