I am a 23 yr old female and am 5'4 and weigh 110 pounds. I run four miles a day (and do a tiny bit of weight lifting) and eat 1600-1700 calories a day. Around how many grams of protein and carbohydrates should I aim for? What types of food would be the best sources for carbs?
Hi I personally would not do more than 10 pounds weight lifting since several people have gotten heart valve disorders from it such as a prolapsed valve. I would walk for exercise every day. Running risks turning an ankle on a curb, ditch, rock etc. probably more than walking because one is going faster and less likely to notice. There is also a bit more risk of running into someone at greater speed, perhaps a child who comes out from behind a yard enclosed by bushes chasing a ball. Potatoes, breads, grains some starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, and even carrot contains some carbohydrates. Nuts and nut butters can add calories in the form of fat usually but should not be more than 1/6th to 1/10th of any meal. sjb
Hi I personally would not do more than 10 pounds weight lifting since several people have gotten heart valve disorders from it such as a prolapsed valve. I would walk for exercise every day. Running risks turning an ankle on a curb, ditch, rock etc. probably more than walking because one is going faster and less likely to notice. There is also a bit more risk of running into someone at greater speed, perhaps a child who comes out from behind a yard enclosed by bushes chasing a ball. Potatoes, breads, grains some starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, and even carrot contains some carbohydrates. Nuts and nut butters can add calories in the form of fat usually but should not be more than 1/6th to 1/10th of any meal. sjb
Walking might help burn excess calories but running is an entirely different form of excerise; it works your heart/lungs i.e. cardiovascular. The health benefits to 15-20 minutes of cardio. 3-4 or more times per week drastically outweigh the chance injury by 'running into someone.' Make sure to keep your head up and eyes open when you run, I guess. Point being, keep that up. However, don't focus on how many miles you run. Rather, focus on keeping your target heart rate for at least 15-20 minutes. As you continue to run 4 miles your body will get better at running 4 miles as your hearth/lungs get stronger thus you will find diminishing returns unless you consitantly ramp up your speed. A better metric is your heart rate.
The jury is still out as far as I can tell on some carb sources. A lot of fluff was thrown into the mix with the explosion in popularity of low-carb diets. The basic idea is to avoid refind grains because your body metabolises these much more quickly which leads to blood glucose spikes. Sticking to whole grains (e.g. whole grain rice/bread), whole fruits/vegetables, and legumes/nuts and avoiding refined grains is what I recommend.
Also, to be clear, '10 pounds' is entirely arbitrary. The common advice is to avoid 'heavy' weight lifting to avoid heart damage due to increased pressure on the heart. How you define 'heavy' is also arbitrary but it is clear that 'heavy' depends on your current condition/ability.
I am a 23 yr old female and am 5'4 and weigh 110 pounds. I run four miles a day (and do a tiny bit of weight lifting) and eat 1600-1700 calories a day.
Will you marry me?
Just kidding. My two cents is that we need far less protein than most think, but any dairy mixed with a grain makes a complete protein and is healthier than meat sources. One of the healthiest carbs is brown rice. Mix that with some cheese and veggies in a casserole and you have a healthy, complete protein, plus all the carbs you need.
But regardless of any individual's advice, the best option is to always listen to your body. You are fit, and I would guess in tune with your body, so listen to it and don't worry about other peoples' formulas.
fwiw,
M.
__________________ "The only thing that makes me depressed, Doc, is not getting any answers from you."
One more comment about running is that it can be hard on joints over the years as one grows older. 
