Questions...answers anyone?

hi, i am new so i have some questions...can anyone help? i hope so.

i dont know if athletes are on this forum, but i am a highly competitive runner. i have been running so fast, but i feel like i have a lot of weight on me because i eat a lot (and i mean a lot) throughout the day...esepcially night. I also always eat a lot of pb everyday. which i think is ok, because i have been running so fast and i feel so great! but i do want to be thinner...

If i eat around 3000-4000 calories a day is that too much? I run around 60 miles per week (averaging around 10 a day). I love running so much and its such a great release!! i dont want this to damage my running, but i would like to shed a couple of pounds....without harming my running career. any suggestions on how to do this? i have been trying to decrease my calorie intake but it makes me so hungry and i can't do that. suggestions? anyone?

Oh yeah!! and i'm about 5'9" and i never really weigh myself but i would guess between 130-135 (i have muscle definition too...so i dont think its fat really..)

THANKS FOR ADVICE!! =D

You are already at a great weight for your age and height.  You are a competitive runner, so your body is mostly muscle -- which is denser than fat, so pound for pound you weigh more than you look -- and that is a great place to be at.

I don't know if you are a boy or a girl -- but your calorie level sounds about right for the amount of exercise you are getting -- if you settle at 3500, that should be good.   You may wish to ensure your calories are coming from "good" sources and not junk (well, maybe about 10% junk) -- and with that much cardio, you'll need to have a carbohydrate load of at 55%, protein at 25% and fats about 20% (averages, not hard and fast).  Eat something with more protein than carbs w/in 30 mins of your runs and you won't be quite as hungry all the time.

i'm a girl by the way...sorry lol and thanks, would u classify pb as junk? or chocolate as junk? because my coach emphasizes chocolate like crazy. I have pb and chocolate almost every day....energy bars of course......and thats probably what i worry puts weight on me...but i also feel it helps me run because i feel good running the next day. I usually have pb/chocolate before bed...those are the two "junk" foods that i always eat!!

Peanut butter is ok, and so is chocolate -- but perhaps not everyday -- you can get a much better energy return from something other than chocolate...  The peanut butter is good -- high energy, high protein, "good" fats. 

You can also get just as much benefit from a bagel and PB, some raw almonds, peanut butter and apple, oatmeal, etc as from a highly processed "energy" bar.  But I'm not going to argue with your coach -- I would hope he/she has some professional knowledge (I'm sure running is different than swimming, which is what I coach), I just don't happen to stress energy bars over "real" food

I define junk as hamburgers, fries, chips, candy, etc -- high fat, high carbs, fast (over processed) release starche

ok sweet! yeah, i never really eat burgers, fries, chips etc....so hopefully thats a good thing...

any advice with the possible weight loss?

I really am serious -- I don't think you need to lose any weight.  You are probably 130-135 lbs of almost solid muscle, with just a little fat (that all women must have).

Peanut butter everyday is great, it's a good source of healthy fats. I never heard chocolate before, so I don't know. You don't need to loose any weight though, your probably almost pure muscle! For example there is a girl at my school I would guess to be 115 pounds.. well she's 150 because she also is  competitive runner and is pretty much just muscle. Just focus on eating healthy.