Are you looking to lose weight? Do you want to do it fast?

You may think that you need to reduce your calories and exercise more in order to lose weight. Basically, the idea is that the less calories you eat and the more exercise you do, the faster you lose the weight. That is conventional wisdom, but it is not based on science.

In HealthLine, Kris Gunnars writes about three steps to lose weight fast based on science. Those steps are as follows:

1. Cut Back on Sugars and Starches

According to Gunners:

The most important part is to cut back on sugars and starches (carbs).

These are the foods that stimulate secretion of insulin the most. If you didn't know already, insulin is the main fat storage hormone in the body.

When insulin goes down, fat has an easier time getting out of the fat stores and the body starts burning fats instead of carbs.

Another benefit of lowering insulin is that your kidneys shed excess sodium and water out of your body, which reduces bloat and unnecessary water weight.

Gunners cites and shows a graph from a study that designed and ran a randomized, controlled trial to determine the effects of a very low carbohydrate diet on body composition. Fifty-three woman completed the six-month trial. According to the results, the low carb group lost more significantly more weight than the low fat group.

2. Eat Protein, Fat and Vegetables

Image courtesy of: Victoria Lea B

Gunnars says:

Each one of your meals should include a protein source, a fat source and low-carb vegetables. Constructing your meals in this way will automatically bring your carb intake into the recommended range of 20-50 grams per day.

3. Lift Weights 3 Times Per Week

According to Gunnars:

You don't need to exercise to lose weight on this plan, but it is recommended.

The best option is to go to the gym 3-4 times a week. Do a warm up, lift weights, then stretch.

If you're new to the gym, ask a trainer for some advice.

By lifting weights, you will burn a few calories and prevent your metabolism from slowing down, which is a common side effect of losing weight.

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

See HealthLine for references and more information.