## “I was concerned that if I ceased tracking macros, I would lose my physique.”

After years of meticulous macro tracking, Dr. Fundaro eventually acknowledged that the approach no longer served her well. Still, she was apprehensive about letting it go.

If anyone ought to be assured in their food selections, it would be Dr. Gabrielle Fundaro. After all, Dr. Fundaro holds a PhD in Human Nutrition, boasts over a decade of experience in nutrition coaching, and has participated in six powerlifting competitions.

However, upon deeper reflection, Dr. Fundaro recognized that she felt far from assured when it came to food. For many years, she had utilized macro counting as a method to keep her eating “on track.”

And it worked… until it didn’t.

After years of macro tracking, Dr. Fundaro grew weary of the entire process. She was drained from ensuring her macros were meticulously balanced. She was fed up with not being able to freely choose anything she desired from a menu and enjoy the meal, trusting that her health and physique wouldn’t decline as a consequence.

Yet, the thought of not tracking unnerved her. Each time she stopped tracking, she fretted:

“What if I don’t consume sufficient protein and lose all my muscle?”

“What if I overindulge and gain fat?”

“What if I have no clue how to nourish myself without macro tracking? And what does that imply about me as a nutrition expert?”

### The more Dr. Fundaro grappled with macro tracking, the more she sought an alternative.

One that would align with her nutritional objectives while also offering her a sense of liberty and tranquility regarding food.

Calorie counting wouldn’t suffice. That was just as confining as counting macros—possibly more.

Intuitive eating also didn’t appear to be a suitable match. Intuitive eating relies significantly on an individual’s capability to listen to internal hunger and fullness signals for guiding food choices and portion sizes. After years of depending on external cues (like her macro goals), Dr. Fundaro didn’t feel confident enough in her instincts; she desired more structure.

Meanwhile, at the gym, Dr. Fundaro started lifting based on the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale—a framework assisting individuals in gauging the effort they’re applying during a specific movement or activity. It’s recognized as a beneficial tool for helping individuals train safely and effectively in line with their abilities and objectives. (More details on that soon.)

While employing the RPE scale in her training, Dr. Fundaro discovered that she was becoming both stronger and recovering better. There was something about this blend of structure and intuition that just resonated.

Then, it hit Dr. Fundaro like an apple falling on Sir Isaac Newton’s head:

### If Rate of Perceived Exertion could enhance her training, couldn’t a similar framework improve her eating?

With this realization, the RPE-Eating Scale was established.

Dr. Fundaro has since leveraged this alternative approach to assist herself and her clients in regaining confidence and self-trust around food; enhancing nutritional awareness and competence; and liberating themselves from food tracking.

(Yup, Dr. Fundaro now trusts her eating choices—no macro tracker in sight.)

**In this article, you’ll discover how she accomplished this, along with:**

– What the RPE-Eating scale entails
– How to practice RPE-Eating
– How to apply RPE-Eating for weight loss or gain
– Whether RPE-Eating is suitable for you or your clients
– What to consider if you’re doubtful about the concept

## What is RPE-Eating?

Created by Gunnar Borg in the 1960s, **Rate of Perceived Exertion** (RPE) is a scale utilized to gauge an individual’s perceived level of effort or exertion during physical activity.

Although Borg’s RPE uses a scale from 6 to 20, many contemporary scales utilize a 0 to 10 range (which is the range Dr. Fundaro adapted for her RPE-Eating scale).

Here’s the RPE scale commonly used in fitness.

| Rating | Perceived Exertion Level |
|———|————————————————|
| 0 | No exertion, at rest |
| 1 | Very light |
| 2-3 | Light |
| 4-5 | Moderate, somewhat hard |
| 6-7 | High, vigorous |
| 8-9 | Very hard |
| 10 | Maximum effort, highest possible |

Initially employed in physiotherapy settings, the scale is now frequently applied in fitness training.

For instance, powerlifters may utilize it to determine the weight they wish to lift during a training session. Alternatively, pregnant individuals might use it to ensure they aren’t over-exerting themselves during a fitness class or strength training.