Straight up, before you read: I’m a coach sharing what worked for me and the people I walk with — I’m not a licensed dietitian or personal trainer — my credential is the results I’ve built on myself and the people I walk with. This is general education and what’s worked for me, not medical, nutritional, or professional advice. Check with your doctor before changing how you train or eat, especially with any injury or condition. Results vary — what you get out depends on the dedication and commitment you put in. No outcome is guaranteed. If you’re in real crisis, please reach out to a licensed professional — and I’ll gladly help you find one.
Most people cut wrong. They slash calories, stop lifting heavy, add hours of cardio, and six weeks later they’re lighter — but flatter, weaker, and hungry all the time. A good cut is the opposite: slow, steady fat loss while your strength and muscle stay put. Here’s how.
1. Use a small deficit
The faster you lose weight, the more of it comes from muscle. Aim to lose roughly 0.5–1% of your bodyweight per week. For most people that’s a deficit of about 300–500 calories a day. Run the free calculator on this site to find your starting number, then adjust based on what the scale actually does over two to three weeks.
2. Keep protein high
Protein matters even more in a cut than a bulk — it’s what tells your body to hold on to muscle, and it keeps you full. Aim for about 0.8–1 gram per pound of goal bodyweight, spread across your meals.
3. Keep lifting heavy
This is the big one. The heavy weights are the signal that says “we still need this muscle.” Keep your main lifts in the same rep ranges and try to hold your strength. You can cut a little volume if recovery dips, but don’t switch to light, high-rep “toning” work.
4. Use steps before extra cardio
Walking burns calories without eating into your recovery. Add steps first (8,000–10,000 a day is a good target). Only add harder cardio if fat loss stalls, and keep it away from your heavy leg days when you can.
5. Protect sleep and recovery
Short sleep in a deficit makes you hungrier and makes your body more likely to lose muscle. Seven to nine hours is part of the cut, not a bonus. See the free Sleep & Recovery guide.
6. Track the right numbers
- 7-day weight average — daily weight jumps around; the weekly average tells the truth.
- Waist measurement — at the belly button, once a week.
- Your main lifts — if strength is holding, you’re keeping muscle.
- Progress photos — same light, same time, every two weeks.
7. Know when to take a break
If you’re exhausted, your lifts are dropping fast, or you’re obsessing over food, take a week at maintenance calories. A short break isn’t quitting — it’s how you finish the cut instead of burning out halfway.
Cutting is a season, not a lifestyle. Lose it slowly, keep lifting, eat your protein, sleep. You’ll come out the other side leaner and just as strong. Job’s not finished.