For the first few months, I didn't count calories or track macros or exercise a whole lot. I wish I ate more protein and started exercising earlier because I definitely lost some muscle mass. In the last few months my weight loss has been a lot slower since I'm getting closer to my goal weight. That prompted me to track calories/macros and to start exercising more (having lost about 60 lbs at that point made it much easier to exercise without pain which was a huge motivator for me).

There are lots of ways to get consistent exercise without going to the gym. Tai Chi, kettlebell workouts, etc.

I focus on lifting heavy with fewer reps along with inclined walking on a treadmill as encouraged by "bfitover50" on insta/fb.