What to Know Before You Start Cutting
Cutting is the phase where you try to lower your body fat while holding on to as much muscle as possible. It sounds simple - eat less, move more, get lean. But anyone who’s actually gone through a cut knows it isn’t that easy.
Fat loss requires structure, patience, and the right mindset. If you jump into a cut without knowing what to expect, you’ll burn out fast, lose muscle, or rebound harder than you started.
Here’s what to understand before you begin.
You Still Need to Train Hard
Cutting isn’t a time to train lighter. One of the biggest mistakes people make during a fat loss phase is easing off in the gym. But the body holds on to what it’s forced to use, and if you stop pushing your muscles, they’ll shrink.
Your goal in the gym should stay the same: progressive overload, high effort, and training close to failure. Even if your strength drops slightly due to lower calories, the intent has to stay high. The harder you train, the more muscle you keep.
Your workouts don’t need to be longer, they just need to stay intense.
Calories and Protein Are Non-Negotiable
A calorie deficit is the foundation of any successful cut. That means consistently eating fewer calories than your body burns. But cutting too hard, too fast will lead to fatigue, muscle loss, and cravings that spiral out of control.
Start with a moderate deficit, enough to create steady fat loss without crashing your system. Somewhere around 300–500 calories below maintenance is a good starting point for most people.
At the same time, your protein intake becomes even more important. Higher protein protects muscle tissue during weight loss and helps control hunger. Aim for at least 2.0 grams of protein per kg of body weight per day, and spread it across meals.
Cutting calories without raising protein is one of the fastest ways to lose muscle, not just fat.
You’ll Feel Hungrier And That’s Normal
Hunger is part of the process. When you’re in a calorie deficit, your body will eventually notice, and it will try to get you to eat more.
Don’t panic when that happens. Don’t assume you’re doing something wrong. It doesn’t mean your metabolism is broken or that the diet isn’t working. It just means the system is doing what it’s designed to do.
Your job is to manage it. That means choosing more filling foods (high volume, high fiber, high protein), spacing your meals properly, drinking plenty of water, and avoiding constant snacking. Structure makes a big difference. So does avoiding temptations at home. If junk food is easy to reach, you’re far more likely to break.
Fat Loss Isn’t Linear
You won’t lose the same amount of weight every week. Some weeks the scale won’t move. Some weeks it’ll go up slightly due to water retention. That doesn’t mean you’re not making progress.
Judge your cut by longer-term trends, not daily fluctuations. Look at changes in how your clothes fit, how you look in the mirror, and how your strength is holding up. Use weekly averages if you track weight. Don’t panic after one off day.
Stay focused on patterns, not perfection.
The End of the Cut Matters Just as Much
Most people only plan for the cut, not what comes after. But how you exit a fat loss phase is just as important as how you enter it.
If you immediately jump back into high-calorie eating, you’ll regain fat fast. That’s why a smart post-cut phase (often called a reverse diet or maintenance phase) is key. Gradually increasing food, stabilizing your habits, and keeping training consistent will help lock in your results.
If you plan to bulk after the cut, that transition needs to be even more controlled.
Final Word
Cutting isn’t complicated, but it requires the right expectations. If you go in thinking it’ll be easy, fast, or effortless, you’ll burn out and quit.
But if you stay patient, train hard, eat smart, and manage your environment, you can make real changes that actually last.
Lower calories alone don’t make a good cut - consistency, planning, and intensity do.
Prepare for it properly, and your results will reflect it.