Break Free From Calorie Counting--Here's How
I know what it's like to feel like you'll never be able to look at food again and not just see numbers. Eating is so much more than just a transaction. Being healthy is so more than just calories in, calories out. I know you may know that, but do you really KNOW that? As in, do you live like that and think like that? I know it may feel like calories are all you'll ever see when you look at food, and I also know you want freedom from that because you recognize that it's robbing you from enjoying food and having a healthy relationship with food. So let's talk about it! Openly and honestly. Let's talk about how to break free from calorie counting!So I remember laying in bed every night, counting up the calories I'd eaten during the day and literally praying that they'd be under 2,000 (that was the number I'd given myself to stick to). I was meticulous with making sure each meal was only a certain amount and each snack was only a certain number of calories. Bonus points if I came out less than 2,000!I thought to myself, if only I stay under this number every day, then I'll be healthy. But what was really running through my head was, "If only I stay under 2,000 calories, then I'll be able to control my weight and won't have to worry about gaining weight."I always thought the way I was eating and my motivation was all about wanting to be healthy. But what I realized was it was about CONTROLLING my weight, my size, my appearance. Because I worried that I wouldn't be loved and accepted if I didn't stay in a smaller body.Wow! That realization!But let me say this, once I realized that my motivation wasn't really health, and once I realized that how I was eating wasn't really health-promoting, everything changed. Well, it started to change. Because my mindset started a necessary shift.I was recently talking with a past client and she was sharing what helped her make the shift away from needing everything as far as food goes to tally up to being able to be spontaneous with food, not worrying about the numbers.Here's what she said...when she learned more about how our bodies work & what healthy really means, she was able to really find the freedom she was looking for!Did you catch that? Education is huge here! So I want to dive into that for a sec.Here are two big things we know about calories...
- calories are ENERGY
- calorie needs VARY day to day
What does this mean? This means that #1 you don't have to FEAR calories anymore! And #2 you can TRUST your body's hunger signals to help you figure out when and how much to eat!But calories also have another purpose...they bring JOY because food is enJOYable!If you're trying to let go of calorie counting and not have it control your every day, here's where I recommend starting...
1. GET RID OF CALORIE COUNTING APPS & OTHER TRACKERS
Just like the first step towards being an intuitive eater is ditching diet mentality, in order for you to break free from calorie counting you want to get rid of anything that is external that will take away your ability to pay attention to the internal. Think of it as creating an intuitive eating utopia. This means getting rid of calorie counting and tracking apps.
2. LET HUNGER GUIDE WHEN & HOW MUCH YOU EAT...NOT CALORIES
Second, honor your hunger. Start to notice what hunger feels like for you, specifically. Do you feel a little distracted, maybe you feel that gnawing feeling in your stomach, maybe you feel empty, maybe irritable. Notice and respond. Eat a snack or a meal depending on how hungry you are and what time of day it is. Honoring your hunger is a principle of intuitive eating and can also help you with breaking free from calorie counting because it's training you to disregard calories as the end all be all for how to much to eat and instead trust your body to guide you with when and how much to eat.
3. SEE FOOD FOR MORE THAN JUST ENERGY
This means getting rid of the "good food/bad food" mentality, working towards seeing all food as on the same playing food. Start to look at food as for more than just energy. Yes, we talked above about how calories are energy, but breaking free from calorie counting requires that you start to see food for even more than that. Food and eating is about the relationship it brings, the connection we get with others. It's about the pleasure we get from taste and fullness. Energy and calories that bring energy are one part of our relationship with food. Sometimes it's helpful to take time away from looking at a nutrition label. But I will say, if you feel like it won't trigger you at this place in your journey, there's a way to view calories and calorie counts from a place that will actually HELP you be intuitive and care for your body with gentle nutrition!For example, if a food is lower in calorie it's typically not as satisfying on it's own especially if you're hungry. I woudn't just eat an apple if I'm hungry for a full meal. I also wouldn't eat a pack of 100 calorie cookies if I'm really hungry in between meals; I'd know I need something more substantial. Use calorie labels to help you gauge how that food will satisfy you. The same goes for meals. I know myself, and 300 or even sometimes 500 calories isn't enough at a meal. Activity level during the day, even where I'm at in my menstrual cycle, can play a role in my caloric needs for the day. You will never wake up and know an exact number of the calories you need for that day. Again, every day is different. So the best way to know how much to eat is by using your hunger cues as a guide.Was this helpful? If you want more support on breaking free from calorie counting and ultimately eating more intuitively, grab your free download of my ebook, Intuitive Eating Playbook.