How to Cut Weight – If you do strength training, then you’ve probably heard the terms bulking and cutting in the context of losing fat and building muscle mass. Cutting is the fat loss phase, in which you eat in a caloric deficit, meaning that you consume less calories than you are burning in a day.
If you do strength training, then you’ve probably heard the terms bulking and cutting in the context of losing fat and building muscle mass. Bulking is the muscle building phase, in which you eat in a caloric surplus to promote weight gain, meaning you consume more calories than you are burning in a day. Cutting is the fat loss phase, in which you eat in a caloric deficit, meaning that you consume less calories than you are burning in a day.
How to Cut Weight – Should I Bulk or Cut First?
The first step is to figure out which phase you should start with, which boils down to what body fat percentage you are currently at and what your goals and preferences are. The idea is that you stay in each of these phases to the extent that it allows you to maximize muscle growth overtime without it negatively affecting your progress.
Caloric Deficit and High Protein
If you are looking to cut, the overall goal is to lose fat without losing muscle mass. To minimize muscle loss, the ideal rate of weight loss is 0.3% to 1% of your body weight per week, and to create a caloric deficit around 10-25% below your maintenance calories. Eating a high protein diet is also very important, consuming approximately 0.8 to 1.3 grams of protein per pound of your current body weight.
Avoiding Excessive Cardio and Focusing on Muscle Maintenance
Even though the point of cutting is to lose fat, make sure that your weight training is still centered around maintaining and building muscle, rather than fat loss. This also means avoiding excessive amounts of cardio, since it could necessitate additional recovery time, since a caloric deficit also equates to an energy deficit. Low intensity cardio, a few times a week should be fine, but just be mindful of how it affects your strength training and overall fatigue.
Managing Sleep and Stress
Sleeping and resting enough overall is crucial in any part of your fitness journey, but managing your sleep and stress is especially important in cutting phases since it affects your ability to maintain muscle as well as your ability to maintain your caloric deficit.
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