How to lose weight without tracking calories is a question I often get asked.
It’s like, how to pass an exam without studying?
You just wing it and hope you get lucky.
So yeah, it’s going to be harder to do.
It might not happen as quickly as you want it.
But it’s definitely possible to lose weight without tracking calories.
And let me reiterate – if you’re upset with your lack of results, I’d highly suggest tracking your calories for at least 30 days.
Because even if you don’t count calories, calories still count.
And if you don’t know how much you’re eating, how do you know if you’re in a calorie deficit?
Anyways, in this article, we’re going to focus strictly on how to lose weight without counting calories.
So, don’t skip around and make sure you read the whole article to find out.
Calories
Before we dive into the nitty gritty of how to lose weight without tracking your calories, let’s first discuss how weight loss occurs.
Food contains calories that you eat for energy.
A calorie is simply a unit of measurement in food that determines how much energy that food has.
Your body then uses those calories (energy) throughout the day to function with things like keeping you alive, digesting food, moving around, and exercise.
As you can guess, there are some foods that have higher calories (more energy) and lower calories (lower energy).
So, it’s essentially an equation of: energy in vs energy out.
And depending on the balance of calories in vs calories out, you’ll either gain or lose weight.
Imagine a seesaw on the playground.
The heavier kid’s side is going to sink towards the ground while the lighter kid is going to rise to the top.
The same thing applies with nutrition.
The heavier side – whether you’re in a calorie surplus, calorie deficit, or at maintenance – dictates what happens to your body.
If you eat more than you burn, you’re going to gain weight because your body has to do something with those extra calories – either use it to build muscle or store it as body fat.
And for most people, especially here in the US, the latter tends to happen.
On the opposite end, if you eat less then you burn, your body doesn’t have the extra fuel it needs from food so it has to use its stored body fat for energy – hence fat loss.
And that’s a very simplistic view of energy balance.
Notice how I didn’t mention anything about “clean foods” or “no carbs” or any of that bullshit.
Don’t be like me and fall for the fad diet bullshit. I already did that for you so you’re good.
What matters most is the amount of food that you eat – regardless of where it comes from.
And of course, food quality does matter but we’ll talk about that later.
Protein
Protein is the most important macronutrient to lose weight without tracking calories.
It has numerous health and longevity benefits.
And the really cool thing about protein is it’s very filling and hard to over eat, which makes it the perfect food for a fat loss diet.
Imagine trying to stuff 2 plain chicken breasts down your throat.
Yeah, after about halfway you’d tap out.
It’s also going to play a huge role in keeping you lean, toned, and strong.
Because protein helps boost your metabolism by building and retaining muscle.
Muscle is very expensive for your body to hold onto compared to fat in terms of calories.
It also is more dense than body fat – which means it takes up less room.
Imagine muscle being like a subscription.
If you want more cool features, it’s going to cost more money. If you want more muscle on your body (cool features) your body has to use more energy (money).
So the more muscle you have, the leaner you’ll be.
And since you’re burning more calories, you’ll be able to eat more while staying lean.
Lastly, protein has a very high thermogenic effect of food.
This simply means that it takes more energy for your body to digest than any other macronutrient (carbs, fats, alcohol).
So not only does it burn more calories to digest, it also is near impossible to store as body fat.
Fucking awesome right?
Basically, protein is your fat loss lifesaver.
Now, you also have to follow a proper strength training program as well but you can read about that HERE … but that’s for a different article.
Fiber
Ahhh…. good ole fiber.
As I’m writing this now, there are still debates on fiber and whether it’s good for you or not.
It’s ironic because If you know me, I used to fall into this camp, but I didn’t know jack shit about nutrition.
I was just some young and dumb college student who wanted to get jacked.
But, with all of the research out there, fiber is one of the best things for your health.
Fiber helps keep you full, which just like protein, is going to be super important to lose weight without tracking calories.
It also barely contains any calories. So most foods high in fiber are great to eat because you can eat a lot of them and fill up.
Another benefit is that it helps clean you out in a good way – not like a diarrhea tea would, but rather, a smooth clean out if you know what I mean?
And many high fiber-containing foods are packed with nutrients that are important for your health.
So yeah…. I’d say fiber is very important.
Some of my favorite high fiber foods include:
berries, chia seeds, low carb wraps, dark leafy greens, avocados, nuts, whole grains, popcorn, oats, lentils, beans, chickpeas, and dark chocolate.
One caveat is that you may notice that *some* fiber foods don’t necessarily agree with your belly.
In this case, keep track of how you feel after eating certain foods, and make any necessary adjustments from there.
Ideally, you want to aim for about 25-35g as a female, and about 35-45g as a male.
Again, if that’s too much for you right now, you can slowly work your way up to that but that should be the goal.
If you’re more interested in fiber, I have a whole podcast episode that you can listen to HERE.
Carbs and Fats
Carbs and fats are the other two macronutrients that are going to be based on your preference.
They’re still important when trying to lose weight without tracking calories but not as much as protein and fiber are.
Because, when you’re in a calorie deficit, your body burns through all of the energy (carbs and fats) you get from food.
Therefore, there’s nothing left to store.
Now, to give some context, carbs and fats still have their importance.
Carbs taste amazing and give you energy so that you can go hard in and recover from your workouts. Plus, they can also help some people with sleep and stress.
When I talk about carbs, I’m not talking about things like poptarts, cereal, and cookies.
While those things are fucking delicous and can be included in your diet in moderation, most of your carbs sources should come from 1 ingredient, whole food sources.
Things like oats, rice, pasta, potatoes, whole grain breads, etc.
Fats are great for your health, hormones, and depending on the source, can be filling.
However, they can add up quickly because they are almost double as many calories per gram as carbs and protein are.
Carbs: 4 cal/g
Protein: 4 cal/g
Fats: 9 cal/g
So, when you’re choosing foods, be conscious of how much fat you’re eating – especially since you’re trying to lose weight without tracking calories.
Another thing to be aware of is that you may feel better eating more of one than the other.
So pay attention to how you feel throughout the day after eating one vs the other and go from there.
How To Lose Weight Without Tracking Calories: Meal Planning
Before we dive into the methods and tactics on how to lose weight without tracking calories, I’m going to briefly talk about the importance of meal planning.
In order to succeed on your fat loss journey, you have to help yourself succeed.
Meaning, you have to make your nutrition a priority if you want to lose weight without tracking calories.
And a great way to do that is to plan your meals out.
When you have a plan, you already know what you have to do ahead of time, and you’re more likely to succeed.
Do you think when 2 NFL teams play each other on the weekend, they go in winging it?
No, they plan their defenses, offenses, what to do in certain situations, etc.. so that when that situation comes, they can use logic rather than emotion because they already have a plan.
So with your diet, you’re more likely to follow through and stay on track when you plan things out.
And over time, you start to build go-to meals.
Which is a very underrated part of dieting.
Some of the most successful online fat loss clients I’ve had, including myself, stick to the same meals.
Because consistency and simplicity are the key to losing weight without tracking calories.
Versus, going through life like everyone else trying to wing it.
In this case, you’re more likely to make the wrong decisions, get caught up in the stress of the moment, say “fuck it”, and think “I’ll just get back on track tomorrow.”
The more this happens, the more degraded you’ll feel, and ultimately quit.
So, the best place to start when trying to lose weight without tracking calories? Plan your shit!
Figure out what your favorite proteins, carbs, fats, and vegetable sources are.
Figure out what meals you want to make for the week, go to the grocery store, and buy these foods.
Then sit down on the weekend, the night before, or the morning of, and plan WHAT you’re going to be eating and WHEN you’re going to eat it.
And boom, you’re already setting yourself up for success.
And whether you plan or meal prep doesn’t matter.
What matters is that you stay consistent and find what works best for you and your lifestyle.
Do you like to have everything out of the way and ready to go? If so, choose 1-2 days to prepare your food.
If you hate that, plan out your week instead and prepare the meals throughout the week.
This is personally what I do.
Maybe it’s cooking different meats on different days.
Eating leftovers for lunch.
And planning on ordering out 1-2 times a week.
You just have to find which one fits best into your lifestyle and that may require some trial and error which is ok.
Habits: The Foundation to Lose Weight Without Tracking Calories
These habits and methods below are going to be the groundwork for you to lose weight without tracking calories.
One of the best things you can do at the beginning is write everything down that you eat.
That way, you’re building more awareness of what and how much you’re eating throughout the day, which oftentimes, a huge step in the right direction.
And as a result, you can begin to see what habits you have to work on.
Aim For 1-2 Servings of Protein at Most Meals
Like I mentioned before, protein is going to one of your best friends when losing weight without tracking calories.
For some, eating more protein can be a struggle. (that’s totally cool!)
For others, protein is LIFE baby because of GAINZ.
So, instead of looking at the “what” of protein as you see all over the internet…
Let’s instead look at HOW you can get more in.
And most importantly, fit it into your lifestyle.
1. Create a list of your 5-8 favorite lean protein sources.
Notice how I said “lean” protein sources.
This is where a lot of clients make mistakes… they choose higher fat (which is more tasty) proteins.
And if your goal is to lose weight without tracking calories, you want to avoid this.
For example, 100g of chicken breast is only 165 calories for 31g of protein.
In order to get that same amount of protein from let’s say, 80/20 ground beef, that would be around 330 calories for 33g of protein.
That’s double the amount of calories. Yikes.
And trust me… just like the processed foods above, that shit adds up quickly.
Now, that’s not to say don’t enjoy some fattier cuts of meat on occasion.
It’s that MOST (80-90%) of your protein sources should come from lean cuts such as:
Chicken/poultry
Eggs/egg whites
Fish
Turkey
Lean beef
Lean pork
Greek Yogurt
Cottage cheese
Tempeh
Tofu
Edamame
Protein powder/supplements
And only SOME (10-20%) should come from high fat sources like:
High fat meats ground meat (85/15 and lower)
Fattier steak (Ribeye, NY Strip, Porterhouse, T-Bone)
Chicken wings/thighs
Sausages/Hot dogs
Protein bars
Fried and Breaded meats
And no, peanut butter and nuts are not a protein source. It’s a fat source. (Sorry, had to throw that in there)
To Do: Choose your 5 favorite sources of protein
2. Make a List of Protein Based Meals
Having the mindset of “how can I add in more protein to this meal?” is going to be HUGE moving forward.
Think of a serving of protein as roughly being the size of your fist when making meals.
(You could also use a food scale to be more precise)
From there, I would create 1-3 go-to meals for each of breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
This is going to make being consistent much easier, which means getting results will be that much easier as well.
Versus, having some new recipe every week and shit getting too complicated
For example…
Maybe week one, you grill your chicken and throw some low cal BBQ sauce on it.
Maybe week two, you still grill the chicken but throw some Buffalo sauce on it.
And by the time week 3 comes, maybe you’d rather keep it more simple and throw the chicken in the crock pot, shred it, and eat it with some rice and veggies instead.
Then the next month, maybe you switch to steak and try out broccoli and rice or repeat month one.
Notice how simple I keep it and how the template basically stays the same?
You’re limited by your imagination here.
To Do: Make 1-3 protein based meals for each of breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Aim for 1-2 Palm Sized Servings of Fruits/Vegetables at Most Meals
These babies are again, going to help keep you full and give your body the nutrients to help you thrive and survive.
So, just like the protein, create a list of your favorite 5 sources of fruits and veggies.
Then start with one meal – it can be any meal – and see how you can add in one fruit or vegetable from your list to that meal.
For example, maybe with breakfast, you have an omelet with spinach or peppers.
Or you have some oatmeal with berries or a banana.
For lunch, maybe that’s a salad with some protein and a bunch of veggies in it.
Or, you have a high fiber wrap and some greek yogurt and berries on the side.
For dinner, maybe you have something like asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts on your plate with your protein (steak, chicken, etc) and a carb source (rice, potato, etc)
Again, the possibilities are endless.
The more that you do this, the better you’ll get at it and the easier it will be.
Methods To Lose Weight Without Tracking Calories
Ok, now that you know the first step is to get in more protein, fruits, and veggies… it’s time to dive into the good stuff to give you more structure throughout the day.
Let me start off by saying that the point here is to not have any “off limit” foods.
By doing that, you’re telling yourself that you can’t have something which in turn, is going to make you want it more.
What happens when you tell a kid not to touch something? They instantly have the urge to touch it.
There is something ingrained in our brains that makes us want to do something that we don’t want to do.
So rather than thinking of “taking foods out” I want you to continue to think of “adding healthy foods in” when looking at these methods.
And since you know it comes down to calories, you can absolutely still include your favorite foods in moderation.
But that’s the key, “moderation” and not fuck it mode.
80% of your food choices should come from whole nutrient dense foods while the other 20% can come from whatever else your heart (or stomach) desires.
And the best way to do this is to still have some structure that you can follow to help you stay on track.
1-2-3 Method
The 1-2-3 method is something that was created by Jordan Syatt and it’s a great way to get you started.
It consists of adding in 3 things to your daily regiment:
-1 Big ass salad that consists of whatever you want with some protein.
-2 palm size portions of fruit
-3 normal sized bottles/glasses of water
And that’s basically it.
It’s a simple, easy to follow set of rules to get you on the right track and eating healthier.
You get your veggies and some protein from the salad.
Fruit throughout the day.
And plenty of water to keep you healthy and feeling good.
So by the time the day is done, you’ll have some fiber, protein, and water in your system and you’re less likely to overeat.
Now, if you’re ready for a more advanced version of this, the 3 plates and 2 snacks rule provides more structure.
3 Plates and 2 Snacks Method
This is another popular method created by Jordan Syatt that has worked really well with clients.
You can have 3 normal sized plates (meals) per day. Each plate is going to be divided into 3 separate sections.
-¼ of the plate is going to consist of protein.
-½ of the plate is going to consist of veggies
-¼ of the plate is going to consist of carbs, fats, whatever else you want.
For example,
-Breakfast may look like an omelet with veggies, and some toast.
-Lunch may still be a big ass salad with a protein, cheese, and dressing.
-Dinner may be chicken, rice, and broccoli or steak, asparagus, and sweet potatoes.
Then, you’re allowed 2 palm sized snacks of whatever you want during the day as well.
-An apple, orange, banana, etc..
-A handful of nuts or chips.
-Maybe even a handful of peanut butter M&M’s if you’re strong enough.
Remember the lists of protein/fruits/veggies from above?
I would suggest using that to create some meals based on this template.
The 3-3-3 Method
I came up with this method, and in my opinion, it’s one of the best ways to lose weight without tracking calories.
You’re going to create a checklist and each meal must contain these 3 things:
1 protein, 1 fruit/vegetable, and 1 glass/bottle of water.
And you’re going to do this 3 times per day.
Therefore, you’re having 3 glasses of water a day, 3 servings of protein a day, and 3 servings of fruit/vegetables a day.
Each time you complete the “task”, you’re going to check it off.
By the end of the day, you want all of your boxes checked and that would be a “win” for that day.
After that, you can do whatever your little heart desires – if you still want anything at all.
Because once all of this is complete, you’re going to be feeling good and more stuffed than usual.
How to Lose Weight Without Tracking Calories: Meal Examples
Something you’ll notice below is that I keep my meals super simple and I try to tell clients to do the same.
The reason being is that it doesn’t take much time, it’s easy to do consistently, and the less ingredients you have, the less calories you’ll eat.
They may seem boring, but boring gets results.
Breakfast examples:
– Veggie omelet: eggs, egg whites, peppers, spinach, mushrooms w/toast.
– Oatmeal with protein powder and berries (make instantly or over night)
– Eggs/egg whites, greek yogurt, or whole wheat toast/english muffin
– Banana, Peanut butter toast, Protein shake
– Breakfast sandwich: english muffin, eggs, lean protein (turkey bacon, ham,etc)
Lunch Examples:
– Big ass salad with lots of veggies and protein
– Leftovers from dinner the night before (super simple)
– High fiber wraps with veggies and a protein
– Protein, rice, vegetable, low cal sauce
– Add in fresh fruit or veggies on the side
Dinner Examples:
– Stir Fry with a protein, rice, and veggie
– Meat (salmon, steak, ground beef, ground turkey, chicken, etc), vegetable (asparagus, broccoli, etc), rice
– Meat, potato, and veggie (I.e Steak, potatoes, broccoli)
– High protein tacos (chicken, turkey, or lean ground beef with high fiber wraps)
Snacks:
– Protein Smoothie or shake
– Fruit
– Greek yogurt and some fruit
– Handful of nuts (be careful with these)
– Beef jerky
– Cheese sticks
And boom, super simple and all my bases are covered.
That is how simple it is. Nothing is over complicated.
Each meal has a protein, fruit/veggie, and carb source.
Obviously, if you’re vegan or vegetarian, some of the food choices will differ but the rules still stay the same.
And here’s one more quick tip: When you eat a meal, your protein, fruits, and veggies should be the first things that you eat off your plate.
They take a long time to chew, they’re very filling, and they help tell your body that you’re full so that when you go for the higher calories items, maybe you don’t eat as much because you’re full.
Do this about 3-4 times per day and you’ll be off to a great start and have no issues hitting your protein goals.
Again, it may take some time to learn what works for you but that’s ok.
Because it’s going to stick with you for the rest of your life and you’ll continue to find new ways to add things in as you go.
Bonus: Other Tips and Tricks To Lose Weight Without Tracking Calories
I figured we’d also dive into some common struggles/questions that come up.
Keep Track of Your Consistency
One – if not the biggest – culprit to a lack of results is not being consistent.
And if you’re not consistent, your results are going to show that.
So, if you’re not seeing results, it is more than likely a result of your consistency.
What I want you to do is to get a calendar and keep track of whatever method you choose above.
When you complete that method for the day, mark a check.
When you don’t mark an x.
The goal is to have at least 24-26 check marks by the end of the month to be at least 80% consistent.
If you can do this, you’re going to get results.
If you don’t, you’re not going to get results.
Plain and simple.
You can’t expect A (90% consistency) results with a D (60% consistency) effort.
Limit your Processed Food Intake
Eating less processed foods is going to help tremendously to lose weight without tracking calories.
Processed foods are made to taste amazing and keep you wanting more.
Which is why they’re so easy to over eat and not keep us full.
That right there is the recipe for disaster:
Foods that taste great + foods that don’t satisfy you = cravings for more and over eating.
I’m sure you’ve been there where you get the bag of chips out of the pantry and before you know it, they’re all gone.
Yepp, we all have.
(This actually may have been me last night lol. Even as a coach I still struggle with some of these things)
Also, nutrition labels can be up to 20-25% “off” and the more ingredients something has, the more likely it is to be inaccurate.
This is very important to focus on so read it twice and take notes.
If you’re eating something that’s 500 calories on the nutrition label, it could really be up to 625 Cals.
Do that a few times throughout the day and that shit adds up quickly.
And before you know it, you’re out of a calorie deficit.
So, one of the best things you can do is to start to limit how much processed foods you eat.
And add in more whole nutrient dense one ingredient foods which is all laid out above.
Ok, But What If You’re Eating Out?
You may be asking yourself, “Ok Bob, this all sounds good and all but what about when I eat out?”
That right there is a great question.
I’m not the coach that’s going to tell you to never eat out and suffer.
You absolutely can still eat out and make tremendous progress – Remember, flexible dieting.
And if you love to go out and eat here and there, by all means do it, especially if that is more sustainable for you.
However, you still have to be smart when doing it.
A lot of restaurant foods contain extra calories in the forms of high fat butters, oils, and sauces.
Which means they taste fucking amazing… but also add up really quickly.
So when you eat out, you have to plan your meal just like when you eat at home.
Plan Your Day Ahead Before Eating Out:
First, look at the menu.
What are 3-5 great options you’re thinking about getting?
Remember your rules: Look for lean protein and a vegetable/fruit depending on what meal you’re eating. (a salad is always a great option if you’re struggling to decide)
Choose which one you’ll have and then plan your day around that meal.
Then ask yourself, “what am I going to eat before?”
If it were me, I’d aim for more protein and fiber earlier in the day to save up some calories and keep you full so you don’t overeat for dinner.
Or, if you end up eating out earlier in the day, what are you going to do afterwards?
Remember this – Just because you ate out earlier does not make it a justification to go into “fuck it mode” the rest of the day.
So have a normal plan for afterwards.
Go for the protein and fiber vs the snacks and alcohol.
Make a Few Rules When Eating Out:
Giving yourself a few rules can help you stay on track and be mindful of what and how much you’re eating.
For example, if your main dish plate is big, that’s going to be a fuck ton of calories.
In that case, it may be a good idea to get a to-go box, place half of your meal in it, and eat the other half for dinner.
Or if you get an appetizer, make a rule where you’re only allowed to have one small dish or one handful of food.
But what about dessert?
No problem, have that chocolate cake.
But, make a rule with yourself.. “I can have one dessert or one appetizer, which one do I want today?”
So, eating out is definitely ok to be in your plan, but if you do it too often, it can be holding you back.
For this reason, if you can limit how much you eat out, it’s going to help tremendously on your progress.
If you eat out all of the time, then progress may be a bit slower.
But, if that helps you stay on track, slower progress is better than no progress at all.
Plan Your Weekends
Holy shit…if I had a dollar for how many people let the weekends ruin their progress I’d be rich. (Well, maybe not in today’s economy)
I have to put this one in here because it’s a very common struggle that I see with my clients.
The week goes by, absolutely dominating, and then the weekend comes and all hell breaks loose.
On the surface, it makes sense…
You have structure during the week… you know when you’re going to work, what time you’re going to workout, when you’re eating, what you’re eating, etc…
Then the weekend comes and there is no structure at all.
So you think, “what the hell am I suppose to do now?” and in most cases, people say fuck it, eat and drink a shit ton, and try to get back on track monday and wonder why they’re not making any progress.
If you want to lose weight without tracking calories remember this:
You have to have structure on the weekends just like you do during the week. It doesn’t make it any different because it’s the “weekend” so you HAVE to make a plan.
One of the simplest things to do is start your weekend days off with a high protein and high fiber breakfast.
This sets the tone for that day and you start the weekend off on the right track.
Make a plan from there… What are you doing? Where are you going? What is there to eat? What can you eat before? Etc….
And just like I talked about with planning your meals and eating out…when you have a plan, you’re going in with a winning mindset.
And when you purposefully stay on track during the weekends, you’re going to come out of the weekend on track and with momentum.
Versus, the starting back on Monday mentality which is where most people fail.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully by now you’re a bit more confident with how to lose weight without tracking calories.
Now, I will say, it would still be a good idea to write down what you eat, and learn to measure out proper portion sizes using a food scale.
That way, you can learn what proper portion sizes are, which is a skill in itself.
Eventually though, it may be a good idea to track your calories even if it’s for 30 days.
Because that is going to be the best way for you to get the best results.
But if you’re not ready for that yet, this guide should help you have some structure, and get you headed in the right direction to a healthier and better you.
And you don’t have to try everything at once. These will take time to learn and you won’t be perfect right off the bat.
You’ll have some amazing days and weeks while on others, you’ll struggle.
But guess what? That is ok. That is normal. So, keep going.
And before you know it, over a whole year, yes a year, you’ll be a completely different person.
-Coach Bob
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