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I'm on day 6 of not drinking alcohol.

While I don't want to make it like I was an alcoholic I did drink on occasion.

For the past few months, I had one drink at night, which was usually a beer or wine. On Thursday date nights I'd have an old fashioned.

I saw it as a way to de-stress myself from a long day of work but I knew little of the impact even one drink was having on my health and energy.

It started with a podcast Andrew Huberman did on alcohol's effects on the brain and body. I learned more about alcohol in those 2 hours than my entire lifetime.

And now I'm on day 6. After 3-4 months I'll talk about my observations in a future podcast.

So far I like it. I'm down a few pounds, I'm less hungry and more energetic, my digestion is better & I'm taking in fewer calories.

Giving up alcohol is one of the best lean body hacks I know of.

Did you know that the body comes with its own operating system? One of my goals in this newsletter is to teach you the body's OS while showing you some shortcuts along the way.

Here are 6 other lean body hacks that I don't hear many people talk about:

#1 - Drinking water with meals

The easiest way to feel fuller is to drink more water.

Having 500ml of water before and after a meal has been shown to increase fullness & reduce appetite.

#2 - Drinking shakes

One of the fastest most convenient ways to get nutrition in your body is through drinking protein shakes.

Combining a green powder with a scoop of protein helps you get nutrients, water, and protein in the body.

Use this option if you're lacking time and can't find healthy options.

#3 - Struggle with nighttime eating? Eat a light breakfast

Eating breakfast 1 to 1.5 hours after waking helps you curb your appetite at night.

Keep it light, high protein & low carb to maintain energy and focus.

#4 - Set kitchen hours

Make the kitchen off-limits at some point.

Clean up as you cook dinner, eat your meal, then close up shop.

Make the kitchen a no-go zone. Setting a stopping point eliminates excessive grazing during your nightly date with Netflix.

#5 - Find ways to add flavour with fewer calories

We don't realize how much sauces add to our calories. Learn to love seasoning your foods.

I'm a fan of Flavorgod. Their seasonings tend to keep their flavors chemical and filler-free without sacrificing flavor.

They also have flavours like pizza and chocolate donut flavors.

#6 - Use the proximity effect to your advantage

I have a friend who cuts up raw veggies and leaves them on his counter.

So every time he goes into the kitchen he snacks on some raw veggies.

This works the other way too. In one study, researchers placed snacks around a bunch of secretaries in an office setting. Some of the goodies were placed on the secretaries' desks, others in the drawers of the desks, and others in the break room.

You can guess the outcome, right? It looked something like this:

Snacks on the desk: Overweight secretaries
Snacks in the drawer: Less overweight secretaries
Snack in the break room: Lean secretaries
If a food is reachable & in sight, you're more likely to eat it.

If a food is reachable AND in sight, you're more likely to eat it, even when you're not hungry.

If you have to work for it – even just by standing up and walking across the room – you're less likely to indulge.

Now you have 7 lean body hacks at your disposal. Put in place the one that makes the most sense for you.

Onwards and upwards,

- Dan

PLUS: Whenever you're ready... Here is one way I can help you get your body back into shape.

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