The High Performance Journal Written By Dan Go - January 6th, 2026

Most people don't fail because they lack information. They fail because they have the wrong strategy.

Fat loss. Muscle gain. Cardio. Sleep. Bloodwork. Recovery. Their effort gets diluted, and nothing actually improves.

They sprint into January trying to be perfect everywhere, stumble in one area, decide they've failed, and by February, they're back to square one.

What I'm about to walk you through is different.

It's a step-by-step system where each step builds on the last.

It's the same plan we helped John (and many others) implement to lose 39 pounds off his body while adding muscle and getting into the best shape of his life:

And if you treat this like a lifestyle intervention instead of a weight loss plan, people won't even recognize you by the end of the year.

Heck, you won't even recognize yourself (in a good way, of course).

You ready? Let's go 🔥

If You Want To Get Into The Best Shape Of Your Life, Do This:

Step 1: Assess Your Current State

Before you change anything, you need to know where you actually stand.

Here's what to track

• Track your weight daily and calculate a 7-day average.
• Measure your waistline every week.
• Take pictures every month.

If it's possible, get a DEXA scan. It's optional, but I can't tell you how many times I've talked to a guy who thinks he's 20% body fat and the scan comes back at 28%. Just getting the visceral fat reading alone is worth it.

Along with that, you want to run bloodwork every 6 months.

In short, track your Health KPIs like a hawk.

What you measure is what you manage. Most people skip this step because it feels uncomfortable. They don't want to see the real number. But you can't fix what you won't face.

Step 2: The Foundation Is Metabolic Health

Your first step is to get your body composition and bloodwork into a healthy range. Full stop.

This means cutting the excess fat using a diet. Your job is to eat a nutrient-dense, high-protein diet while using a meal schedule to automate hunger.

I know this sounds unglamorous. People want to talk about Zone 2 cardio and VO₂ max training. But if your metabolic health is broken, none of that matters yet.

When you get metabolically healthy, your insulin sensitivity improves, your diet can be more flexible, your brain starts working better, and your energy levels go through the roof.

Get lean first. Get your lipids, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, and hormones in check. Then we can talk about optimization (more on that later).

Once you do this, move to the next step.

Step 3: Recovery Systems

Once your body is dialled in, the next lever is recovery.

This means aligning with your circadian rhythms. You can't always control your work schedule, but you can control when you see light, when you eat, and how you wind down.

When it comes to sleep, we first focus on quantity (hours needed) and then quality (environment and routines). Using a sleep tracker (Apple, Whoop, Oura, Ultrahuman, etc.) should help you monitor your habits, not obsess over them.

Don't sleep on the fact that one more hour of quality bedtime can change your life.

I've seen clients solve energy problems, hunger issues, and even stubborn fat loss plateaus by fixing recovery. It's not sexy, but it works.

Step 4: Build Your Metabolic Furnace

Weight training is mandatory if you want to keep your metabolic engine healthy.

It also means you don't look like a flat pancake by the time you lose the fat and set yourself up for a better quality of life as you get older.

Ideally, you want to use weights to build your physique while getting functionally stronger. Three days a week and 30-40 minutes per session is enough. You don't need to live in the gym.

The goal here is simple: protect and build muscle while you're losing fat, and then add lean mass once you're metabolically healthy.

Muscle is your fountain of youth and your weapon against aging, injury, and metabolic dysfunction.

Step 5: Optimize Your Cardio Engine

Cardio is a tool for both the brain and body. It helps you live longer while improving your mental capacity.

You want to incorporate 2 types of cardio:

1. Daily movement at a conversational pace. This could be walking, cycling, or anything that gets you moving without feeling like work.
2. Vigorous cardio once a week. Something that challenges your cardiovascular system, like HIIT or sprints.

Something you should know is that cardio makes lifting a lot easier by improving your lung capacity and endurance.

The best strategy is to find some form of movement you can do daily, and once a week, try to challenge yourself.

There are efficient ways to improve cardio, like the Norwegian 4x4, but I'll save that for a later newsletter.

Cheat Code 1: Get Accountable

Here's the truth: you probably know how to do a lot of this stuff. You're just not doing it.

The missing piece is accountability.

An abundance of research shows supervised or coach-supported programs have substantially higher adherence than self-monitoring approaches.

The difference isn't the information. Everyone's got that. It's the accountability, feedback, and problem-solving that come with having someone knowledgeable in your corner.

If you can be accountable to yourself, great. If that hasn't worked, find a coach or mentor to work with.

It's not about needing someone to tell you what to do. It's about having an expert to help you avoid common mistakes and keep you on track when life gets messy.

Cheat Code 2: Vision And Identity

When clients first work with us, we give them a protocol called Identity Shifting.

This is where we help them set the vision for their new "Health Identity" with mental systems designed to upgrade their mind around health and success.

The reason we do this is that getting in shape is more psychological than it is physiological.

Along with accountability, it acts as the knot that ties this bow together.

The true goal is to become the person where being fit is baked into your personality.

That's how transformation becomes easier and automatic.

The Most Important Part

As you read through these steps, treat them like step functions.

Do not try to solve everything at once.

Specialize in solving one at a time. Focus magnifies results. For 2026, set the vision for your identity and treat this as a lifestyle intervention, not a weight loss plan.

The people who win at this game aren't the ones who go hardest in January. They're the ones who build systems that last for the rest of their lives.

Onward and upward. 🚀

- 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.

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.