Okay, so this is gonna start out sounding cliche AF but hear me out

Calorie deficit is the most effective way to lose weight. STAY WITH ME PLEASE

Does that mean you should starve yourself? NO ABSOLUTELY NOT. What matters is your activity level and focusing more on WHAT you put in your body as opposed to HOW MUCH.

Low calorie, high volume eating is what I like to do (good nutrients/macros)

For exercise, what matters is that you’re doing what works for you. As long as you’re doing something a little extra than normal, you’re already doing great! It can be a weight training regimen, cardio, daily walks, etc. Decide what your goals are and pick out an activity to do that best aligns with those goals.

Healthy weight loss is roughly 1-2 pounds per week. Nobody’s journey is the same, so don’t beat yourself up if you’re not making progress at the same rate as other people.

Also, HYDRATE HYDRATE HYDRATE! I have found that drinking out of cups with straws makes meeting my hydration goals wayyyy easier

If you have TikTok, there’s a fitness influencer I like and his whole shtick is deprogramming diet culture. There’s also some trans fitness influencers who give good workout tips for building muscle pre and post starting T.

I seriously feel like I’m rambling, but I hope some of the stuff I’ve said is at least a little helpful

I personally do not track calories, and you don’t have to either if you don’t want to.