The High Performance Journal​ - May 23rd 2023 ​​

Ever since I was a kid I was insecure about how my stomach looked. I wasn't obese by any measure but I was fat with little muscle to show for.

I was so embarrassed that I'd be the last person to leave the locker room during PE class so I could take off my shirt in private.

Now things are different...

It took me awhile but I was able to change my body from having a belly to having a lean midsection and I've helped many others achieve the same.

So in this newsletter, I want to show you what I'd do if I had to start all over again.

The Dangers of Having a Big Belly

People joke about having a pot belly but when it's happening to you it's not funny at all. It's easy to laugh at it at first, but when you get down to the facts, having a big belly is unsightly, decreases confidence, and is highly inflammatory to the body.

Why? It contains visceral fat, which can lead to a number of disorders like high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance. These can lead to the risk of stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

Visceral fat is also a sign of having a high levels of estrogen in the body compared to testosterone. This can also lead to accumulating fat in the breast area.

Lastly, visceral fat can lead to low energy and getting sick more often as well as decreased blood flow to the areas of the brain responsible for decision making and mood control.

You don't see a many 80 year old people walking around with pot bellies because of how dangerous it is to the body.

The biggest causes for increased belly fat are food intake, lack of exercise and stress. There's nothing wrong with moderate amounts of stress but chronic stress can lead to a 4x increase in belly fat storage.

That said, having a big belly is one of the worst things we can have on our bodies.

So how can we get rid of belly fat in the most aggressive sustainable way possible?

Here's what I'd do to get rid of the belly fat once and for all

Let's get through the basics first:

You need to be in a caloric deficit and focus on losing weight from the entire body. No amount of ab exercises will burn belly fat. Trust me, I've tried.

You need to eat a nutrient-dense diet that's preferably higher in protein.

My formula for getting rid of belly fat is this:

F + LC + ST (P) = A lean stomach

Trust me that while this may look like a math equation it's not that complicated. Let me explain..

Step 1 - Fasting

There's a study done by Nature Communications found that fasting turns on a specific gene that specifically burns visceral fat.

Another 2014 review found that intermittent fasting helped people experience a 4-7% reduction in waist circumference.

I've personally found that anywhere from a 12 to 16-hour fasting window has been shown to be just as effective at eliminating visceral fat.

The type I'd suggest is something called Circadian Rhythm fasting which we do with our clients and in our Lean Body 90 program.



You basically have your dinner 3-5 hours before sleeping and then schedule your lunch and breakfast 3 to 5 hours apart from each other.

Combined with eating a high-protein diet and eating nutrient-dense foods we've found that this is one of the better solutions to eliminate belly fat.

Step 2 - Low Carb Nutrient Dense

A study comparing low-carb and low-fat diets indicates that low-carb eating specifically reduces fat in the stomach. This is because having too much fat in the belly is a sign of insulin resistance.

This is why I'd suggest going on a short-term period (12-16 weeks) of a low carb nutrient-dense diet. This would mean you're getting around 100-125 grams of carbs per day.

You would only do this for a short period of time. After this period I would re-introduce carbs strategically back into the diet.

I would also focus on getting your calories from fibrous foods. Recent research shows that a diet that's high in fiber can lead to increased belly fat reduction. This would mean getting your calories from fruits, legumes, and vegetables.

Step 3 - Strength Training

As you start to drop the belly fat you will be in a caloric deficit. The biggest problem people face when losing weight is having it affect their metabolic rate.

This is why you want to be able to build your metabolism by doing some sort of strength training workout.

Strength training also has a hormonal effect on the body. Lifting weights elevates hormones like growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1).

Strength training in general can balance hormones for both males and females, especially in the process of burning belly fat. You can do metabolic circuits like we do in the Lean Body 90 program or some other form of weight lifting. Either way find something heavy to lift and do it consistently

Supplement this with some type of zone 2 cardio as some studies have shown that it is correlated with more burned fat during exercise. My personal favorite type of zone 2 is hiking or walking.

Multiply all of these with PATIENCE

The final step is not a cliche. You gotta be patient with yourself. Some people may take 12-16 weeks to drop the belly while others may take longer.

Remember that we did not gain a belly overnight nor will we eliminate it overnight. This stuff takes time. So take it easy on yourself and give yourself grace.

Congrats. You now have a flat stomach.

Wait. Not so fast. Information is not enough. Wisdom comes from application.

Do not be like most who will read this and then disregard it or put it off to later.

If you're looking to drop belly fat then start applying some of these tips into your life immediately. You'd be surprised at how much progress you make when you take fast action.

If you want to help some help with this then consider investing in the Lean Body 90 program. It's already helped a lot of people lose their bellies. It's the same program I use with all of my high-achieving clients.

See you next week!

- Dan

PLUS Whenever you’re ready, there 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 private one-on-one coaching here.​

2. If you’re still looking to get lean, I’d recommend starting with an affordable course:

→ The Lean Body 90 System: Transform your body with the Lean Body 90 system. This comprehensive course will teach you the system I use to get my clients lean & energetic in 90 days in only 90 minutes a week. Join 1000+ students here.