I am a 19 year old male. I run track and cross country at a major university. I run around 50 miles a week. I am 5'10 and weight 160 lbs. We do short interval sprints about twice a week and run aerobic the rest of the week or race. I also weight train on my own doing light weight and lots of reps with short rest. i have never really followed a strict diet but i usually eat pretty healthy. I recently had my Body fat percentage and it was 11.4 using the dexa. I want to lose around 3-4 lbs in the next two months for peaking time.

I was wondering a healthy way to do this. Also my abs kind of show and I work them out consistently.. I want them to come in better and to my understanding I need to lose some body fat. So I think i am at a plateau because I have been at my weight for about 6 months. Anyone have any suggestions on how I can lose body fat and around 3-4 lbs in a couple months? Thanks

If you are plateuing I think you should try to eat more. I know that a common fix for plateuing is to either eat more or switch up your exercises. Try adding 300 extra calories a day and see where that gets you.

I would try lower reps and higher weights. I would take a look at this recent article by Eric Cressey ~ Five Resistance Training Myths in the Running World by Eric Cressey

It talks about 5 myths concerning runners and endurance athletes such as yourself. If anything you will take away some great info.

I can already max. bench at 225 and curl around 80 lbs...That was 4 months ago using free weights... now I am limited to using the basement of my apartment complex with machines...I have been using it 2-3 times a week for the last 4 months using heavier weights.. I just recently switched to lower weight and a lot of reps/sets to use muscle confusion..

You're a runner: what does your bench and bicep curl #'s have anything to do with your sport? You need to incorporate squats, deadlifts, and single-leg lower body movements into your training.

I was telling him that I dont think I need to lift more weight

Why wouldn't you? The goal should always be to move more weight (or more specifically, more tonnage through increased weight, volume, or density). If not, you aren't providing the body with cause for adaptation, and you're more or less spinning your wheels without improvements.

First off glad to see you both here

Silent, The speed and power you put behind a movement is the determining factor of slow/fast twitch in those movements. Take a look at the fundamentals of Plyometrics for example.

If you are a runner and want to increase speed, power and agility you need to incorporate lifting into your program. Squats with and a quick tempo are good for short distance running and cross country running (though I would incorporate some single legged high rep squats as well when training specifically for cross country running to help improve upon muscle endurance).

Deadlifts are even more crucial for proper postural support and core recruitment.
As well as work with strengthening their hip flexors which is where a high number of runners injuries make their starting point from.

I did this and it backfired on me. I am shooting for competing in off-road triathlons this year so I have been training for mountain biking and running. I am 5'9" and got down to 153. However, I felt kind of weak during athletic training. I figured that I was skinny enough, so I stopped worrying about dieting, although I am still eating healthy and really didn't start gorging by any means, mainly just started eating more at lunch more than anything, and incorporating more protein at lunch. I also started running more too, I run a 5K every couple of days, last night I ran that but a mile of that was 200 yard intervals. So anyway, I weigh this morning and I'm 159. WTF. I don't know what's going on. It wasn't a week ago that I weighed 154. I know it fluctuates but this has been one major swing, that's almost a pound a day. I don't get it.

This may be debatable, but I really don't think that "at a fast pace" has anything to do with fast twitch vs. slow. You have to consider the force. Consider cycling. The guys that are utilizing their slow twitch muscles are spinning, usually at least at 85 rpms, and continue to use slow twitch that quickly, even as much as 120 rpm's. However, guys that are utilizing their fast twich muscles can be using very forceful and slow pedal strokes at only 50-55 rpm's. You can't just say "oh, he's pedaling fast... must be using fast twitch muscles. Doesn't work that way.

Basically when weight lifting, I'm pretty sure that low reps with high force is going to work fast twitch, and high reps with lower force is going to work slow twitch. The pace has nothing to do with it.

For fast twitch I would recommend a range of 10-12 with a fast tempo yes for type II (fast twitch) muscle fibers. That is if needing explosive movements supported (like sprinting). The Original poster put track and cross country leading me to believe he need both training for sprinting/short term running and cross country. Though to be honest I still believe them to go hand in hand.
Yes completely correct which I why I put in () this..
though I would incorporate some single legged high rep squats as well when training specifically for cross country running to help improve upon muscle endurance
I understand where you are coming from but again this is about setting up the body in all areas. Running is mainly hip extension, squatting and lunges are mainly hip extension. If these areas are lagging in stability, strength and explosive support then you are going to have less speed, you are going to have a weaker output of power and you are going to be more prone to injury.

What I am saying is this isn't about the thought of "hey I will run with 200 pounds on my back so that when I am running without it on my back i will run faster!" It is about aligning your system for proper recruitment and use of these muscle and joints to support you best in the given activity.

A statement like this would be more correct if it were more specific, such as specifying "LONG DISTANCE" runner. Have you ever seen a highly successful sprinter who appeared as if he'd be lucky to bench press his own bodyweight? Even runners in slightly longer events are often fairly beefy. You have to have the upper body strength and also the core to transfer that upper body energy to your legs.

Justin Gatlin told me that arm strength has nothing to do with running.

So, Lance Armstrong, who regularly spins at 120 rpm's or more (one full rotation every half a second), is full of fast twitch muscles, and a beefcake lifter who maxes out squatting but does it slowly, is full of slow twitch, right?

Actually upper body posture and stabilization can greatly influence a run