How to Lose Weight Fast: 10 Simple Steps, Backed by Science

Written by Resurchify | Updated on: April 19, 2022

Want to lose weight faster? Here is the complete guide on how to lose weight faster: 10 simple steps backed by science.

"5-pound weight loss in one week"! It's a common stereotype, and whether one needs to lose weight for health reasons or simply wants to look better, this line might seem fairly appealing. Technically, some individuals could drop that much weight within this amount of time, but it's not something our nutrition experts encourage, and it's certainly not a healthy method. Even if people lose that much weight on a low carb or keto diet, they are most likely to gain it all back as soon as people decide to continue eating carbohydrates again. Furthermore, because weight reduction, in general, is largely reliant on the individual's metabolism and a variety of other characteristics specific to individuals, such as physical exercise and body composition, that assurance will not be fulfilled for everybody.

There are numerous fad diets that keep promising to help people lose weight faster while leaving them hungry and deprived. But what is the point of losing weight just to regain it? It's preferable to reduce weight gradually if one wants to keep the pounds off for good. And according to many experts, one can accomplish it without going on a "diet." The trick is to make little changes to one's lifestyle. One pound of fat has 3,500 calories. Individuals can lose about a pound per week by reducing their caloric intake by 500 calories per day through dietary and exercise changes. If individuals only need to maintain their current weight, shaving 100 calories a day is enough to avoid the extra 1-2 pounds that most adults attain each and every year.

How to lose weight fast: 10 scientific ways

There are several diet plans, medicines, and meal replacement programmes that guarantee quick weight reduction. But most of them do not have any scientific proof. There are, however, some scientifically supported weight-management measures. Going to exercise, keeping track of calorie consumption, occasional fasting, limiting the number of sugars in the diet, and many more measures are among them. Some of the science-backed ways to lose weight are as follows:

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that comprises recurring short-term fasts and eating meals in a shorter period during the day. Several studies have demonstrated that short-term intermittent fasting (up to 24 weeks) promotes to weight loss in overweight adults. The following are the most common intermittent fasting methods:

Fasting every alternate day and regularly eating on non-fasting days with alternate-day fasting
The 5:2 Diet
The 16/8 approach etc.

While doing intermittent fasting, the hunger completely goes away, and not craving for anything just makes it easy to lose the extra fats in the body. When we take a break from our dietary routine, and we give our bodies a break from our eating, we allow our body to really start functioning as it's supposed to. It starts using our stored fats as energy. It lowers our cholesterol and helps in weight loss by burning stored fats by increasing higher metabolism rather than all the food that we are eating.

Reducing the intake of sugar and processed carbs

Sugary foods raise the blood sugar, causing a surge of insulin to flood the body, encouraging fat to develop around the midsection over time. These fat cells, known as visceral fat, are the most dangerous type because they produce adipokines and adipose hormones, which move to the organs and blood vessels and create inflammation, which can contribute to illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. Refined carbs are also highly processed meals that are devoid of fibre and other nutrients. White rice, bread, and pasta are examples. Wherever possible, consumers should replace processed and sugary meals with more nutritious ones. Whole-grain rice, bread, and pasta instead of white versions, fruits, nuts, and seeds instead of elevated munchies, shakes with freshwater instead of fruit juice, and so on are all good meal alternatives. It has also been proven by the doctors of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health that drinking sugary beverages contributes to being overweight and obese.

Brushing teeth more often

Brushing not only cleans one's teeth but also can help in the fight against excess weight. Around 15000 people took part in a research project conducted by the Catholic University of Korea, which shows that there is a link between brushing teeth and losing weight because toothpaste helps remove the leftover food from one's mouth and stops communicating with our receptors. Our brain receives a signal that says lunch is over, thereby helping in cutting obesity.

Laugh more

Sincere laughter uses the same amount of energy as walking since it involves different muscles, basically the abdominal ones. According to a research done by the Vanderbilt University, the medicine department showed that 10 to 15 minutes of laughter a day can burn down 10 to 40 calories in human beings. Thus it is advisable to watch more comedy shows, some soap operas or any other comic series and even interested ones can read comic books in order to cut down body fat. People can also nowadays join laughter club as well as do laughing yoga. The latest data shows that there are about 6000 groups worldwide running various laughter courses. It is considered one of the best medicines to reduce unwanted fats accumulated in the body.

Mindful eating

As the name suggests, mindful eating is a style of eating in which people pay attention to where and how they eat their meals. This allows people to enjoy their meals and maintain a healthy weight simultaneously. Because most people have busy lifestyles, they frequently eat on the go, in the vehicle, while working at their desks, or while watching television. As a result, many individuals are unaware of the food they consume. Some of the mindful eating techniques are described below:

Sitting down to eat

When people sit down to eat, ideally at a table, they should pay heed to the food along with enjoying the experience. Distractions should be avoided when eating: People should not switch on the television, laptop, or phone while eating. Eating slowly allows people to chew and appreciate their meal: This strategy aids with weight reduction by giving a person's brain adequate time to notice fullness signals, which can assist in preventing overeating.

Making informed dietary choices: Preferring foods that are high in nutritional ingredients will keep people satisfied for hours instead of minutes.

Going on more walks and finding every opportunity to move

Adults should acquire at least 150 minutes to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, or 75 minutes to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. Americans drive for two-thirds of all travels less than one mile and 89% of all trips one to two miles, although each additional hour spent driving is connected with a 6% rise in obesity. Implementing this guideline to burn calories instead of gas might help reduce excess weight: If your errands are less than a mile distant, walk quickly to do them. Alternatively, instead of relocating your car each time, park it in a location where you can conduct many trips within a mile. And we don't simply mean going for a stroll during the lunch break. It can also be followed by getting up and moving while watching one's favourite TV shows. Individuals can also perform jumping jacks, running in place, walking up and down some stairs, dancing—anything that will raise their heart rate and allow them to feel a little out of breath. Doing it for each 2-minute commercial break while watching one's favourite TV show will lead to burning an extra 270 calories every day, which is enough to lose 28 pounds a year. Adding two to three minutes of stair climbing each day (covering three to five floors) can burn adequate carbohydrates to offset the estimated annual intake of one to two pounds. Walking up a flight of stairs may help develop one's thighs and calves too. So it has some strength training advantages as well. According to British research, getting up from one's chair at the workplace is one of the simplest methods to lose some additional calories; standing burns 50 more calories per hour than remaining seated. If one has the luxury of a standing desk, it is advisable to make the most out of it. If one doesn't have it, one may simply construct it by piling books or cartons on one's desk and standing up to work. At the absolute least, one should make sure that they're standing up and stretching every hour, and maybe even going for a stroll around the office because every little bit of movement is important.

Getting enough sleep

Numerous studies have revealed that sleeping for less than 5–6 hours at night is related with an increased risk of obesity. This is due to several factors. According to research, inadequate or poor-quality sleep lowers metabolism, the process through which the body transforms calories into energy. When metabolism is impaired, the body may retain excess energy as fat. Furthermore, lack of sleep can boost the synthesis of insulin and cortisol, both of which promote fat accumulation. Sleep duration influences the regulation of the appetite-controlling hormones leptin and ghrelin.lthough lack of sleep may not directly cause weight gain, research shows that persons who have poor sleep patterns tend to weigh more and have difficulty shedding body fat. This is due to the fact that sleep is essential for controlling one's mood, appetites, and activity levels, all of which impact the food choices one makes every day. Furthermore, the influence of sleep on certain hormones and nutrition usage may also cause individuals to retain extra body fat. Hence, it is necessary to give enough priority to sleep by setting other things aside. It is also advised to remove all disturbances, such as the TV, smartphone, or pets, and lie down in a dim and calm private spot. If necessary, individuals can use a sleeping mask to have better sleep at night. This will help one feel better, which in turn will provide them with the energy and willpower to stick to their diet and training schedule. Sleep reduces unwanted belly fat. A study conducted by Columbia University showed that people who sleep less than 5 hours were more prone to weight gain and obesity than those who had a sufficient sleep.

Letting cool air into one's bedroom

A research held in the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases along with the National Institutes of Health shows that allowing cool air or keeping the room cool with low temperatures burns the fat oils and layers. A fat layer that protects the body from freezing helps in burning down the excess fat, which in a way also helps in splitting white fats and burning chemical energy to create inflammation. Using the cold to lose some weight without exercise is conceivable by lowering the temperature to the point where one feels chilly all of the time. According to Japanese research, individuals who wore medical gowns and spent several hours each day in a 61-degree chamber lost nearly a pound in six weeks.

Drinking plenty of water

This is the simplest approach to get the body's metabolism going. Beginning one's day with a glass of warm water infused with honey and lemon juice raises the body temperature, which enhances the overall metabolic rate. The higher the metabolic rate, the easier it is for the body to burn calories. The honey aids in weight loss and provides a much-needed energy boost shortly after waking up. Black pepper is believed to help with metabolism and digestion, which speeds up the breakdown of fat cells. A team of scientists from the Humboldt University and the German Institute of Human Nutrition researched the participants and asked them to drink two large glasses of water.

As a consequence their metabolism became 30% faster and more efficient. They claim that if a person can drink maximum 50 litres more water a day, he/she can reduce almost 17400 calories per year. As a simple strategy to eliminate excess calories and help weight control, it is advisable to replace drinks with added sugar and alcohol with water. According to several studies, having a glass of water before meals might help people naturally consume less food. In one research, people who drank 2 cups (16 ounces) of water before eating dropped 44 % more weight in three months than those who didn't. At times, one may mistake thirst for hunger, causing people to consume more food than they require. As a result, it's critical to keep hydrated and consume water throughout the day. One might certainly have heard that the golden rule is to drink eight glasses of water every day; however the amount of water that each individual should drink varies substantially. Physically active people who take certain drugs, or are suffering from a viral disease should drink extra water. Drinking water whenever one feels thirsty and taking sips of water before, during, and after an exercise are the greatest ways to stay hydrated.

Managing stress

Chronic stress, such as lack of sleep, can have a negative impact on overall motivation and the capability to adhere to a diet. Given that our thinking is a crucial component of any effective transformation, it's no surprise that numerous studies link poor stress management to bad weight control. As part of the body's fight or flight reaction, stress leads to the production of chemicals such as adrenaline and cortisol. These chemicals initially suppress hunger. According to a research undergone by the Ohio State University proved that stress slows down our metabolism. When we stress out, we tend to eat more cheesy and salty food and consuming such foods while being in stressful situations affects metabolism and causes weight gain. Hence it is advisable to avoid binge eating while being stressed. Stress is extremely dependent on the individual and how they respond to difficult events. That is, individuals have more control than they realize. One may be able to create more good benefits from this psychological reaction by focusing on how people handle change and stress, making one feel more motivated and powerful and less overburdened and run down. Yoga, meditation, breathing and relaxation techniques, spending some time outside, such as walking or gardening, talking to someone, keeping a stress diary, getting more sleep, being more disciplined, cutting back on alcohol and caffeine, so on and so forth are some ways to manage stress.

Some FAQs on how to scientifically lose weight fast

How much influence does genetics have on weight loss?

We tend to blame our genes even after trying to lose weight by fasting or starving or even following the necessary dietary regimes. Though some of the blame may be considered true, it is not always that the genes affect the weight balance of an individual. However, our genes not always are to blame for or it must not be the excuse to give up on weight loss. It is only true that weight loss depends upon our dietary plans, how much exercise we do in a day, how much of our protein intake, our daily lifestyle, etc.

Is starting a new diet better or making a slow and steady change better?

Though it is tempting to follow new dietary rituals, however, there is a saying that slow and steady wins the race. Thus, slowing does the amount of intake and steadily moving on to newer plans is much more effective than drastically changing one. It is preferable to make incremental modifications to your diet and keep consistency rather than revamping the diet in a single weekend. It is also advisory to change one or two items in a diet at a time because if we keep on changing continuously, we might not get the maximum amount of nutrition required or the amount of fat needed to lose, which will only result in the opposite reaction. Thus modifying one thing at a time at a slower pace is preferable.

Does skipping meals help in reducing weight?

It is strongly encouraged not to skip meals for a variety of reasons. Many people believe that skipping a meal means consuming less calories and burning more fat, resulting in weight loss, but this is not the case. Rather skipping meals leads only to consuming more food. For instance: if a person skips breakfast he will tend to have a more heavy lunch which will only lead to more food consumption, maybe double the required amount since he had not eaten anything for breakfast. He would only want to compensate for the missed meal, which would increase the appetite and increase the cholesterol, thereby rapidly increasing the amount of sugar intake and fatty meals. These in turn will increase the glucose level and cause unwanted fats.

Can tea or coffee help in weight loss?

Green tea specially has been considered to reduce weight in a favourable metabolic function. Though normal coffee is not as much as effective as green tea, however, black coffee without excess sugar can sometimes be of help in cutting down the unwanted body fats. Rather than focusing upon the effects of coffee and tea in reducing weight, individuals can perform a workout in the early morning or even consume weight reduction vitamins which provide an advantage that tea or coffee won't.

Are there certain food items that should be avoided in order to achieve the best outcome?

Healthy meals help us achieve our objectives by making us feel good, fuelling our bodies, and providing the nourishment we require. Regular meals are the occasional indulgences that we like to indulge in. It's fine to eat "normal" stuff. It's all about finding the right balance when it comes to weight reduction diet. But if we keep on telling ourselves that particular food items would make us fat or whatsoever, then we tend to get attracted to them more. It only increases the want to consume them because of their appealing nature, which ultimately will allow us to increase our fats. Also, avoiding certain food is very unrealistic, which will only lead to short term weight loss.

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