Dear subscribers,

Today, I want to share how Dan Go grew to 1M+ followers as a top fitness creator.

This post will help you grow your audience and improve your health.

In my interview with Dan below, we cover how to:

1. Get started as a creator

2. Create a system to publish everyday

3. Sleep better and get lean

This post is brought to you by…Shopify

If you loved my interview with Kaz (Shopify COO), then you should check out Shopify’s summer release with 100+ new product updates. These updates include Sidekick, a new AI assistant that helps merchants start, run, and grow their business.

Check out Shopify's latest AI tools

How to get started as a creator

Welcome Dan! How did you start your creator journey?

I started in 2010 with a personal blog and different social platforms. But it wasn’t until I went all in on Twitter that my growth took off.

Did you always focus on the health and fitness niche?

No, when I started I shared both self-development and fitness advice.

Going broad helped me understand what people wanted, what grew my business, and what I enjoyed creating. Fitness met all three requirements for me.

What do you wish that you knew when you first got started as a creator?

Here are a few tips I would share with my younger self:

1. Find a mentor. They can point you in the right direction and help you grow.

2. Follow creators you admire. Ask yourself, "What do I like about their content and their energy?"

3. Play the positive sum game. Avoid getting into online debates with other creators. You don’t have to pull someone down to boost yourself up.

4. Put in the reps. Know why you’re on this journey. Show up everyday and look for ways to improve.

5. Focus on your journey. Don’t get caught in comparisons with other creators. Create boundaries for yourself (e.g., blocking social media at night).

How to create a system to publish everyday

Your audience really took off during the pandemic, when you also had your first child. As a new parent, how did you find time to create content?

I knew that life was going to get busier after my 1st child so I built a content system:

1. Draft content: Everyday at 8 am, I would sit at my laptop to write for an hour. I use this time to write 1 newsletter post and 2 Twitter threads every week. I schedule all my content in advance using HypeFury. 

2. Review content: Periodically, I would look through my scheduled posts to make sure that they still made sense. If a tweet no longer fit, I would replace it with something from my drafts.

You can have a different system, but pick a schedule and stick with it. Magic happens when you show up everyday.

Sometimes I would wake up and cringe at my scheduled posts.

Exactly. I would often wonder, "What was going on in my mind when I wrote this yesterday?" Waiting a day to edit lets you see your writing through fresh eyes.

It’s great that your content system helps you get your life back. It’s easy to burn yourself out as a creator.

Yes, my content system lets me spend more time with my family. Being able to take my kid to a swimming class on a weekday afternoon is something that I don’t take for granted.

You also started a newsletter in 2022 that now has 130,000+ subscribers. Why did you decide to start one?

A newsletter is the ultimate long play to build trust with my audience. 

Giving value for free builds goodwill that also helps me build my business. It’s a flywheel that keeps growing.

It also feels great to get positive comments from my readers. I love it when they tell me that they’re sleeping and feeling better because of my newsletter.

You improved your open rate from 15% to 50% over time. What led to this increase?

I think it’s due to several reasons:

1. I switched the format. I used to write only deep-dives but some of my readers want quick, actionable tips. So now I write both short form 4 Minute Friday posts and deep dive posts.

2. I published less. I went from sending 3-4 emails a week to just 2, one each for the formats above.

My short form content helps me stay top of mind. But I think it’s my long form content, like a deep dive or a podcast, that creates real fans. 

Interesting, another content creator (Trung Phan) uses a very similar strategy.

How to sleep better and get lean

You coach founders and busy tech professionals, many of whom also read this newsletter. What are some tips for folks who want to get healthy?

To get healthy you have to invest in 3 areas — sleep, diet, and exercise.

If you’re just starting, get the minimum effective dosage first and add more habits every 6 months. Here are the easiest changes for each pillar:

1. Sleep: Get morning sunlight and set regular sleep and wake up times.

2. Diet: Replace sugary drinks with water.

3. Workout: Walk for 15-20 minutes a day.

I’m realizing how important sleep is as I get older. How can someone get good sleep?

Yes, good sleep is the most important thing that you can do for your health and productivity. Most people need at least 7 hours of sleep every night. 

To get good sleep:

1. Create the right environment. Remove electronic devices from your bedroom, set your temperature to 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit, and dim the lights once dusk hits.

2. Create a system. Good sleep starts in the morning. Get direct sunlight when you wake up to train your circadian rhythms. Use the 3-2-1 system - stop eating 3 hours before sleep, stop drinking 2 hours before, and stop screen time 1 hour before. If you must look at a screen, get blue light glasses.

3. Use supplements if needed. For example, magnesium (present in many foods) and L-theanine (present in green and black tea and some mushrooms) help ease anxiety, stress, and insomnia.

You also have this framework called the Lean Body 7. Better sleep is one step, what are the 6 other steps?

Sure. Lean body 7 helps people lose fat and get lean. I’m using it myself to get back in shape after my 2nd daughter was born. Beyond sleep, here are the other 6 steps:

Diet

1. Drink water with electrolytes: Replacing high calorie drinks (boba!) with water is one of the highest impact things that you can do. Add electrolytes to boost mineral intake.

2. Eat more protein: Studies​ show that a high protein boosts metabolism, reduces appetite, and changes several weight-regulating hormones. Try to eat at least 0.8 to 1 g of protein per pound of bodyweight.

3. Eat nutrient dense foods: These foods should make up 80-90% of your diet (e.g., eggs, salmon, leafy greens, blueberries). You can indulge in your favorite foods for the remaining 10%. See my full list of nutrient dense foods. 

Exercise

4. Take a walk everyday: Walking helps you burn calories, but more importantly, it also reduces stress and anxiety. Aim to get 8-10k steps a day.

5. Strength train 2-3x a week: Strength training is more effective than cardio for losing weight because it increases your resting metabolic rate which lets you burn fat the rest of the day.

6. Change your identity: Body transformation is both a physical and mental process. Learn how to manage your emotions and change your self-image to match your new habits. 

You also offer a Lean Body 90 course. How is this different from your free content?

My course is customized for each client with expert individual coaching and accountability measures. I take into account each person’s goals, current lifestyle, and preferences. You can check out more details about the course here.

Thanks Dan! How can people find you online?

They can follow me on Twitter and Instagram and read my newsletter here. I hope this post helps more people start their creator journey and get healthy!