4 Minute Fridays: This Exercise Should Be Mandatory For Desk Workers, Don't Make My Fish Oil Mistake & The App I Use To Avoid Distractions
Jun 19, 2026
Welcome to 4 Minute Fridays, my weekly newsletter, where I reveal cutting-edge tips to help you get lean, boost energy, and live longer.
What's In Store For Today:
- This exercise should be mandatory for desk workers
- Don't make my fish oil mistake
- The app I use to avoid distractions
I take AG1 every day to help cover my nutritional bases when life gets busy. I’ve noticed better energy, smoother digestion, and better focus.
It’s one simple habit that gives me an edge and helps me perform at my best, especially when my diet isn’t perfect.
The science backs it up too: AG1 Next Gen has four gold-standard clinical trials showing it helps fill new nutrient gaps, supports gut health, and improves key nutrient levels over 3 months.
If your diet isn’t perfect like mine, I highly recommend it. First-time subscribers also get a free Morning Person hat and a flavor sample sampler with their first purchase. Grab it at the link over here:
Click here to get AG1 Next Gen
Hey friend,
In 1997, Mike Abrashoff took command of the USS Benfold, one of the worst-performing ships in the Navy. Morale was low, and it had the highest turnover in the fleet. As the previous captain left, the crew jeered him on his way out.
Most leaders in that situation would have started handing out blame, but Abrashoff did the opposite.
He took ownership of every process, every disengaged sailor, and every habit on that ship, starting with one simple question:
“Why do we do it this way?”
Exactly one year later, with the same crew, the Benfold was ranked the best ship in the Navy. Nothing about the people changed. What changed was who decided to take ownership of the outcome
Your problems may not be your fault, but they are your responsibility. Stop the blaming and complaining and start taking ownership.
Here's what caught my attention this week.
Here Is Your 4 Minute Friday:
1. This Exercise Should Be Mandatory For Desk Workers
The Asian Squat Test
— Dan Go (@CoachDanGo) May 9, 2023
Step 1 - Drop down into a full squat with heels on ground
Step 2 - Hold for 60 seconds
Step 3 - Monitor foot angle & how the body feels
If you can’t hold this position for 60 seconds without feeling pain then you've got some issues to work on.
Here's why: pic.twitter.com/rZZAZ4k3ry
Every kid on earth can do a deep squat: heels flat, hips low, spine relaxed. It should feel like a natural resting position.
As we grow up and start sitting on chairs, we lose it. It's estimated that only 13.5% of the North American population can hold this move without support.
Researchers studying the Hadza, a hunter-gatherer tribe in Tanzania, found something interesting. The Hadza rest about as many hours a day as we do, but they do not sit on chairs.
They squat and kneel instead. When scientists measured muscle activity, those resting squats kept muscles lightly engaged the entire time. Chair sitting basically shuts everything off.
If you need to improve at this move, you can do so by holding onto a support with your hands and/or elevating your heels.
If you sit at a desk all day, it is worth getting better at this exercise.
You can drop into a squat during calls between meetings, while you brush your teeth. Your ankles will hate it for the first week, but your future self will thank you.
2. Don't Make My Fish Oil Mistake
For years, I left my fish oil bottle on my supplement counter, and I thought that was enough. Apparently, it’s not.
The moment you open a bottle of fish oil, oxygen starts breaking down the omega-3s inside.
At room temperature, that breakdown speeds up over weeks. Before long, you could be taking a supplement that’s gone rancid: it smells off, tastes worse, and has lost some of the EPA and DHA you paid for.
The same thing happens with cod liver oil. The only type of fish oil that gets a pass is krill oil, because it contains a natural antioxidant called astaxanthin that slows the breakdown and keeps it stable for a bit longer on the shelf.
The fix is simple: refrigerate any liquid omega-3s the moment you open them, and keep capsules in a dark cabinet away from heat.
You already paid for the omega-3s. Don’t let your method of storing them turn them bad.
❤️ My Favourite Thing This Week
For the last few years, I’ve used an app called Freedom to block every distracting site on my phone every single day. That means Instagram, Reddit, X, and all of it.
I’m not exaggerating when I say this app has pulled me out of more scrolling holes than I can count.
You know the ones where you open your phone to check one thing and 20 minutes later you’re watching a farmer teaching you how to clean out cow hooves. Don’t ask me about how I know about this.
Freedom shuts the door before any of that happens. Once you set your blocks in the schedule, it works in the background with no willpower required.
I have no affiliation with this company, but I use it daily, and it’s quietly been one of the best tools I’ve added to improve my focus
Client Of The Week - Kevin Hyam, Engineer
Kevin is a busy professional and dad who wanted more energy, sharper focus, and better health, but didn’t know where to start.
In just a few months, he’s down 32.5 lbs, lost over 3 inches off his waist, and feels like a brand-new version of himself. He’s now running his fastest 100m time since high school (14.2s), keeping up effortlessly with his 4-year-old, and showing up daily with clearer focus and sharper mental energy.
Here's how we did it:
- Prioritized consistent, strength-based workouts tailored to his lifestyle
- Built simple, sustainable nutrition habits
- Focused on sleep, recovery, and reducing overall stress load
The results? A 6-year reduction in metabolic age, a body that moves with power, and a mindset that’s locked in.
Amazing work, Kevin!
One Quote To Finish Your Week Strong
“Just because you're an adult doesn't mean you're grown up. Growing up means being patient, holding your temper, cutting out the self-pity, and quitting with the righteous indignation.
'Why do so many people seem to love righteous indignation?'
'Because if you can prove you're a victim, all rules are off. You can lash out at people. You don't have to be accountable for anything.”
― Brandon Stanton, Humans of New York
The only mindset for anyone who wants success in their life is extreme ownership. The moment you start blaming or complaining, you give your power to something that cannot change your situation.
As promised, get healthier in under 4 minutes.
- Dan
When you're ready, here are 2 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.
References
- C. Owen Lovejoy, Kent State University, Kent, OH, and approved January 27, 2020 (received for review July 12, 2019), March 9, 2020, 117 (13) 7115-7121 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1911868117
- Gökhan Boran, Hikmet Karaçam, Muhammet Boran, Changes in the quality of fish oils due to storage temperature and time, Food Chemistry, Volume 98, Issue 4,2006, Pages 693-698, ISSN 0308-8146, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2005.06.041.
Disclaimer: This email is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.