The High Performance Journal​ -  April 18th 2023

One of the greatest feelings in the world is getting your body into its best shape...while eating cookies along the way.

I'm being serious. When you have accountability & a plan that fits your life getting your body in shape becomes automatic.

This is especially true if you've been in shape before.

Even if you've let yourself go over the past few years once you get back on the right track. Your muscle has memory and once you start doing the right things it remembers fast.

Getting healthy and doing the actions that get you lean will make every area of your life better.

Once you realize this you'll make it a priority.

Like my client Todd (last name withheld) who went from having a belly to seeing his abs for the first time since college.

My man lost 24 pounds in 12 weeks and did it while eating his wife's cookies on a regular basis.

Today I'm going to show you exactly how he did that in 4 simple steps.

Let's dive in.

Step 1: Know The Cost Of Food

When I talk about cost I'm referring to 3 things:

1) Calories

2) Macronutrients

3) Micronutrients

I had Todd find out how many calories he needed to eat to get to his desired weight.

I then calculated how much protein he needed every day. When you're losing weight you need to keep your protein high to retain muscle or your metabolism suffers. We aimed for .8 to 1g per pound of body weight.

We then focused on getting most of our foods from whole nutrient-dense sources (aka. micronutrients). This ensured that while he was losing weight he was also becoming healthier & more energetic.

A good rule of thumb we used was getting 800 grams of fruits of vegetables. If this sounds like a lot it really isn't. An average apple is about 250 grams. Fill that up with veggies and other fruits and you're golden.

Step 2: Lift Weights Using Progressive Overload

Todd already had a decent amount of muscle on his body but he wasn't optimizing what he was doing in the gym.

He was on those old-school bodybuilder type of workouts and he was missing a key element:

Progressive overload.

Progressive overload is when you increase the weight, frequency, or number of reps. These are the most important but there are a total of 12 ways to do it:

The 12 Best Ways to Progressively Overload Your Body

Progressive overload is the best way to build muscle in the gym.

In this thread I'll share with you the top 12 ways to apply it to your workouts.

Print this list & use it to make gains next time you're in the gym:

— Dan Go (@FitFounder) June 6, 2022

He didn't have a lot of time to spend in the gym so we did a workout used in the Lean Body 90 program called metabolic circuits.

Using those workouts combined with progressive overload made sure that we were building muscle while losing fat.

Step 3: Upgrading Sleep Habits

When you don't get enough sleep you increase your appetite & hunger hormones. Lack of sleep also leads to a cascade of low energy & mood issues, which can also cause overeating.

Todd's main issues with sleep were getting to sleep on time and staying asleep.

So the first thing we did was wear blue light blockers when the sun went down. This blocked any blue light that came from screens and helps you fall asleep faster due to its positive effect on your circadian rhythms.

We then employed the 3-2-1 method to help him stay asleep:

Stop eating 3 hours before bed.

Stop drinking liquids 2 hours before bed.

Stop looking at screens 1 hour before bed.

This is called the 321 method. Do this every night for better sleep.

— Dan Go (@FitFounder) February 17, 2023

Sleep is the invisible hand that dictates eating behavior. Once we optimized it for Todd it became a lead domino to sticking to his lean body habits.

Step 4: Treat Dieting As A Ratio, Not An Outcome

When people start to get in shape they treat it as an "all in" or "all out" event. This all-or-nothing mentality trips them up and it's unrealistic in the long term.

So we treated our diet as a ratio. His ratio was 90/10, which meant he was getting 90% of his foods from whole nutrient-dense sources and 10% of his calories he could have whatever he wanted.

This can play out in 2 ways:

1) Every day allot 10% of your food intake to whatever you want.

2) Once or twice a week eat whatever meal you want.

Doing this takes the pressure off of the process and also leads to greater sustainability over the long term.

Truth is, we weren't trying to get Todd to land on the cover of Men's Health magazine or get him stage ready for a bodybuilding show.

He wanted to be healthy, energetic, and get his body to a level where he could take off his shirt at the pool with confidence.

When you treat your diet as a ratio instead of an outcome the process becomes way more fun and the possibilities are endless.

Also, what's the point of getting in shape if you can't enjoy your wife's cookies?

Getting in shape doesn't have to be perfect. You just need the right plan and accountability.

There are a bunch of other things I didn't mention.

But I can promise you that getting started is the hardest part.

Give this system a try for the next 12 weeks. Tinker with it. Experiment. Make it yours.

As you do that make tiny little improvements along the way.

It's not easy but it is simple. And if you stick to this protocol, results will follow.

Give this process a try for the next twelve months. Tinker around with it. Listen to your customers. Experiment. And make little improvements along the way.

It may not be easy. But it is pretty simple. And if you stick to this program, results are sure to follow.

- Dan

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

1. 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. 

2. 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