4 Minute Fridays: The Surprising Diet That Turns Belly Fat Easily, The Shocking Truth About Going To The Physio & How To Make A Dumb Phone
Jan 03, 2025
Read time: 3.8 minutes
Welcome to 4 Minute Fridays, my weekly newsletter, where I reveal cutting-edge tips to help you get lean, boost energy, and live longer.
What's In Store For Today:
- The surprising diet that helps you lose belly fat easily
- The shocking truth about going to the physiotherapist
- A guide on how to make a "dumbphone"
Today's issue is brought to you by ​High Performance Founder Private Coaching​.
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Hey friend,
Today, I woke up early to hit a sunrise surf at 6am.
As always, I walked to the surf shop where I was renting my boards.
I've gotten to know the guys who work there. Great dudes. Young and super chill.
One of my friends starts asking his other friend about his goals in 2025.
Because I'm comfortable with them and we often discuss these things, I tell Tomo (the guy my friend asked) to avoid telling him his goals.
They both looked at me like I was crazy but here's what I explained to them:
"When you tell others your goals your brain releases dopamine as if you've already accomplished it. This decreases your motivation to achieve what you set out for."
Of course, there are exceptions to this. You should tell your coach or someone who can help you with the goals you're trying to achieve.
But in all other scenarios, keep it to yourself and tell everyone your goals through your actions.
It's much more powerful and keeps the motivation high.
That said...
Here Is Your 4 Minute Friday:
1. The Surprising Diet That Helps You Lose Belly Fat Easily
There's a special kind of fat in your belly that makes you sick; that's called ​visceral fat​.
Having too much of this fat can lead to many preventable diseases like heart disease and cancer.
The good news is that scientists may have found the best diet to eliminate it from your belly forever.
Researchers wanted to see the effects of a diet called "The Green Mediterranean Diet," on visceral fat reduction, which included:
- Increased consumption of polyphenol-rich foods
- 3-4 cups of green tea per day
- 28 grams of walnuts daily
- 100 grams of Wolffia globosa (duckweed) shake, which is high in protein and polyphenols
- Reduced red and processed meat intake
Here's What They Found:
- Participants following the green Mediterranean diet reduced their visceral fat by 14.1%
- Those on the traditional Mediterranean diet saw a 6.0% reduction
- The control group following a healthy diet experienced a 4.2% reduction
The key to this diet is that a plant-rich diet high in polyphenols may be a more effective way to reduce visceral fat.
2. The Shocking Truth About Going To The Physiotherapist
When it comes to our bodies, I believe one of the best things we could invest in is a quality physiotherapist.
A great physiotherapist works on the root causes of your pain and should give you a plan to fix it that is absent in their presence.
So researchers wanted to see if one session works as well as many sessions for people with muscle and joint problems.
They looked at six big studies with over 2,000 people and guess what they found?
They found that one session can be just as effective as many sessions in helping with pain, movement, and overall well-being.
This was true for problems like back, neck, knee, and shoulder pain.
That said, some issues might require more than one treatment. Everyone's situation is different.
Either way, following the physio's instructions outside of the session might save you money in the long run.
❤️ My Favourite Thing This Week
The best advice I could give someone with big goals in 2025 is to reduce distractions.
One of the best ways to reduce distractions is to make your phone as dumb as possible and that's where this video comes in.
The creator, Reysu, takes you step by step through his process of turning the smartphone into a dumbphone.
He also shares some cool apps that have positively impacted my life (Habitkit, Things 3, etc.)
Want to go into 2025 with fewer distractions? Use this video and thank me (and Reysu) later.
Client Of The Week - Jordan Gray, Entrepreneur
Jordan is an entrepreneur and owner of JordanGrayconsulting.com. He ended up gaining a ton of weight after his business became successful. He struggled with stress eating and just being too comfortable.
In 6 months, we dropped 54 lbs, improved his bloodwork, and doubled his energy levels.
Here's How We Did It:
- We fixed his relationship with food. Instead of stress eating, we eliminated snacking and had him take walks outside.
- We made sure to eat at least .8 grams of protein per pound. This ensured he was keeping muscle instead of wasting it away.
- We did 3 strength training sessions a week. He wanted more so we upped it to 4 days a week while optimizing recovery.
- Finally, we ensured it was simple and easy for his busy schedule and kept him accountable for the process.
I'm proud of how Jordan showed up to the coaching and his health. Now we're onto building muscle. Time to level up.
One Quote to Finish Your Week Strong
"Small is not just a stepping stone. Small is a great destination itself."
― Jason Fried
Here are a few tips as you step into 2025:
- Embrace small beginnings
- Appreciate gradual progress
- Find joy in the little things
- Recognize that every step forward is an achievement
- Get help if needed
Remember, success isn't always about reaching a distant, grandiose goal.
Sometimes, it's about acknowledging and valuing the smaller milestones that ultimately lead to significant personal growth and fulfillment.
Have a great weekend and a happy new year!
- Dan
When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help:
1. The Lean Body 90 System: When you’re ready to get in great shape, Lean Body 90 is the obvious choice. You can get in great shape and reach your fitness goals in just 90 minutes a week. Lose weight and build muscle even without hours in the gym or highly restrictive diets. Join 1000+ students here.
2. Are you an entrepreneur who wants to get lean, boost energy, and get in your best shape? Apply for private one-on-one coaching here.
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References
- Zelicha H, Kloting N, Kaplan A, Yaskolka Meir A, Rinott E, Tsaban G, Chassidim Y, Bluher M, Ceglarek U, Isermann B, Stumvoll M, Quayson RN, von Bergen M, Engelmann B, Rolle-Kampczyk UE, Haange SB, Tuohy KM, Diotallevi C, Shelef I, Hu FB, Stampfer MJ, Shai I. The effect of high-polyphenol Mediterranean diet on visceral adiposity: the DIRECT PLUS randomized controlled trial. BMC Med. 2022 Sep 30;20(1):327. doi: 10.1186/s12916-022-02525-8. PMID: 36175997; PMCID: PMC9523931.
- Dubé MO, Dillon S, Gallagher K, Ryan J, McCreesh K. One and Done? The Effectiveness of a Single Session of Physiotherapy Compared With Multiple Sessions to Reduce Pain and Improve Function and Quality of Life in Patients With a Musculoskeletal Disorder: A Systematic Review With Meta-analyses. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2024 Jun;105(6):1171-1180. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2023.09.017. Epub 2023 Oct 5. PMID: 37805175.