Chasing Clarity: Health & Fitness Podcast

TOPICS: ⁃ SEX DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MALES & FEMALES ⁃ MARTIN’S NEW RESEARCH LOOKING AT SEX DIFFERENCES IN MUSCLE GROWTH OUTCOMES FROM RESISTANCE TRAINING BETWEEN MALES & FEMALES ⁃ REASONS AS TO WHY MANY FEMALES DO NOT MAXIMIZE THEIR MUSCLE GROWTH POTENTIAL ⁃ MARTIN’S STUDY ON TRAINING TO FAILURE VERSUS 1-2 RIR ⁃ PRACTICAL APPLICATION & TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS RESEARCH WHERE TO CONNECT WITH M...

TOPICS: ⁃ THE NUMBER ONE NUTRITION MISTAKE HOLDING YOU BACK FROM DROPPING BODY FAT ⁃ THE ISSUES CAUSED BY UNDERESTIMATING, UNDERREPORTING & INACCURATELY TRACKING YOUR CALORIE INTAKE ⁃ EVERY CALORIE COUNTS DURING A FAT LOSS PHASE EVEN IF YOU DON’T COUNT THEM ⁃ HABITS & ITEMS THAT MOST NEGLECT TO TRACK ⁃ HOW COMMON IS IT TO UNDERREPORT OUR CALORIE INTAKE? ⁃ NEW RESEARCH ON THE INACCURACY OF...

TOPICS: ⁃ THE BENEFITS OF HIGH PROTEIN DIETS ⁃ WHY PROTEIN INTAKE MAY NEED TO SCALE UP WHEN WE’RE IN A DEFICIT ⁃ HOW BEING IN A DEFICIT IMPACTS MUSCLE PROTEIN SYNTHESIS & MUSCLE PROTEIN BREAKDOWN LEVELS ⁃ BREAKING DOWN THE NEWEST SYSTEMATIC REVIEW & META-REGRESSION ⁃ PRACTICAL APPLICATION WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME: Follow Brandon on IG:  https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/ Email:  Bda...

TOPICS: ⁃ INTRODUCTION TO THE SHOW ⁃ WHAT IS NUTRIENT TIMING & PERI-WORKOUT NUTRITION? ⁃ PRE-WORKOUT NUTRITION ⁃ WHAT MACROS SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED PRIOR TO TRAINING? ⁃ WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PRE-WORKOUT FUELING? ⁃ EVIDENCE ON PRE-WORKOUT NUTRITION ⁃ INTRA-WORKOu UT NUTRITION ⁃ WHAT’RE THE BENEFITS OF USING AN INTRA-WORKOUT DRINK? ⁃ HOW INTRA-WORKOUT CARBS INFLUENCE CORTISOL LEVELS ⁃ EVIDENCE...

TOPICS: ⁃ WHAT IS MENSTRUAL CYCLE SYNCING ⁃ THE MAIN LIMITATIONS OF THIS APPROACH ⁃ LIMITATION 1: USES THE TEXTBOOK 28 DAY MENSTRUAL CYCLE WHICH MANY WOMEN DO NOT HAVE ⁃ LIMITATION 2: THE THEORY BEHIND WHY WOMEN SHOULDN’T TRAIN INTENSELY IN THEIR LUTEAL PHASE IS BASED ON MECHANISTIC DATA IN RODENTS NOT OUTCOME DATA IN HUMANS ⁃ LIMITATION 3: SEX HORMONE FLUCTUATIONS ACROSS THE CYCLE OFTEN DO NOT SI...

TOPICS: ⁃ RIDICULOUS TRENDS, APPROACHES, PROTOCOLS & FRAGILITY NARRATIVES THAT ARE TARGETED AT WOMEN ⁃ MENSTRUAL CYCLE SYNCING ⁃ BODY COMPOSITION CHANGES DURING THE MENOPAUSE TRANSITION ⁃ AUTOPHAGY & FASTING ⁃ CARNIVORE DIET WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME: Follow Brandon on IG:  https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/ Email:  Bdacruzfitness@gmail.com For Info on Brandon’s Coaching, Consultatio...

TOPICS COVERED: ⁃ NUTRITION FOR METABOLIC FLEXIBILITY ⁃ HOW YOUR DIET & HORMONES IMPACT WHAT MACROS YOU USE FOR ENERGY & YOUR DEGREE OF METABOLIC FLEXIBILITY ⁃ STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING METABOLIC FLEXIBILITY, PERFORMANCE & BODY COMPOSITION PROGRESS ⁃ STRATEGY 1: USE CALORIE & CYCLING TO IMPROVE METABOLIC FLEXIBILITY, PERFORMANCE & FAT LOSS ⁃ STRATEGY 2: USE NUTRIENT TIMING TO FU...

TOPICS COVERED: ⁃ DEFINING THE CONCEPT OF METABOLIC FLEXIBILITY ⁃ THE IMPORTANT ROLE METABOLIC FLEXIBILITY PLAYS IN OPTIMIZING TRAINING PERFORMANCE, BODY COMPOSITION & METABOLIC HEALTH ⁃ THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAT BURNING & FAT LOSS ⁃ WHEN WE WANT TO USE FAT FOR ENERGY VERSUS WHEN WE WANT TO USE CARBS FOR ENERGY ⁃ THE BENEFITS OF BEING METABOLICALLY FLEXIBLE ⁃ CURRENT STATS ON METABOLIC HE...

TOPICS COVERED: ⁃ BIGGEST MISTAKES MANY MAKE WHEN IT COMES TO FEMALE PED USE ⁃ WHY ANAVAR SHOULD NOT BE YOUR FIRST CYCLE AS A FEMALE ⁃ WHAT CONTRIBUTES MOST TO VIRILIZATION; DOSE OR DURATION? ⁃ THE BENEFITS OF ESTROGEN ⁃ THE POTENTIAL DRAWBACKS OF CRUSHING ESTRADIOL ⁃ WHAT TO FOCUS ON WHEN LOOKING TO REGAIN YOUR CYCLE POST-CONTEST ⁃ HRT CONSIDERATIONS FOR WOMEN ⁃ TRT FOR WOMEN ⁃ GH FOR WOMEN ⁃ SEX...

TOPICS: ⁃ WHAT VARIABLES YOU NEED TO FOCUS ON TO MAXIMIZE MUSCLE GROWTH ⁃ WHAT IS PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD ⁃ THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WORKING OUT & TRAINING ⁃ OVERLOAD VERSUS PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD ⁃ TRAINING VARIABLES THAT CAN BE ADJUSTED TO PROGRESS THE TRAINING STIMULUS ⁃ WHY YOU SHOULD ADOPT A MENTALITY OF PROGRESSION TO YOUR TRAINING ⁃ THE IMPORTANCE OF USING A PROGRESSION MODEL WITHIN YOUR TRAIN...

TOPICS: ⁃ WHAT IS GLUTEN ⁃ HOW COMMON IS CELIAC DISEASE & NON-CELIAC GLUTEN SENSITIVITY ⁃ RESEARCH ON THE PREVALENCE OF INDIVIDUALS MISDIAGNOSING THEMSELVES WITH NON-CELIAC GLUTEN SENSITIVITY ⁃ WHAT IS THE PREVALENCE OF IBS ⁃ WHAT ARE FODMAPS ⁃ MANY MISATTRIBUTE THE SYMPTOMS THEY GET FROM EATING FODMAPS & BLAME GLUTEN FOR THOSE SYMPTOMS ⁃ DETERMINING IF YOUR GI ISSUES ARE DUE TO NCGS OR IB...

TOPICS COVERED IN EP. 141: ⁃ WHY WE CANNOT SEPARATE OUR PSYCHOLOGY FROM OUR PHYSIOLOGY ⁃ RESEARCH ON THE POWER OF THE PLACEBO EFFECT ⁃ HOW YOUR BELIEFS AROUND FOOD INFLUENCE YOUR PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES ⁃ YOUR BELIEFS AROUND THE NUTRITIONAL CONTENT OF WHAT YOU CONSUME CAN IMPACT THE SATIETY YOU EXPERIENCE ⁃ HOW YOUR BELIEFS AROUND YOUR GENETICS INFLUENCE YOUR PHYSIOLOGY ⁃ YOUR PERCEPTION OF WHAT A...

TOPICS COVERED ON EP. 140: ⁃ INTRO ⁃ HOW THE MINDSET YOU APPROACH YOUR NEXT DIETING PHASE WITH CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR EXPERIENCE ⁃ MOST COMMON MINDSET MISTAKES MANY MAKE WHEN STARTING A DIET ⁃ MISTAKE 1: ASSOCIATING DIETING WITH RESTRICTION BEFORE IT EVEN STARTS ⁃ MISTAKE 2: MANY PEOPLE NOCEBO THEMSELVES WHEN GOING ON A DIET ⁃ MISTAKE 3: MANY ARE MORE MENTALLY RESTRICTED FROM A MINDSET PERSPECTIVE...

TOPICS COVERED: ⁃ MYTH 1: HIGH PROTEIN DIETS LEAD TO FAT GAIN ⁃ MYTH 2: HIGH PROTEIN DIETS INCREASE THE RISK OF INSULIN RESISTANCE ⁃ MYTH 3: HIGH PROTEIN DIETS STIMULATE VASOMOTOR SYMPTOMS ⁃ MYTH 4: YOU CAN ONLY DIGEST, ABSORB & USE 20-30 GRAMS OF PROTEIN PER MEAL ⁃ MYTH 5: HIGH PROTEIN DIETS ARE HARMFUL TO KIDNEY HEALTH ⁃ MYTH 6: HIGH PROTEIN DIETS ARE HARMFUL TO BONE HEALTH ⁃ THE MOST COMMON...

TOPICS: ⁃ WHAT IS BLOOD FLOW RESTRICTION & WHAT’RE THE ORIGINS OF THIS APPROACH? ⁃ WHAT IS THE PROPER WAY TO PERFORM BFR & HOW DOES IT WORK? ⁃ HOW DOES LOW LOAD BFR TRAINING COMPARE TO HIGH LOAD TRADITIONAL TRAINING WHEN IT COMES TO MUSCLE GROWTH? ⁃ THE BENEFITS OF BFR TRAINING ⁃ PRACTICAL APPLICATION SECTION: HOW CAN THOSE LOOKING TO MAXIMIZE MUSCLE GROWTH INCORPORATE BFR INTO THEIR TRAIN...

TOPICS COVERED IN EP. 137: ⁃ AN INTRODUCTION TO HALTING WINTER WEIGHT GAIN ⁃ HOLIDAY WEIGHT GAIN STATS ⁃ HOW THE HOLIDAY SEASON AFFECTS YEARLY WEIGHT GAIN PATTERNS ⁃ USEFUL STRATEGIES FOR NAVIGATING HOLIDAYS, EVENTS & EATING OCCASIONS ⁃ STRATEGY 1: TRANSITION TO EATING AT MAINTENANCE & FOCUS ON FUELING PERFORMANCE & BUILDING MUSCLE ⁃ STRATEGY 2: APPROACH EACH HOLIDAY AS AN INDIVIDUAL D...

TOPICS COVERED ON EP. 136: ⁃ WHY YOU NEED TO CONSIDER THE MENTAL SIDE OF DIETING TO ATTAIN YOUR BEST PHYSIQUE ⁃ STOP THINKING YOU NEED TO DO THIS ALL ON YOUR OWN ⁃ HIRE A NUTRITION PROFESSIONAL TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE TRANSFORMATION PROCESS ⁃ WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU’RE LACKING MOTIVATION ⁃ RELY ON DISCIPLINE & FALL BACK ON YOUR HABITS RATHER THAN RELYING ON MOTIVATION & WILLPOWER ⁃ CHASE CONS...

TOPICS: ⁃ INTRO TO THE TOPIC ⁃ WHY WE GOT INTO BODYBUILDING ⁃ THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS WE’VE TAKEN AWAY FROM BODYBUILDING & HAVE APPLIED TO LIFE ⁃ LESSON 1: THE IMPORTANCE OF GOAL SETTING ⁃ LESSON 2: FIND YOUR WHY FOR PURSUING YOUR GOALS & LET IT BE YOUR ANCHOR THROUGH THE HIGHS & LOWS OF THIS JOURNEY ⁃ LESSON 3: FOCUS ON BECOMING PROCESS ORIENTED & PATIENT RATHER THAN OBSESSING...

TOPICS COVERED ON EP. 134: ⁃ MY GOALS FOR THIS SUMMER & THIS FAT LOSS PHASE ⁃ A RAW LOOK AT WHAT IT TOOK TO GET SHREDDED THIS SUMMER ⁃ MY DESCENDING & DYNAMIC RATE OF FAT LOSS APPROACH ⁃ DIGGING INTO PEAK WEEK ⁃ WHAT IS PEAK WEEK? ⁃ THE GOALS OF PEAK WEEK ⁃ WHAT VARIABLES ARE MANIPULATED DURING PEAK WEEK ⁃ HOW I PEAKED FOR MULTIPLE SHOOTS WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME: Follow Brandon on IG:  ht...

TOPICS COVERED IN EP. 133: ⁃ DEFINITION OF STAGE SHREDDED ⁃ WHAT BODY FAT PERCENTAGE DO MALES & FEMALES GET DOWN TO FOR STAGE? ⁃ WHAT PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES OCCUR WHEN GETTING DOWN TO STAGE LEVELS OF CONDITIONING THAT YOU THINK INDIVIDUALS SHOULD BE AWARE OF? ⁃ WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE GET DOWN TO VERY LOW LEVELS OF BODY FAT ⁃ LOW ENERGY AVAILABILITY & REDS ⁃ THE CALORIC COST OF GETTING INTO SH...

TOPICS COVERED ON EP. 132: ⁃ ADDRESSING THE MOST COMMON CLAIM AROUND CHEAT MEALS ⁃ DO CHEAT MEALS BOOST YOUR METABOLISM? ⁃ THE METABOLIC HEALTH IMPACTS OF CHEAT MEALS WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME: Follow Brandon on IG:  https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/ Email:  Bdacruzfitness@gmail.com For Info on Brandon’s Coaching, Consultation & Mentorship Services:  https://form.jotform.com/bdacruzfitn...

TOPICS COVERED ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: ⁃ HOW DR. MIKE GOT INTO RESEARCHING METABOLIC FLEXIBILITY ⁃ WHAT METABOLIC FLEXIBILITY IS & WHY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR BODY COMPOSITION & METABOLIC HEALTH? ⁃ HOW WE CAN MEASURE & DETERMINE OUR DEGREE OF METABOLIC FLEXIBILITY ⁃ THE VARIABILITY IN METABOLIC FLEXIBILITY BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS ⁃ THE POTENTIAL DRAWBACKS OF BEING METABOLICALLY INFLEXIBLE ⁃ HOW...

TOPICS COVERED ON EP. 130: ⁃ WHAT IS A CHEAT MEAL ⁃ THE PREVALENCE OF CHEAT MEALS ⁃ THE MOST COMMON MISTAKE MANY MAKE THAT DERAILS THEIR FAT LOSS PROGRESS ⁃ DRAWBACKS OF CHEAT MEALS ⁃ DRAWBACK 1: CHEAT MEALS CAUSE PASSIVE OVERCONSUMPTION ⁃ DRAWBACK 2: THE FOODS INCLUDED IN CHEAT MEALS HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO MASSIVELY INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF CALORIES YOU EAT & NEED TO EAT TO FEEL FULL ⁃ DRAWBACK 3:...

TOPICS COVERED ON EP. 129: ⁃ MISCONCEPTIONS AROUND EXERCISE AND APPETITE ⁃ HOW EXERCISE ACTUALLY IMPROVES APPETITE REGULATION ⁃ HOW DIFFERENT FORMS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & EXERCISE IMPACT APPETITE ⁃ THE PROFOUND BENEFITS OF WALKING THAT ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED ⁃ WALKING’S EFFECTS ON APPETITE ⁃ CARDIO’S EFFECTS ON APPETITE ⁃ RESISTANCE TRAINING’S EFFECTS ON APPETITE ⁃ THE ACUTE EFFECT OF EXERCISE O...

TOPICS COVERED ON EP. 128 OF CHASING CLARITY: ⁃ INTRO TO THE TOPIC OF ACTIVITY & APPETITE REGULATION ⁃ THE BIGGEST BOTTLENECK MANY ENCOUNTER IN THEIR QUEST TO GET LEAN & STAY LEAN ⁃ HOW ENGAGING IN HIGHER LEVELS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IMPROVES APPETITE REGULATION & HUNGER MANAGEMENT ⁃ A REAL WORLD EXAMPLE OF THOSE WITH HIGHER ACTIVITY LEVELS REGULATING APPETITE BETTER & EATING MORE Y...