Wednesday 21 September 2011

A surprise weigh-in

This morning after breakfast I decided to step on the scales just out of interest, to see whether my weight has changed since I last weighed in.  I haven't really noticed any difference visually, but Anny said that I was much skinnier since I came back from climbing Kilimanjaro.

Well it seems that Anny is right.  Before I left to Rwanda I was 79kg, and now I am weighing in at 77.6kg even after just finishing my breakfast.  This is great news for the up and coming cycle ride as power to weight ratio will be very important when crossing over the Andes.

It is very easy to explain why the weight loss occurred.  In Rwanda, DR Congo and Tanzania I didn't consume any processed foods at all.  Everything was natural and fruit and vegetables replaced the processed foods that I usually consume.  Climbing Kilimanjaro must have burned a few calories too, but the cook did his best to make sure I didn't lose any weight during the climb.

If I am 77.6kg now, I am predicting that when I finish the bike tour I will be under 75kg, which will put my body fat % down towards 10%.  That would be a great racing weight to maintain for the marathon des sables next year.  The only thing I have to be careful of is spending xmas with Anny's family in Peru.  I have already been warned that is rude to turn down offers of food in Peru, so I guess I will just have to make sure that I try at least a small portion of everything, although I will try to make sure I don't try too much.

A racing weight of 75kg and a body fat % of around 10% would make my dreams of a top 100 placing in the MDS a little more realistic.

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