Weight Loss

[Turin Turambar]

Ok, I'm wondering how much losing weight(fat) will effect my performance. I currently weigh 155 pounds, and am about 5'7" tall. I have lost about ten pounds in the last month, and have noticed a definite improvement. My Prs have dropped from about 5:40 in the mile to 5:19, and my 2mile from 12:10 to 11:33. Is losing weight having that big of an effect on my performance, or am I just peaking? Also I'm looking to drop about another 10 pounds before the end of the season (2 weeks for me). Do you guys have any tips for this? One last question: what is a good weight for my heighth so that I can reach my full potential as a runner?

Turin Turambar

[JSC.Rnr]

Losing 10 pounds in 2 weeks? Bad idea.

The body will only let you shed a certain amount of fat in a given time span. Try to burn too much, the body enters "starvation mode" and protects the fat stores, usually burning muscle instead.

As for your "ideal weight" that depends a lot on your body type. If you want, have your body fat % measured, then try to make it down to whatever weight 8% would be.

[one_more_mile]

I'm about 6'4" and weigh 180 dude. And a college coach told me Ill be down in the low 170's next year. :s

[Greatness]

most of the distance guys at my school around 130-140 and theyre about 5'7 .theyre pretty good too so thats probably a good weight for your height

[ARAGON FroBoy]

I'm 5'7" and weigh 118. But I guess it depends on your body type. I feel nice and light when I run, but I'm not much of a powerful runner.

[D_Gordon]

I'm 5' 11" (maybe 6' 0") and 136 pounds. Don't force yourself to lose weight -- if you run enough and eat healthy food, your weight will be where it should be.

I like how there are two people on this thread with names derived from the works of Tolkien (I assume "Aragon" is Aragorn misspelled.)

[Turin Turambar]

The thing is, I run just as much if not more than everyone else on my team, and still seem to be packing quite a few extra pounds. This summer i'm planning on getting a GREAT base for cross country season. How much is enough to lose weight and get that base?

Turin Turambar

(cool name huh? hehe)

[lasseviren]

just run whatever it is you need to run for your great base and eat when you're hungry. eat until you're satisfied and don't be scared to eat more than 3 times per day. if you wanted you could throw some weights in there to help with lean muscle mass and increasing your basal metabolic rate (calories you burn when resting/sleeping/not running!) but pushups and situps usually work pretty well and weights can mess you up if you don't have proper technique. if you don't stuff yourself and eat only when you're hungry then you should see your weight drop to wherever it needs to be. don't be afraid to give into cravings either, there's probably a reason why you're craving whatever it is that you're craving.

[ARAGON FroBoy]

I'm 5' 11" (maybe 6' 0") and 136 pounds. Don't force yourself to lose weight -- if you run enough and eat healthy food, your weight will be where it should be.

I like how there are two people on this thread with names derived from the works of Tolkien (I assume "Aragon" is Aragorn misspelled.)

no, I'm not that intellectual, Aragon is my High School. But I like Tolkien, good writer.