Read time: 3.8 minutes

The High Performance Journal - December 31st, 2024

A few months ago, we were working with an entrepreneur to help him get back in shape.

Dan (great name btw), had a goal of dropping 20+ lbs off his body but was running up against a few issues.

First off, since starting his business he had let himself go. He was confined to a desk and, while he claimed he was eating "healthy", he wasn't losing any weight.

As the years went by his waistline starting creeping up. His belt notches went up, he had to buy bigger sizes, and he started to deal with massive brain fog.

Dan was facing a challenge that other entrepreneurs faced: He was trading his business for his body.

In today’s issue, I’m going to the body transformation system we used to help Dan go from this (the left) to this (the right):

The System to Dropping 20+ lbs of Fat in 2025 (STEAL THIS)

Step 1 - Fix The Constraint

This step is about finding the low-hanging fruit.

In this step, you want to identify the worst habit you have around food, dieting, or, exercise. Then subordinate everything else to fix that constraint.

Dan had issues with nighttime binge eating. So we had him eat a nutritious breakfast and set a habit to stop eating after 7. We used an app called ​Habitkit​ to track the habit.

After 21 days, the habit of not eating at night became easier thus making weight loss easier for him.

Step 2 - Get Your Data

This step is about getting data.

Depending on the client we have them track their weight 3-7x a week, inches every week, and pics every 4 weeks.

If clients want to go deeper they do body fat scans and basic bloodwork.

The key here is to get data to know if we're headed down the right track or not. The more we measure the more we manage what we measure.

Step 3 - Amplify Metabolism

One of the worst things you could do when losing weight is downgrade your ​metabolism​.

The best way I've found to avoid this is through the 2 W's: Weights and Walking.

We had him focus on getting stronger in key movements like the squat, deadlifting, bench, pull-up, row, overhead press, lunges, hip thrusts, and carries.

We also set a movement target of 10-15k steps a day. Even though he was bound to a desk we got around this by adding a walking pad to his office. This changed his life.

Step 4 - Find The Right Diet And Stick To It

The right diet is a combination of finding the right timing, foods, and protein. Here's what I mean..

The right timing is about matching your meals to your ​body's natural rhythms​. Since Dan had a bad habit of eating at night we had him eat a nutritious breakfast an hour upon waking. This helps his body be satiated later in the day.

The right foods are about finding your ratio of ​nutrient-dense foods​ to fun foods. We prefer Dan get 80-90% of his calories from whole nutrient-dense sources and 10-20% from whatever he wants. This made the diet sustainable.

The ​right protein target​ helps you keep muscle so you can fuel your metabolism. We had Dan at .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

Step 5 - Go Strict Then Flexible

Part of our body transformation philosophy is to start with the hard stuff so things will be easier later.

We started Dan off with something we call the ​Green Face Detox diet​ for 14 days.

This had him eating nothing but meat, veggies, and single-ingredient foods.

Once he was off that we had him keep a food journal and eat using the ratio mentioned above.

In the first 14 days, he lost 8 lbs, which is great but this also changed his tastebuds to the foods we wanted him to eat.

This acted as a springboard for good habits and decisions around food, which led to fantastic results.

The Result: 33 pounds lost, 5 inches off the waist, and started to see his abs while increasing his energy levels.

What Dan was missing was not willpower or discipline. What he lacked was a system and accountability.

Yes, he got in shape but want to know the best part?

As Dan started to get in shape he could feel his brain change.

He was more positive, energetic, and upbeat. This brought new opportunities to his business (increased rev, better decisions) and he became a magnet for success.

I hope you found this newsletter helpful.

If you’re interested in getting lean & boosting your energy levels like Dan, I’d ​recommend reading this article​ or this ​one​.

- 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.

3. Promote yourself to 365,000+ subscribers​ by sponsoring this newsletter.