Highlight the text you want to count. Click Review in the top menu. Select "Word Count" from the Proofing section of the Review ribbon menu. The count that appears is just the count for the area you've selected. If the text you want to count is broken up by tables and other elements that can throw off your count, two options:

1. Select the text areas as far as you can. Write down the total. Select the next text area. So forth. Add your totals.
2. Select and copy all the text you want to count. Paste it into a blank document. Count the new document. Delete the new document.