Nina Kaufmann

As you begin your journey toward food freedom, it’s natural for questions to surface. A part of you might resist the idea of letting go, wondering how to trust your body’s hunger and fullness signals instead of relying on meal plans or calorie counts to dictate your food choices.

One of the most common fears I hear is: “How am I supposed to stop counting calories? It’s what keeps me in control. If I allow myself to eat freely, I’m afraid I will never stop. I must count calories, or else I’ll lose control.”

But here’s the truth:
Calorie counting is an illusion of control.

Calorie values are nothing more than estimates. No matter how meticulously we try to measure them, our bodies don’t absorb all the calories we consume in the same way. There’s so much more to digestion, metabolism, and calorie absorption than what’s written on a nutrition label.

I remember attending a seminar during my nutrition studies where my mentor shared an interesting story. She had been researching nutrient values for dietary guidelines but couldn’t match the official figure of 10%. She kept arriving at 8.4%, despite her best efforts. Doubting her own math skills, she reached out to the research team, only to learn that they had simply rounded the figure up to 10%. That moment revealed something important: nutrition guidelines and calorie values are often just rough estimates.

For someone who once obsessed over every calorie consumed, this revelation was both freeing and frustrating. I had spent so much energy worrying about numbers that were, at best, approximations. I realized I had been letting these arbitrary numbers dictate my self-worth.

The Inaccuracy of Calorie Values

Calorie counts on food labels can be off by as much as 20%. This variation is not only permitted but considered normal. So, when you think you’re consuming 400 calories, you could be eating anywhere between 320 and 480 calories. If you’re on a restrictive diet, say one allowing 1,500 calories a day, this means you’re actually consuming anywhere between 1,200 and 1,800 calories—while still going through the emotional and physical stress of restriction, measuring your food.

Calorie Absorption: A Unique Process

Even after measuring your portions according to those approximate values, your troubles aren’t over. The calories you consume go through your digestive system and aren’t necessarily all the calories you absorb. Different foods are absorbed differently, and individual bodies process calories in unique ways. For instance, research shows that we absorb only about 79% of the calories in walnuts, meaning that the 220 calories listed for 30 grams of walnuts might actually result in about 175 absorbed calories. 20% more or less.

This variability depends on a multitude of factors, including the makeup of your gut bacteria, which significantly impacts how calories are processed. People with more Firmicutes bacteria tend to absorb more calories than those with higher levels of Bacteroidetes. Meaning, your body knows when, what and how much to eat to reflect your unique needs. No outside source can match your needs the way you yourself can.

The Thermic Effect of Food

Digesting food burns calories too—a factor not reflected on nutrition labels. The body uses calories to chew food, to break it down to nutrients, to absorb these nutrients and to transport them around the body.

Energetic cost of metabolism varies by macronutrient. For instance, the thermic effect of protein is higher, with 20-30% of protein calories burned during digestion, compared to 5-10% for carbohydrates and 0-3% for fats.

Food Preparation Matters

Food processing also affects calorie absorption. Just chopping, blending, or cooking food increases the calories our bodies absorb. For example, 100 grams of raw potatoes contain about 146 calories, but once baked, the calorie count rises to 172.

Rule of thumb is; the more we process the food, the more energy we get from it.

Despite these complexities, many of us are led to believe that controlling our size is as simple as counting and measuring everything we eat. The reality is far more nuanced.

What You Can Do

So, with all these variables, how can you navigate this? The answer lies in letting go. Release the judgment, and instead, focus on tuning into your body’s natural cues. Trust that your body knows what it needs, and how much it needs.

I know this can feel daunting at first, especially if you’ve spent years relying on external metrics like time, meal plans, and calorie counts. But like any skill, learning to listen to your body takes practice—and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to practice, we eat every day!

As you deepen your connection with your body, the obsession with calorie counting will fade. Rather than relying on external rules, you’ll learn to rely on yourself. Yes, this is scary, but it’s 100% worth it!

If you’re ready to break free from calorie counting and develop a more peaceful relationship with food, I invite you to join my “Peace with Food” course. In this transformative course, you’ll discover:

• Why diets often fail and lead to unhealthy habits.
• How to escape the toxic grip of diet culture and why disordered eating is not normal.
• The principles of intuitive eating and how it can help you reconnect with your body.
• Practical steps, journaling prompts, and exercises to guide you toward food freedom.
• How to cultivate a positive body image and embrace self-love, with tools designed to support you on this journey.

Bonus: Healing from Emotional Eating
You’ll also get access to our new bonus lectures on emotional eating. These lectures offer compassionate insights into understanding emotional eating and provide you with practical strategies to expand your emotional coping toolkit beyond food.

This course is more than just changing how you eat, it’s about changing how your relationship with food on a deeper level. If you’re ready to experience true freedom, join the “Peace with Food” course today.

You Deserve Freedom

You are deserving of freedom – freedom from the obsession, the judgment, and the endless cycle of restriction. Building a loving, trusting relationship with yourself and food is not easy, but the rewards are life-changing.

Think about how much energy you’ve spent counting calories, restricting, and judging yourself. Now imagine using that energy to cultivate self-love, patience, and kindness. That’s where the magic happens.

Take the First Step

Start small, but start now. The journey isn’t linear; there will be ups and downs. Nature moves in cycles, and so do we. One day you’ll feel like you’re finally getting it, and the next day may feel harder. But that doesn’t mean you’ve failed—it means you’re human. Feel the emotions, acknowledge them, and then let them go. Each day is a new opportunity for growth. Especially when it comes to food – we eat every day.

And if you ever need support, I’m here for you. Feel free to reach out. Private coaching with me has helped many women find their freedom, and it can help you too.

If this message resonates with you, or you know someone who might benefit from it, please share it.

Want the Best Support On Your Healing Journey?

If you are tired of feeling stuck in the guilt and shame cycle around food, I would love to support you. Working with me is rooted in intuitive eating and self-compassion, helping you reconnect with your body’s wisdom and find peace with food so that you can achieve true, long-term health!

Book a free discovery call with me and let us explore how you can create a relationship with food that feels calm, joyful, and nourishing.

Together, we’ll:

• Unpack and heal the root causes of your food struggles.
• Gently release the harmful diet rules and beliefs.
• Rebuild your relationship with your body and food.
• Learn health and nutrition tools that actually work for you, not against you.

Clients often tell me they go from obsessing over food and feeling like they “can’t be trusted” to finally enjoying meals again; in peace, in balance, and without guilt. And that’s all I want for you, being able to live a full, happy, healthy life!

Book a free discovery call today, and let’s see how intuitive eating coaching can help you feel more at home in your body; no more diets, guilt, or stress.
I offer different packages so working with me can fit your lifestyle and your budget. Check them out here.

Book Your Free Discovery Call Today

What It Looks Like to Work with Me

Each client’s journey is unique, but here’s a bit of a framework on how we’ll work together:

• Free Discovery Call – No-pressure chat to see if we’re a good fit. No strings attached!
• 1:1 Coaching Sessions – In-depth, 60-90 minute sessions focused on intuitive eating, mindset shifts, and practical strategies, individualized for your specific needs.
• Unlimited Messaging Support – Have questions, concerns or breakthroughs between sessions? I’ve got you covered.
• Workbooks and Practical Exercises – Tools to help you integrate intuitive eating into your daily life; whether we’re talking intuitive eating journals, gentle nutrition guides or coping with your emotions tools!
• Ongoing Guidance and Accountability – Support that flows with your needs, every step of the way. I’m here to listen: while I will offer insights and advice, I recognize that you’re the expert of your body and your experience. Therefore, everything we work through will be centered around your needs.

Or in the words of my client, “Nina helped me change my relationship with food in a way I never thought it could be possible. She gave me life long tools to empower myself and my health.“

Book Your Free Discovery Call Today

Take the first step toward food freedom: my coaching packages start at just 97€!