There are a lot of ways that you can lose weight fast. Some common ways are through massive calorie restriction, eating disorders and through Atkins style low-carb diets.

Do these methods work to lose weight fast in a sustainable way? Not necessarily.

In this article, I will go over 2 scientifically proven ways that you can lose weight at a healthy rate and keep it off. All of this is based off of science.

The simple plan that I present to you here will:

• Reduce your cravings for unhealthy foods
• Give you more energy and vitality
• Allow you to lose weight fast at a healthy rate
• Keep you full and feeling satiated throughout the day

Step 1 - Eat A Whole Food Plant-Based Diet High In Carbohydrates

Wait a minute… did you say “high in carbohydrates”?

If you thought that a high carbohydrate diet was the cause of being overweight or obese, then think again.

For clarification, when I mention “high in carbohydrate foods”, I’m not talking about donuts, french fries, cookies, cakes or potato chips. I’m referring to fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains.

What is a whole food plant-based vegan diet?

Now you may be curious as to what is a whole food plant based diet? What types of foods am I supposed to be eating?

This falls in to 6 main categories: fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

When you look down at your plate, you want to see the majority of your calories coming from fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Nuts and seeds should be seen more like a condiment.

(Referenced from PCRM.org)

Fruits

Fruits are wonderful foods. They get a lot of flack for being weight gaining foods because they are high in sugar. While that is true they are also high in water and fibre content which makes them calorically dilute. This means they are less likely to cause weight gain unless you were consuming more calories then your body is expending. They are also rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene.

Whole Grains

Whole grains is a great source of complex carbohydrates that are satiating to our body and provide us the energy to really live our life. This includes foods like barley, buckwheat, corn, millet, oats, rice, rye, sorghum, wheat, wild rice.

We love to build our meals around hearty grains (as well as starchy vegetables) since these are rich in fibre, protein, B vitamins and zinc.

Legumes

Another important plant-based group is the bean group which also includes peas and lentils and chickpeas. Legumes are well known as great source of fibre as well as protein, iron, calcium, zinc and B vitamins.

Vegetables

We like to categorize vegetables in to two sections. Non-starchy vegetables and starchy vegetables.

Starchy vegetables include several types of roots and bulbs. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, squash, carrots, zucchini and yams are all examples of healthy starchy vegetables.

Non-starchy vegetables are typically flowering parts of the plant bok choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, chives, collard greens, eggplant, garlic, green beans, kale, leeks, lettuce, mustard greens, okra, onions, peppers, radishes, rhubarb, scallions, spinach, summer squashes, turnips, zucchini are all considered non-starchy vegetables.

The Science - Lose Weight Fast With Plants

This study published in 2004 found that participants in this randomized controlled study to lose weight just by altering their fat intake (to 18% from 30%+) and no change to their caloric intake (1). Over a period of 12 weeks, the control group who made no changes to their diet, didn’t gain or lose weight any weight but the control who modified their food intake to include more complex high carbohydrate foods lost on average about 7lbs. Furthermore, when they included 45 minutes of stationary bike exercise 4 times weekly, they lost on average 11lbs.

18% dietary fat may be a bit high for some people. If you follow a strict whole food plant-based diet, that percentage can drop below 10% dietary fat and could be even more effective as a long term weight loss strategy.

Conclusion: A high-carbohydrate diet consumed ad libitum, with no attempt at energy restriction or change in energy intake, results in losses of body weight and body fat in older men and women (from the study mentioned above).

In a study published in May of 2009, a large population study of 7th Day Adventist church members (over 60,000 people) showed very strong correlations between BMI and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes.

The study goes on to investigate the differences between 4 different vegetarian diets and a non-vegetarian diet. The difference is BMI between the vegan diet and the non-vegetarian diet was 23.6 and 28.8 respectively (2). The other 3 vegetarian diets fall between those numbers.

The difference in weight is substantial over this spread. Someone at 5’6″ with a BMI of 23.6 weighs 146lbs with someone at a BMI of 28.8 weighing in at 178lbs. That’s a 32lb spread! The vegans were the only group in this study that had an average BMI that was under 25. A BMI over 25 is considered to be overweight.

The 5-unit BMI difference between vegans and nonvegetarians indicates a substantial potential of vegetarianism to protect against obesity. Increased conformity to vegetarian diets protected against risk of type 2 diabetes after lifestyle characteristics and BMI were taken into account. Pesco- and semi-vegetarian diets afforded intermediate protection.

In another very large population study published in August of 2010, the objective was to assess the association between consumption of total meat, red meat, poultry, and processed meat and weight gain after a 5 year of follow-up, on average, in the large European population who participated in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Physical Activity, Nutrition, Alcohol, Cessation of Smoking, Eating Out of Home and Obesity (EPIC-PANACEA) project.

We normally think that the reason why people are heavier while eating animal products is because the animal products are denser in calories and therefore consume more calories but this study adjusted overall energy intake (3). They still found that just by consuming more meat and poultry, it would still lead to weight gain.

Total meat consumption was positively associated with weight gain in men and women, in normal-weight and overweight subjects, and in smokers and nonsmokers. With adjustment for estimated energy intake, an increase in meat intake of 250 g/d (eg, one steak at approximately 450 kcal) would lead to a 2-kg higher weight gain after 5 y (95% CI: 1.5, 2.7 kg). Positive associations were observed for red meat, poultry, and processed meat.

In a randomized control trial in 2013 where 50 participants completed the study. It investigated 5 different diet types: vegan, vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian, semi-vegetarian and omnivorous. It found that the linear trend for weight loss at 2 months and 6 months was significant (4). At 6 months they found that the weight loss between the vegan group and the omnivorous group was significantly different.

Even the Obesity Society recognized this study and posted an article about it. The important thing with this study is that there wasn’t an emphasis on calorie restriction. The change was in what foods they were eating.

Vegan diets may result in greater weight loss than more modest recommendations.

A 2 year randomized controlled study assessed the effect of a low-fat diet compared to a NCEP (National Cholesterol Education Program) diet on weight loss maintenance at 1 year and 2 year intervals.

64 overweight postmenopausal women participated in this study and were randomly assigned to a low-fat vegan diet or a NCEP diet. Individuals in the vegan group lost more weight at the 1 year interval and the 2 year interval (5).

A vegan diet was associated with significantly greater weight loss than the NCEP diet at 1 and 2 years. Both group support and meeting attendance were associated with significant weight loss at follow-up.

Another large population study in Europe looked at the association between dietary protein and the subsequent changes in waist circumference and weight.

90,000 people were followed over a mean time of 6.5 years and found a direct link to the consumption of red meat, processed meats and poultry (6).

A high intake of protein was not found associated with lower weight or waist gain in this observational study. In contrast, protein from food items of animal origin, especially meat and poultry, seemed to be positively associated with long-term weight gain. There were no clear associations for waist changes.

If you are not just concerned about weight loss but have some type of disease or condition, a plant-based diet can possibly halt, reverse or cure diabetes, heart disease, acne, auto-immune diseases, osteoporosis and many others.

The Observation

“All large populations of trim, healthy people, throughout verifiable human history, have obtained the bulk of their calories from starch. Examples of once thriving people include Japanese, Chinese, and other Asians eating sweet potatoes, buckwheat, and/or rice, Incas in South America eating potatoes, Mayans and Aztecs in Central America eating corn, and Egyptians in the Middle East eating wheat.” - Dr. John McDougall

Starch has been central to all diets of ancient civilizations of healthy, large successful populations. Most of this has been documented in The Starch Solution but if you’d like to read a bit more about our real paleolithic diet then this newsletter from Dr. McDougall will point you in the right direction to lose weight fast.

What is a “low-fat” diet (and more science)?

A low-fat diet must be defined in the correct way in order to lose weight fast. A lot of studies I have seen consider a “low-fat” diet to be 30% of the daily calories coming from fat where as a real low-fat diet is actually 10-15% or less of the calories from fat.

There is also evidence that supports the superior benefits of eating a low-fat diet for health (7, 8) and that low-fat diets with exercise are excellent for long-term weight loss (9,10). This is based on an average of 70 pounds of weight lost per person and that the weight loss was maintained for over 5 years.

We promote what is essentially a vegan diet. We just call it a plant-based diet. Many people get freaked out by the word vegan because of the identities of the people associated with it.

Why does a whole food plant-based diet work for fast weight loss?

1. Starches, vegetables and fruit are low in caloric density. Where as animal foods and products (meat, milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, fish, etc) are very high in caloric density due to the high fat content. You can fill up on starches, fruits and vegetables so you feel full but you will typically consume less calories. This means you don’t have to worry about portion control. People find that they can eat until they are satisfied and still lose weight effortlessly.
2. The animal fat you eat is the fat you wear. Animal fat is stored effortlessly as fat on the body. This is definitely true for animal products and refined oils but we’ve seen some research that suggests eating small amounts of nuts (high in fat) isn’t correlated to weight gain. Moving towards more plant-based foods low in fat and caloric density means you will be eating a lot less animal fats.
3. Carbohydrates satiate your hunger drive. People love carbohydrates. When they go on low-carb ketogenic diets, they tend to go crazy. They are depriving their body of carbohydrates and they get ravenous for carbs. Eating a low-fat starch-based diet allows you to eat a very high carbohydrate diet that is satiating to what you’re hungry for but since it is so low in caloric density, can assist you in your weight loss goals.

Our Experience

Hannah and I have both been following a high carbohydrate plant-based diet for 6 years total together. We are not experts by any means but we do follow the scientists and respected doctors that have been in this industry for over 25 years. T. Colin Campbell, Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Michael Greger are three that we follow closely.

By following their advice, Hannah has lost 55lbs in one year by following a whole food plant-based diet. The results have been so incredible, we’ve written beautiful recipe books to assist you in finding your natural weight through a plant-based diet.

Step 2 - Move Your Body and Increase Your Fitness Level

The majority of your effort for to lose weight fast should be focused on the importance of what you are eating. Moving your body and increasing your fitness level will play a secondary role.

The role of exercise isn’t necessarily just about the expenditure of calories, to me it is about the increase of your resting metabolic rate (RMR). Your resting metabolic rate is your energy expenditure at a relaxed state which includes sleep. Yes, you burn calories while you are sleeping (about 77 calories per hour for the average person).

What are the factors that effect your RMR? Genetics, gender, age, weight, height, body fat percentage, diet, body temperature, external temperature, glands and exercise. The two main key points that I want to focus on is the exercise, weight and body fat percentage. The other variables are not that important.

Someone who weighs 300lbs will burn more calories through their RMR then someone who weighs 150lbs. I think this is predominantly one reason why very obese people have an easier time losing weight initially. They naturally burn more calories so it is easier for them to run a caloric deficit. As you get closer to your goal weight, the number of calories you burn through your RMR will reduce.

But as you increase your exercise intensity and build muscle mass, your RMR will increase. People who have very low body fat percentages and lots of lean mass will just naturally burn more calories through their RMR (11, 14).

Exercise not only influences your body weight through burning calories but also is important in increasing the amount of lean muscle you have. This can be accomplished through various types of strength exercises, low intensity steady state exercises (LISS) or high intensity interval training (HIIT).

Also another important reason to not only do exercise but to increase the intensity is for a longer and higher excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). The EPOC period is the time after an intense workout when your body is restoring and repairing itself. The period of restoration and repairing burns calories on top of your RMR. So that’s one reason why I tell people to focus on increasing your intensity during exercise rather than just going at a slow pace the entire time.

In a controlled study done in April of 1990, it was shown that participants lost more weight initially while on a diet and exercise treatment than those who did just the diet treatment alone (12). This makes sense to most people and it was shown in one of the studies above this same result(1). What they also noticed is that initially the sleeping metabolic rate (apart of your RMR) was reduced due to a reduction of calories but it was restored to individuals that were exercising. (12)

It was concluded that exercise is one of the factors which contributes to the restoration of SMR and long term weight maintenance.

They also found the same evidence in another study in August of 1990 which showed that while RMR is suppressed during low calorie dieting, RMR is increased to pre-dieting levels when exercise is introduced (13).

These findings suggest caloric intake and daily exercise can modulate resting metabolic rate. Exercise of adequate intensity and duration may also enhance resting metabolic rate.

So what does this all mean? Not only does exercise aid with weight loss and maintenance (no surprise there) but in order to increase your resting metabolic rate and to lose weight fast, you want incorporate intense exercise. High intensity interval training has shown up as a type of exercise for increasing your RMR (11).

I do this on the bicycle without really even thinking about it. I find hills that take me 2-10 minutes to ride up and do laps or intervals up them. The hills are difficult to ride up so the intensity and my heart rate increases, typically between 150-160 beats per minute for a moderate effort. I then sandwich the moderate efforts with one really hard interval that drives my heart rate up to 175-185BPM.

It looks something like this:

1. Warmup @ 110-130BPM (15-30 minutes)
2. 2 intervals @ 150-160BPM (2-5 minutes long with 2-5 minutes of rest inbetween)
3. 1 interval @ 175-185BPM (2-5 minutes)
4. 2 intervals @ 150-160BPM (2-5 minutes long with 2-5 minutes of rest inbetween)
5. Cool down @ 110-130BPM (15-30 minutes)

This type of interval training is very effective for increasing your fitness level, muscle mass and for a longer and higher excess post-exercise oxygen consumption period. It can be modified for different types of exercise including body weight exercises, resistance training, walking, swimming, hiking, stair climbing. Ideally you will only spend a small amount of time at a max effort between 2-10 minutes per week with the majority of your time spent in a low intensity steady state (110-130BPM).

Conclusion

How to lose weight fast? Incorporate more complex carbohydrates in to your diet and adopt a high carb low fat plant-based diet. Cut out all meat and dairy products that are high in saturated and transfats. If you’re looking for kitchen inspiration, check out our recipe books for meals that Hannah has used to lose over 55lbs.

Start moving your body and incorporate high intensity intervals that will boost your RMR and EPOC which will make it much easier to lose weight fast and to maintain it for years to come.

If you have any questions or comments. Leave them below!