The same fat content as a club sandwich

Weeks to go: 16 and counting
Current weight: 15 stone 8 pounds
Total lost so far: 8 pounds
....no change in the last week.

Okay, so maybe there should be a little mickey-taking due to the fact that I've not lost anything this week. But in my defence, I was still ill for four days and then there was the inevitable New Year's Eve celebrations as well. You'll all be comforted to know that I ignored my own previous advice and liberally used Guinness, red wine and whiskey to see in 2009. And before I forget, Happy New Year to you all!

However, January sees me shun alcoholic drink in favour of a monastic lifestyle of a healthy diet, a bit of running and dedication to my university work. Actually, monks are known for producing some of the best and most powerful alcoholic beverages, especially in Belgium, so that doesn't really make sense. But you get the picture.

No body fat measurement for you today as the calipers have not been directly at my friend's disposal, but the last time it was taken, it was a whopping 27.5%. That's the same as chocolate, icing and a Burger King "Grilled Chicken Caesar Club Sandwich". I am beaming with pride as you can guess.

This is pretty shocking as the ideal limits for an active, athletic male is roughly between 8-14%. Now at the moment, 'ideal' doesn't necessarily tally with the 'average' bodyfat percentage, which is an unfortunate indictment on the UK population. But you can check out a few good options at http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/ and also at http://www.nhs.uk/ if you fancy a few changes to your current routine.

The 16 week routine for surviving a Marathon starts in earnest fom tomorrow, so I'll update you on that next time. Eat healthy and run happy. Cheers!