The question I get more than anything when it comes to losing weight is “ Eric I don’t really want to count calories can you please tell me how to lose weight without counting calories ?!”.
I totally get it. Counting calories can be time consuming, tedious, and sometimes not very practical.
Like if you are going out to eat you aren’t going to bring your food scale with you are you? (I may or may not have done that a few times when I was younger…).
Or if you are constantly traveling for work it you may not be able to weigh out every single thing you eat.
Don’t worry because I am going to give to everything you need to know on how to lose weight without counting calories.
Just be sure you fully understand each strategy I am going to give you here. That means pay close attention to the entire article.
Dealio? Groovy, let’s get started shall we?
How To Lose Weight Without Counting Calories
Before We Dive In..
I want to set up some preliminary mandatory guidelines.
First things first, how do you actually lose weight?
There is counting calorie, there is keto, there is intermittent fasting.
Which one of them is the best for weight loss?
None. You know why?
Weight loss is simple an energy balance equation.
For you to be able to lose weight, you must intake less energy than what your body is burning. Energy is the equivalent to calories.
To lose weight you have to intake less calories than what your body burns.
This is called creating a negative energy balance, or being in a calorie deficit.
It doesn’t matter if you count calories or don’t count calories. It doesn’t matter if you do keto or fasting or random weird juice cleanses that make you use the restroom way more than you want to.
The only way to lose weight is to be in a calorie deficit. The sooner you understand that, the sooner you will start seeing results.
Your next question is going to be “How many calories should I eat to lose weight then?”.
Don’t worry, I got your back. Head HERE to get my free calorie calculator that will tell you exactly how many calories you should be eating.
But Wait, I Thought This Was An Article On How To Lose Weight WITHOUT Counting Calories?
You are darn right it is, yet this brings me to my second preliminary point.
I am a firm believer that everyone should count calories for at least 30 days straight.
Why is this?
Through you tracking calories legit for 30 days straight you will gain so much knowledge about food you did not have before.
Things like:
Proper portion size
What foods have certain calorie & macronutrients in them
What foods keep you full for low calories
How many calories you need to lose weight, maintain your weight, or gain weight
And so many more.
This knowledge will be able to set you up not only in your current weight loss journey you are on, but 30 40 50 60 years after this current moment in time.
They say knowledge is power, and personally if you told me I would do something for 30 days straight to set up the next 50 years of my life.. I will take you up on that offer any day of the week.
I personally no longer count calories because I do not have to.
Through my journey I counted calories for years straight and that led me to have knowledge now where I can look at a plate of foot and approximate how many calories it is within 5-10% error rate.
On top of that fact, I know about how many calories my body needs to lose, maintain, or gain weight.
With those two things combined, I am able to be at a point in my life I do not have to count calories for every single meal. I believe this is actually what most people should strive for.
Yet if I did not have that initial first few years of calorie counting, I would not be able to do this today.
You don’t have to do it for years like I did, but at least 30 days. I promise your return on your investment will be worth it.
Therefore do you have to count calories to lose weight? No. But remember this.
You don’t have to count calories, but calories always count.
No matter what you do you have to eat less calories than what your body burns, aka creating a calorie deficit.
Methods On How To Lose Weight Without Counting Calories
Now that you know the importance of what a calorie deficit is and how calorie counting for at least 30 days straight can set up the rest of your life nutrition wise, let’s dive into methods on how to lose weight without counting calories for those who don’t want to count calories.
These methods below are going to be a game changer for you because you must also remember fat loss is more about how much you eat rather than what you eat.
Let me explain.
We learned above the importance of creating a calorie deficit, simply intaking less calories than what your body burns.
Therefore if you can find a way to consistently and sustainably control your calorie intake and be in this deficit you are going to lose weight, whether that is through calorie counting or not.
No one food inherently makes you gain weight or lose weight. It all comes down to your total calories for the day.
If you follow these guideline below, you will have a fool proof way to limit your total calorie intake for the day in a consistent and sustainable way, allowing you to lose weight without ever tracking a single piece of food.
3 Meals And 2 Snacks Method
This method is something I pulled from two great resources.
Number one would be the Level 1 Precision Nutrition Certification. If any coach out there is reading this, I would 10/10 recommend that certification.
I also got some of this from one of the best coaches in the industry Jordan Syatt.
This method has been a fool proof way for my online coaching clients on how to lose weight without counting calories.
Some of my clients do this directly off the bat, some of them do this after the first 30 days, some of them do this after the first 30 days, and some of them do this when they cannot track their calories perfectly.
There is no right or wrong way to go about this, this is simply your guideline to be able to see what works best for you and keep rocking with it.
3 Meals
These 3 meals are usually breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
I know you might ask “what if I don’t eat breakfast?”.
My response to you would be I highly encourage you to eat breakfast. I did an entire YouTube video on why eating breakfast may not be the best option if you are looking to lose weight, so head to my YouTube channel to check that out.
Beyond that, the guidelines for those 3 meals are below.
Each meal has to
Fit on one plate
Include at least 1 palm size portion of protein (or 1/4 of the plate is protein)
Include at least 1-2 fistfuls of vegetables (or 1/2 of the plate)
Can include 1 cupped handful of carbs or 1 thumb size portion of healthy fats (or 1/4 the plate)
For protein you can have things like chicken, steak, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, egg / egg whites.
Vegetables you can have things like asparagus, broccoli, spinach, peppers, carrots.
You can have things like quinoa, white or brown rice, white or sweet potatoes, fruits for carbohydrates.
For fats you can have things like olive oil, almonds, pecans, egg yolks, cheese sticks.
2 Snacks
I like to have the snacks included to be able to have some type of food throughout the day to keep your body full and satisfied.
Each snack has to
Fit in the palm of your hand
Has to be a source of protein, fruit, or vegetable
Examples of snacks could be greek yogurt, proteins shake, banana, watermelon, carrots, rx bars, snap peas, to name a few.
Alcohol
I know you may have a question about alcohol.
Who doesn’t love the occasionally beer or two (or 8?). I myself don’t drink but a ton of my clients do so this is what I do for them.
For every 1 drink, substitute it out for 1 snack and or 1 cupped handful of carbs.
This way you are still able to enjoy alcohol in moderation, still match your calorie intake to where you need it to be, and still lose weight.
Why Does This Method Work?
Great question, got a few answers for you.
First off as mentioned earlier this is a simple way to control your energy / calorie intake for the day.
If you are having a palm size portion of protein at every single meal you are going to be full and satisfied throughout the day.
This will automatically help you keep your calorie intake under control.
If you are having 1-2 fistfuls of vegetables at every meal, you are going to be getting a ton of food volume for not a ton of calories.
This again, will help you stay full and keep your calorie intake under control.
You can only eat so many calories if you base your eating around this method.
Second, god willing, you will always have your hands no matter where you are or what you are doing.
As opposed to carrying a food scale around with you every single place you go, you can have your hand to set your guidelines for you.
It is portable, always the same, and can be easily referenced.
Therefore no matter if you are at home cooking dinner, or you are out at your favorite restaurant, this method will be the same.
It also helps with your individual portion control.
I am a 6’4, 270 lb male. My hand is a bit bigger than most people and that is okay because my portion sizes will be bigger than someone who is a 5’2 160lb female.
We both need different portion controls and our hands do that already for us.
Meaning you can consistently stick to this which is the only way you will see long term sustainable results.
Feel More Confident On How To Lose Weight Without Counting Calories?
Truthfully I believe what I just laid out above is one of the best methods on how to lose weight without counting calories.
Yet I have to make this clear. This is not an end all be all.
You can tweak the portion size here and there, sub carbs for fats, amongst a few other things.
This does not have to be the only way to go about doing things.
My plea to you with this article is to simply try. Put something into place, try it with 90% consistency for 4-6 weeks, track your results, and see what happens.
I don’t care if you count calories or don’t. Whether you eat paleo or vegan. Keto or fasting.
At the end of the day weight loss comes down to intaking less calories than what your body burns.
If you do that, you will lose weight, I promise.
Got any questions? Feel free to drop a comment below.
If you got some value from this and think you are going to start using it, let me know below :).
You have probably asked the question is it possible to lose fat and build muscle at the same time ?
I mean, that is all of our goals isn’t it.
You probably don’t want to just lose weight, you want to look a certain way as well.
It is a great question to have pop into your head and I am here to cover it all for you here in this article.
I want to make sure you leave this article knowing exactly where to take your fitness journey from this point forward.
That means you have to read the entire article. Keep your eyes peeled to your screen.
Deal?
Cool, let’s dive in.
Is It Possible To Lose Fat And Build Muscle At The Same Time?
Before We Dive In…
I want to set up some preliminary guidelines before hand so we are both on the same page.
First and foremost, the only way to lose fat is to be in a calorie deficit.
This means you are intaking less calories than your body is burning. This is mainly done through nutritional changes.
No detox teas, no fat burners, no water fasts or smoothie cleanses.
You eat in a calorie deficit and you lose body fat.
If you want to know how many cals to eat to lose fat, head HERE for my free calorie calculator.
Beyond that.
Let’s talk now about building muscle.
Normally, the only way to build lean muscle mass is through being in a calorie surplus.
This means you are intaking more calories than your body is burning.
Yet building muscle and losing fat differ in this aspect.
To lose fat, all you have to do is be in a calorie deficit.
To build muscle, simply being in a calorie surplus is not going to magically build muscle.
Eating more calories than your body burns is going to get stored as body fat if it has no use for those extra calories.
Weight training builds muscle.
Your body builds muscle by adapting to a stress you put on it which makes it have to build muscle to survive.
Your body is way smarter than you are, I promise.
If you are lifting heavier weights than you were 2 months ago, or doing more reps than you were 2 months ago, your body has to build muscle to keep up.
You are providing a stress great enough that your body had to adapt. It adapts by growing stronger, more defined muscles.
You build your muscles through being in a calorie surplus but also following a progressively overloading strength training program.
What do those words mean? Great question, they basically just mean over a period of time you are performing more and more work.
You are doing more sets, more reps, lifting more weights, etc, like mentioned above.
If you do those two things of being in a calorie surplus and following a strength training program, then your body builds muscle.
These seem like two polar opposite things.
On one end of the spectrum you are eating less calories than your body burns to lose fat.
On the other end you are eating more calories than your body burns to gain muscle.
So then is it possible to lose fat and build muscle at the same time?
Yes, yes it is. Let’s talk about how right now.
Is It Possible To Lose Fat And Build Muscle At The Same Time?
Scenario #1 – You Are Brand New To Strength Training
The first possible way of losing fat and building muscle at the same time is if you are a rank beginner to strength training.
When I say beginner to strength training, I am not talking about Zumba classes or random HIIT workouts.
I mean if you have never truly followed a progressively overloading structured strength training program where you have a mapped out plan of how you will progress week to week and month to month, then you are a beginner.
If this is you reading this right and you are asking “is it possible to lose fat and build muscle at the same time”, then for you my friend yes it is.
Why?
Let’s refer back to what we learned earlier.
For your body to build lean muscle mass you have to provide a stress great on your body that your body has to adapt to.
If you are a rank beginner and you have never truly followed a structured program before, your body has not ever been introduced to that stress before.
Therefore no matter what you do your body is going to have to respond to the stress you are providing it.
Think of it as if you go from lifting 0 lbs to 5 lbs, your body is going to have to adapt to that 5 lb stress you are putting on it to survive.
These are normally referred to as “newbie gains” and trust me, enjoy them while they last because they certainly do not forever.
I wish they lasted forever.
Think about it, if it were that easy to build muscle and strength, we would all be walking about deadlifting carbs and picking up buildings.
At some point these newbie gains wear off and you will need to then tap into that calorie surplus we talked about earlier to build muscle.
So How Long Does This Last?
The newbie gains phase last normally anywhere from 4-8 months.
That is the time frame you are going to gain the most strength, build the most muscle, and see the most results.
This is why this time period is by far the most important to make sure you are doing things in the most optimal way possible.
Again, because your body has no choice but to adapt to the stress you are putting on it.
Therefore in this instance, for those 4-8 months you will be able to build muscle while losing fat.
Feeling left out because you aren’t a beginner? Don’t worry, this next one may apply to you.
Scenario #2 – You Have Taken Extended Time Away From Strength Training
The second possible way of losing fat and building muscle at the same time is if you have taken extended time away from strength training.
This is usually apparent in people who have had a surgery, did not have access to weights for whatever reason, or just had life get the best of them for a little.
I know you may fall into this category as so many of us do.
But how long is an “extended time”? Let’s talk about it.
How Long Is An Extended Time?
Are we talking 2 months, 5 months, 5 years?
I would say if you have taken anywhere from 6-9 months away from strength training that would qualify for being an extended time away.
Why?
This is essentially the same concept as reason one.
When you take an extended time away from following a structured strength training program, you are no longer putting a stress on your body that your body has to adapt to.
This essentially de sensitizes your body to the stress. It isn’t being applied anymore so your body does not have to worry about and adapt to it.
Therefore when you re introduce following a structured strength training program back into your life, your body says “welp, guess we have to start adapting to this again”, leading to building muscle.
Your next question will be “how long does this last though?”.
Great question, I would say similar to if you were a complete beginner but a bit less.
Since you are not completely new and you body has some recollection of what is going on, I would say anywhere from 3-6 months is the time period where you could be in a calorie deficit yet still build muscle as the same time.
Okay really is this answering your question of is it possible to lose fat and build muscle at the same time? I feel like I am spitting some pretty good info here.
Moving onto the third option which is something called body recomposition.
Scenario #3 – Body Recomposition
The third possible way to lose fat and build muscle at the same time is something called body recomposition.
This basically insists you don’t eat in a calorie deficit nor a surplus.
You eat at maintenance calories, you follow a structured strength training program, and over time you will slowly lose fat and build muscle at the same time.
While there isn’t an overwhelming amount of scientific research peer reviewed research studies out there on body recomposition, I can tell you this.
If watching paint dry and watching grass grow had a baby, it would be body recomposition.
It takes a looooooong time.
Due to this being true, I personally am a believer in if you are no longer one of the two scenarios listed above to pick being in a calorie deficit and losing body fat, or being in a calorie surplus and building muscle mass.
In the amount of time it takes you to recomp, you could have lost significantly more body fat while building significantly more lean muscle mass.
Your next question probably is “well okay if I am not either one of the two scenarios above, and body recomp is not your preferred method, how do I know if I should go into a calorie surplus to build muscle or calorie deficit to lose fat?”.
Man, you got some good questions, let’s cover that one right now.
If “Is It Possible To Lose Fat And Build Muscle At The Same Time” Has Switched To “What Do I Do Now Then?”
Okay. You aren’t a rank beginner to strength training, you haven’t taken an extended period off of lifting, and you know body recomp isn’t the most optimal way to go about this.
What do you do now?
Listen up.
If you are neither of the scenarios above, my advice to you would be to first go into a calorie deficit and get down to a lower body fat percentage.
This is because if you are above the optimal body fat range for your gender and you go into a calorie surplus your body is not going to optimize those extra calories for muscle building as much.
They are more likely to get stored as body fat as opposed to get used to build muscle.
So what body fat percentage is optimal for you?
Let’s talk.
Men
If you are a male reading this I would go into a calorie deficit and cut down your body fat to about 12-15% body fat first.
Women
If you are a female reading this I would go into a calorie deficit and cut down your body fat to about 18-22% body fat first.
** Please note, this doesn’t mean you should not be looking to strength train if you are not this low of a body fat percentage. You should always strength train. This is simply stating you should go into a calorie deficit with your nutrition. **
Again, if you want to know what your calorie deficit is head HERE to get my calorie calculator.
On top of that if you want to know what to do once you get to that body fat percentage to start to go into a surplus, head HERE to watch my reverse dieting guide.
What If You Aren’t That Body Fat Percentage Yet?
Don’t worry, you still can be on the right track with these 3 things below.
If you are not yet that body fat, you know you need to be in a calorie deficit, but you want to look the best you can.
Do these 3 things below.
Eat High Protein
Protein is so beneficial for so many reasons.
The first is it is the most satiating nutrient. This means it will fill you up the most and help with your hunger levels.
If you are less hunger you will stick to your calorie deficit better and be able to lose fat.
On top of that, protein is the only nutrient that can build and retain lean muscle mass.
The equation to find out how many grams of protein you should eat in a day is take your current body weight (in lbs) and x by anywhere between .8-1.
So for example, 150lbs x .8 is 120g of protein.
All of this will help you continue to develop that look you are going for while in a calorie deficit.
Strength Training
Whether my online coaching clients are looking to lose fat, build muscle, or maintain, their training programs don’t change a ton.
No matter what you should be looking to include strength training anywhere from 3-5x a week.
You should be looking to lift close to the proximity of failure as well. For example if you have a set of squats for 10 reps.
That 8th, 9th, and 10th rep should be a challenge. It should not be a walk in the park.
Head HERE to figure out how much weight you should be lifting for your workouts.
This will help retain the lean muscle mass you currently have and help aid once again in that look you are looking to attain.
Don’t Go Too Low In Calories
I will say if you followed my calorie calculator you won’t have this problem.
But if you choose not to listen to my free information I am giving you…..
The reason you don’t want to go too low in calories, in the context of this article, is because you are going to lose lean muscle mass.
When you go too low in calories your body is going to lose fat, but it is also going to lose muscle.
This will not help you in your quest to attain that look you are chasing.
You will end up more as “skinny fat” and no one I have ever met really has that at their goal look.
Is It Possible To Lose Fat And Build Muscle At The Same Time?
Alright don’t lie you googled “ Is it possible to lose fat and build muscle at the same time” but did this article answer that for you?
Didn’t I tell you I was going to have you leaving knowing exactly what to do moving forward no matter the situation you are in right this second.
All joking aside I truly hoped this article helps.
If you have any questions for me on any of the material above drop a comment here below or shoot me an email at coacheric@ericrobertsfitness.com.
If you are interested in possibly working with me so I can take all of the guess work out of it for you and get you to your goals, head HERE to fill out my coaching application form to see if we may be a good fit for coaching together.
In this episode of the Eric Roberts Fitness Podcast I talk about how to stop self sabotaging yourself.
A lot of this game is what you are thinking inside your head. You know how many calories to eat, you know you need to workout, but why aren’t you doing it?
In this episode I cover strategies to get out of your own way and start to put yourself in a position to win forever.
If you enjoyed the podcast feel free to let me know 🙂 Also If you enjoyed it, feel free to share it with someone who you think it may help.
