4 Minute Fridays

By Dan Go

Today's issue is brought to you by ​High Performance Founder Private Coaching.​ We help high-achieving entrepreneurs get lean, boost energy & build confident-looking bodies. If you're an entrepreneur who's looking to get into your best shape in a way that fits your busy lifestyle sign up for a strategy call here​.

The other day I had a disagreement with a new client.

Before working together he was 40 pounds overweight, ordering UberEats for every meal, not working out, and hating the gym.

He was surprised when I told him that I only wanted him to do two 30-minute workouts a week at home. The rest we'd fill with walks outside. It was a stark contrast to his other coach who insisted he workout with weights 4x a week and do cardio on his off days.

He asked me,

"Are you sure this is gonna work Dan?"

I replied back,

"Bob (name withheld), do you trust me?"

He said yes. So we moved ahead.

One week later he's asking me if he can do an extra workout. I said yes. A week after that he's asking if he can do 4 workouts a week. I said yes. I never pushed him to do these things. He did them on his own.

Fast forward to a month later he's doing something physical every day and is down almost 20 lbs in one month.

And the best part? He looks forward to his workouts.

This is what I call the Minimum Effective Dose (MED) method.

Commit yourself to showing up for the bare minimum and the human brain will inevitably want to seek more.

When you're starting out the key is to set a smaller process goal. You want something small you can build upon.

If you've been skipping the gym lately try this out. It just might work for you.

That being said...

Here is your 4 Minute Friday:

1. Tart Cherry Juice for Recovery & Sleep

Have you ever felt sore or sluggish a day after working out? Chances are you might not be fully recovered. Aside from sleep and rest, there may be something that could speed up the process.

Tart cherry juice is rich in anthocyanins and phytochemicals, which have been shown by studies​ to improve post-workout recovery.

The study linked above showed that athletes who consumed a tart cherry supplement experienced better recovery compared to taking a regular fruit juice.

I've talked about anthocyanins before on their ability to improve brain health and prevent cognitive decline. They’re part of a larger category of plant-based chemicals called flavonoids that contain antioxidants.

Antioxidants destroy unstable molecules called free radicals that can damage your cells.

Other studies​ have found that as little as a quarter cup of tart cherry juice improves your sleep due to the fact that it has tryptophan and melatonin.

Unfortunately, I don't have a supplement I trust on this one. But you may be able to find tart cherry juice at your local market.

2. This is Your Brain On Walking

Researchers did a ​study​ on the effects of a 20-minute walk on the cognitive performance in a group of children and the findings were eye-opening.



Reading comprehension performance was significantly better after exercise and spelling and arithmetic performance were better, though the results were not statistically significant.

They came to the conclusion that exercise increases blood flow to the brain due to increases in brain metabolism.

I've often found that when I'm stuck on a problem or trying to stoke creativity the easiest to do is go for a walk. Not only does my brain feel better but I'm burning calories and decreasing stress too.

This is a reason why I recommend walking in the ​Lean Body 90 program​. The ratio of the effort you put in compared to the benefit you get out of it makes this a home run.

The lesson here? The easiest most accessible way to improve your brain is to go for a walk.

Credit goes to Sahil Bloom for bringing this to my attention on his thread​ right here.

3. Use This to Stop Phone Addiction

Smartphones are both the best and worst thing to happen to the modern world.

On the one hand, they connect us with great information and people. On the other hand, carrying a phone around is like bringing a slot machine everywhere you go.

I've had my own battles with phone addiction. Like someone who smokes cigarettes, I have this tendency to reach for my phone when I'm idle.

Lately, I've been doing something that has reduced my screen time by a large margin.

Once I'm done with my work day, I walk upstairs and lock my phone in a Kitchen Safe. Once, it's there I set the time for it to open when my kids go to bed.

This has served as a forcing function to get away from my phone. It has also helped me reach for my phone less during the day.

If you deal with phone addiction this is worth giving a shot.

Here's the kitchen safe I use​ that you can get right off Amazon.

Client of the week - Jimmy Vercellino, Entrepreneur

Jimmy is an entrepreneur who struggled with stress eating and not having a plan or a routine to follow.

In 12 weeks we lost 33 lbs and started to see his abs. As a result, his energy and confidence skyrocketed.

Our strategy:

• Find out why he was stress eating then make a plan to overcome it.
• Heavy lifting inside of the gym with daily walks.
• A focus on systems over discipline.
• Tennis every single week is his enjoyable way to do cardio.
  

Jimmy is now crushing life, business & health all at the same time and he's loving it.

​If you're an entrepreneur who wants to be confident in your body and increase energy in a way that fits your busy life click here for a strategy call.​ 

One Quote to Finish Your Week Strong

There are always 2 costs to everything you do:

1. The effort cost.
2. The psychological cost.
   
   

As the saying goes: Hard choices easy life. Easy choices hard life.

Which one will you choose?

- Dan

Whenever you’re ready, there are 2 ways I can help you:

1. Are you an entrepreneur who wants to get lean, boost energy, and get in your best shape in a way that fits your busy lifestyle? ​Apply for private one-on-one coaching here.​​​

2. If you’re still looking to get lean, I’d recommend starting with an affordable course:

→ ​The Lean Body 90 System:​ Transform your body with the Lean Body 90 system. This comprehensive course will teach you the system I use to help my clients become lean and energetic in 90 days in only 90 minutes a week. ​Join 1000+ students here.​​

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