My Nutrtion Plan or How I lost 40 lbs in 4.5 months

Just finished tweeting about how I plan to tweet my meals in the future to help me stay accountable regards my nutrition plan. Recently I have struggled to stay with the program that really worked for me. My nutrition plan was a large part of what helped me go from a 6:06 marathon time at the Marine Corps Marathon in October 2008 to a 4:26 marathon time at the Albany Snickers Marathon Energy Bar Marathon (hey I didn't name the race) in March of 2009. Thought I would capture my tweets into a blog post. Please note that I have been and continue to work with a licensed dietitian who has helped formulate this plan for me.

Here's what I do:

6 meals a day. Eat between every 2-3 hours. 3 of these meals are snack size meals. For me each meal includes 1 carb and 1 protein. 1 processed carb per day max. All the lean fiberous veggies I want at meal times. No eating between meal times (I am never more that 2.5 hours from my next meal after all).

1 meal replacement bar per day max. It can be a CLIF Bar or something with high carbs if its before a workout but other than that I want it to be a low carb bar like a Pure Protein Bar. This is really an option or a crutch in some cases where my schedule or location does not allow for carrying a yogurt or some other form of more natural protien. I can always carry an apple or bannana for my carb.

Protien powder shakes as meal replacements. I can use a protien powder shake and a fruit as a meal replacement. When I am on my game I do a shake as a post workout recovery meal and as my last meal of the day. Generally I'll throw a bannana in my shake and there is my whole meal. I can have some lean fiberous veggies with my shake if I want to for volume. For me this is generally a handful of carrots.

Portion control on Carbs and protein. Protein is 4-6 oz (palm of my hand), carb no bigger than my fist or from exchange list. i.e. 1/2 c of brwn rice = 1 carb.

Extras. 4 per day. 1 is flax seed in a shake for omega3s. The others are low fat cheese on sandwich or fat free salad dressing.

Sports nutrition does not count. Some days I run or swim just for the Sports Beans or Sharkies. It may sound funny but its true.

Gonna stop here so I can eat a CLIF Bar ahead of this mornings group run.