Cutting down weight for track

What events do you do? Do you feel your body can be healthy at 150 lbs?

If you run good mileage, lift, and eat relatively clean your body will find it’s ideal form.

Yes, it is viable in the sense that a 500 calorie/day deficit is likely to produce 10+ pounds of weight loss in 9 weeks.

Are you likely to be healthy and feel strong enough to perform well while running that deficit during competition season? Probably not.

Consult a dietician, but my guess is that you should aim for more like 50 to 150 deficit, if any. And use the off-season or base phase for achieving any truly necessary weight loss.

Weight matters and it doesn’t at the same time. It matters with respect to a level of health and confidence. If you are outside the range of health and confidence then - yes losing some is ok for this. If you just feel like “you need to do this” to fit the part of a runner…then no I would advise against focusing on cutting. Your body will settle at its optimal performance weight just through the ebbs and flows of training and putting in the work.

I would tell you in terms of a plan: focus on getting nutrients from all groups (you may be binging on the weekends because you are restricting yourself in some food group like fats), eat to perform, and also eat for enjoyment. Don’t focus too much on a specific calorie amount per day to put yourself in a deficit (yes…I know a deficit is how you lose weight). Just focus on wholefoods, protein and fats alike, and patience.

My fastest event is the 3200. Last spring, I was at 150 right around the state meet and comfortably between 150-153 for most of the season. During cross country last fall I was 155. I know I can comfortably be in that range, I just don't want to be weak in-season.

Literally just run hard and let your body do its thing. There is no reason to be worried about 165 at 6 foot lol. Chris Solinsky was like the same build and broke the AR in the 10,000

As an athete trying to lose weight, you must be careful to avoid RED-S, which can negatively both impact your health and performance. It's recommended that athletes go no lower than a 500 caloric deficit a day to avoid complications associated with RED-S. Failing to get sufficient calories/nutrients can lead to endocrine, gastrointestinal, and immune dysfunction as well as a failure to recover and absorb the training stimulus. So do not go lower what you are already at. In fact, I would recommend a smaller caloric deficit while avoiding binging on the weekends.

How old are you? If you're under 20-25 your weight is not meant to be static - a healthy person continues gaining slightly. I don't think losing what is a considerable amount of weight in the run up to your important races, in what will be hard training is a good idea. I don't think you will reap the rewards of your training and think you're likely to get injured or become ill quite honestly. Your body is most likely telling you something by the bingeing wildly.

seriously, if you are in high school, do not worry about your weight. Seriously. Rather, focus on what needs to be done in training to achieve your goals. One of those things is a "clean" diet which pretty much means you should definitely eat enough when you are hungry. Just cut the junk: sweets, soda, fried foods. Focus on quality nutrition, not the quantity. Do not purposefully run a calorie deficit. Skipping beer/soda/sweets with training will get you there.

If you were a late 30s guy with a slowing metabolism it might be different.

If you are in high school, trying to drop 10-15 pounds is more likely to be a fool's errand than successful. You are still in the age where you are constantly growing. A not insignificant part of your weight gain could be from added bone density as you take on more training load. Fall of my senior year in HS I was 155, by fall of freshman year in college I was 165--it's just something that happens.