The High Performance Journal​ - March 28th 2023

When I was 20 years old I thought being 40 was when life started to decline. Mind you, I thought this at a time when I was not exercising and was eating a diet consisting of junk food.

Now that I'm 43, I realize that there's a difference between getting old and aging.

Getting old is about your age relative to your perception of it. If you think life slows down then you will slow down with it. You'll work out less, eat a bit worse, get less sleep, and you'll inevitably do things that will speed up aging.

Aging is a bit different. Aging is a controlled process that's based on your systems. You can control how fast (or how slow) you age through a variety of methods.

I'm 43 right now. At this age, I look better, feel better & am more athletic than I was at 20 years old. It's anecdotal but people regularly tell me that I look like in my 20's. This is great for my ego but also it's a testament to how I treat my health and body.

The same goes for the people I work with as well. I might as well call my coaching the "Fountain of Youth" program because clients are telling me all of the time that people are telling them that they "look younger" after going through our system and doing the right things.

What are the right things? There are 7 pillars to slowing down the aging process.

1) Get Your Body Fat To A Healthy Level

This is the biggest one of all.

Visceral fat speeds up your aging process and impairs your metabolism. It also increases inflammation and metabolic disease, especially when stored in the belly area.

You want to keep your body fat at optimal levels. You don't need a six pack but you want to get it to a level where it prevents disease and keeps you young.

Here's a chart to follow based on your age and where your body fat level should be:

Depending on where you're starting from you can get your body fat down to ideal levels in 90 days of sustained effort.

This is why I created the Lean Body 90 program so you can get in shape in 90 days in under 90 minutes a week. Yes, it's a great tagline but it's true.

It's launching on March 30th. If you want to join the VIP list for a big discount and special bonuses on launch day click here.

2) The Exercise Triangle

I split up exercise into 2 parts: Metabolic strength workouts, cardio, and dynamic stretching.

Metabolic strength workouts help you build muscle & improve cardio through various forms of circuit training. I talked about this in the previous newsletter about the perfect workout program.

Dynamic stretching is done before a workout and it helps you mobilize your body while increasing flexibility.

Get these going to keep your body from aging while having it feel energetic and limber.

3) Motion Is Lotion

Walking decreases stress & increases creativity while improving your health markers.

It also boosts BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) & promotes neuroplasticity, which is key to keeping your brain young.

One of the most underrated functions of walking is that it promotes recovery. The faster you can recover the better your body becomes.

Motion is lotion. Aim for 8-10k steps a day and do it in nature for the best benefit.

4) High Performance Sleep

Sleep is the time you get rid of the waste in your brain and body.

Your muscles see an increase in blood flow, which brings along oxygen and nutrients that help recover, repair, and regenerate cells.

The brain reorganizes and recharges itself too. It removes toxic waste byproducts that accumulate during the day.

But the only way these happen is during your deep sleep phase.

I did an entire guide on how to get better sleep that you can access here at no cost.

5) Eat A Nutrient Dense Diet

Nutrients play a massive role in keeping both your brain and body young.

If you want to avoid or fight the effects of aging, then your best option is to eat your fair share of both fruits and vegetables.

These foods are loaded with nutrients and antioxidants.

Antioxidants help combat the elements responsible for premature aging.

Researchers found that people who ate more nutrients were up to 50% less likely to develop chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.

6) Drink Clean Filtered Drinking Water

People who stay well-hydrated look healthier, have better skin, develop fewer chronic conditions, and live longer than those who aren't hydrated enough.

The caveat here is to make sure you're drinking water from clean filtered sources.

The filter I use is called a Berkey water filter, which I like due to the fact that it's stainless steel, the filters last a year and it's one of the best ones out there.

But if that's out of your price range a regular filter will do.

7) Follow Your Circadian Rhythms

Circadian rhythms play a vital role in your health.

When you follow your rhythms you feel healthy, energetic, and focused. When your rhythms are disrupted you end up feeling the opposite.

While this has a lot to do with your sleep-wake cycles your rhythms are also influenced by your meal timing, sun exposure, and exercise. I have a guide on how to attune your body to your rhythms you can access here.

Success Follows Action

There are probably some things on this list you're doing well at and some you're not. If that's the case I see it as a terrific opportunity to seek out more potential out of yourself.

Choose the one that needs work the most and focus on that. Once that's up and running focus on the next.

Each time you do this it builds upon the other because health is a virtuous cycle. Momentum swings in both ways so make sure you're pointing it in the right direction.

Onwards and upwards

- Dan

PLUS whenever you’re ready, here 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 one-on-one coaching here. 
2. Join the waitlist to get first access (and a sweet discount) to my course called the Lean Body 90 coming out March 30th. It's a system that will help you get lean in 90 days in under 90 minutes a week. Click here to join the VIP list for a big discount and special bonuses when it launches.