In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Eric Helms to break down the science & practical strategies behind getting super lean while holding onto hard-earned muscle.

We cover:

RATE OF LOSS THAT SHOULD BE TARGETED WHEN GETTING SUPER LEAN

• At the start of a Fat Loss Phase, calories are high, diet fatigue is low, and motivation is at its peak. 
• Clients are also carrying more body fat at this stage, so there’s a larger energy reserve to pull from. Seeing faster results early on builds momentum and motivation. 

WHY YOUR RATE OF LOSS SHOULD SLOW DOWN THE LEANER YOU GET 

• Higher risk of muscle loss as body fat gets lower
• Greater metabolic adaptation when very lean
• Training performance & recovery become harder to maintain

WHY INCREASING PROTEIN INTAKE DURING A DEFICIT CAN BE BENEFICIAL

• Helps preserve lean muscle mass when energy intake is low.
• Supports higher satiety & appetite control compared to carbs or fats.
• Provides an “insurance policy” against lean tissue loss in very lean athletes.

EVIDENCE THAT A DEFICIT REDUCES MPS

• Decreases muscle protein synthesis (MPS)
• Increases muscle protein breakdown (MPB)
• Increases protein oxidation

ERIC’S NEW META-REGRESSION ON PROTEIN INTAKE DURING A DEFICIT 

HUNGER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

• Acceptance based approach 
• Lean into low-energy-density foods
• Start meals with a salad or soup preload
• Look for harder-texture, solid food sources over liquids
• Eat slowly and mindfully

Whether you’re prepping for the stage, a photoshoot, or just want to understand how to get lean without sacrificing muscle, this episode gives you the tools to do it smarter.

WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/

For Info on Brandon’s Coaching Services: https://form.jotform.com/bdacruzfitness/coachinginquiry

Email: [email protected]

Brandon’s Website: https://www.brandondacruzfit.com

In this week’s episode of the Chasing Clarity Health & Fitness Podcast, I sit down with my client and former Division 1 athlete, fitness professional, and tech sales leader Nikki Zahka to unpack her journey from chronic under-fueling and hypothalamic amenorrhea to restoring her health, rebuilding her physiology, and achieving her best physique yet.

We cover:

NIKKI’S ATHLETIC HISTORY

NIKKI’S PROFESSIONAL ENDEAVORS

• High performers often burn the candle at both ends not realizing that stress adds up across life domains.

WHERE NIKKI WAS AT THE START OF COACHING (JANUARY 2023)

• Physique looked great externally but internally her health was compromised.
• Chronic under-eating (1200–1350 kcal/day) with high-output training.
• Showing signs of suppressed physiology, poor digestion, and hormonal dysfunction.

WHAT NIKKI WAS EXPERIENCING WHEN WE STARTED WORKING TOGETHER

• Over 3 years without a menstrual cycle.
• Classic RED-S biofeedback: fatigue, hormone suppression, stress overload.
• Chronic under-fueling led to poor quality of life despite looking “fit.”

HYPOTHALAMIC AMENORRHEA (HA)

• Causes: low energy availability + high stress suppressing hypothalamic signaling.
• Effects: reduced thyroid, elevated cortisol, reduced estrogen/progesterone.

RELATIVE ENERGY DEFICIENCY & LOW ENERGY AVAILABILITY (LEA)

• Adaptable LEA: short-term, strategic, recoverable.
• Problematic LEA: chronic, damaging, with systemic consequences.
• Nikki had been in problematic LEA for years due to mismatch of intake/output.

CONSEQUENCES OF RED-S

• HORMONAL: ↓ thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, IGF-1, leptin; ↑ cortisol.
• METABOLIC: suppressed RMR, reduced MPS.
• BONE HEALTH: ↓ bone mineral density, ↑ fracture risk.
• GI: constipation, digestive distress.
• PERFORMANCE: ↓ strength, endurance, glycogen storage, recovery; ↑ injury risk.
• HEMATOLOGICAL: iron deficiency → worsened thyroid function.

THE PRIMER PHASE

• Foundation-building stage where we focused on restoring physiology, habits, and metabolic health.
• Pulled back from high-intensity, exhaustive training.
• Focused on fueling, recovery, sleep, stress management.

INTENTION OF THE PRIMER PHASE

• Reverse chronic low energy availability.

NUTRIENT TIMING & WITHIN-DAY ENERGY AVAILABILITY

• Importance of distribution, not just daily totals.
• Even fueling throughout the day → reduces stress, improves recovery, supports hormones.
• Avoid large gaps without eating & fasted high-intensity training.

OUTCOMES OF THE PRIMER PHASE

• After 6 months: improved training performance, recovery, and body recomposition.
• Fueling at  >2000 kcal on training days at ~110 lbs.
• Biofeedback improved across the board.
• Proof that correcting EA + structured resistance training = muscle gain & better hormone function.

LEAN BUILDING PHASES

• Next step after Primer: structured lean muscle gain phase 
• RESTORED MENSTRUAL CYCLE after 3+ years.
• Focused on performance, fueling, and health markers.
• Out of 55 weeks, only 6 spent dieting; most time spent building.
• Mindset shift: from chasing leanness to fueling abundance.

LESSONS & TAKEAWAYS

Nikki’s story is a powerful reminder that A HEALTHY BODY IS A RESPONSIVE BODY and when you prioritize physiology, the physique

results follow.

WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/

For Info on Brandon’s Coaching Services: https://form.jotform.com/bdacruzfitness/coachinginquiry

Email: [email protected]

Brandon’s Website: https://www.brandondacruzfit.com

On this week’s episode of the Chasing Clarity: Health & Fitness Podcast, I’m joined once again by Dr. Eric Helms, one of the most respected voices in evidence-based bodybuilding and nutrition.

Eric and I dive into some of the most misunderstood yet important topics in physique development and lifestyle coaching, including:

THE TRUTH ABOUT INTUITIVE EATING VS INFORMED EATING 

WHY MOST PHYSIQUE ATHLETES & FITNESS PROFESSIONALS AREN’T REALLY EATING “INTUITIVELY”

THE LATEST RESEARCH ON REFEEDS & WHETHER THEY’RE MORE PSYCHOLOGICAL OR PHYSIOLOGICAL IN BENEFIT

WHY LIVING THE FITNESS LIFESTYLE YEAR-ROUND IS THE KEY TO SUSTAINABLE RESULTS, WHETHER YOU’RE A PHYSIQUE COMPETITOR OR AN EVERYDAY FITNESS ENTHUSIAST

This conversation bridges science and practice, giving you both research-backed insights and real-world coaching takeaways.

If you want clarity on how to approach nutrition, refeeds, and long-term lifestyle habits to actually look, feel, and perform your best, you won’t want to miss this episode.

WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/

For Info on Brandon’s Coaching Services: https://form.jotform.com/bdacruzfitness/coachinginquiry

Email: [email protected]

Brandon’s Website: https://www.brandondacruzfit.com

Most people know how to lose weight. Almost nobody knows how to build and maintain a lean, muscular body year-round.

In this episode of the Chasing Clarity Health & Fitness Podcast, I’m breaking down the exact training, cardio, and movement blueprint I use with clients to help them not just get lean but stay lean for life.

We’ll cover:

THE ROLE THAT MUSCLE PLAYS IN GETTING LEAN & STAYING LEAN

THE BENEFITS OF BUILDING MUSCLE THROUGH RESISTANCE TRAINING & WHY EVERYONE SHOULD FOCUS ON IT

HOW PROGRESSIVE RESISTANCE TRAINING BUILDS THE PHYSIQUE YOU ACTUALLY WANT

TRAINING WITH PURPOSE: MATCHING YOUR WORKOUTS TO YOUR GOALS

USING CARDIO AS A CALORIE BUFFER TO STAY LEAN LONG TERM

NEAT: THE HIDDEN METABOLISM BOOSTER MOST PEOPLE OVERLOOK

THE ROLE THAT NEAT PLAYS IN STAYING LEAN LONG-TERM

HIGH ENERGY FLUX: THE LIFESTYLE THAT LETS YOU EAT MORE & STAY LEAN

If you’re tired of yo-yo dieting and want a sustainable strategy to build and maintain the body you’ve been chasing, this episode gives you the science and the system to make it happen.

Listen now and start building a lean body for life.

WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/

For Info on Brandon’s Coaching Services: https://form.jotform.com/bdacruzfitness/coachinginquiry

Email: [email protected]

Brandon’s Website: https://www.brandondacruzfit.com

In this week’s episode of the Chasing Clarity Health & Fitness Podcast, I’m back with Lyle McDonald for Part 2 of our conversation on Rapid Fat Loss.

In part one, we broke down the foundations of RFL. Today, we shift gears into the practical side: how to actually run an aggressive fat loss phase without losing muscle or struggling with insatiable hunger.   

Here’s what we cover in this episode:

WHY PROGRESSIVE RESISTANCE TRAINING + HIGH PROTEIN INTAKE ARE NON-NEGOTIABLE FOR MUSCLE RETENTION

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SKIP LIFTING DURING RFL & WHY IT LEADS TO FAT OVERSHOOTING & RAPID REBOUND

PRACTICAL HUNGER MANAGEMENT TOOLS FROM FOOD SELECTION & CHEWING STRATEGIES TO SUGAR-FREE SWAPS

HOW TO NAVIGATE CRAVINGS & IMPROVE ADHERENCE TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE RFL

This episode is all about taking the guesswork out of rapid fat loss and showing you how to do it the right way while preserving muscle, managing hunger, and maintaining your results long-term.

WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/

For Info on Brandon’s Coaching Services: https://form.jotform.com/bdacruzfitness/coachinginquiry

Email: [email protected]

Brandon’s Website: https://www.brandondacruzfit.com

Getting lean is one thing. Staying lean? That’s where most people struggle.

In today’s episode, I walk you through the exact nutrition strategies and frameworks I use with clients to help them build and maintain a lean, healthy physique without falling into the cycle of crash dieting, burnout, or rebound fat regain.

We’ll cover:

• THE BIG ROCKS OF NUTRITION: WHY CALORIES, MACROS & FOOD QUALITY ALL MATTER
• WHY I ANCHOR EVERY DIET WITH PROTEIN: FROM SATIETY TO MUSCLE RETENTION TO METABOLIC HEALTH
• THE IMPORTANCE OF A NUTRIENT-DENSE DIET: HOW MICRONUTRIENTS DRIVE RESULTS
• WHY FOOD QUALITY MATTERS MORE THAN YOU THINK: FOR ADHERENCE, RECOVERY, HORMONES & LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY
• THE DRAWBACKS OF NOT PRIORITIZING FOOD QUALITY: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU RELY ON LOW-SATIETY, PROCESSED FOODS
• HOW TO LEVERAGE LOW ENERGY DENSITY FOODS: THE KEY TO EATING MORE, FEELING FULLER & STAYING LEAN FOR LIFE

This episode is packed with no-nonsense, evidence-based advice that cuts through the noise and shows you what actually works not just to lose body fat, but to keep it off and build a lifestyle you can sustain.

If you’re ready to ditch extremes and take a smarter, more strategic approach to getting lean and staying lean, this one’s for you.

Click the link in the show notes to apply for coaching or connect with me directly. Let’s build your best body one habit at a time.

WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/

For Info on Brandon’s Coaching Services: https://form.jotform.com/bdacruzfitness/coachinginquiry

Email: [email protected]

Brandon’s Website: https://www.brandondacruzfit.com

MOST PEOPLE HAVE HEARD OF “RAPID FAT LOSS” DIETS…BUT FEW UNDERSTAND THE SCIENCE BEHIND THEM.

On this week’s episode of the CHASING CLARITY HEALTH & FITNESS PODCAST, I’m joined by none other than Lyle McDonald, author of The Rapid Fat Loss Handbook and one of the greatest thought leaders in evidence-based nutrition.

Together, we dig into the origins, evolution, and practical application of Protein-Sparing Modified Fasts (PSMFs) and Lyle’s updated insights on RFL. 

HERE’S WHAT WE COVER:

WHAT IS A PROTEIN-SPARING MODIFIED FAST (PSMF) & HOW DOES IT WORK?

THE HISTORY OF VERY-LOW-CALORIE DIETS (VLCD) & THE ORIGINS OF PSMF

WHAT INSPIRED LYLE MCDONALD TO WRITE THE RAPID FAT LOSS HANDBOOK?

HOW RFL IMPROVES UPON THE CLASSIC PSMF MODEL

WHY PROTEIN NEEDS TO SCALE UP DURING A CALORIE DEFICIT

HOW A DEFICIT IMPACTS MUSCLE PROTEIN BALANCE (MPS VS. MPB)

HOW TO SET PROTEIN INTAKE ON RFL BASED ON BODY FAT % & ACTIVITY LEVEL

ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS ON RFL- WHY EPA & DHA ARE NON-NEGOTIABLE

FOOD SOURCES VS SUPPLEMENTATION FOR OMEGA-3S DURING RAPID FAT LOSS

WHY VEGETABLES MATTER ON RFL

WHOLE FOODS VS LIQUID DIETS IN RAPID FAT LOSS PROTOCOLS

HOW TO SCALE THE DEFICIT SIZE BASED ON BODY FAT PERCENTAGE & ACTIVITY

WHO SHOULD NOT USE A RAPID FAT LOSS APPROACH (CONTRAINDICATIONS)

This is an updated look at a topic Lyle originally wrote about in 2005 and last published on in 2008 so after more than 20 years of digging into Rapid Fat Loss, I’m excited to share what he has and hasn’t changed about this approach.

Tune in now and get clarity on the most misunderstood fat loss method in the industry.

WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/

For Info on Brandon’s Coaching Services: https://form.jotform.com/bdacruzfitness/coachinginquiry

Email: [email protected]

Brandon’s Website: https://www.brandondacruzfit.com

On this week’s episode of the CHASING CLARITY: HEALTH & FITNESS PODCAST, I sat down with Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple one of the top researchers in the field of female physiology to dismantle some of the most pervasive and misleading fragility narratives being pushed onto women in today’s fitness space.

From the hype around cycle syncing…To the claim that women can’t build muscle without lifting heavy…To the myth that menopause kills your metabolism or that calorie deficits “don’t work” for women…

We cover what the actual human evidence says and why many of these popular beliefs are built on fear, fragility narratives, and misapplied rodent research.

Whether you’re a woman who wants to train hard, get strong, and feel empowered or a coach working with women, this conversation gives you the clarity, confidence, and context to move forward with a truly evidence-based approach.

WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• THE ORIGIN & LIMITATIONS OF CYCLE SYNCING

• HOW MOST WOMEN DON’T HAVE A 28-DAY TEXTBOOK CYCLE

• HOW HORMONAL FLUCTUATIONS ACTUALLY AFFECT STRENGTH & PERFORMANCE

• DO WOMEN NEED TO LIFT HEAVY TO GROW MUSCLE?

• THE RESEARCH ON LOW LOAD VS. HIGH LOAD TRAINING FOR WOMEN 

• WHY SHORTER REST INTERVALS AREN’T BETTER FOR STRENGTH

• DO WOMEN STRUGGLE MORE IN A DEFICIT THAN MEN OR IS IT DUE TO A TDEE DIFFERENCE?

• KISSPEPTIN, ENERGY BALANCE & THE “CICO DOESN’T WORK FOR WOMEN” MYTH

• DOES MENOPAUSE REALLY LOWER METABOLIC RATE?

• THE REAL REASONS FAT LOSS FEELS HARDER DURING PERIMENOPAUSE & POSTMENOPAUSE

• WHY COACHING WOMEN SHOULD START WITH EVIDENCE, NOT FEAR

WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/

For Info on Brandon’s Coaching Services: https://form.jotform.com/bdacruzfitness/coachinginquiry

Email: [email protected]

Brandon’s Website: https://www.brandondacruzfit.com

On this episode of the Chasing Clarity Health & Fitness Podcast, I sat down with renowned author Lyle McDonald to unpack the most overlooked and most important phase in any fat loss journey: maintenance.

While most people know how to lose fat, very few know how to keep it off. That’s where this episode comes in.

We dive deep into:

WHEN & WHY TO TRANSITION TO MAINTENANCE (EVEN IF YOU HAVEN’T HIT YOUR FAT LOSS GOAL) 

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WEIGHT LOSS MAINTENANCE & FAT LOSS MAINTENANCE

THE BEHAVIORAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL, & PSYCHOLOGICAL CHALLENGES OF MAINTAINING RESULTS

WHY MOST PEOPLE REGAIN WEIGHT & HOW TO AVOID IT

LYLE’S PERSONAL RULES FOR STAYING LEAN, INCLUDING DAILY WEIGHING, REGAIN THRESHOLDS & USING RFL DAYS PROACTIVELY

This isn’t a quick-fix episode. It’s a masterclass in sustainable physique transformation and what it really takes to stay lean for life.

WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/

For Info on Brandon’s Coaching Services: https://form.jotform.com/bdacruzfitness/coachinginquiry

Email: [email protected]

Brandon’s Website: https://www.brandondacruzfit.com

If you’re struggling with hunger, cravings, or diet adherence during a fat loss phase, this is the episode for you. I team up with Philip Pape of Wits & Weights to break down the most common fat loss questions I get from clients and listeners.

We cover the most effective, research-backed strategies to manage hunger, crush cravings, and implement diet hacks that actually work in the real world. You’ll also learn the truth about appetite suppressants, the role of artificially sweetened drinks like diet soda, and where I draw the line with supplements and medications.

If you’re looking to get leaner, feel fuller, and stay consistent with your nutrition, hit play and let’s get into it.

WHAT WE COVER IN THIS Q&A EPISODE:

• PROVEN STRATEGIES TO MANAGE HUNGER DEEP INTO A DIET
• HOW TO CRUSH CRAVINGS USING RESEARCH-BACKED METHODS
• THE REAL DEAL ON APPETITE SUPPRESSANTS 
• ARE DIET SODAS & ARTIFICIALLY SWEETENED DRINKS ACTUALLY HELPFUL FOR FAT LOSS?

CHECK OUT PART 2 TO THIS CONVERSATION ON THE WITS & WEIGHTS PODCAST:

https://open.spotify.com/show/5qdeOoUWYJSGYtpNuG4WTf?si=Q0kQ561CRDmMaMjtU9QJUA

WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/

For Info on Brandon’s Coaching Services: https://form.jotform.com/bdacruzfitness/coachinginquiry

Email: [email protected]

Brandon’s Website: https://www.brandondacruzfit.com