“I feared that ceasing macro tracking would lead to losing my physique.”

For Dr. Gabrielle Fundaro, PhD, a decade spent meticulously counting macros had been the foundation of her nutritional beliefs. As a nutrition scientist and coach holding a doctorate in Human Nutrition, along with years of competitive powerlifting experience, she embodied dedication and resolve towards her objectives. Yet, beneath her expert facade, she battled the same anxiety that plagues numerous health-conscious individuals:

What will happen if I stop tracking?

Would she forfeit her muscle? Diminish her physique? Or even worse—lose the identity and credibility tied to her expertise in nutrition?

If you’ve ever felt constrained by the strict confines of macro counting, or apprehensive about the thought of eating without prior measurements, Dr. Fundaro’s experience may resonate with you and provide both affirmation and a way forward.

Let’s explore how she shifted from macro tracking to a completely new approach she created: RPE-Eating.

When Macro Tracking Becomes a Disservice

Macro counting—the precise monitoring of protein, fat, and carbohydrate intake—has aided many individuals in understanding portion sizes, nutrient composition, and which foods align best with their goals. It can be immensely effective, particularly for beginners or those preparing for specific events, such as body competitions or athletic contests.

For Dr. Fundaro, it was beneficial… until it wasn’t.

She became drained by the constant calculations in her head, unable to enjoy meals beyond their numerical significance. Eating out turned into a source of anxiety. The notion of flexibility felt like a danger to her progress rather than a healthy alternative. Yet, abandoning macros altogether induced another form of anxiety:

– “What if I don’t consume enough protein and lose all my muscle?”
– “What if I overindulge and gain fat?”
– “What if I cannot make appropriate choices without numbers?”

The mental regulation surrounding food, once a form of control, had turned restrictive—even counterproductive. Her body was transforming not due to food itself, but from the stress of maintaining such tight control. She required a method that maintained structure without feeling imprisoned. That’s when she found her breakthrough.

A New Approach: Introducing RPE-Eating

While altering her training, Dr. Fundaro began utilizing the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale—a system designed to evaluate how intensely you believe you are exerting yourself during workouts. It offered her both freedom and structure. She realized she didn’t have to lift precisely 175 lbs for a workout to be deemed “successful.” All she needed was to work within a particular effort range.

So… why not apply the same concepts to eating?

Dr. Fundaro’s creative adaptation—the RPE-Eating Scale—offers a subjective, intuitive structure that aids individuals in assessing and responding to their hunger and fullness cues. Much like its exercise counterpart, RPE-Eating relies on internal feedback rather than external figures.

It cultivates the skill of interoceptive awareness: tuning in to your body’s needs instead of delegating that choice to an app or scale.

At its essence, RPE-Eating eliminates rigid regulations and substitutes them with deliberate awareness.

Here’s how it operates—and how you can begin implementing it for yourself.

How to Implement RPE-Eating

RPE-Eating focuses on progress, patterns, and reacquainting yourself with the skill of trusting your instincts around food, rather than striving for perfection.

Step 1: Define Your Objectives

Before embarking on this journey, it’s crucial to clarify your goals.

RPE-Eating is not primarily a fat loss or muscle-building strategy—though it could aid those pursuits. Instead, it serves as a resource to:

– Foster a healthier relationship with food
– Enhance trust in your internal hunger and satiety signals
– Cultivate greater food autonomy and confidence

That said, with certain adaptations (explained below), it can be customized to target specific outcomes, including weight control.

Step 2: Listen to Hunger Signals

Similar to RPE in exercise, you will utilize a 1-10 scale to assess your physical hunger and fullness levels.

– 1–3: Undernourished and highly hungry
– 4–7: Properly nourished; comfortably full
– 8–10: Over-nourished; uncomfortably full or excessively stuffed

Prior to meals, gauge your hunger level. Halfway through your meal, reassess. After finishing, conduct a full awareness check:

– How satiated do you feel?
– What sensations accompany that fullness?
– Was the meal satisfying emotionally as well as physically?

Diminishing external “shoulds” and heightening internal “signals” improves with practice. Engage in this method over multiple meals and across days—not all at once.