About Metabolism

• The first rule to understand about metabolism is that it is not a static process. Metabolism chases food intake---thus, the more frequently you eat, the faster your metabolism will have to run to catch up. Good diets take advantage of this with smaller, more frequent feedings.
  
  The second rule to understand about metabolism is that metabolism can be boosted by exploiting the thermic effect of food. This states that it takes calories to digest calories, with protein having the highest "cost" of digestion. Therefore, upping your protein intake forces your body to burn more calories throughout the day to digest your meals, increasing metabolic function.
  
  The final thing to know about metabolism is that prolonged low-carb diets can result in a slower metabolism if followed for too long. Thus, a diet which increases metabolism will not keep you in a low-carb state for an excessive period of time.
  
  

Carb Cycling Diet

• The Carb Cycling Diet increases metabolism by constantly switching between low-carb and high-carb states, only feeding the body carbs when absolutely required. Thus, metabolism is increased both by increasing food intake and by avoiding the pitfalls of a static low-carb diet. A Carb-Cycling approach works best in conjunction with regular workouts, so if you are gym-adverse, this is probably not the best plan for you.
  
  

Following a Carb Cycling Approach

• To follow a Carb Cycling approach, first assign each day of the week as either a high, moderate, or low carb day. You have two high-carb days, two moderate-carb days, and three low-carb days to allocate. Begin by placing the high-carb days on days you will be performing your toughest workouts (usually resistance training). Place your moderate-carb days on days you perform less difficult workouts (usually cardio or supplemental training like Pilates or yoga). Finally, place your low-carb days on any day that you do not workout or only perform light training (like walking). Once your days are assigned, you need only keep to your designated carb limits. For high days, consume no more than 1.5 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight. For moderate days, consume no more than 0.75 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight. And for low days, consume no more than 0.3 grams of carbs per pound of body weight.
  
  

Caveman Diet

• The Caveman Diet can also boost metabolism in two separate ways. First, it increases protein intake sharply, exploiting the thermic effect of food. Second, it keeps carbs reasonably high, avoiding the metabolic drop off seen during a prolonged low-carb bout. The Caveman Diet is effective whether or not you are regularly working out, making it a more balanced choice for metabolic nutrition.
  
  

Following the Caveman Diet

• To follow the Caveman Diet, simply abstain from consumption of grains, beans, potatoes, dairy, sugar, and salt. Instead, focus your diet around meat, chicken, eggs, fish, fruit, veggies, berries, and nuts. This diet is modeled after Earth's remaining hunter/gatherer tribes. As these populations have some of the lowest incident rates for chronic disease, illness, and obesity, you would do well to copy their eating habits to achieve the same benefits.