16 Weeks under 172

16 Weeks under 172

Back in February I broke my nearly 2 year long plateau of 172 pounds. It was just 3 days before I injured my knee during a long training run that ended my Marathon training right at the halfway point. 6 week later I dipped below it again and have managed to stay under 172 due to giving up bread and embracing a Primal/Paleo diet. 

Since September 2009 I have used a "Ceiling Weight", a weight I won't let myself get above and take action if I reach it. Last August I decided that 190 was not serving me well and a 15+ pound weight fluctuation was too much work so I changed my ceiling weight to 180 pounds right at the start of training for my first Half Marathon. It changed the way I treat myself nutritionally and other than a bad weekend in December I have managed to stay below 180.

After eating bread at Easter after giving it up for 40ish days for lent I decided 170 would be my new ceiling weight. I developed this idea after reading the book Racing Weight and calculating my idea running weight is 160ish and it said to not let yourself gain more than 8% in the off-season. 

I want to continue to improve my fitness and leaness instead of just undoing a few weeks to months of poor nutrition. Right now I am just above 12% body fat and my long term goal I set in October 2009 is below 10%. I start training for the Dallas "White Rock" Marathon in 5 weeks and plan to be in my ideal racing weight to improve performance and reduce the risk of injury. 

16 weeks of success down and 23 weeks until the Marathon.