How to Lose Weight Fast: 3 Simple Steps, Based on Science
If your doctor recommends it, there are ways to lose weight safely. A steady weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week is recommended for the most effective long-term weight management.
That said, many eating plans leave you feeling hungry or unsatisfied. These are major reasons why you might find it hard to stick to a healthier eating plan.
However, not all diets have this effect. Low carb diets and whole-food, lower-calorie diets are effective for weight loss and may be easier to stick to than other diets.
Here are some ways to lose weight that employ healthy eating, potentially lower carbs, and that aim to:
- reduce your appetite
- cause fast weight loss
- improve your metabolic health at the same time
1. Cut back on refined carbs
One way to shed pounds quickly is to scale back on sugars and starches, or carbohydrates. This will be with a low-carb eating plan or by lowering subtle carbs and changing them with entire grains.
When you do that, your hunger tiers pass down, and also you generally come to be ingesting fewer calories.
With a low-carb eating plan, you’ll utilize burning stored fats for electricity rather than carbs.
If you pick to devour more complicated carbs like entire grains in conjunction with a calorie deficit, you’ll advantage from better fiber and digest them greater slowly. This makes them greater filling to keep you happy.
A 2020 look showed that a totally low carbohydrate diet was beneficial for dropping weight in older populations.
Research additionally suggests that a low-carb food plan can lessen appetite, which might also cause ingesting less energy without thinking about it or feeling hungry.
Note that the lengthy-term outcomes of a low carb weight loss plan are nevertheless being researched. It can also be hard to stick to a low-carb food plan, which may also result in yo-yo dieting and less fulfillment in retaining a healthy weight.
There are capability downsides to a low-carb weight loss plan that can lead you to a different technique. Reduced calorie diets also can cause weight reduction and be simpler to preserve for longer durations of time.
If you opt for a weight loss program focusing instead on complete grains over refined carbs, 2019 have a look at correlated high entire grain with lower body mass index (BMI) (4Trusted Source).
To decide the satisfactory way as a way to shed pounds, consult your medical doctor for tips.
2. Eat protein, fat, and vegetables
Each one of your meals should include:
- a protein source
- fat source
- vegetables
- a small portion of complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains
To see how you can assemble your meals, check out:
- this low carb meal plan
- this lower calorie meal plan
- these lists of 101 healthy low carb recipes and low-calorie foods
Protein
Eating a recommended amount of protein is essential to help preserve your health and muscle mass while losing weight (5Trusted Source).
Evidence suggests that eating adequate protein may improve cardiometabolic risk factors, appetite, and body weight.
Here’s how to determine how much you need to eat without eating too much. Many factors determine your specific needs, but generally, an average person needs:
- 56–91 grams per day for the average male
- 46–75 grams per day for the average female
Diets with adequate protein can also help:
- educe cravings and obsessive thoughts about food by 60%
- reduce the desire to snack late at night by half
- make you feel full
In one study, people on a higher protein diet ate 441 fewer calories per day
Healthy protein sources include:
- meat: beef, chicken, pork, and lamb
- fish and seafood: salmon, trout, and shrimp
- eggs: whole eggs with the yolk
- plant-based proteins: beans, legumes, quinoa, tempeh, and tofu
Low carb and leafy green vegetables
Don’t be afraid to load your plate with leafy green vegetables. They’re packed with nutrients, and you can eat very large amounts without greatly increasing calories and carbs.
Vegetables to include for low carb or low-calorie eating plans:
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- spinach
- tomatoes
- kale
- Brussels sprouts
- cabbage
- Swiss chard
- lettuce
- cucumber
Healthy fats
Don’t be afraid of eating fats.
Your body still requires healthy fats no matter what eating plan you choose. Olive oil and avocado oil are great choices for including in your eating plan.
Other fats such as butter and coconut oil should be used only in moderation due to their higher saturated fat content.
3. Move your body
Exercise, while not required to lose weight, can help you lose weight more quickly. Lifting weights has particularly good benefits.
By lifting weights, you’ll burn lots of calories and prevent your metabolism from slowing down, which is a common side effect of losing weight
Try going to the gym three to four times a week to lift weights. If you’re new to the gym, ask a trainer for some advice. Make sure your doctor is also aware of any new exercise plans.
If lifting weights is not an option for you, doing some cardio workouts such as walking, jogging, running, cycling, or swimming is very beneficial for weight loss and general health.
Both cardio and weightlifting can help with weight loss.
What about calories and portion control?
If you opt for a low-carb eating plan, it’s not necessary to count calories as long as you keep your carb intake very low and stick to protein, fat, and low-carb vegetables.
If you find yourself not losing weight, you may want to keep track of your calories to see if that’s a contributing factor.
If you’re sticking to a calorie deficit to lose weight, you can use a free online calculator like this one.
Enter your sex, weight, height, and activity levels. The calculator will tell you how many calories to eat per day to maintain your weight, lose weight, or lose weight fast.
You can also download free, easy-to-use calorie counters from websites and app stores. Here’s a list of 5 calorie counters to try.
Enter your sex, weight, height, and activity levels. The calculator will tell you how many calories to eat per day to maintain your weight, lose weight, or lose weight fast.
You can also download free, easy-to-use calorie counters from websites and app stores. Here’s a list of 5 calorie counters to try.
Note that eating too few calories can be dangerous and less effective for losing weight. Aim to reduce your calories by a sustainable and healthy amount based on your doctor’s recommendation.
Counting calories isn’t usually needed to lose weight on a low carb eating plan. But if you’re not losing weight or on a reduced calorie eating plan, calorie counting may help.
9 Great Weight loss tips
- Eat a high-protein breakfast. Eating a high-protein breakfast could help reduce cravings and calorie intake throughout the day. Trusted Source
- Trusted Source
- Avoid sugary drinks and fruit juice. Empty calories from sugar aren’t useful to your body and can hinder weight loss. Trusted Sou
- Drink water before meals. One study showed that drinking water before meals reduced calorie intake and may be effective in weight management. Trusted Source
- Choose weight-loss-friendly foods. Some foods are better for weight loss than others. Here is a list of healthy weight-loss-friendly foods.
- Eat soluble fiber. Studies show that soluble fibers may promote weight loss. Fiber supplements like glucomannan can also help.
- Drink coffee or tea. Caffeine consumption can boost your metabolism.
- Base your diet on whole foods. They’re healthier, more filling, and much less likely to cause overeating than processed foods.
- Eat slowly. Eating quickly can lead to weight gain over time while eating slowly makes you feel more full and boosts weight-reducing hormones.
- Get good quality sleep. Sleep is important for many reasons and poor sleep is one of the biggest risk factors for weight gain.