The High Performance Journal Written By Dan Go - September 15th, 2026

 I've been coaching for 20+ years and have worked with thousands of clients in person and online.

I've learned a few things along the way.

In this article, I want to share some of the "cheat codes" I've picked up from my years in the trenches.

You don't need to apply all of them. Pick the ones that speak to you and take action on them.

Knowledge turns into wisdom when it's applied.

You ready? Let's go 🔥

Health Cheat Codes I Know At 46 I Wish I Knew At 26:

1. After every meal, take a 10-15 minute digestion walk. When you do this, it helps regulate blood sugar, reduces bloating, and improves digestion. You don't need to power walk either; a casual stroll works. The best part is that it costs nothing, and the benefits will compound over weeks.

2. Take 2 tablespoons of psyllium husk 30 minutes before your worst meal. ​Psyllium husk turns into a gel inside your stomach​, which delays digestion and improves satiety and fullness. But that's not all. It has also been shown to improve your lipid profile and blood sugar regulation, and adds a good dose of fiber to your body. If you take psyllium husk, make sure to add 500ml of water to help keep things moving.

3. Do the World's Greatest Stretch: 

I do this exercise before every workout.

It's called the World's Greatest Stretch because it does a lot in a little amount time.

In 60 seconds it'll mobilize your hips, hamstrings, calves & upper back.

Watch the vid, do this before a workout & your body will thank you. pic.twitter.com/5P0Crattnm

— Dan Go (@CoachDanGo) July 28, 2020

It's a mobility exercise that opens your hips, loosens your thoracic spine, and stretches your hip flexors all at once. Most people sit all day and wonder why they feel stiff. This move attacks all 3 problem areas in about 60 seconds. Do it every morning or before a workout. Your body will move better within a week.

4. If you want a healthy liver, cut back on fructose and added sugars and focus on strength training. Your liver can regenerate itself, but it needs help. This is why we need to cut back on added sugars, especially fructose. Your liver processes it directly and stores the excess as fat when overwhelmed. Pair this with strength training because muscle pulls sugar from your blood and takes pressure off your liver.

We just did this for a ​client​, and here's what he had to say:

5. Track your metabolic health using these 3 numbers: HOMA-IR, Fasting insulin, HbA1C, and triglyceride-to-HDL ratio. HOMA-IR tells you how insulin-resistant you are. Fasting insulin can catch insulin resistance early. HbA1c shows your average blood sugar over 2-3 months. Your triglyceride-to-HDL ratio reveals how well your body processes energy. Most doctors don't flag these until it's too late. Ask for them on your next blood panel.

Here's a free PDF on ​improving your metabolic health​.

6. Eat your protein first at every meal. When you ​front-load protein​ before carbs and fats, your blood sugar response flattens significantly. You stay fuller longer, reduce cravings, and give your body the building blocks it needs for muscle repair before anything else hits your system.

7. Get sunlight in your eyes within 30 minutes of waking. This resets your ​circadian clock​, triggers a cortisol spike at the right time, and sets up better melatonin production later that night. Get direct outdoor light for 5-10 minutes. This single habit can improve sleep, energy, and mood without changing anything else in your routine.

8. Cut your workout time in half using supersets. Instead of resting between sets, pair 2 exercises that work different muscle groups back-to-back. While one muscle works, the other recovers. You get the same volume in half the time. This is the workout we use in the ​Lean Body 90 program​ and has been shown to get similar gains to someone doing straight sets while spending half the time doing it.

9. Chew your food 20-30 times per bite. Digestion starts in the mouth, and most people skip this step entirely. Chewing more means better nutrient absorption, less bloating, and you naturally eat less because your brain has time to register fullness. In other words, stop eating like you stole your food.

10. If you deal with low back issues, do these exercises religiously:

The McGill Big Three (curl-up, side plank, bird dog) train the muscles that stabilize your spine without forcing it through risky ranges of motion. They build endurance in your core, obliques, and back extensors so your spine stays locked in a neutral position under load. Stronger stabilizers mean less compensatory movement and less pain.

This is part of the protocol I used on myself and with clients to help with low back pain. You can access the ​guide over here​.

11. One of the best science-based walking workouts on the planet is called Japanese Interval Walking Training. You go at 3 minutes of a steady pace for 3 minutes, followed by a brisk pace, and repeat this for 30 minutes. ​Research has shown​ it can boost your cardiovascular health, like VO2 max, while improving blood pressure, burning more calories, and enhancing your mood and metabolism.

I did a video on it; you can check it out here:

12. Get an under-the-desk treadmill and turn every meeting into a walking meeting. This adds an extra 5-10k steps a day without thinking about it. In fact, while doing this script, I was using an app called Wispr Flow (which is a talk-to-text app). The brand I use is Urevo.

13. Stop drinking water with meals. Small sips are fine, but chugging water during a meal dilutes your stomach acid and digestive enzymes. Drink most of your water between meals instead. You'll notice less bloating and better digestion almost immediately. Most people have never even considered this.

14. Make flossing a mandatory part of your days and nights. Flossing reduces oral bacteria and gum inflammation, which prevents bacteria from entering your bloodstream, lowering your chronic inflammation, which is linked to heart disease and stroke risk. ​Several studies ​show that regular flossing is associated with A reduced risk of all-cause mortality and lower levels of inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein.

15. Become a nasal breather. I started by taping my mouth shut during work sessions and at night while using BreatheRight strips to increase nasal capacity. Your nose is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. Over time, you won't need the strips, but they help early on when airflow feels limited. Nasal breathing improves oxygen delivery, focus, and sleep quality.

16. Measure your waist-to-hip ratio instead of tracking your weight. The scale doesn't tell you where fat is stored. Your ​waist-to-hip ratio​ does. Visceral fat around your midsection is the most dangerous kind linked to heart disease, diabetes, and early death. A tape measure gives you more useful data than a scale ever will. If your waist is more than half of your height, you need to start taking your health seriously.

17. Do zone 2 cardio twice a week for 30-45 minutes. Zone 2 is a pace where you can hold a conversation but can't sing opera. This intensity builds mitochondrial density, improves fat oxidation, and strengthens your cardiovascular base without beating up your body. It's not exciting, but it's one of the most effective things you can do for longevity.

18. Get a nutrient panel. And check for Vitamin D, Omega-3s, and magnesium. Vitamin D affects immune function, energy, and body fat. Omega-3s drive inflammation levels and brain health. Magnesium impacts sleep, recovery, and over 300 enzyme reactions in your body. Most people are deficient in all 3 and have no idea. Test, don't guess. You can't fix what you're not tracking.

19. Use this exercise to increase lower-body power opening up your ankle mobility: 

I do this exercise before every leg day because strength starts from the bottom first.

Due to sitting & comfy shoes one of the biggest things that holds you back is tight ankles.

Do this drill for 8-10 reps before a lower body workout to unlock a new level of performance. pic.twitter.com/fiufLwt7n3

— Dan Go (@CoachDanGo) April 27, 2022

Sitting all day locks your ankles in one position for hours. Over time, your calves shorten, your Achilles stiffens, and you lose range of motion. That lost mobility forces your knees, hips, and lower back to compensate. That's where pain starts. Spend 5 minutes a day mobilizing your ankles. Your entire body moves better when your base has more freedom to move.

20. Eat your last meal as your biggest protein meal. Your body does most of its repair work overnight. Giving it adequate protein before that repair window means better muscle recovery, improved sleep quality, and more stable blood sugar through the night.

21. If you live in a northern climate as I do, get a light therapy lamp for the winter. Preferably one that is 10,000 lux. A light therapy lamp mimics sunlight, which will help reset your circadian rhythms, boost serotonin, and improve your mood in those cold, dark winter months.

22. Limit/avoid blue light exposure at night. Exposure to bright blue light at night can impact the quality of sleep. Nighttime exposure to light while sleeping has been shown to increase the risk of diabetes by 50%. Light should be absorbed during the day, but at night, you want to dim your lights down and sleep in a completely blacked-out room.

23. Set a hard stop on eating 3 hours before bed. Late-night eating disrupts your sleep architecture even if you fall asleep fine and has been shown to increase nighttime wake-ups by 40%. This is because your body prioritizes digestion over repair. Cutting the kitchen off early improves deep sleep, growth hormone output, and morning energy.

24. Put a HEPA air filter in the rooms you spend the most time in. Indoor air pollution is up to 5x worse than outdoor air (EPA data). You spend 90% of your day breathing it. A 2026 study found that one month of HEPA filtration improved cognitive function by 12% in adults over 40. For more cheat codes on making your home a healthier place, use ​this guide over here​.

25. Speak positively to your body. ​Research from the University of Waterloo​ found that people who practice self-compassion toward their bodies make healthier choices regardless of their weight. Your body is your best friend. It shows up for you every single day. Instead of shaming it, express gratitude and speak to it the way you would someone you love.

The Final Word

You have learned in 4 minutes what has taken me 20+ years to figure out.

Your job is, as Bruce Lee would say,

"Absorb what is useful and reject what is useless."

When you look at a list like this, you might feel pulled to do everything you see. Don't do that. Choose one to two things you can focus on, and start from there.

Remember, my friend: Consistency over intensity.

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.