There are numerous ways to lose a lot of weight fast, however, most of them will make you hungry, unhappy and unsatisfied. If you don’t have iron willpower, then hunger will cause you to give up on these efforts quickly.
There are three important tactics to approaching this issue, and they are all supported by scientific studies:
- Reduce your appetite significantly.
- Improve your metabolic health.
- Cause weight loss to be fast, without leaving you hungry.
How Fast You Will Lose Weight
Following these simple and effective tips, most people can expect to lose 5-10 pounds per week on average, with larger individuals easily able to lose more in the first week, (depending on how much weight you need to lose) then consistent weight loss after that. I can personally lose 3-4 lbs per week for a few weeks when I perform these tactics strictly.
Some "Food For Thought" (no pun intended), for those people who are very overweight, the more weight you have to lose, the faster you will lose it. Those afraid to attempt weight loss because they feel they are too big and will fail, need to stop thinking that way! The truth is, in a weight-loss contest, the morbidly obese have an advantage over those who weigh less, because they can shed fat much more quickly. This is why contests like “The Biggest Loser,” use weight-loss percentage to track progress rather than simply counting the lost pounds.
Biophysics and a history of poor choices, give overweight people a greater opportunity to lose more weight more quickly than their slimmer counterparts. So FYI, people new to weight loss tend to have things happen very quickly in the beginning.
What To Expect
For the first few days, you might feel different, and this is because your body has been burning refined carbs for all these years, so it can take time for it to get used to burning fat for fuel instead. It is called the “low carb flu” and don't worry, it is usually over within a few days if not sooner. Adding some sodium to your diet can help with this, such as dissolving a bouillon cube in a cup of hot water and drinking it.
After that, most people report feeling very good, positive and even more energetic. At this point you will officially have become a “fat burning furnace.”
Despite the decades of anti-fat hysteria, the lower-carb diet improves health in many other ways like:
- Blood Sugar tends to go way down on low-carb diets.
- Triglycerides tend to go down.
- Small, dense LDL (Bad) Cholesterol goes down.
- HDL (the good) cholesterol goes up.
- Blood pressure improves significantly.
Cutting Back on Sugars & Starches
This is the most important part. Refined simple carbs are the foods that stimulate secretion of insulin the most. Insulin is the main fat storage hormone in the body, but when insulin goes down, fat has an easier time getting out of the fat stores and the body starts burning fats instead of carbs.
Lowering insulin causes the kidneys to shed excess sodium and water out of your body, which reduces bloat and unnecessary water weight. It is also not uncommon to lose up to 10 pounds (sometimes more) the first week of eating this way, in both body fat and water weight. Cut the carbs, lower your insulin and you will start to eat less calories automatically and without hunger.
Eat Protein, Fat & Vegetables
The importance of eating plenty of protein can not be overstated. This has been shown to boost metabolism by 80 to 100 calories per day. High protein diets can also reduce obsessive thoughts about food by 60%, reduce desire for late-night snacking by half, and make you so full that you automatically eat 441 fewer calories per day.
Each one of your meals should include a protein source, a fat source and complex-carb vegetables. Constructing your meals in this way will automatically bring your carb intake into the recommended range of 20-50 grams per day.
Top Protein Sources:
- Meat – Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, bacon, etc.
- Fish & Seafood – Salmon, Cod, Tuna, trout, shrimp, lobsters, etc.
- Eggs – Omega-3 enriched or pastured eggs are best.
Don’t be afraid to load your plate with these low-carb vegetables. You can eat massive amounts of them without going overboard.
- Greens – lettuce, spinach, chard, collards, mustard greens, kale, etc.
- Herbs - parsley, cilantro, basil, rosemary, thyme, etc.
- Bok Choy, Cabbage (or sauerkraut), Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Cauliflower
- Bamboo Shoots
- Sea Vegetables (Nori, other Seaweed)
- Cucumbers (or pickles without added sugars)
- Green Beans and Wax Beans
- Peppers, Green Bell Peppers, Red Bell Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers
- Summer Squash & Zucchini
- Scallions, Green Onions, Onions, Leeks
- Snow Peas/Snap Peas/Pea Pods
- Spaghetti Squash
The best cooking fat to use is coconut oil. It is rich in fats called Medium Chain Triglyceride, that are more fulfilling than others and can boost metabolism slightly 11). Don’t be afraid of eating fat, trying to do both low-carb AND low-fat at the same time is a recipe for failure. It will make you feel miserable and abandon the plan.
Best Fats To Use:
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil
- Avocado oil
- Real Butter
Take a “Cheat Day” Once Per Week
You can take one day “off” per week where you eat more carbs, but it is important to try to stick to healthier carb sources like oats, brown rice, quinoa, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruits, etc. But only use this high carb day once per week, because if you start doing it more often than that, you can delay success on this plan.
Be aware that cheat meals are NOT necessary, but they can up-regulate some fat burning hormones like leptin and thyroid hormones. You will gain some weight during a cheat day, but most of it will be water weight and you will lose it again in the next day or two.
Lift Weights 3 Times Per Week
Studies done on low-carb diets show that you can even gain muscle while losing significant amounts of body fat. By lifting weights, you will burn calories and prevent your metabolism from slowing down, which is a common side effect of losing weight.
If lifting weights is not an option for you, then doing some easier cardio workouts like running, jogging, swimming or walking will suffice.
Other Quick Weight Loss Tips
- Drink More Water. One study shows that drinking water half an hour before meals helps you eat fewer calories and lose 44% more weight, and can also boost metabolism slightly.
- Eat a High-Protein Breakfast. Studies show that people who replace a grain-based breakfast with high-protein foods like eggs feel more full for the next 36 hours, and lose up to 65% more weight.
- Eat Viscous Fiber. Viscous fiber supplements like glucomannan can help you lose weight, especially around the belly area.
- Drink Coffee or Tea. If you’re a coffee or a tea drinker, then by all means drink up, as both can raise your metabolism.
- Choose Weight Loss Friendly Foods. Certain foods are particularly useful for losing fat. Here is a list of the 20 most weight loss friendly foods on earth.
- Use Smaller Plates. Studies show that people automatically eat less when they use smaller plates. Strange, but it works.
- Sleep Better. Poor sleep is one of the strongest risk factors for weight gain and obesity, taking care of your sleep is important.