As I mentioned in my recent iPhone post, I regularly use an app called Weightbot to track my weight. The two graphs above came from that app – the first was my best year (2009), while the second is the current year (which is somewhat incomplete, as I don’t have a scale during the week at work).

I currently have a goal weight of 160 pounds, which seems to be eluding me by about ten pounds. I got close in 2009 by running 1000+ miles, but right now I’m having trouble getting back in the 160s. My mileage total so far this year is just under 700 miles, but I’ve done a lot more cross-training (mainly biking). Diet is probably the remaining reason, but that’s a lot tougher for me to change.

All ten of those remaining pounds can be found primarily around my midsection. My pant size has remained steady at 32 inches, but the “beer belly” region is the one thing I wish I could re-shape. Effective exercises targeting this area seem elusive, but I keep trying. I’m now to the point where I’m relatively happy standing in front of the mirror, but it would be nice to have a little more definition in my core.

Looking at those graphs again, I have to question the body-mass index definition of “overweight” outlined at the 170 pound mark for a male who is 5’9″ tall. I don’t really feel overweight now – especially after coming down from a peak weight of nearly 200 pounds. I think the “normal” range for that height goes down to 150 pounds, which seems ridiculous to me. Still, I’d really love to see that 160 number appear on the scale someday soon…