Well, first of all 3 stone is really impressive. So well done! Secondly, you're absolutely right that you are building muscle as well as losing fat, which will mean that pure weight loss slows down. But as you say, not a bad thing - it's certainly your shape and waist measurement which is more important.

A few things which might help to blitz your way through the plateau:

Mix up your running speed - go for slightly shorter runs, but do them as hard and fast as you can. Or do them as intervals - so sprint for 200m, jog slowly for 200m, and repeat a 4-6 times. Basically, this type of flat-out training keeps the metabolism firing long after you've finished, therefore burning calories throughout the day. You can apply it on an exercise bike too - I listen to music and cycle normally during the verse of songs, and then pedal like mad during the chorus! Only needs to be for 10-15 mins, but you just need to be really going for it.

Hit the weights - the more muscle you have, the more they work throughout the day. This doesn't mean you have to bulk up! But by using weights to strengthen your large muscle groups (in particular legs and bottom) you'll not only help tone them, but burn more calories when stationery. Exercises like squats and lunges with dumbells will exercise loads of muscles and improve your running too.

Also, this type of variety keeps the body guessing and stops you getting bored too.

Finally, it sounds like you're eating well - just be mindful of portion size. Even healthy foods contain calories! That's my biggest difficulty.

You should be really proud of what you've achieved so far and to be thinking about how to burn off the last bit of weight is a great position to be in! I'm sure getting through 3 stone hasn't been easy but you've obviously been really focused and determined - keep reminding yourself that you're doing the right things, keep pushing yourself a little harder each time, and you'll definitely get there.

Weight alone is a very poor measurer of health and fitness. Usain Bolt would be considered obese according to the BMI index.

Far better to measure waist size, how much belly you can "pinch", or best of all the little electronic things which measure your % body fat.

I'm no expert on weight issues - I'm sorry to say I've been blessed with a very forgiving constitution, and I know you'll probably hate me for that! I'll probably pay for it some day soon. Anyway, all I wanted to say is that Marge is spot on as far as this chap is concerned. 10:7 sounds fine to me - please don't turn yourself into a stick insect!

Lets have some pictures so the blokes can assess properly, this method doesn't enable me to feel anything and I'm no good at charades ;-)

A 29 mile weekend??? Gosh.

There is some sense behind that Kathryn, as I only post run 'treat' myself under certain circumstances, which is after a race, after a particularly ardious Interval session, or a long slow run (+14 miles).....my treat, 500ml of choccy milk, a Mars bar and a banana.

My long run is the only run where I do take a small amount of carb drink so I don't get too dehydrated and to replenish salts. In very hot summer climate water will do for short runs.