How To Lose Weight Without Counting Calories
Listen to the post, How To Lose Weight Without Counting Calories, on our Live Lean TV Podcast. Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast!
My Backstory On Why I Learned How To Count Calories
On today’s episode of Live Lean TV, I’m sharing how to lose weight without counting calories.
I’ll also share my backstory of how I first started learning how to count calories.
But first, over on our second YouTube vlog channel, Brad Gouthro TV, we show people what we eat every day.
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If you’re interested in that go subscribe to that channel here.
Since we show people what we eat every day, one of the top questions we always get is, “do you count calories?”.
Did I Count Calories To Transform My Body?
If you asked me at the beginning of my Live Lean journey, my answer would be yes, I did count calories.
The reason is simple.
During that time, I didn’t have the experience with nutrition that I do now.
I also had a specific goal of transforming my body.
Do I Still Count Calories?
My answer now is no.
I do not count calories every single day.
Again, the reason is simple.
I’m in maintenance mode, meaning I’m looking to maintain my results, not transform.
Plus, I now have a solid foundation and understanding of calories and macronutrients, based on the time I was counting calories.
So let me just explain what that means.
Why Learning How To Count Calories Helped Me Live Lean 365 Days A Year
I wouldn’t be where I am right now physically, if I didn’t put in the work, by learning how to count calories, in the beginning.
This work consisted of learning how to:
- count calories
- portion and weigh my food
- understand the macronutrient breakdown of most foods
This education in the beginning, now allows me to no longer count calories.
I now have the knowledge of looking at a plate of food, and estimating pretty close how much calories, protein, fat, and carbohydrates, that meal contains.
I Will Count Calories If I Have An Event Or Photoshoot
If I have an event or photo shoot, where I have to lean out just a little bit more, than yes, I’ll dial it in and I’ll go back to counting my calories and portioning out my food.
As with anything in life, if you’re looking to change your body you have to change what you’re currently doing.
When it comes to creating lifelong habits of consistently eating healthy food, it takes work in the beginning.
If You Want To Transform Your Body Learn How To Count Calories
That’s why I highly recommend counting calories in the beginning, for people who want to follow the same approaches that I did, when I first transformed my body.
Then once you hit your goal, go on maintenance mode with your diet, and stop counting calories.
The 7 Steps I Took To Transform My Body
Here’s how I first started learning how to eat healthy and count my calories and macronutrients.
#1. Invest In A Cookbook
Buying a cookbook was a game changer for me.
Seriously, when you don’t know how to make healthy foods taste freakingly delicious, invest in a cookbook like my Eat Clean Live Lean Cookbook.
#2. Weekly Meal Planning
I spent 30 minutes creating a weekly meal plan for the coming week, with recipes from the cookbook.
If you want a done for you weekly meal plan, with recipes and cooking videos, join here.
#3. Make A Grocery List
I would make a grocery list of all the foods needed to make up those recipes for that week.
By the way, we give you the exact grocery list for all weekly Team Live Lean meal plans.
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#4. Weekly Grocery Shopping
I would schedule one day per week to go grocery shopping to buy the food.
#5. Portion Control
I used the ingredients from the recipes to portion out my exact needs, based on my calorie, protein, fat, and carbohydrate goals.
To help me calculate this, I used this meal planner software on our website.
#6. Meal Prep
I would meal prep for 3 days worth of meat and vegetables, then would pack them in glass food containers, and took them for lunches and snacks at work.
#7. Follow A Workout Plan
I also invested in and followed a well structured workout program that was designed for my specific goals.
I then tracked my body fat percentage and reassessed my calorie needs based on my 4 week results.
Take the Live Lean Body Quiz to find the best workout program for you, based on your goals, fitness level, and access to equipment.
That’s It
Hello results.
By putting in this work in the beginning, I can now eyeball the portion sizes without having to measure and count my calories, every day.
I also now understand which foods make up the majority of my diet, one ingredient whole foods.
Counting Calories Is Not Intended To Be A Lifetime Commitment
In my opinion, counting calories is not a lifetime commitment.
When you hit your goals, and pay attention to how you got there, you do not have to always count calories when you:
- are in maintenance mode
- primarily eat one ingredient whole foods
How To Lose Weight Without Counting Calories
However, if you’re not yet in maintenance mode, but you completely refuse to count calories, the best way to diet without counting calories is to focus on eating one ingredient food.
By primarily eating natural foods like meat, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, you’ll be free from counting calories for life, because your:
- hormones will be balanced
- body will be satiated
- you won’t have constant cravings
That Is My Story On Counting Calories
If you want to follow the steps that I took, go invest in a cookbook like my Eat Clean Live Lean Cookbook.
Or check out our Team Live Lean members site where we post exclusive weekly meal plans containing cooking lesson recipe videos for every meal.
Both of these options give you hundreds of healthy recipes to choose from.
Over 200 Healthy And Delicious Low Carbohydrate Cooking Lesson Recipe Videos
If you need ideas on what to eat during the week, we offer over 200 quick, healthy, easy, affordable, and delicious recipes and cooking lesson videos to choose from.
Join us at Team Live Lean and change your life.
We hope to see you over there.
Finally, take our quick Live Lean Body Quiz to find a well structured workout program, designed for your specific goals, fitness level, and access to equipment.
It’s up to you to take action and commit to changing what you’re currently doing.
That’s the only way to get different results.
READY TO BEGIN YOUR LIVE LEAN JOURNEY?
Start by taking our FREE Live Lean Body Quiz to get access to the best program specific to your goals, current fitness level, and access to equipment.
Take the Free Live Lean Body Quiz
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Question For You:
- Do you count calories and macronutrients?
- Do you know how to count calories?
Be sure to share your answers in the comment section below.
Check out our free workout videos here.
Check out my free recipe cooking videos here.
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Brad Gouthro is the founder of Live Lean TV, a media company focused on helping men and women “Live Lean” 365 days a year. Brad’s programs and content have helped millions of people all over the world learn how to get in shape, and more importantly, sustain it for life.
This is a video on how to track calories.. Funny.
Another great video thanks for sharing with us Brad!
Great Tips!
Great video +Brad Gouthro! The biggest thing for me is to be prepared. When
I batch cook and have lots of veggies and protein on hand, it is so much
easier for me to eat well. It’s worth the effort and becomes second nature
after awhile.
I counted calories only for a short while. I used it more just for the
knowledge of how many calories are actually in the foods and the portions.
Guessing when you don’t know for sure will hamper your results. Now I have
it figured out and it is so much easier. You just don’t want it to consume
you. If you are counting all the time, it can consume you and you don’t
want that. Just build the foundation with it, then use it as your base.
Thanks for the great info.
Hi Brad! Forgive me if you’ve already done a video on this … But could
you provide some suggestions for vegetarian protein sources? I can’t get
down with eating my furry and feathery friends 🙂
Plain and simple my struggle is food. I have the best intention to eat the
one ingredient foods, I meal plan and prep, but as the day goes on I stress
eat cumulating in the evenings. If I could only get this under control I
could definitely reach my goals.
Keep up the great work B…You and the wife have great info.
I just wish I could force myself to stop counting calories. All I eat are
one ingredient foods but still obsessively weight and track. Great video
though!
Allll about the no counting calories lifestyle
I have been doing the ‘mini-fast’ thing for about 6 weeks…. I am stunned..
No hunger..no cravings… forget counting calories… high protein..fish,
chicken, brocolli, cauliflaur…good carbs..no sugar..and some daily
exercise that I watched on your blog.. The fat is melting away !!!
Thanks for the videos and info’..
maintenance mode is were I want to get at
I eat 1’ingredient whole natural foods. I have actually lost a ton of
weight and gained abs with muscles thanks to your channel. I am only 14
thanks Brad for helping me keep living lean.
Preparing you food in advance, storing it and taking it to work the next
day has worked wonders for me, I lost up to 60lbs doing that (that, coupled
with working out everyday), it forced me to be strict on my diet for some
reason.
And then I went back to school and my diet went to hell lol. I haven’t
gained the lbs back, I just haven’t lost the 10-15 more lbs I need to lose
to reach my goals, except it has been hard thinking about healthy food when
you’ve got the stress of multiple assignments, group assignments…etc,
(what is that? Pizza sounds like a good idea..lol).
Anyway these sound like good ideas, will have to give them a try once I get
my shit in order so I can finally lose that last 15 lbs. By the way Brad,
do you have any vegan recipes on your website?
Hey brad give Chia seeds a look at and see what you think 3g fat (high in
omega) 5g carbs 5g fiber and 2g protein. I eat it like oatmeal.
First!
Let me know if you enjoyed this backstory on how I began my journey to Live
Lean. I love sharing my personal stories.