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Hey friend,

It's been a wild year, hasn't it?

I wanted to do something different with today's newsletter. So today, I'd like to share some of this year's lessons so you can make use of them in 2025.

I don't claim to be the wisest person in the world, but I love learning, and I've done a lot of that this year.

So here are my biggest lessons from 2024, starting with...

1. You overestimate what you can do in 12 weeks and underestimate what you can do in a year.

At the start of 2024, I was as close to the worst shape I've ever been in years in quite some time. New kid, health issues, and many other factors contributed to this.

This time around, I didn't give myself a short time frame to get in shape. I told myself I was willing to spend a year on my body.

The result? I've gotten myself to the leanest I've been in almost a decade and have done so while being flexible with my diet.

I also have more confidence that I can sustain my results because I gave myself a long time horizon.

Remember the goal is to get in shape once and keep it there. There's no need to rush.

2. The most important commitment is to be consistent

Having a meal outside of what you normally eat to be healthy can throw you off... if you let it.

The key is to make the next meal a good one, or if you missed a workout, make sure you hit the one after.

This is what being consistent is all about. Being consistent will not guarantee success but I will guarantee you won't be successful without it.

It reminds me of the stonecutter's analogy: A stonecutter hammers a rock 100 times without visible effect, but on the 101st blow, it splits.

Success does not come from the final strike but from the cumulative effort of all the blows that came before.

The first commitment is to be consistent. Nail that down and you're setting the cards in your favor.

3. Modify your diet according to your intake of sunlight.

Sunlight affects our appetite and insulin sensitivity.

This is why getting lean can seem easier in the summer than in the winter months.

Sunlight exposure, especially in the morning, can aid fat loss by:

1. Shrinking fat cells beneath the skin
2. Boosting metabolism and vitamin D production
3. Regulating appetite hormones like leptin and ghrelin
4. Synchronizing circadian rhythms, improving sleep quality

So, when sunlight is scarce, you can move your first meal to later. When it's abundant, you can eat a bit earlier.

Also, if you live in a winter location, aim to eat lower-carbohydrate foods during the cold and higher-carbohydrate foods during the summer months.

Oh, and make sure you get plenty of sunlight in summertime, preferably in the morning and at sunset.

4. It's okay to be dissatisfied with your body but you can't stay in shape unless you learn to do this.

If you've let yourself go it's okay to feel shame and dissatisfaction. They are great ways to ignite yourself into action.

But these feelings become toxic when they're the only fuel you run off of.

As you get in shape you must evolve from negative feelings to positive ones like gratitude and appreciation.

To keep your body in shape you must learn to LOVE it.

5. The best type of cardio is the one you love doing.

You'll see a lot about cardio and V02 max these days. Even I have talked about it at length about being a tool for longevity.

But there's a big difference between being pushed and being pulled to do cardio.

If you feel like you "must" do running to get your cardio even if you don't like it there's a good chance you'll never stick to it.

This is why the best type of cardio is the one you don't realize you're doing.

For myself, that's walking, martial arts, sprinting, or my personal favorite, surfing. For you, it could be dancing or even jumping on a trampoline.

Whatever it is make it fun for you. The best way to be consistent with cardio is to actually like doing it.

6. You need a tribe

This year we did something different with our private coaching clients and it's been crucial to getting better results.

Long story short, we started a community.

There are 3 levels of accountability to getting in shape:

1. Self-accountability
2. Coaching accountability
3. Community accountability

Ideally, you want to have all three working in your favor as each one amplifies the next.

This is part of the reason why I moved to the West Coast of Canada in 2023. I'm part of a small community of people crushing it in all the important areas of their lives, especially health.

Fact: You need others to hold you to a higher standard than you hold yourself. It makes the process of getting in shape much easier without even needing to do anything.

7. Everything you want is on the other side of the tracks

Want to lose weight? Track your weight.

Want to lose your belly? Track your waistline.

Want a handle on your nutrition? Track your food.

Want to become stronger and build muscle? Track your workouts.

Your brain has an automatic improvement switch that's activated when you give it data. This is why tracking is a principle in our Lean Body 90 course.

And no, there's this thought that tracking these things is over-obsessive and can lead to a worse relationship. This is true for a small portion of the population. For everyone else, this thought is a cope.

If you care about something enough, you'll track it.

8. Go deeper than calories

Calories are what determines weight loss. Yet, focusing entirely on calories can bite us in the ass if we're not careful.

I'm starting to judge the meals that go into my body per something I call value per calorie (VPC). This contains the macro and micronutrient value of the food you're ingesting.

Calories are a basic way to track your foods and it works.

But I'm not about just buying something. I want to get the most value out of my purchases.

This means I'm putting more foods into my body with a higher VPC. Foods like steak, eggs, broccoli, and other nutrient-dense sources fall under this term.

Focusing on this and not just on calories improves my overall satiety and well-being.

9. Your feelings are horrible at telling the truth

There have been so many days where I wasn't "feeling it" and thought about missing the gym.

But every time I promised myself that I'd do one rep and if I didn't want to stay I could leave.

100% of the time I finished my workouts. 50% of the time I had some of my best gym sessions.

The mark of a high performer is being able to do the work, especially on the days they're not feeling up to doing it.

You are much more capable than you think. If there's one thing to procrastinate on it's taking a break.

Yes, there are times when you gotta listen to your body. But for the most part, our feelings don't reflect what we can do. They are indicators of what we believe to be true.

And those beliefs can be changed.

10. Become a master of knowing what you want

When you go on social media you will see a ton of people trying to influence you on what you should look like or what your goals should be.

I had to deal with this during my journey as many others have. I'd go on social media channels and see those big muscley dudes and be like, "I gotta get bigger".

Only to realize, that I was adopting an ideal that was given to me by others.

My ideal body is one that runs, surfs, lifts, and can chase after my children. Your ideal body is what you make of it.

Look, the truest path to your goals is to make them yours and to forget what others want for you.

Because the worst thing in the world is climbing up the wrong ladder.

So when you're choosing your goals for 2025 (and beyond) make them yours absent of influences from external sources.

This will make the journey much more fulfilling and when you reach your destination you'll feel a greater sense of accomplishment.

Here's to your best body and beyond

I believe this journey to getting healthy and in shape is a spiritual process disguised as a physical one.

It's a path to self-actualization and many lessons learned can make us better people.

That said, there are no limits to what else we can accomplish when we're feeling and looking at our best.

My hope for you is to take the lessons that resonated with you and discard the rest.

I can't wait to help you become the best version of yourself in 2025 and beyond.

Onwards and upwards. 🚀

- Dan

When you're ready, here is 1 way I can help:

1. Promote yourself to 372,940+ subscribers​ by sponsoring this newsletter.

References

1. Quan, Qing-Ling et al.Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Volume 144, Issue 10, 2273 - 2284.e5
2. Reid KJ, Santostasi G, Baron KG, Wilson J, Kang J, Zee PC (2014) Timing and Intensity of Light Correlate with Body Weight in Adults. PLoS ONE 9(4): e92251. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0092251
3. Klinedinst BS, Meier NF, Larsen B, Wang Y, Yu S, Mochel JP, Le S, Wolf T, Pollpeter A, Pappas C, Wang Q, Allenspach K, Wang L, Russell D, Bennett DA, Willette AA. Walking in the Light: How History of Physical Activity, Sunlight, and Vitamin D Account for Body Fat-A UK Biobank Study. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2020 Aug;28(8):1428-1437. doi: 10.1002/oby.22852. Epub 2020 Jun 22. PMID: 32573118; PMCID: PMC7501143.

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.

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