Are you tired of feeling like tracking every single calorie is the only way to lose weight? What if I told you there's a much simpler, less time-consuming way to hit your weight loss goals without obsessing over numbers?

In this blog, I’m going to give you five proven strategies that will help you shed pounds and stay consistent without feeling food deprived. By the end of this blog, you’ll know exactly what to focus on in order to make real progress without the stress of calorie counting.

What This Episode Is Not About

Before we dive into the five proven strategies, I want to clarify what today’s episode is not about. I am not saying that weight loss is the ultimate definition of whether or not you are a healthy individual—because it’s not.

There are many better determinants of overall health, and as a society, we tend to place too much emphasis on the number on the scale. That number alone doesn’t define your health, and obsessing over it can lead to an unhealthy relationship with weight.

That being said, many of us have excess body fat and want to lose weight. It’s important to have a realistic and healthy perspective on fat loss. Generally speaking, for men, a body fat percentage between 10-22% is considered healthy. For women, a range of 25-35% is typically healthy. Make sure you don’t set unrealistic expectations for yourself when setting weight loss goals.

The Key to Fat Loss: A Caloric Deficit

In order to lose weight, you must be in a caloric deficit, meaning you need to burn more calories than you consume. That is a non-negotiable rule of fat loss.

The most predictable way to create a caloric deficit is by tracking every single calorie that enters your body and comparing it to how many calories you burn. But calorie tracking is time-consuming, and many people don’t want to spend their day logging every bite they take.

So how can we create a caloric deficit without tracking calories? Let’s use a financial analogy.

If someone wants to save money, they need to spend less than they make. The most reliable way to do this is to track every single dollar earned and spent. However, many people don’t want to track every single expense. Instead, they set guidelines like limiting how many times they eat out, how many new clothes they buy, or cutting out certain unnecessary expenses. These simple adjustments still help them save money—without tracking every cent.

Similarly, there are things you can track in your diet that will lead to a caloric deficit without requiring you to count every calorie. These five steps are strategies that I’ve used with over 800 people in the 10-Week Transformation, and they work.

You don’t need to follow all five to lose weight, but the more you implement, the more likely you are to create a caloric deficit and shed excess fat.

Step 1: Track Your Protein Intake

One of the most effective ways to lose weight without counting calories is by tracking your protein intake. Aim for 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of your ideal body weight per day.

Protein plays a critical role in fat loss for several reasons.

First, it helps build and maintain muscle. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, meaning the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest.

Second, protein has a high thermic effect, meaning your body burns more calories digesting protein than it does digesting carbs or fats. About 20-30% of the calories from protein are burned off just by digesting it.

Third, protein increases satiety. It keeps you fuller for longer, reducing the likelihood of overeating. Eating a chicken breast is far more filling than eating a bag of chips, even if they contain similar calories.

Finally, protein helps displace less nutritious, higher-calorie foods. When you eat more protein, you naturally eat fewer empty-calorie foods that can quickly put you in a caloric surplus.

If your goal weight is 160 pounds, you should aim for 112-160 grams of protein per day (multiplying 160 by 0.7 and 1.0). This is an easy metric to track, and once you develop the habit, you won’t need to think about it as much.

Step 2: Track Your Fiber Intake

Another simple strategy is tracking fiber intake. Fiber is essential for digestion, gut health, and satiety, making it an effective tool for weight loss.

Like protein, fiber keeps you full for longer. High-fiber foods are also generally whole, unprocessed, and nutrient-dense, meaning they’re lower in calories and higher in nutrients.

Aim for 25-40 grams of fiber per day, or 15 grams per 1,000 calories consumed.

Step 3: Prepare 12-18 of Your Weekly Meals at Home

Most restaurant meals are high in calories, added oils, and sodium. By preparing more meals at home, you have full control over your ingredients and portion sizes.

If you eat 21 meals per week (three per day), aim to prepare at least 12-18 of those meals yourself. Cooking at home doesn’t have to be complicated—simple, whole-food meals will naturally keep you in a caloric deficit without requiring calorie counting.

Step 4: Limit Alcohol to 5-8 Drinks Per Week

If you drink alcohol, limiting your intake is a simple way to cut back on excess calories. Alcohol is 7 calories per gram, making it one of the most calorie-dense consumables.

A single low-calorie beer is around 100 calories, meaning five beers can quickly add up to 500 calories—the same as an entire meal.

If you currently drink frequently, start by cutting down gradually. If you drink 14 drinks per week, try reducing it to 10, then 8, then 5. The goal is to find a realistic balance that supports your fat loss while allowing you to still enjoy yourself.

Step 5: Reduce Snacking to 2-5 Times Per Week

Mindless snacking is one of the biggest culprits of excess calorie consumption. While snacking isn’t inherently bad, most snack foods are calorie-dense and nutrient-poor.

Instead of snacking throughout the day, focus on eating satisfying, protein- and fiber-rich meals that keep you full. If you do snack, aim to keep it between 2-5 times per week.

Final Thoughts

Losing weight without counting calories is possible when you focus on strategic habits. These five steps—tracking protein and fiber, cooking more meals at home, limiting alcohol, and reducing snacking—will help you create a caloric deficit naturally.

If you’re looking for more guidance, join my Fat Loss Forever Workshop on Monday, February 24th, from 5-6 PM CST. This free, interactive masterclass will help you understand exactly what and how much to eat for sustainable fat loss.

Register for free at nickcarrier.com/workshop. If you can’t attend live, sign up anyway, and I’ll send you the recording.

If you found this episode helpful, follow the podcast on Apple or Spotify, and if you’re watching on YouTube, hit like and subscribe.

I hope this helps you reach your fat loss goals and gets you closer and closer to your best you.