It's not a lifestyle, it's a diet.
I need to count calories even when I avoid processed foods and eat vegan. It is very easy to overeat even healthy food. I don't mind feeling like I'm on a diet because I am reversing a medical condition (obesity).
Once the obesity is gone, I can go ahead and have a lifestyle that will maintain a healthy weight. Learning to do that will be a process as well.
That's what works for me....I know everyone is different.