The Perfect Day of Weight Loss

You can always use your time better. Boost metabolism, burn calories, and torch your belly for 24 hours with these secrets.

And for even more ways to torch fat and get lean for good, check out The Lean Belly Prescription by Dr. Travis Stork. It's filled with simple strategies that will help you lose weight the same way you gained it: By making easy lifestyle choices that will transform your life—for the better.

Step 1 - 7:00 a.m.
Wake up and do 2 minutes of jumping jacks, high knee skips, pushups, or crunches.

Step 2 - 7:15 a.m.
Have two scrambled eggs and a slice of Canadian bacon. A 2009 Purdue University study found that a high-protein breakfast makes people feel fuller throughout the day, so they're less likely to overeat.

Step 3 - 7:45 a.m.
Hit the gym, and lower weights slowly. Taking 3 seconds to lower weights during full-body resistance training can rev your metabolism for up to 3 days, according to a Wayne State University study. (Study participants used a challenging weight for 5 sets of 6 reps for each exercise.)

Step 4 - 9:00 a.m.
Chug some milk. A diet with plenty of calcium-rich dairy can enhance weight loss, according to a 2007 study of overweight people.

Step 5 - 10:00 a.m.
Grab a protein-rich snack, like half a turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread with Swiss cheese. In a Georgia State University study, athletes who ate three 250-calorie snacks a day were more likely to lose body fat and have more energy than those who didn't.

Step 6 - 11:00 a.m.
Walk briskly around the office for a while. A recent Mayo Clinic study found that lean people walk an average of 3.5 miles per day more than obese people do.

Step 7 - 1:00 p.m.
For lunch, eat a spinach salad with grilled halibut and almond slices. All contain magnesium, a metabolism-friendly mineral.

Step 8 - 2:00 p.m.
If your meeting is with just one or two people, do it West Wing style, walking the halls as you talk.

Step 9 - 4:00 p.m.
Down a glass of iced green tea. According to a study in the Journal of Nutrition, the catechins in green tea decrease body fat.

Step 10 - 5:00 p.m.
Have another mini-meal—and make it fiery. According to a 2006 study review, spicy foods help burn fat and calories.

Step 11 - 7:00 p.m.
Take a short walk before dinner.

Step 12 - 7:30 p.m.
Eat dinner. If you ate lightly today, don't worry about a heavier meal now: "It doesn't matter when you fuel up; it's how many gallons you put in the tank," says Gary Foster, Ph.D., director of Temple University's center for obesity research and education.

Step 13 - 9:30 p.m.
Grab a good book (or magazine!), pop in some tunes, and relax. Stress jacks up your levels of cortisol, a chemical that boosts abdominal fat.

Step 14 - 10:30 p.m.
Draw your shades so the sun won't rouse you early. According to a 2008 review, losing sleep affects the hormones that turn your appetite on and off, making you feel less satiated by food and hungrier overall.

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