Posts by Matthew Alvarez77

Posting this just to stay active. 🙂

Updated my traps slightly. 🙂

Weight stays at 187 lbs, height 5'11", 10% body fat. Biceps: 15.7", chest: 40".

http://postimg.org/image/7xpo4gt/

George Diaz47 said:As I stated before, I have no intention of posting photos. I don't need validation for my physique, and frankly, I value my privacy. These "proven" methods have been debunked a million times—everything from tempering insulin to fast versus slow metabolism. Just because one method works for someone doesn't mean it's universal or even optimal. That’s why I take advice from "experts" with a heavy grain of salt. If someone provides absolute proof, I am more than willing to change my mind.

Then stick to scientific research; that should help you. You know best how you're progressing now and how you'll move forward.

George Diaz47 said:Without evidence, it's just broscience. You seem to be turning this into some sort of tradition—nothing but hearsay and gym clichés, yet you haven't backed up a single one of your posts. If our entire discussion boils down to "just read a high school textbook," then there's really no point in debating at all. What am I even supposed to say to someone who thinks a splash of juice and the rest goes straight to fat?

I have no intention of posting photos. This is a forum, not a gym. I judge people by their posts, and I’m certain everyone else judges based on the quality of the commentary, not physical appearance.

I have posted some, but in a different thread. 😉 These aren't clichés; they are principles that experienced lifters have practiced for years. My position remains unchanged.

Well, go ahead and post them so we can actually see. There's no reason not to, especially since I'm sure you look great given that you claim to practice everything you preach. It would give you actual credibility.
You can keep talking all you want, but if you're sitting at 30% body fat while trying to act like a bodybuilder, you aren't exactly qualified to give advice. If what you're saying were true, even hypothetically, you wouldn't look quite like that.

George Diaz47 said:I disagree with everything here. This whole juice claim is laughable; I won't even dignify it with a response. Furthermore, I wouldn't agree that metabolism peaks in the morning. A 24-hour day is just a human construct; our bodies don't sync up perfectly with it to categorize food intake by the hour. Even if it were "faster" in the morning, the difference would be negligible. Feel free to refute me if you have actual links, but based on current knowledge, this sounds like pure broscience.

As for your first point, it’s a bit funny to claim you didn't lose any muscle while dropping 8% body fat in just six weeks. It seems highly suspicious.

I don't have the time right now to hunt down specific studies, but I didn't write any of this for no reason. I don't post things I'm unsure about.

Look, just because you might not be able to do it doesn't mean it's impossible for someone else to drop 8% body fat in a month while preserving muscle mass. It's doable if you're disciplined and watch every single calorie. And yes, you can maintain muscle. I didn't lose mine because I've been tracking myself from the start and I know what I'm talking about—my chest didn't shrink, my biceps stayed the same, and my waist was basically the only thing that changed. If you want to know how, I'll tell you: I increased my training intensity while gradually cutting carbs. It's damn hard, but with enough willpower, it works.

Also, I haven't seen any photos of you. Perhaps I should see what you actually look like before deciding whether to continue this debate, as physical results speak volumes about one's expertise and competence.

vividraven7 said:I'm all about healthy eating (currently having some poached cod with chard and potato salad 😋), so I don't crave junk food daily. Though, let's be honest, I'll indulge occasionally.
I'm not sure how to respond to you... To me, kids are just trouble. 😁
It's constant psychological warfare, and I honestly don't know how anyone deals with it.
Sure, watch your sugar and carb intake (I do the same)... but spending your entire day obsessing over a Snickers bar while you're stuck eating low-fat cottage cheese and tuna (that's a bit hyperbolic, though maybe accurate 😬) seems like pure torture to me. 😁
Fine then... I'll stick to my bacon, and you can go ahead and drop 8% body fat in a single day. 🙂

I'll just hit the beach without any stress, not worrying about whether my gut is sticking out or not (not talking about you specifically here 😉).

vividraven7 said:Isn't dextrose only taken if you're consuming protein immediately after?

Just asking for nothing in particular. 😁 I don't really obsess over this and don't bother with supplements (though I'm not talking about glucose, which you can just swap for raisins) since I generally eat a healthy, varied diet.

The only thing is magnesium 🙂

I think the most important thing is listening to your body 🧐 🤣

Look... if you want to eat tons of fruit, go ahead and eat plenty of fruit 😁 like I did this morning—a banana, a handful of blackberries, some currants, more blackberries, and a small organic apple 😁 😍

If I actually listened to my body, I’d be at McDonald's every other day, so spare me the lectures: it's best to listen to what your body tells you—except in this case, it isn't telling you much. You should listen when you're training and feel like you've hit a wall, or realize things will go sideways if you push further; then, you listen to your body and take a rest, or simply stop.

I've been on a rigorous diet for the last month and a half, and every single day I had the urge to kill myself with a Snickers bar. I didn't eat one, though, and managed to drop my body fat by about 8%, which is no small feat, all while maintaining muscle mass.

Regarding the glucose question: essentially, glucose serves to replenish your glycogen stores—your muscle fuel—after a workout. It's a simple sugar structurally, a monosaccharide, so it reaches the muscles quite rapidly. Similarly, when you consume sugar, your body experiences a slight shock and releases insulin, which acts as an excellent transporter for protein (which is why dextrose is taken with protein post-workout). Muscles contain specific enzymes that convert glucose into glycogen, providing you with what you need very quickly (one part of the glucose turns into muscle glycogen, and one part goes to the liver). However, muscles lack the enzyme to convert fructose into glycogen, so all that fructose just goes to waste. People also tend to overdo it with fructose; they'll wolf down two apples, three oranges, and two bananas and claim, "It's just fruit, it won't make me gain weight." In reality, it takes less than an 8-ounce glass of orange juice to fill liver glycogen stores; everything else gets converted into fat. 🙂

So, stick to glucose after training, and save the fructose for the morning or early afternoon when your metabolism is still peaking. 😉

One from today. Finally hit the 10% body fat mark. Maybe another 1-2% to go and I'm done. 🙂 It was a long, grueling road, but the results speak for themselves. 🙂

http://postimg.org/image/vuxvc69k9/

One from this morning. After six weeks on a cut, body fat is down significantly. Biceps at 15.7 inches, chest at 40 inches—didn't bother measuring the rest. Still got work to do, but I'll be ready for summer. 😉

http://postimg.org/image/l7crtbdxn/

briskbison55 said:I don't know a single soul who takes dextrose. It's a completely useless supplement.

Who knows, maybe you live in Antarctica then... Because looking at my gym here in Washington, D.C., 95 percent of the crowd uses dextrose. That includes beginners, intermediates, and even the pro bodybuilders who actually understand how this stuff works.

Chris Nelson26 said:What now? 🙂

Should I buy this dextrose or not?

If you thought you knew anything before, just realize upon joining this forum that you actually know nothing—and you might never find out. 😁

Of course you'll buy it. 😉 Most people training seriously drink dextrose, and there's plenty of research proving it works. It’s a no-brainer.

Meanwhile, the crowd on this forum is still terrified they'll develop diabetes from dextrose, yet somehow a Snickers bar won't do the trick. 🙂

Jeffrey White7 said:It won't help, but then again, adding 20g of glucose to your PWM is basically meaningless. There's no point.

Not quite.

Susan Sullivan6 said:Look, there are actual studies out there. Do some research, bro. 😁

There is plenty of research supporting the use of dextrose and sugar. 😉 brooo 👍

Susan Sullivan6 said:The glycemic index isn't necessarily tied to insulin response. Honestly, focusing on it is mostly nonsense—just like obsessing over insulin levels is in most cases.

The whey spikes my insulin quite a bit, but personally, I don't see any connection between insulin levels and muscle growth. It makes zero difference whether you add sugar or not. The only real consequence is that you're increasing your long-term risk of developing diabetes. Bro. 😁

I beg to differ, but if you're really buying into all that, then by all means, carry on. 😉

Personally, I think if you train hard enough, slamming 20 grams of dextrose after a workout isn't exactly going to trigger diabetes.

Susan Jackson12 said:They're right about proteins triggering an insulin response.

http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=319

I'm aware, man. But you can't just balance out the glycemic index of maltodextrin with whey; those numbers aren't even in the same ballpark. We all know a higher GI means faster protein absorption, which just amplifies the effects of taking whey. End of discussion.

Insulin isn't strictly tied to carbohydrates. For instance, meat and eggs can spike insulin significantly—sometimes even more than foods loaded with simple carbs—despite containing almost zero carbs.

Even regarding muscle growth, insulin doesn't drive anabolism; if anything, it might impact catabolism.

Therefore, adding sugars to whey is pointless and could actually be harmful in the long run. ☕

I won't say you aren't right, but you're wrong.

briskbison55 said:No one is disputing that. However, unless you're using whey, you aren't avoiding the hormones that chicken and turkey are absolutely loaded with.

Finding hormone-free meat is nearly impossible unless you live on a farm and raise your own poultry.😢

Susan Sullivan6 said:Bro, whey spikes insulin😁

Heh, I don't think that's quite right. 😉

briskjackal5 said:Food

It’s hard to find anything cheaper than dextrose and whey once you factor in the total cost of everything else on the grocery list.

-Steve

Agreed. No amount of whey can replace the protein you get from chicken, eggs, or lean meat. Unfortunately, marketing does its job.🙂

Chris Nelson26 said:I'm going to post this here, though I'm not sure if it's the right spot.

Basically, is it necessary to consume carbs in my PWM after weight training to build muscle? Does it even make sense for me, since even though I lift weights, I'm simultaneously dieting because I want to lose another 9 pounds. I'm consuming about 1400 calories a day, which is roughly my BMR.

I avoid carbs; I mostly just eat oatmeal in the morning as my main carb source. Of course, they show up in other things too since they're hard to avoid, but I mean actual carb-heavy foods.

Also, does it make sense to take carbs after cardio?

I'm asking strictly for muscle building purposes, but as I mentioned, I'm on a diet, so I don't see the point.

It’s fine to have some simple sugars (like dextrose or maltodextrin) after a workout to replenish glycogen stores and spike insulin to help transport the protein you're drinking. Don't overdo it, obviously—just a scoop of whey and half a scoop of dextrose. PS: If you're cutting weight, you'll be keeping carbs very low, which you likely already know, but just limit them around your training window. On non-training days, I wouldn't take them at all; I'd just stick to fats and proteins.
There, hope that helps. 🙂

Susan Sullivan6 said:Smoothie - 2 bananas, 2 apples, blueberries, some raspberries, blackberries, 2 nectarines, peach, hemp, flax seeds, sesame, whey, cocoa, and a bit of ice. 🍿

Good grief, why on earth so much fruit?