Fire up metabolism with high-protein days

On the weekend and on Tuesdays and Thursdays of each week, you’ll double your protein intake. This works to switch the body’s cellular detox cycle back to maintenance mode and supports the growth of metabolism-revving lean muscle mass, which will help stave off aging and keep fat burning fired up.

You can eat what you like on these days, but it’s key to time carbs and fat right. “When you eat is as important as what you eat,” stresses Whittel. Studies show that starting the day with healthy fats (like avocado, eggs, bacon, full-fat coconut milk, full-fat Greek yogurt and fullfat cheese) kick-starts metabolism

for the day, helping you achieve sustained energy. To get the benefits, Whittel likes to start the day with fat-rich mini egg cups made in cupcake tins, which make a proteinpacked and highly portable breakfast. (Multiply the recipe below by 4 to make a whole week’s worth.)

Since carbs deactivate the cellular cleaning process, Whittel recommends avoiding them during the day to maintain fat burning. But that doesn’t mean carbs are off the menu: Instead, she suggests enjoying select carbs (including 1 medium sweet potato or 1⁄2 cup of brown rice, black rice or quinoa) at dinnertime. These picks provide filling fiber and work to steady blood sugar while fostering the production of sleep hormones to help you snooze more soundly.