It’s been 3 weeks since my last body weight and body fat update, and with only a sluggish five mile run to blog about tonight, I figured now, 6 weeks into 2008, would be as good a time as any to post some new figures.

Last time I posted I’d lost 2.4lbs since New Year’s Day (1.9lbs of which was body fat) and happy with the progress made in a relatively short space of time. Quite remarkably, and somewhat surprisingly, I’ve dropped a further 4lbs in weight and another 2lbs of body fat, meaning I’m already down to my “racing weight” for the Shamrock Marathon which is still over 4 weeks away!

I haven’t checked my old training logs, but I think this is the lightest I’ve been since I trained for Ironman Lake Placid in 2004. To say I’m pleased is an understatement and I’m curious to see if I can lose any more weight, without sacrificing strength, before the marathon. I also had to edit the scale on my graph to include new lower limits

I’m sure you’re all thinking “How did he do it? What’s the secret?” Well, maybe you’re not, but I’ll give you my opinion anyway. In each of the six weeks so far this year, my running mileage has steadily increased. I know I should have added a recovery week into the mix, but somehow it didn’t work out that way. I’ve also cross trained consistently on the indoor bike and followed a regimented abs and push ups plan.

My eating habits haven’t changed too much, although I have to say a kitchen remodel is probably the most expensive “diet” I’ve been on. I’m also on the second week of having braces fitted, so maybe the lack of nuts and trail mix from my lunch bag is a factor too.

So, all in all, a very successful start to 2008. Fitness is heading in the right direction and my confidence grows with every race. I wonder what the next 3 weeks will bring?

Earlier in this post, I briefly mentioned a five mile run tonight. Despite the positive comments above, I have to say the five miles was a struggle. Maybe the 6k race, 20 mile training run and last night’s bike/run finally caught up with me? A good night’s sleep will probably do the trick and I’ll be ready for action again tomorrow…

I wouldn’t describe myself as totally obsessive with regard to how much I weigh, but the runner in me likes to track body weight and body fat, just like I log my daily runs. Over the holiday period I didn’t pay much attention to what I ate and drank, but as soon as New Year’s Day rolled around, I (like most other people I would imagine), decided to take stock of where I was and set a few weight loss goals.

There’s no need to disclose the actual numbers, but I decided on a drop of about 4lbs to get to the weight I consider “standard” for my height and build. I also set a more aggressive goal in my mind of losing an additional 2 or 3lbs which I consider to be my “racing weight”, although I must admit I haven’t been at “racing weight” for at least a couple of years!

Well, three weeks have passed since New Year’s Day, so I figured it was time for a progress report:

By steadily increasing the amount of aerobic activity (typically running & biking) and paying closer attention to the foods and drink I’ve been consuming, I’ve managed to lose 2.4lbs to date. Actually, there have been a couple of days where I’ve been as much as 4lbs under my starting weight, but these are quite rare and more likely due to poor hydration.

Furthermore, according to my Tanita Body Composition scales, almost 2lbs of this 2.4lbs weight loss can be attributed to body fat loss – 14.5lbs on January 1st, compared to 12.6lbs today.

The only downside, if there is one, is a slight loss in lean body mass over the three weeks (0.5lbs), but I figure once I finally start a regular strength training program, this will change for the better.

So, initial progress is good – just over a pound to go until I reach my ideal standard weight, and about 3-4lbs away from racing weight, which I’d love to reach by the Shamrock Marathon on March 16th.

The graphs at the top of this post show body fat and weight (in lbs) over time, and feature a trend line which smooths out all the rough spots of the chart. As you can see, I’m definitely headed in the right direction, which is a great motivator for the next couple of months.

Postscript: I’ve just re-read my post and maybe I need to rethink the opening “totally obsessive” comment?! What do you think?