How To Lose Weight Fast, According To Science

Want to know how to lose weight fast?

With all the tips and tricks, it can be overwhelming as to where to start. 

That’s why we’ve simplified it. 

While there are many important things to consider when trying to lose weight fast, this article will be focusing on one important topic:

• Why drinking your calories instead of eating them is the reason you can’t lose weight

Sound too simple?

It isn’t, and I’ll show you why. 

Don’t Drink Your Calories! Here’s Why?

When you drink something like a protein shake or a soda, it takes up to 20 minutes for the stomach to communicate with the brain that it is full!

Therefore, you will continue to eat even after you are no longer hungry.

What does science say about caloric drinks and how to lose weight?

Let’s go over the science.

And there’s quite a bit of it, so I decided to stick to 3 studies. 

Study 1

In an eight-year study of more than 50,000 nurses conducted at Harvard University found that those who upped their intake of fizzy drinks and sugary fruit juices ate 358 extra calories a day, which can be the difference between slim and obese.

If you are serious about losing weight, this tip on how to lose weight fast can be the difference in you being at a healthy weight or you being at an unhealthy weight.

Study 2

In another study published in the Journal of Pediatrics, teens consume an average of 300 calories a day from soft drinks, and this is thought to play a huge role in increasing rates of childhood obesity.

Study 3

In another very interesting study conducted at Purdue University and published in the International Journal of Obesity, 15 subjects (7 male and 8 female) were given an extra 450 calories in the form of soda (liquid) for 4 weeks and then an extra 450 calories in the form of jelly beans (solid).

When the subjects consuming the extra calories from jelly beans, they tended to eat less throughout the day to compensate for the extra calories.

However, when they consumed the calories from the soda, it did not affect their “normal” diet as they continued to eat the same amount of calories as if they had not consumed the soda.

The study really showed the effects of consuming liquid calories as opposed to solid calories.

Calorie Counts Of The Most Popular Beverages

Let us take a look at some popular beverages and their calorie counts.

So you come home from work after a really long day and are exhausted.

The first thing you reach for in your fridge is a nice ice cold Coor’s light. The mountains are blue so you know it’s cold, and as you sit down on your couch to relax, you crack open the beer and turn on the game.

Many people don’t realize, however, the implications of the daily beer.

Having just one 12 oz beer a day (153 calories) equates to 16 pounds a year.

I am not saying to not have a beer. If you love that beer after work then have that beer.

On average, according to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, males consume 178 calories per day from sugary liquids while females consume about 102 calories per day.

However, this stat is a little skewed because only 50 percent of Americans consume calories from sugary drinks, which would mean that the average would be double.

178 calories is still very high and over the course of a full year, would result in about 18 pounds from fat.

102 calories would result in 10 pounds from fat.

Losing & Gaining Weight Is A Gradual Process

What many people do not realize is that most of the time, weight is gained gradually and not all at once.

These extra calories are one of the main reasons that Americans have become so overweight and as the years pass, 102 calories extra can play a huge role in weight.

The orange juice experiment

I think a perfect example that may be easier to relate to is oranges versus orange juice.

A 12-ounce glass of orange juice has about 160 calories while an orange has about 45 calories.

When I drink orange juice, I can easily drink 2-3 glasses no problem before being satisfied.

However, it would probably only take me about 2 oranges to be similarly satisfied. The difference in calories is substantial.

As far as weight loss is concerned, consuming solid foods is a much better choice than liquids.

From around 480 calories (from orange juice) to 90 calories (from oranges) can be the difference in your weight loss goals.

Why Is There Such A Delayed Satiation Response When Drinking Your Calories?

You are probably confused about the reasons behind the differences in satiety from solid foods compared to liquid foods.

A key reason is that the amount of time involved in consumption.

Drinking a glass of orange juice takes about 10 seconds while eating orange will probably take a couple of minutes.

It is a lot more convenient and consumption is a lot easier when consuming liquids.

Another big reason for the difference in satiety is fiber.

Fiber is found in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and beans and plays a big role in “fullness.”

Juices have no fiber and as a result, are a lot less filling.

But what about diet drinks with no calories? That’s great for losing weight fast, right?

So you have decided to cut out soda and juice from your diet, but what about diet soda? It has zero calories!

There is much debate on this topic and neither one is correct, but I am a huge advocate against artificial sweeteners and I find them to be a terrible alternative.

Check out the article on splenda, which is one of the major artificial sweeteners used in sugar-free products.

In addition to many of the negative health effects of splenda, splenda has also been linked to excessive eating in many different studies.

How many people do you know that continuously drink diet soda that are overweight?

A lot. 

And I know this is anecdotal evidence, but the research backs this as well.

When we drink diet beverages, it actually increases hunger levels, so we tend to overeat and end up gaining weight instead of losing weight. 

So what can I drink, then?

So if fruit juices, sodas, and alcoholic beverages (wine, beer, vodka, etc) are all not recommended, then what is left?!

That’s simple: water!!

Drink water as your main source of liquid. The benefits of water are numerous and best of all, it has zero calories.

Eliminating liquid calories from your diet can be the most effective way for you to lose weight and get in the best shape of your life!

So I may have gone overboard in this article, but the key takeaways is this: If you’re serious about losing weight fast, substituting all beverages with water is a no-braineh