SPEED UP YOUR METABOLISM
You don't need to eat like a child to recapture the metabolism of your youth. "You can rev up your metabolic engine without changing how much you eat," says Mark Hyman, M.D., author of Ultra-metabolism. Combined with an interval workout (see "Cut Your Body Fat to 10 Percent"), these four simple tips will have your body burning calories all day long--and all night.
Up Your Protein Intake
A British study found that participants who increased the percentage of protein-based calories in their diets burned 71 more calories a day (that's 7.4 pounds a year) than those on low-protein diets. "Protein burns hotter than other food sources," says Dr. Hyman. Jumpstart your metabolism early with two scrambled eggs or a few slices of lean turkey bacon for breakfast, then keep it up throughout the day with at least one protein-packed snack, such as almonds or cheese, and lunch and dinner built around legumes, lean meats, tuna, or salmon.
Eat More Often
Skipping meals lets your body's calorie-burning furnace go cold, says Dr. Hyman. Spread out mini -meals throughout the day. Try a cup of yogurt with fresh fruit or almonds at 10:30 a.m., and a hard-boiled egg or hummus with vegetables around 3 p.m.
Burn Fat Faster
Kick your metabolism into overdrive by performing this body-weight routine 12 hours before or after your weight workout. Move from one exercise to the next without resting between exercises, and repeat the circuit up to four times.
Prisoner squat (20 reps)
Pushup (15 reps)
Bulgarian split squat (15 reps per side)
Inverted row (as many reps as you can complete with perfect form)
Prisoner forward lunge (10 reps per side)
Elevated pushup (8 reps per side)
Go Green
Catechins, the powerful antioxidants found in green tea, are known to increase metabolism. In a 12-week double-blind study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, participants who consumed 690 milligrams of catechins from green tea daily had significantly lower body-mass indexes and smaller waist measurements than those in the control group. Skip the Lipton and steep 1 teaspoon of loose green-tea leaves (we like Dragon Pearl from Rishi; rishi-tea.com) in hot water for 4 minutes.
