“I feared that ceasing macro tracking would lead to losing my physique.”
After years of meticulous macro tracking, Dr. Fundaro finally confronted the reality that this strategy was no longer effective for her. Nevertheless, she felt hesitant to let it go.
If anyone ought to feel assured in their food selections, it would be Dr. Gabrielle Fundaro. After all, Dr. Fundaro possesses a PhD in Human Nutrition, over a decade of nutrition coaching expertise, and has participated in six powerlifting competitions.
Yet, in a moment of true honesty, Dr. Fundaro recognized that she was not at all self-assured when it came to food. For numerous years, she had relied on macro counting to maintain her “on track” eating habits.
And it was successful… until it wasn’t.
After years of monitoring macros, Dr. Fundaro grew weary of the entire routine. She was exhausted from ensuring her macros were perfectly aligned. She was fed up with being unable to simply choose anything from a menu and savor the meal, trusting that her health and physique would remain unaffected.
But the thought of not tracking unsettled her. Each time she stopped tracking, she found herself worrying:
“What if I don’t consume sufficient protein and lose all my muscle?”
“What if I indulge and gain fat?”
“What if I can’t figure out how to nourish myself without tracking macros? And what does that indicate about my expertise in nutrition?”
The more Dr. Fundaro grappled with macro tracking, the more she sought an alternative.
Something that would support her nutritional objectives while also granting her a sense of liberation and tranquility around food.
Counting calories wouldn’t suffice. That was just as confining as counting macros—perhaps even more.
Intuitive eating didn’t appear to be a suitable choice either. Intuitive eating heavily leans on a person’s ability to tune into internal hunger and fullness signals to steer food selections and portions. After years of depending on external signals (like her macro goals), Dr. Fundaro felt insufficient trust in her instincts; she needed more framework.
Meanwhile, at the gym, Dr. Fundaro started training using the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale—a method that assists individuals in gauging the effort they exert in any activity. It’s recognized as a useful tool for training safely and effectively according to individual capabilities and objectives. (More details on this shortly.)
By applying the RPE scale in her workouts, Dr. Fundaro noticed she was not only getting stronger but also recovering more effectively. There was a special synergy between structure and intuition that simply worked.
Then it struck Dr. Fundaro like an apple falling on Sir Isaac Newton:
If Rate of Perceived Exertion could enhance her training, might a comparable framework assist her in eating better?
Thus, the RPE-Eating Scale was created.
Dr. Fundaro has since implemented this innovative approach to assist herself and her clients in regaining confidence and self-trust regarding food; enhancing nutritional awareness and skills; and liberating themselves from food tracking.
(Indeed, Dr. Fundaro finally has faith in her food choices—no macro tracker present.)
In this article, you’ll discover how she accomplished it, 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 of the concept
What does RPE-Eating mean?
Developed by Gunnar Borg in the 1960s, Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is a scale designed to evaluate an individual’s perceived level of effort or exertion during physical activity.
While Borg’s RPE employs a range from 6 to 20, many contemporary scales utilize a 0 to 10 range (which is the