As I’ve gotten older, I’ve cared less about Christmas presents and more about Christmas dinner. Maybe it’s just me, but as a semi-functioning adult, if I want something, I’ll just buy it myself in September and not have to hear nine different versions of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” while shopping. But when I say “dinner” that doesn’t do Christmas justice: I eat so much, it’s sacrilegious.

This Christmas, do you want to learn how to eat as much as you want absolutely guilt-free? And even better, do you want those 3,000-something calories to go straight to your muscles and not to your ass?

Here are five hacks for Christmas dinner that will boost your fat burn, spike your metabolism, and give you full permission to stuff your face.

1. Intermittent Fast in the Morning

Intermittent fasting does not mean starving yourself: You simply increase the time between meals. Why? Science says it’ll help increase your fat burn and improve your insulin sensitivity. (Don’t worry, you won’t die by skipping one meal.)

This Christmas, skip breakfast and make lunch your first meal of the day. Substitute your usual “breakfast of champions”—cereal and SportsCenter—with a tall glass of water, which actually increases your metabolism by about 30% percent within 30 minutes.

2. Go Green or Black

As you’re opening presents in the morning, drink coffee or green tea without cream or sugar because the caffeine will help you burn more fat throughout the day. (Avoid add-ons like cream, milk, sugar, etc. because they will wreck your intermittent fasting.)

Green tea even has additional properties to burn more calories beyond its caffeine content. Also, a study from everyone’s favorite magazine, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that green tea enhances glucose tolerance. (That’s a fancy way of saying, “It helps send carbs to your muscles instead of your gut.”)

3. Work Out Before Dinner

An afternoon workout will make sure Christmas dinner goes to good use. Exercise burns your body’s energy storage and damages your muscle tissue. Eat something right after and it’ll help your body refuel, recover, and grow.

I recommend a circuit of heavy exercises to blast your muscles and your cardio: Do as many rounds as you possibly can in 30 minutes and go home.

Barbell Front Squat, 6 repsChest Supported Dumbbell Row, 6 repsDumbbell Overhead Press, 6 repsJump Squats, 6 repsAb Wheel Rollouts, 6 reps

By the time dinner arrives, your muscles will be hungry for carbs and protein.

4. Meditate Post-Workout

Workouts are great because they let you build muscle and burn fat. But workouts are also very stressful: while you’re lifting weights, your heart races and your body releases stress hormones so you won’t die. And even after you finish, your body is still in “fight-or-flight” mode.

Spend a few minutes to meditate and control your breathing so you can quickly shift your nervous system into rest and recovery mode. It’ll also help you handle the frustration of your family asking you, “When are you going to get married/have children/get a promotion?”

5. Eat a Lot of Protein for Dinner

By now, dinner has arrived and you can eat whatever you want. Kind of. Just make sure get plenty of protein. Yes, it’s partly because it generates “gains,” but it’s also because eating protein actually increases your metabolism and makes you feel fuller. Have your cake and eat it too!

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