Ok ... Clearer... I should have clarified... (1) the 170-175 BPM was my range, not to be a range for anyone else... My resting is 142, my max is 205, I'm in my optimum efficient zone between 165-180.. I enter anaerobic at about 190 then max is 205....
Like yourself I am rebuilding this year, to race fully again next ( 2015 ) season. I stopped racing in 2004, mostly due to extreme burn out from coaching juniors, promoting a stage race and having returned from 3 months training in France, I had enough of 20+ years of Cycling and Ski Racing and needed to reassess. The next ten years life, career, relationship took over although being naturally competitive, Tennis filled the void..
Only in the last couple of years has a serious desire to return to Competitive Cycling reemerged, I never stopped riding but after my 10 year marriage blew up completely last summer I became determined to return to what I loved on my own terms, not an (ex)-spouse's ...
Fortunately my GF is an avid runner, is highly competitive and we are incredibly supportive of each other's athletic pursuits...
Off on a bit of a tangent here, but CC40 are you taking into account your work schedule and the stress that causes.. Recovery parameters should take career workload into account.... I think we are all guilty at some point or other in not addressing just how detrimental work and it's demands critically affect our cycling goals....
As for losing weight.... I'm adverse to any so called Diet Plan... It's not about elimination but rather nutritional selection and reducing amounts correctly... We are fortunate as cyclist that within reason we can pretty much eat whatever we want when riding 250-300 miles a week.
Not that we should eat everything we see but the excess fat stores will be burned up with a consistent program and proper nutrition...
Time is the factor, but from what you describe it points to lack of recovery / recuperation as your biggest detriment....
As much as we use HR's, Power meters, the latest training software and so on, the rest and recovery / recuperation equations are as relevant today as they were 10 20 years ago....