Adjusting my calorie goal

I am sometimes too impressionable. I read something or hear somebody say something and I label it "gospel" and file it in a place of importance and easy access in my mind's filing cabinet.

For instance:

Denise Austin said that I can safely reduce my daily caloric intake to 1200 calories and quickly lose weight without hurting my body. During the year I lived in Savannah, Georgia, I spent a lot of time in my living room with Denise Austin. For various reasons I had gained a ton of weight the year before (well, not quite a ton ... 1.5% of a ton, to be precise) so I spent this year in relative seclusion attempting to get healthy. Some days I jogged around Forsyth Park, but on the really stifling humid Savannah days I stayed in my living room and turned on the TV to do aerobics with Denise. It was a nice time. So I made many efforts to follow her advice.

Somewhere I read that while trying to get pregnant, Angelina Jolie's nutritionist advised her to up her daily caloric intake from 1200 to 1500 calories. Of course all beautiful celebrities diet their entire lives; their paychecks depend on it. (Often I wish mine did.) So I figured, if Angelina can maintain those breasts while consuming only 1200 calories a day, I can certainly do so and remain healthy.

I've heard that 1200 calorie rule bandied about in numerous places, from numerous sources. I have no doubt that it's a fine goal. I have little doubt that it's harmless and that you'll drop weight fast with that kind of calorie intake, and I can prove it. So striving for 1200 calories a day when dieting is what I've always done. I simply thought it must be the right thing to do. It was my gospel.

So when I signed up at FitDay to log my diet and exercise, I set up some daily goals for myself. The one I pay most attention to is daily caloric intake, and the goal I set for myself was 1200-1500 calories. I wanted to give myself a little buffer zone, as I knew it would be tough to get into the habit of consuming only 1200 calories. So 1200-1500 seemed reasonable, but I really wanted to keep it closer to 1200 when possible.

I tried, oh how I tried. I did very well for a while, too. I reached my first fitness goal of losing my first 4 pounds, and life was good. Until bedtime, that is. Any time after 6pm, actually, because by that time I had already consumed my 1200 calories, and the most I could do after that was have maybe a nutrition bar and a piece of fruit, that is, if I was satisfied with going all the way to 1500 calories for the day, and regardless, I went to bed hungry. Every night. And it's hard for me to sleep when I'm hungry.

What ended up happening was that I rebelled and ended up gaining the weight back. I was miserable. So about a week ago I decided to try making a change.

My new goal for daily caloric intake is 1400-1600 calories. Now, instead of 1500 calories being "OK, but at the high end of where I want to be," it's right in the middle of where I'm aiming. It's my bullseye. And if I want, I can even have 100 more calories after that!

It's still restrictive, as diets are by definition. But it's possible. Often lately I've been landing somewhere between 1400-1500 calories after dinner, and then if I'm hungry before bed my favorite snack is Orville Redenbacher's 94% fat free popcorn in a 100-calorie mini bag. I actually bought the box of mini bags by accident, but it turns out that the serving size is just right.

I'm learning that there is nothing wrong with adjusting my goals. More to the point, I'm learning that to adjust a goal is not to fail at the goal. There is a little trial and error involved in just about everything we do, and the important thing is that we improve along the way. So here I am, full of more calories than before, but at least now I can sleep.