How to Lose Weight Fast: 3 Simple Steps, Based on Science

There are many ways to lose a lot of weight fast.

That said, many diet plans leave you feeling hungry or unsatisfied. These are major reasons why you might find it hard to stick to a diet.

However, not all diets have this effect. Low carb diets are effective for weight loss and may be easier to stick to than other diets.

Here’s a 3-step weight loss plan that employs a low carb diet and aims to:

significantly reduce your appetite

cause fast weight loss

improve your metabolic health 

1. Cut back on carbs :

The most important part is to cut back on sugars and starches, or carbohydrates.

When you do that, your hunger levels go down, and you generally end up eating significantly fewer calories.

Instead of burning carbs for energy, your body now starts burning stored fat for energy.

2. Eat protein, fat, and vegetables :

Each one of your meals should include a protein source, fat source, and low carb vegetables.

As a general rule, try eating two to three meals per day. If you find yourself hungry in the afternoon, add a fourth meal.

Constructing your meals in this way should bring your carb intake down to around 20–50 grams per day.

To see how you can assemble your meals, check out this low carb meal plan and list of 101 healthy low carb recipes.

Protein

Eating plenty of protein is an essential part of this plan.

Evidence suggests that eating lots of protein may boost calorie expenditure by 80–100 calories per day.

High protein diets can also reduce cravings and obsessive thoughts about food by 60%, reduce the desire to snack late at night by half, and make you feel full. In one study, people on a higher protein diet ate 441 fewer calories per day. 

When it comes to losing weight, protein is a crucial nutrient to think about.

Many vegetables are low in carbs including:

broccoli

• cauliflower

• spinach

• tomatoes

• kale

• Brussels sprouts

• cabbage

• Swiss chard

• lettuce

• cucumber

Healthy fats

Don’t be afraid of eating fats. Trying to do low carb and low fat at the same time can make sticking to the diet very difficult.

Sources of healthy fats include:

• olive oil

• coconut oil

• avocado oil

• butter

SUMMARY

Assemble each meal out of a protein source, fat source, and low carb vegetables. This will generally put you in a carb range of 20–50 grams and significantly lower your hunger levels.

3. Lift weights three times per week : 

You don’t need to exercise to lose weight on this plan, but it will have extra benefits.

By lifting weights, you will burn lots of calories and prevent your metabolism from slowing down, which is a common side effect of losing weight. 

Studies on low carb diets show that you can gain a bit of muscle while losing significant amounts of body fat.

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.

If lifting weights is not an option for you, doing some cardio workouts like walking, jogging, running, cycling, or swimming will suffice. Both cardio and weightlifting can help with weight loss.