Training Body Weight, Going too Skinny, Etc.

Today I posted another workout. While still eons away from my ultra-obsessed old self, I'm thinking more about training again. One thing I've been focused on is body weight. I think I let myself get too skinny last season. And this may have ultimately contributed to my colds/flus.

When you weigh less you go faster. Basic physics. But there are limits. For me I get faster on the run down to about 158 lbs. But on the bike I can only go down to 165 lbs... below that and I lose quad size which affects bike power.

Over the offseason I was sitting around 162 lbs. Over most of last year (certainly near the end) I was at that point too. I think I was just too skinny.

I don't try to stay that skinny. I just don't eat much. I've never been a big eater. Add in morning coffee and I rarely think about food until 6pm. Combine that with an even moderate workout schedule and I lose weight.

While this is generally a good problem to have I think that prolonged periods of low weight aren't terribly good for me. The body struggles to find resources. The immune system suffers. I eat a ton of whey protein but that's obviously not enough.

So, coming out of the Great JoeSick Saga of Early 2010 I've focused on gaining weight. I've put on about 10 lbs of pure un-performance couch-potato fat! WoOT! I'm at 170 lbs. I think it's a good thing to go back into workouts with some extra weight. I'm going to try to keep my body weight around 170 lbs in training. I can always shed down to 165 lbs for triathlons/cycling and 162 lbs for running events. But then I need to remember to gain the weight back.

Being lighter weight and seeing the speed in workouts on a daily basis is definitely addictive and plays into this.

With work getting busier it takes a concerted effort to, you know, eat stuff. In the end I'm striving for greater overall health. While most of society says less weight is better, we awkwardly skinny people need to be careful about the limits of that equation.

WTB, spare tire and love handles.