Calorie counting is not effective for most people - it makes them neurotic, obsessive and prone to extreme behaviours both sides of the line - all and nothing. It can also result in a slowing of metabolic processes; unless you intend on staying on low calories forever, the weight will probably come back on.
Even in the 5% of cases where calorie cutting does result in long-term weight loss, you will not necessarily experience a corresponding improvement in health, unless you counted quantity AND quality of foods.
Calorie counting also fails to address the issue of sugar addiction witnessed in almost all serial dieters.
I make no secret of the fact I consider highly processed and refined foods to be the number one cause of overeating in the Western world. Most of us are addicts. Myself included, I have to seriously moderate intake of sugar products or I eat them without caution or care - I become addicted.
I see the solution to this problem as rather more simple than most would have you believe. You do no not to hire a Personal Trainer, a Nutritionist or a dietician to give you the answer either.
You simply focus on the quality of food you eat, not the quantity.
What is a quality food I hear you ask. That is simple too. Anything with one ingredient in it. There is only carrot in carrot, potato in potato and Chicken in Chicken. Nothing else.
Before you start talking about intermittent fasting, Atkins, the China study, eating Organic, or anything else that ever existed in relation to healthy eating (as if it were the first time I ever heard it.) Don't. I understand the laws of thermodynamics so save me that boring argument too.
We could overcomplicate this process as has been done a thousand times, and yes we could improve it too, but that only serves to confuse. For 95% of people following this simple rule would improve almost all health markers.
Try not eating processed foods for a week and see how you feel. Ignore quantity and eat to your hearts content; it is very difficult to overeat on this diet. You may manage it, but I doubt it.
When eating quality foods - our digestive system, endocrine system and all metabolic processes start to operate as they should, resulting in self regulating appetites, loss of cravings, emotional improvements and increased energy levels.
In this environment the requirement for counting calories becomes obsolete and we all get healthy.
Could it possibly be that simple?