HELP!!! Always over my calorie limit!

I ALWAYS go over my calorie limit!!! It is set for 1800 calories but I usually end up with around at least 2,000.  It is really hard for me to stick within the 1800 because I ride my bike and/or walk everywhere I go.  So right when I wake up I consume a 400 cal breakfast then after a few hours I am hungry again because of the bike ride, I seem to get hungry a lot.  I think it is because I have that first burst of activity in the mornings and then during the day I usually am walking around quit a bit and then at night I ride my bike the 2 miles home and am hungry again.  Does anyone have any appetite suppressing tips? 

Thanks!

Are you factoring in your exercise to your calories burned every day? If you are riding your bike, you might need a few more calories. You say you aim for 1800 calories a day, what kind of deficit are you creating?

As for appetite suppressing tips, I am clueless :) However, you might be able to eat a few less calories by switching a few things in your diet. I just found Sara Lee's low calorie bread, 45 calories a slice, and I swear I am IN LOVE! It makes having a sandwich a possibility again, instead of consuming 200+ calories in bread alone. Switch to skim milks, leaner meats, stuff like that. My favorite thing to eat is fresh fruits because they are so filling and low in calories.

Hope this helps a bit!

Thanks, I should've mentioned this in the post but I forgot.  I burn around 3,000 calories a day.

It sounds like you are on the right track, I try to keep my deficit at 1000 (at the most) and it has worked pretty well for me. Sooo....if you are burning 3000 and eating 2000 you are doing very well!

I forgot to recommend raw vegetables, too. If you are a fan of veggies, it is easy to fill your stomach with baby carrots, broccoli, cucumbers and such for snacks or to add to your meals.

I also chew gum when I know I am not hungry but I am in the mood for a taste.

If you're burning 3000 a day, around 2000 (or even 2200) is where you want to be anyway. :-) If you're active and the activity is making you hungry, feed your body!

Dang!!! when I started on caloriecount way back when a 1000 calorie defiecit was a big no no, but I guess times change. I always thought that you should have a defiecit of around 500 cals to lose the weight slowly and not impact your metabolism to bad.

Regards,

Bay_wolf.

baywolf - the recommended deficit is 500-1000 cals (1-2lb lost per week). Where you can be in that range depends on your and your body.

If you are heavier, you might be able to get away with a deficit on the high side of that range, whereas some people who only have a few vanity pounds can't even have 500 deficit and keep losing.

I think some people find that if they are sedentary, they can't get away with more than a 500 deficit, but if they are very active, they can have up to a 1000 deficit, but that depends on the individual.

To the OP, as minerva said, if you are burning 3000 in a day, 2000-2200 sounds perfect.

alright that makes a whole lot more since amethystgirl. I was just a little cunfused at first but it does make some sense but I guess it doesn't effect me since I'm now maintaining. And with knowing that 2000-2200 seems pretty good intake for the OP.

Regards,

Bay_wolf.

I didn't notice anyone mentioning water. I notice that I get that hungry feeling when actually my body is just thirsty. I drink about 12oz of water and wait 20 minutes. If I after that, I still feel hungry....then I eat. And like Kelleigh mentioned...veggies, veggies, veggies. 

Good luck.....

Yes, that's me ;-).

I am suppossed to eat ~1200 cal. And I have a sedentary life (PhD, over 10 hours per day in front of a computer), so I find it almost impossible to get under 1000 cals and burn over ~1800 AND have a social life AND work AND sleep (and those are the days when I actually manage to go running). In general, my life means burning ~1500 and eating ~1600... so very steadily I gain weight...

Check your burn metere.  Maybe you're hungry because you're hungry.  Your calorie deficit might be bigger than you think.

I would also add this question - - are you losing weight? If you are losing at the rate of 2000 a day added with your activity, it really isn't an issue is it? Just a thought...