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 in a way that supports their busy lifestyle.

I have a confession that I'm a bit ashamed to admit.

In the past 2 months, my sleep quality has gone down, I've gained about 5 lbs and my energy levels are not where I want them to be.

My body has slowly deteriorated into "Dad Bod" territory. It's not there yet but if I keep going down this path it will be inevitable.

Now I know I'm supposed to be the fitness guy but guess what? I'm human too and this was expected.

When a new baby arrives in this world some things go out the window and that's okay.

I've found myself with a new challenge of having to balance lack of sleep, building a business, taking care of 2 kids, and working out.

But as I tell my clients all of the time: It's not about being 100% committed. It's about re-committing to the process over and over.

I'm taking this as Day 1 of getting myself back to where I need to be.

I'm hitting up the gym at least 2-3 days a week and keeping processed foods to a minimum. As for sleep, I'll be getting what I can and making up the rest with naps in the afternoon. I'm also having the mindset of aiming to eat healthy instead of trying to avoid eating like crap.

I find the brain works much better with a direction toward what I want rather than the things I want to avoid.

Mark my words: In a couple of months, I'll be back to where I deserve to be.

Thank you for being my accountability partner.

Here is your 4 Minute Friday:

1. How to improve eyesight?

When I was a kid I had terrible eyesight. I remember watching TV, sitting right up at the screen and my mom telling me that I'd ruin my eyes if I kept on doing that.

Turns out she was right.

A ​new study​ has shown that children and adults who spend 2 hours a day outdoors have a much lower incidence of myopia than those who do not do that.

If people view things up close for too many hours a day the eyeball lengthens. When this happens the lens of the eye can no longer focus the visual image onto the retina. This causes nearsightedness and causes a decrease in our ability to see at a distance.

The study suggests that simply being outside reading or doing what is called sun gazing (sun exposure in the morning and evening) can reverse myopia.

The research is still early but this is a great excuse to get yourself outside as much as you can.

2. Strength training for fat loss

My life changed when I stopped using the gym to burn fat and started to use to it build muscle.

Regardless, if you're a male or female putting a focus on building muscle is like compound interest for fat loss.

A ​meta-analysis​ compared the effects of 3 treatments for weight loss:

1. Only diet
2. Only cardio
3. Cardio + weights
4. Diet + weights
5. Diet + cardio

The results showed that diet + resistance training or a combination of resistance training + cardio had a greater effect on improving body composition than diet alone or cardio alone.

If you're trying to get lean I cannot stress enough the importance of adopting some form of resistance training.

You don't need to spend hours in the gym either. In fact, I stand by the fact that shorter workouts done with progressive overload like the ones in the ​Lean Body 90 Program​ are way more effective than spending hours in the gym.

My man Mike invested in the LB90 and he's seeing better gains while spending less time in the gym:

Shorter, more intense gym sessions three days a week are more effective in gaining strength and losing fat than spending tons of time in the gym

— Mike giotto (@mike_giotto) June 7, 2023

Moral of the story? Lift weights, my friend. They will do your body good.

3. Side planks for a stronger core

The obliques are one of the most overlooked parts of the core structure.

Having firm obliques supports your lower back and improves your posture. They also make your abs look amazing if you ever get down to a lower level of body fat.

Side planks strengthen three muscle groups at once: Your shoulders, hips, and yes, your obliques. They also work the core without putting any undue stress on the lower back.

This makes your lower back stronger and helps prevent it from getting injured.

Here's a post I did on the 3 levels to the side plank. Watch the video and do these daily to feel the difference they make:

Side planks are a highly underrated core exercise.

They protect your spine, strengthen your core & improve balance.

Level 1 is on your knees.
Level 2 is legs off ground.
Level 3 is one leg elevated.

For a strong core, do these for 30-60 seconds on each side every day. pic.twitter.com/q06lqHu2A3

— Dan Go (@FitFounder) June 14, 2023

Client of the week - D, Lawyer

D is a lawyer who had a goal to get in the best shape of her life in her 40's. She worked long hours and was frustrated with her yo-yo weight loss.

In 6 months we went from 220 lbs to seeing her abs for the first time since college while increasing her energy and confidence.

Our focus was on short quick workouts with a focus on getting stronger. We emphasized making healthy choices with her food that supported the type of person she ultimately wanted to become. Above all else, we were patient and objective with all the ups and downs that come with transforming the body.

Now she feels like she has a new lease on life. I'm proud of the changes we made to her lifestyle.

Are you an entrepreneur who wants results like this?​ If that's you then click here for a free high performance strategy call.

One Quote to Finish Your Week Strong

What are some things you can be proud of that would enable you to stick to the habits that make the biggest difference in your life?

- 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 2023? ​
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 get my clients lean & energetic in 90 days in only 90 minutes a week. ​Join 1000+ students here.​