Running for weight loss

In the past 7 weeks, I have loss 23 pounds. It started with a trip to the scale after a January Cruise that showed me in the overweight BMI range. I know a lot of folks blow off the BMI since it varies by body type (small, medium, large for example) but for me it was a wake up call.

So I took to the task in hand. How to get back into a range that I found acceptable.

I've shared the need to keep running journals with all of you. These became really valuable to me. After a review of 30 years worth of them (yes, I have them all the way back to 1983 when I started doing 5Ks) I started to glean a few insights that I want to share with you.

My best running times were tied to my lowest running weight. I know, I know, no big surprise here. But I also found there were times that I wasn't at my lowest weight (in fact 10 pounds heavier) but I still had a good season. What I did find is that my pounds of fat (fortunately we did pick up a scale that measured that along with total weight) had a direct correlation.

So how to use this information? Well, I attacked it by making a goal of reducing the pounds of fat, instead of the overall weight pounds. As a lot of us know, it gets pretty frustrating when you diet up for a week and don't see the pounds come off. Okay, maybe 2-3 pounds, but when you feel like you should've lost 5 and see 2, it does get discouraging.

I will be following up this blog with tips and items that I'm learning as the pounds melt off. But for right now, if any of you are trying to lose weight, I want to stress the need to get a scale that measures three things - BMI, Total Weight, and Fat weight (in pounds or kilograms - for my English cousins following the blog).

If you are looking for a recommendation, I would go with a Wiithings scale (if it fits your budget). The added bonus with a Withings scale is that it syncs with the WiFi in your home. This will allow you to keep track on your iPad, iPhone, RunKeeper, or literally any internet site or program. I've heard that many friends and /or partners that are trying to lose weigght together use this to keep each other motivated as they work on weight loss. (I'm of the other bent - I'm too embarrassed about my weight now, I'll wait until after I've lost another 10 before I move to that step.)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Constitution Rd,Boston,United States