4 Minute Fridays: Dangers Of Mouth Breathing, The Root Of Weight Gain & Bulletproofing Your Body From Injury.
Jan 20, 2023
4 Minute Fridays
By Dan Go ​
Today's issue is brought to you by The Buy Back Principle. Reading this book has taught me how to audit my time & fill my calendar with high level activities that light me up. All of the principles in this book have helped me up-level my skills as an entrepreneur. Highly recommend anyone that who owns a business to buy it.
I just had my final surf session in Costa Rica and it was amazing.
I got out at 5:30 am and was the first person in the ocean & I've been doing this every day since I got here.
Interestingly enough, since coming to CR my sleep got way better.
During my morning surf, I'd catch the sun as it was rising and I'd take regular walks in the afternoon to clear my head.
By the time 8 pm hit, I'd be out like a light.
This reminds me that one of the best ways to improve your sleep is to get morning, afternoon, and evening sun exposure.
Even if you're in a spot that doesn't have a lot of sun keep pushing yourself to get outside because you're still getting the light photons through the clouds.
When in doubt, get out in nature.
Here is your 4-Minute Friday:
How to Become a Better Human
1. Dangers of mouth breathing
Breathing through the mouth comes with a myriad of long-term issues.
From a health perspective breathing through the mouth speeds up the heart rate and puts you in a "fight or flight" state.
From a dental standpoint, it dries out your gums and can cause havoc on your oral microbiota.
The general principle is to relegate your breathing primarily to your nose unless needed.
Breathing through the nose puts you in a parasympathetic (ie. relaxed) state.
Breathing through the mouth puts you in a sympathetic (ie. stressed) state.
2. The root of weight gain is not what you think
If you have problems with weight gain most people would advise you to start counting calories or start exercising.
While those are fine tactics they do not fix the root of why it happens in the first place.
The biggest problem with weight gain is your relationship with food itself.
Feeling bored? Let's eat.
— Dan Go (@FitFounder) January 19, 2023
Feeling stressed? Let's get a drink.
Just closed the big deal? Let's celebrate by doing both.
You're training yourself to deal with emotions using food & alcohol.
We've been trained to use food as a way to numb emotions.
The way through is first through awareness: Ask yourself where this behavior came from and why it became a habit.
Once you find the root of the issue you can start to do the work to heal the part of you that feels the need to use food to avoid feeling emotions.
Counting calories and exercising are great tools but to change the body you must also change your psychology.
3. How to bulletproof your body
The older you get the more you must protect your body from injury.
This means emphasizing how you warm up before exercise.
If working out was sex then warming up would be the foreplay. Never skip on the foreplay.
Here's a simple 7-minute system to bulletproof and increase your performance before a workout:
- Soft tissue work using a foam roller or lacrosse ball.
- Dynamic stretching of the muscles you intend to use.
- Neuromuscular activation of the primary muscles to be used.
An example if I was doing a lower body workout:
Soft tissue - Foam roll the quads, glutes, calves, and hamstrings.
Dynamic Stretch - The world's greatest stretch
I do this exercise before every workout.
— Dan Go (@FitFounder) July 28, 2020
It's called the World's Greatest Stretch because it does a lot in a little amount time.
In 60 seconds it'll mobilize your hips, hamstrings, calves & upper back.
Watch the vid, do this before a workout & your body will thank you. pic.twitter.com/5P0Crattnm
Neuromuscular activation - Glute bridges hold (2nd exercise)
Great routine for people who sit at desks.
— Dan Go (@FitFounder) April 23, 2021
5 minutes to feel stronger & pain free.
1. Cat cows
2. Glute bridge holds
2. McGill crunches
4. Side plank holds
5. Bird dogs
Brace your core & squeeze your glutes hard on each rep.
Try it out & tell me how it went. pic.twitter.com/dF8NX2s5iY
Client of the Week - Anthony Steel, Entrepreneur
Anthony is an entrepreneur who struggled with low energy & a beer belly.
His goal was to drop the weight & increase his energy levels while being a fit dad for his 3 kids.
In 6 months, we dropped 54 lbs and transformed him from having a dad bod to a fit dad.
His energy levels are through the roof and his kids are finding it hard to keep up with him.
​If you're an entrepreneur who wants results like this in 2023 click here for a strategy call
A Quote to Finish Your Week Strong
“Stop thinking about the damn wall!” he said. “There is no wall. There are only bricks. Your job is to lay this brick perfectly. Then move on to the next brick. Then lay that brick perfectly. Then the next one. Don’t be worrying about no wall. Your only concern is one brick.”
What's the next step you need to accomplish to achieve your goal?
Focus on that. Don't get too ahead of yourself. Take the next action in front of you then the next one after that.
Build your dreams one brick at a time.
- Dan
PLUS whenever you’re ready, here is 1 way I can help you:
Are you an entrepreneur who wants to get lean, boost your energy & get in your best shape in 2023? Apply for one-on-one coaching here.