Diet culture often causes us to become obsessed with counting. Whether it be counting calories, counting macros, counting Weight Watchers points, there are so many tracking apps out there to help us keep track of what we are eating. I am joined today by a member of The SociEATy, Julia Reid, to talk through how to overcome that urge to count and track!

Julia and I both have a lot of personal experience with counting, and she shares some of her background with us and how she was pressured from a young age, especially as a dancer, to track what she was eating. We talk about why people become obsessed with counting calories and macros and how it’s often used as a crutch, even after first deciding to stop. We also discuss gaining back our hunger and fullness cues, the anxiety around eating out at restaurants when you’re tracking, how to overcome fearing certain foods, and so much more!

We are, as is tradition on the show, left with a few actionable tips. Julia encourages us to identify our why behind wanting to stop counting and also to take it slow. How much Julia has managed to overcome is so inspiring, and I really hope that our chat has been helpful for you! As always, I would really love it if you would rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen if you haven’t already, and I would also really appreciate it if you would share the episode with a few people who might enjoy my conversation with Julia! Also, feel free to tag me in your Instagram stories to let me know that you listened and/or to let me know what was especially insightful and/or helpful!

Show Sponsor

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Time Stamps

[1:43] – Colleen reveals today’s topic as counting calories and macros.

[4:40] – Julia dives into some of her backstory.

[8:04] – Julia reveals that her obsession with counting was mostly counting calories.

[12:04] – We discover how Julia approached counting macros.

[14:14] – Julia explains how she started to stop tracking.

[19:29] – Julia reveals that, at first, she continued to track numbers as a crutch.

[21:58] – Julia touches upon how she learned to listen to her body rather than an app.

[28:06] – We learn about how Julia has overcome mental tracking.

[31:50] – Colleen and Julia agree that tracking can be a manipulative mind game.

[33:37] – Julia talks about the difficulty of going out to eat when you’re tracking.

[36:20] – Discover how Julia went about breaking food rules and eating fear foods.

[40:11] – Julia addresses peanut butter as having been one of her fear foods.

[44:08] – Julia leaves us with a few actionable tips such as identifying our whys.

Links and Resources

Colleen Christensen Nutrition – Website

The SociEATy – Become a Member

The SociEATy’s Instagram Page

Colleen’s Instagram Page

Colleen’s YouTube Page

The Safe + Fair Food Company

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