Fatty McGee

I recently volunteered to be a part of a masters thesis project comparing bone density in athletes to sedentary people.  As part of the study I get my body composition, diet and bone density analyzed and hopefully find out some helpful things about my body along the way.  After the first testing session, I got some interesting news.  After the body composition test, I found out I'm really, really fat.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm healthy.  I'm 5' 9" and weigh 180 lbs.  Not obese by any means, but for a Cat 3 cyclist, it doesn't look so good.  Here's why:  19.7.  Average speed for a workout?  Mileage for my short loop around town?  Nope.  That's my body fat percentage number.  I was told with the machine we used, which measures body fat with electrical currant through the feet and hands, I could lob 3 points off that, but still, 16.7%??  I asked if I was the fattest cyclist in the test group.  The answer?  Yes.  No wonder I can't climb for jack!

I've been told I don't look 180 lbs, so I wear my weight well.  But I do have, and have always had, a spare tire.  Not the kind in my saddle bag, but around my waist.  I've tried so hard to get rid of it.  But the body fat number worries me because I may be fat on the inside!  If I wear my weight well, that fat must be living somewhere. 

So here's the plan.  I won't be going on any crash diets.  I'm well aware of the nutritional needs of training.  But its time to re-evaluate my diet again.  I've already made changes.  Its wraps and fruit from now on at Chick-fil-a and I'm watching my sugar intake much more carefully.  The sweets are gone from the house and I'll be watching what snacks go into my body.  I made some bug changes to my diet 2 years ago, but evidently some of my old habits have crept back in.  So the new goal is body composition changes.

In celebration of being the fattest athlete in the test group, here's some classic Adam Sandler: