Chasing Clarity: Health & Fitness Podcast

Explore the battle between lean building and dirty bulking methods for muscle gain. Discover the nutritional hierarchy essential for growth and the common mistakes many make in their approach. Learn how energy balance impacts muscle synthesis and why a slight calorie surplus is key. Brandon explains the setbacks of dirty bulking, such as excess fat gain and metabolic issues. Plus, uncover the multiple benefits of a lean building strategy, promising more muscle for less fat while enhancing overall health.

EP. 94: BUILDING VERSUS CUTTING PHASES: THE BENEFITS OF GETTING OUT OF A MINDSET OF RESTRICTION & INTO A MINDSET OF ABUNDANCE & ADDITIONTOPICSINTRODUCTION TO THE TOPICWHY YOUR SUMMER BODY IS BUILT IN THE WINTERTHE BENEFITS OF GOING INTO A BUILDING PHASE TO IMPROVE YOUR LONG-TERM PHYSIQUE OUTCOMESTHE GOAL OF A BUILDING PHASEWHY WE WANT TO BE OUT OF A DEFICIT TO MAXIMIZE MUSCLE GAIN & WHY YOU’RE NOT GOING TO DIET YOUR WAY TO A MORE MUSCULAR PHYSIQUETHE BENEFIT OF GOING UP TO MAINTENANCE CALORIES & BEYOND FOR MUSCLE GAINWHY YOU WANT TO BE IN A SLIGHT SURPLUS TO MAXIMIZE MUSCLE GAINCOMPARING THE RATE OF MUSCLE GAIN VERSUS THE RATE OF FAT LOSSWHY SLOW & STEADY IS THE BEST APPROACH FOR FAT LOSS & MUSCLE GAINHOW EASY IT IS TO CUT FAT VERSUS GAIN MUSCLETHE IMPORTANCE OF BUILDING A FOUNDATION OF MUSCLEWHERE YOU CAN CONNECT WITH US:Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/Follow Jeff on IG: https://www/instagram.com/jeffunbreakableblackFollow Ironhouse on IG: https: //www.instagram.com/ironhousestrengthconditioning

EP. 93: DR. SCOTT STEVENSON: IS THERE AN UPPER LIMIT TO PROTEIN STIMULATED MUSCLE ANABOLISM? BREAKING DOWN THE RESEARCH ON PROTEIN INTAKE & MUSCLE PROTEIN SYNTHESIS TOPICS COVERED: ▪️INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC ▪️REVIEWING THE NEW PROTEIN STUDY MAKING HEADLINES REGARDING THERE BEING NO UPPER LIMIT TO THE ANABOLIC RESPONSE OF PROTEIN INGESTION- TROMMELEN ET AL. 2023 ▪️HOW ARE SOME OF THE FINDINGS OF THIS STUDY BEING POTENTIALLY MISINTERPRETTED? ▪️WHERE DOES THE CLAIM THAT THE CAP TO PROTEIN INTAKE PER MEAL TO MAXIMIZE ANABOLISM IS 20 G IN A SITTING? ▪️OTHER STUDIES PRIOR TO THIS NEW STUDY THAT FOUND THAT ANABOLISM WASNT CAPPED AT 20 G PER MEAL ▪️THE BENEFIT & DATA ON PROTEIN DISTRIBUTION & PROTEIN PACING ▪️WHAT IS THE MUSCLE FULL EFFECT AKA PROTEIN REFRACTORY PERIOD? ▪️WHY WE NEED TO DIFFERENTIATE PROTEIN STUDIES USING WHEY VERSUS WHOLE FOOD PROTEIN SOURCES? WHERE TO FIND US: Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/ Follow Jeff on IG: https://www/instagram.com/jeffunbreakableblack Follow Ironhouse on IG: https: //www.instagram.com/ironhousestrengthconditioning Follow Scott on IG: https://www.instagram.com/fortitude_training?igsh=MTAzbXBhc2N3MWZ0Zw=

This podcast explores nutritional periodization and how it can be used to enhance progress and physique development. Topics include transitioning between goal-specific phases, practicing eating at maintenance during fat loss, improving body composition progress through periodization, and the benefits of running a maintenance phase.

EP. 91: THE PRE-FAT LOSS PRIMER PHASE: WHY A HEALTHY BODY IS A RESPONSIVE BODY/HOW TO PROMOTE METABOLIC RESTORATION, RECOVERY & RESILIENCE TOPICS: MY MISSION WITH COACHING & THE GOAL BEHIND MY HEALTH CENTRIC COACHING MODEL A COMMON SITUATION I ENCOUNTER WITH NEW CLIENTS WHO COME TO ME WHY A HEALTHIER BODY IS A MORE RESPONSIVE BODY WHAT IS A PRE-FAT LOSS PRIMER PHASE & WHY DO I USE THEM WITH CLIENTS WHO HAVE THE GOAL OF LOSING BODY FAT WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM DOING A PRIMER PHASE THE GOALS OF A PRIMER PHASE THE BENEFITS OF DOING A PRIMER PHASE BEFORE A FAT LOSS PHASE CLIENT PRIMER PHASE CASE STUDY WHY YOU WANT TO COAX THE BODY NOT FORCE IT Where to find us and engage with us Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/ Follow Jeff on IG: https://www/instagram.com/jeffunbreakableblack Follow Ironhouse on IG: https: //www.instagram.com/ironhousestrengthconditioning

Explore the importance of properly fueling yourself throughout the day, the negative effects of skipping meals, the drawbacks of resistance training in a fasted state, the impact of fasting on fat loss and muscle retention, and the benefits of eating breakfast. Highlight the importance of protein-centered pre-workout fueling, the negative impacts of low energy availability and fasting on training and hormone levels, and the drawbacks of skipping breakfast on physical activity and training performance.

EP. 89: WHY YOU NEED TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF CHRONIC DIETING TO SET YOURSELF UP FOR BETTER BODY COMPOSITION IN THE FUTURETOPIC’S COVERED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:INTRODUCTION TO THIS TOPICWHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF NUTRITION WHEN IT COMES TO BODY COMPOSITION IMPROVEMENTWHAT HABITS INCREASE THE RISK OF ENERGY DEFIENCY & DECREASED RESPONSIVENESS TO DIETINGHABIT 1: BEING HYPERFOCUSED ON YOUR SCALE WEIGHT AS THE BE-ALL END-ALL METRIC OF PROGRESSHABIT 2: GOING BETWEEN CYCLES OF UNDEREATING TO OVEREATINGHABIT 3: FOLLOWING FAD DIETSHABIT 4: ELIMINATING ENTIRE MACRONUTRIENT AND/OR FOOD GROUPS OUT OF YOUR DIETHOW LOW CARBOHYDRATE AVAILABILITY IMPACTS THYROID PRODUCTIONHABIT 5: SKIPPING MEALS & GOING EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME WITHOUT EATING WHICH CAN RESULT IN WITHIN DAY ENERGY DEFICIENCYWHY YOU SHOULD BE PERIODIZING YOUR NUTRITION & PHYSIQUE GOALSWhere to find us and engage with usFollow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/Follow Jeff on IG: https://www/instagram.com/jeffunbreakableblackFollow Ironhouse on IG: https: //www.instagram.com/ironhousestrengthconditioning

EP. 88: THE DOWNSIDES OF CHRONIC UNDERFUELING & FREQUENT DIETING CYCLES THIS WEEK’S TOPICS: INTRODUCTION TO UNDERFUELING & WHY YOU SHOULD NOT ALWAYS BE DIETING THE PREVALANCE OF CHRONIC DIETING & UNDERFUELING THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF CHRONIC UNDERFUELING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN APPROPRIATE FUELING & UNDERFUELING HOW UNDERFUELING IMPACTS OUR METABOLISM HOW UNDERFUELING IMPACTS THYROID HORMONE PRODUCTION HOW UNDERFUELING IMPACTS BODY COMPOSITION & OUR ABILITY TO GAIN & MAINTAIN MUSCLE MASS HOW UNDERFUELING IMPACTS TRAINING PERFORMANCE HOW UNDERFUELING IMPACTS SEX HORMONE PRODUCTION, ENDOCRINE AND REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTION

EP. 87: MASTERING MACRO TRACKING: MACRO TRACKING TIPS TO HELP YOU AVOID COMMON MISTAKES TOPICS: WHY YOUR CALORIES & MACROS OFTEN DON’T MATCH ONE ANOTHER IN YOUR TRACKING APP COMMONLY MADE MACRO TRACKING MISTAKES MISTAKE 1: NOT COUNTING ALL CALORIE CONTAINING ITEMS THE MOST COMMON ITEMS THAT ARE TRACKED INCORRECTLY MISTAKE 2: MISESTIMATING ENERGY INTAKE MISTAKE 3: ONLY COUNTING NET CARBS WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NET CARBS AND TOTAL CARBS AND HOW SHOULD WE TRACK CARBS? MISTAKE 4: NOT TRACKING YOUR ALCOHOL INTAKE HOW TO TRACK ALCOHOL MISTAKE 5: EATING AT RESTAURANTS FAR TOO OFTEN HOW TO TRACK WHEN EATING OUT Where to find us and engage with us Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/ Follow Jeff on IG: https://www/instagram.com/jeffunbreakableblack Follow Ironhouse on IG: https: //www.instagram.com/ironhousestrengthconditioning

EP. 86: NUTRITION TRACKING: THE BENEFITS OF TRACKING YOUR NUTRITION & HOW TO GET BETTER AT TRACKING TOPICS: AN INTRODUCTION TO NUTRITION TRACKING THE MOST COMMON MISTAKES MADE BY THOSE WHO DON’T TRACK THEIR NUTRITION WHY I ENCOURAGE NEW CLIENTS TO SPEND A PORTION OF TIME TRACKING THE BENEFITS OF TRACKING YOUR NUTRITION RESEARCH ON THE BENEFITS OF TRACKING YOUR NUTRITION HOW TO TRACK YOUR CALORIES & MACROS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TO TRACK A FOOD ITEM Where to find us and engage with us Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/ Follow Jeff on IG: https://www/instagram.com/jeffunbreakableblack Follow Ironhouse on IG: https: //www.instagram.com/ironhousestrengthconditioning Follow Relentless Forever on IG: https://www.instagram.com/relentless.forever/