Make Sense of Calories and Why They Matter

8. Can You Lose Weight Without Counting Calories?

There are plenty of options for losing weight without counting calories. One of the easiest, although not the quickest, is by making sustainable changes to your lifestyle. When preparing meals, aim to eat less than you normally do. Serve yourself less, and don't return to the kitchen for more. Package leftovers up to eat later in the week. Avoid highly processed foods, which trigger weight gain regardless of the calorie count.

Try to exercise at least 150 minutes over the week. If you experience poor-quality sleep, work on ways to improve it. Some tricks to try are going to bed and getting up earlier or at least at the same time each night, going outside for a brisk walk within the first 20 minutes of waking up, and cutting caffeine down to one cup in the morning.