i need some suggestions

2 years ago i ran a marathon and was fit and feeling good, but then after the race came winter and i didn't run at all. i put on at least 10 lbs, grew out of all my pants and became obsessed with weight for the first time in my life. i've been trying for about a year now to get rid of these 10 lbs, but nothing seems to work. i run 2-3 times a week (no less than 1/2 hr each time, sometimes an hour or more) and do weights for my arms.

my problem is i'm an eating machine. i'm one of those people that needs to graze all day long. so i usually have breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner (sometimes evening snack). so does anyone have any good diet suggestions that would fit a grazing lifestyle? things to eat, things to avoid. i hear so many different things like stay away from carbs, no eat carbs avoid fat etc.

just looking to see if anyone has any plans that have worked. thanks!

recipes are appreciated too :)

ps i can't afford to join anything like weight watchers.

I think that grazing is okay. ( I need to eat every 2-3 hours also!) I have also heard that is much healthier and better for your metabolism if you have 4-5 smaller meals per day. But just be mindful of what your snacks are. Try to have some carrot sticks or other vegetables or fruit as your snacks or something more fullfilling like a piece of cheese or at least something with high fiber rather than snacks that are just empty calories. How are your other meals, are they low calorie & low fat? I just started weight watchers 2 weeks ago. I am just looking to lost about 10lbs. I like how if forces you to be conscious of what you are eating.
Good Luck

to be honest, do you know of anyone who has a WW book you can copy? you could moniter your own weight ??

have you tried incorporating shakes in your diet? what are you eating exactly? do you have a journal?

i probably should keep a journal. i eat a lot of pasta, more fast food than one probably should b/c where i work that's the only place to go for lunch, and pretty much everything is canned or prepared. so lots of soup, fishsticks etc. i don't eat red meat except for an occasional burger. i try to do fruit and veggies but find that i end up eating cookies instead :) i think my mom did weight watchers at one point so maybe she still has her stuff.

i was just wondering if anyone had a good formula.

also do you guys know of any sites that list the calories of lots of foods? maybe i could try to keep a journal of what i eat and how many calories.

thanks for the suggestions so far :)

There really isn't a formula.. It's really all about discipline.... it's hard to say no the first time, but after you turn down your first treat, it gets easier..

def keep a journal.. if you do a search for caloric calculator, you'll get a whole bunch of them! but don't go only by calories.. def read your sugar and carb count.. which I think are WAYYY more important.. =)

portion control!! a cup of pasta is the size of a fist...3 oz of meat is the size of a deck of cards...

when you start looking at these things...you'll eat less..

also since you are a runner and like pasta (ditto here...I run marathons as well) try to switch to whole wheat pasta...and whole wheat bread...

stay away from white bread...but if you are running...you need carbs...

also WW says that most vegatables are ok to eat as much as you want...(with the exception of potatoes...and now carrots...but I did it with carrots as free)

also look into fiber...high fiber cereals like fiber one and kashi...


good luck...I'm in the same situation...over the winter (with the cold and snow) I stopped running and gained 15 pounds (have since lost 4)

I just started a journal on monday
DH Made me!! he said write everything down you eat and you dont have to even show me and look at it at the end of each week to see what you did wrong
so far I see I need to snack less

I think this journal thing is a good idea