Lose weight while you sleep: it's the classic shady diet supplement pitch. But a recent Dutch study suggests that you could boost your metabolism and burn more calories around the clock simply by eating more lean protein. The study's participants, all women who were already at a healthy weight, found that increasing their protein intake to 30% of their daily calories enabled them to feel more satisfied and less hungry while consuming fewer calories than they would on a more typical diet consisting of about 10% protein.

Vindication for Dr. Atkins? Not exactly. The Atkins diet is long on high fat proteins, short on fruits and vegetables. The Dutch study included lean proteins only, such as lean meats and poultry, fish, beans, and nonfat dairy products, plus plenty of fruits and vegetables. The caloric breakdown for the Dutch study was roughly 30% lean protein, 30% fat, 40% “healthy” carbohydrates. The current recommended intake of protein is actually 25%; the study relied on healthy participants in order to test the effects of a diet higher in protein.

So why do we burn more energy when we eat protein? Our bodies have to work harder to metabolize the amino acids in proteins, compared to fat or carbohydrates. Plus, we don't store protein as efficiently as we do carbs and fats, making it more likely to be burned than stored.

Breakfast is a great time to up your lean protein intake; make your morning oatmeal with skim milk instead of water; have poached eggs or an omelet with a side of soy sausage; or, a bowl of nonfat yogurt with granola and fruit. Add soy protein powder to your smoothies, too.

If the only beans you ever eat come in a bowl of chili with globs of ground beef, you're missing another opportunity to incorporate lean protein into your diet. Beans offer an amazing array of tastes and textures and have unlimited culinary potential. If you don't know where to begin, consult Elizabeth Berry's Great Bean Book, an aptly titled guide to dozens of beans, complete with the history of each variety and clever ways to use them.

Stick with grilled, skinless chicken breasts and salmon fillets, and skip the steaks. You'll feel fuller, faster, and, if the Dutch study has any merit, you might even wake up feeling lighter.