Weight for me

The Running Times article "Your Fastest Weight" discusses why losing some body weight, and how much to lose, may be beneficial to your race times. Of course not overdoing the weight loss and proper nutrition are also key. Being "skinny-fat" isn't going to help in the short or long-term.

Using the Racing weight calculator my current weight, age, approximate body fat (yes it would be better to know this exactly) and a 10k race time from November 2014, it was calculated that I should weigh 163lbs. This is a far cry from my current 180, which is actually down 9.6lbs from my record high weight during the first week of January 2015.

If I think back through the thirty plus years I've been running, 163lbs on my 6'1" frame makes sense for me being able to run as fast as possible. Besides being young, my best times were when I was 160-167 pounds. I'm not the kind of athlete who can race well carrying any extra weight.

My pants size will drop, a rib or two may show, but if I'm racing fast for my age, at least being relevant in my current age group, that's okay with me.

Despicable Me

We have established I need to lose weight. After gaining 17 pounds in four months and setting an all-time heaviest weight record my belly has the shape of an NFL offensive lineman.

Pants stretched to their limit, buttons popping off, wearing sweaters because it’s too hard to tuck a shirt in, running tights I can barely pull over my legs, I think it’s time to get serious.

My diet plan is all mental. Who needs Atkins, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers or Hydroxycut? Not me!

It’s simple, I believe I will lose weight so it will happen. Last week was a blip in the scale, going from 186.6 to 188, then 189 wasn’t really my plan. This morning though, I was back to 186.6, right on target, well kind of on target. I have ten steps to losing ten pounds by the end of February.

1.       While bulking up I would eat at least three cookies with my lunch and three-four more after dinner. Around Christmas time I may have snuck in a couple of more for an afternoon snack. Now I eat maybe three a day. Calories saved – around 1500 per week.

2.       When working I got lazy and sat in my office during lunch eating, doing the crossword puzzle and surfing the World Wide Web. Last Friday I ran three miles on the treadmill in the MCC gym, otherwise I walk for twenty minutes. Calories saved/burned, another 500+ per week?

3.       Tossed salads. These can get boring to eat every day. I don’t care what you put in them, it’s still green weeds we tell ourselves are good for us. But I have upped my salad eating, including one or two lunches a week. Calories saved – 200 per week (instead of my PB sandwich).

4.       I couldn’t exercise, other than physical therapy on my shoulder and taking slow walks around the block, for about a month after my surgery. I did some lower body weightlifting and my left arm (which now looks like Popeye compared to my shriveled up right bicep), but that obviously didn’t make up for my gluttonous food habits. Now I can run 3-4x per week for 2-5 miles and bike indoors 2-3x for 30-50 minutes. Calories burned – 2,000.

 

5.     Alcohol. Last semester was one of my most difficult ever at work, very stressful for a variety of reasons. I would have one or two drinks every night, not the right strategy to deal with the stress, but it’s what I did. Now I’m down to two nights of one-two drinks. Calories saved, 500+.

6.       Drinking water. I’ve always kept a twenty-ounce refillable bottle with me at work. Sometimes I finished it, sometimes not. Now I’m going to concentrate on having the bottle empty by the end of my work day. Fortunately one of the best things about working at MCC is the plethora of bathrooms.

7.       Cheese and crackers. When I’m preparing another gourmet dinner for Jan (like tuna casserole or BLT sandwiches) I used to have a few slices of spicy cheese with crackers while also drinking my first Southern Comfort. No more. Calories saved – 400+ per week.

8.       Moving from my desk. Simple, get up every half hour or so and walk around for five minutes, stretch my legs, save my shoulder and burn a couple more calories. 500+ per week.

9.       My pickup truck. Jan and I can fit her car and my truck in the garage, which I think is good. But it can be a tight squeeze getting around the car door mirror to the truck door. Maybe if my gut isn’t poking out so far getting into the truck will be easier?

10.   The mirror. Looking at my belly is despicable.

 I should probably take a before and after photo, but not for sharing publicly, no one needs to see that!

A Weighty Issue

Last year about this time I entered into a weight loss bet with MW and LK. I think Lou won the bet, but I did lose around twelve pounds eventually, moving from my highest weight ever of 183lbs to 170 by August. One-hundred seventy isn't a bad weight for a 6'1" male, in normal society it's probably considered thin. But I live in a world of runners and have a history of knowing my best running times occurred when I weighed 165-168.
By the annual Thanksgiving Day race, Race with Grace, I was back to 175lbs. When I got weighed in for shoulder surgery on December 2nd I was up to 180. At my one month checkup on December 29th I was at 190 (with running shoes and clothes on, but still, that is obese in my world).
The surgeon gave me permission to slowly add running back into my routine. I came home and ran a mile in 10 minutes on the treadmill. Two days later I ran two miles outside feeling like a bowling ball was strapped to my waist. My running tights were stretched to their limit. My form-fitting Craft running shirt bulged over my stomach rolls.
It's not a good look.
So a year later and another diet to go on. No bets this time, but by March the plan is to be down to 180lbs or less. When May rolls around 170lbs, maybe 168 if I really do well. That weight should help with my 2015 goal of finishing in the top three for the Rochester Runner of the Year races in my age group (55-59).  Maybe I'll even get back to my dream of looking like Captain America. 

Biggest Loser Contest @Spencerport

Yes, it's true, we are having our own couple's contest to see who can lose the biggest percentage of body weight by March 29. Running concurrently with the local Fleet Feet store's Ton of Fun challenge, we decided to create our own contest.
Lou, MW and I realized about a week ago that we are either at our highest weight ever (me) or highest weight since taking up running (Lou and MW). My weight gain is solely due to the intense weightlifting I did in 2013 and has nothing to do with cooking dinner while grazing on cheese/crackers, Bourbon or Southern Comfort.
Lou and MW gained weight because, well, old age I guess. That time of life when pot bellies form, your belt buckle has to be loosened to the next hole and when shopping at Kohl's for pants you go for the "relaxed" fit.
Jan, Eileen and Joanne are beautiful already and don't need to lose any weight, but still decided to join the Ton of Fun program and are responsible for making our couples challenge.
Feel free to place bets on which couple will win.

Three Large Men

As I sit at my desk this Tuesday, eating York peppermint patties at 9:45am, I'm reminded that Lou, Mike and I compared our current weight on Saturday's run. Apparently the three of us have gained about ten pounds each in the past few months. It's no wonder I feel like a cinnamon roll with legs when running.
Now that it's December 1, I've decided to get serious about losing my bulkiness (as soon as I finish this last peppermint patty). Please vote on which of the three of us is most likely to lose 10 pounds by January 30 and once again become lightning fast.