By: Katherine Metzelaar, MSN, RDN, CD

The concept of calorie counting has almost been around for as long diets have existed.

The belief and concept is that each person depending on their body size and goals needs a specific range of calories each day to meet their needs with diets recommending reducing calories in order to lose weight. This “calories in calories out” is nothing new; it’s also over simplified and just not how the body works. And yet it’s hard to think differently about food after years of counting calories.

So how do you stop calorie counting?

Once calorie counting has been a part of your eating experience for some time, it can be hard to challenge it and work to let it go. It’s almost as if the calorie counting becomes so practiced that any time you see a food you can recite the number of calories in the serving of that food. So, the idea of stopping counting calories can often bring up feelings of fear and confusion.

How do you eat without counting calories? What would happen if you stopped counting calories and instead started to give yourself permission to eat unrestricted? So with this in mind, let’s dive into three ways that you can stop counting calories so that you can create a more peaceful, intuitive relationship with food.

#1: Stop Reading Nutrition Labels

I know this one is going to feel and seem extreme because it goes against everything that you have been taught. Common dieting advice is to look at the nutrition label to assess for many things, in this case the amount of calories. The calories are big, bold, front and center of the nutrition label and it’s hard to miss them.

The reason I want to encourage you to stop looking at the nutrition label is because this only reinforces that which you are trying to move away from. Even if you think you can ignore the calorie amount or that one look won’t hurt, you will naturally be thinking about the calories in a portion.

Pro-tip: If resisting looking at the label feels too hard, put stickers or a piece of non-transparent tape on the calorie amount to cover it up. You might consider asking a friend, family member, or a partner to help you do this.

#2: Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is often easier talked about than practiced, but it’s something that is essential to include if you are wanting to stop calorie counting. The reason for this is that when you practice something (in this case calorie counting) a bunch of times, your brain makes shortcuts (called neural pathways) so that it gets easier over time.

It’s a handy tool to have normally because with practice you want something to get easier. But, when you are wanting to move away from doing something like calorie counting your brain gets confused like, “I created this pathway for you and now you don’t wanna use it? No thank you.”

So, the way that you take steps toward making that “pathway” less strong is:

Practice noticing when it’s happening by naming it as such. When you catch yourself counting calories in your head say, “I am noticing I am counting calories.” This brings the subconscious into the conscious awareness.
Next, think of a phrase you would like to say to yourself in response. For example, “I am no longer counting calories” or “counting calories doesn’t serve me” or “counting calories has left me miserable, I’m not doing that anymore.” Pick something that resonates with you and your experience.

Pro tip: Be patient with yourself. It can often take time until you stop seeing food as numbers.

#3: Challenge the “calories in calories out” theory and release the belief that each person needs a specific amount of calories each day.

The last way that you can practice moving away from counting calories is to challenge the myth altogether that your body needs a specific amount of calories each day and that an external source can tell you that exact amount. Most diets underestimate your caloric needs, but even if it was accurate, it still doesn’t account for normal fluctuations in your caloric needs that are impacted by your metabolic needs, energy needs, stress, injury, and so much more.

Following a calorie counting plan will only further disconnect you from your body, leave food feeling confusing and make intuitive eating feel like something that is impossible.

Pro tip: You may be going up against lots of beliefs that you have long held and that others may hold too. Seek out anti-diet blogs, articles, and podcasts as a way to let go of calorie counting.

These three tips to stop calorie counting are a great place to start, but are by no means comprehensive. There are many things that you can practice in order to move away from calorie counting especially if you have been doing it for some time. Be gentle with yourself as you unlearn years of calorie counting. It takes practice, patience, and time to unlearn all those years of calorie counting and restricting your food intake.

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Are you ready to stop counting calories and break free from food rules?

We work with clients virtually helping people who are struggling with food and body image. It’s possible to change your relationship with food and your body, free up headspace, and live your life with more presence, abundance and peace. Learn more about Bravespace Nutrition, our philosophy, and the services we offer.

Three Ways To Stop Calorie Counting Today