The 3-Day Fix to Resetting Your Metabolism

Day 1: Saturday

When to wake up

Get a solid 8 hours of sleep

When you don’t get enough sleep, it affects your metabolic health.

“Sleep deprivation is perceived by the body as an additional stressor — so cortisol goes up and testosterone drops,” says exercise physiologist and nutritional biochemist Shawn M. Talbott, PhD.

According to Talbott, “People who get 6 hours versus 8 hours of sleep per night typically carry 5 to 15 pounds of extra belly fat.”

“[Make sure the sleep] that you get is as ‘high-quality’ as possible — meaning that you spend as much time [as possible] in REM sleep, which rejuvenates the brain, and deep sleep, which restores the body,” says Talbott.

What to eat today

Don’t skip breakfast

“Eating breakfast fast tracks metabolism and keeps energy high all day,” says Lohre.

A 2021 study found that eating breakfast can benefit your metabolism and reduce the risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome, among other benefits.

Have a Greek yogurt

While research is mixed, some studies suggest that probiotics may help boost metabolism, specifically Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. Greek yogurt contains probiotics and can be a quick and filling addition to your breakfast.

To make sure you’re getting the right gut-balancing microorganisms with your breakfast, make sure your Greek yogurt says “contains active cultures” on the packaging.

You can also get your morning probiotic boost with supplements.

Benefits of probiotics

“The bacteria in our guts influence numerous aspects of our metabolism, so having the ‘wrong’’ balance of bugs can lead to junk food cravings, blood sugar swings, and weight gain — while having the ‘right’ balance of bugs can lead to less sugar cravings and higher metabolic rate,” says Talbott.

What to do today

Strength train

Strength training can help improve your metabolism. “Muscle building speeds up your metabolic rate for up to 2 hours after every 20-minute session,” says Lohre.

“Building muscle will help you burn more calories even when you’re not moving — and the higher your muscle mass, the stronger your metabolic rate,” says Lohre.

Lifting weights is not your only option. Doing body-weight exercises (like squats and planks) or taking a TRX class also counts.

When to go to sleep

Get to sleep before midnight

To improve your metabolism, you need to get at least 8 hours of sleep. Try to go to bed before midnight, if possible.

Day 2: Sunday

When to wake up

Wake up at 8 a.m.

If you fall asleep by midnight, aim to wake up around 8 a.m. This gives you enough time to make sure you’re getting enough sleep for a healthy metabolism.

What to drink today

Drink coffee

Drinking coffee can boost your metabolism. This is due to its caffeine content.

You can get a similar boost to your metabolism with a cup of green tea. “In addition to caffeine, researchers believe antioxidant catechins in tea provide the boost,” says Lohre.

Drink water

For the rest of the day, stick to water.

Research has found that drinking water can boost your metabolism. Aim to drink water multiple times throughout the day.

What to do today

Prep meals for the week

One of the best ways to set yourself up for success during the week is meal-prepping on Sundays. And if you want your prepped meals to boost your metabolism, make sure to turn up the heat and throw a few chili peppers into your recipes.

Chili peppers contain capsaicin, which studies have found can boost both calorie expenditure and fat oxidation.

Increase your NEAT

There’s a lot you can do at the gym to increase your metabolism, but it’s what you do outside of the gym that has the most effect.

“NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) — or the energy that is expended from general daily activities — has a significant impact on the number of calories your body burns each day,” says Lohre.

“By moving more in your daily life, you’ll see huge improvements in your metabolism.”

Look for more opportunities to move throughout the day. Park your car further from the entrance to your office. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk around your house during a phone call. The more you move, the more calories you’ll burn.

Day 3: Monday

When to wake up

Wake up after you’ve had 8 hours of sleep

It’s Monday, which (probably) means the start of the work week and less flexibility in your wakeup time.

If you have to get up early, make sure you adjust your bedtime Sunday night to get the full 8 hours of sleep you need.

What to eat today

Add some protein to every meal

Aim to add protein to every meal.

“Adding lean protein like eggs, chicken, and dairy to your diet will help jumpstart the metabolism in two ways. [First,] they help support muscle building and muscle retention… [plus] those foods themselves are more challenging for your body to digest, so it takes more energy from your body to utilize them than other foods,” says Lohre.

What to do today

Meditate

Stress — especially chronic stress — slows down the metabolism.

If you want to keep stress at bay, try meditation. Meditation has been shown to reduce stress, improve sleep, and enhance overall well-being, and you can reap the benefits with as little as 10 minutes of practice per day.

What to do the rest of the week

This three-day fix is a great start to boosting your metabolism, but if you want to see real, lasting changes, you’ll need to commit to long term changes in your diet and lifestyle.

“A healthy metabolism will keep you in shape and raise your energy levels,” says Lohre. “If you’re trying to lose weight, raising your metabolic rate means you’ll see results faster — longer-lasting results.”

Look for ways to make long-term changes in your life so your metabolism stays consistently at its peak.

5 Easy Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

Deanna deBara is a freelance writer who recently made the move from sunny Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon. When she’s not obsessing over her dog, waffles, or all things Harry Potter, you can follow her journeys on Instagram.