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

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 (1).

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

Another benefit of cutting carbs is that it lowers insulin levels, causing the kidneys to shed excess sodium and water. This reduces bloating and unnecessary water weight (2, 3Trusted Source).

According to some dietitians, it’s not uncommon to lose up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) — sometimes more — in the first week of eating this way. This weight loss includes both body fat and water weight.

One study in healthy women with obesity reported that a very low carb diet was more effective than a low fat diet for short-term weight loss (4Trusted Source).

Research suggests that a low carb diet can reduce appetite, which may lead you to eat fewer calories without thinking about it or feeling hungry (5).

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.

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

Low carb vegetables

Many vegetables are low in carbs, including:

• broccoli
• cauliflower
• spinach
• tomatoes
• kale
• Brussels sprouts
• cabbage
• Swiss chard
• lettuce
• cucumber

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 (11, 12Trusted Source).

Studies on low carb diets show that you can gain a bit of muscle while losing significant amounts of body fat (13).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.

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.

10 weight loss tips

1. Eat a high protein breakfast. Eating a high protein breakfast could reduce cravings and calorie intake throughout the day (16Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source).
2. Avoid sugary drinks and fruit juice. These are among the most fattening things you can put into your body (18Trusted Source, 19).
3. Drink water before meals. One study showed that drinking water a half hour before meals increased weight loss by 44% over 3 months (20Trusted Source).
4. Choose weight-loss-friendly foods. Some foods are better for weight loss than others. Here is a list of 20 healthy weight-loss-friendly foods.
5. Eat soluble fiber. Studies show that soluble fibers may promote weight loss. Fiber supplements like glucomannan can also help (21Trusted Source, 22Trusted Source).
6. Drink coffee or tea. Caffeine boosts your metabolism by 3–11% (23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source, 25Trusted Source).
7. Base your diet on whole foods. They are healthier, more filling, and much less likely to cause overeating than processed foods.
8. Eat slowly. Eating quickly can lead to weight gain over time, while eating slowly makes you feel more full and boosts weight-reducing hormones (26, 27Trusted Source).
9. Weigh yourself every day. Studies show that people who weigh themselves every day are much more likely to lose weight and keep it off for a long time (28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source).
10. Get good quality sleep. Sleep is important formany reasons, and poor sleep is one of the biggest risk factors for weight gain (30).