Cutting: the ultimate guide to losing fat effectively

A cutting phase is when you aim to lose as much body fat as possible while preserving your muscle mass. Whether you're a lifter or simply chasing a leaner, more defined physique, understanding how cutting works is essential to getting real results.

Cutting vs weight loss: what's the difference?

Plain weight loss aims to bring the scale number down. Cutting has a more specific goal: lose fat while keeping (or even building) muscle mass.

That nuance changes the entire approach:

Step 1: Set your calorie deficit

Calculate your maintenance

Your maintenance calories are the number where you neither gain nor lose weight. To calculate it:

1. Use the Mifflin-St Jeor formula (or our calculator)
2. Multiply by your activity level
3. Track your weight for 2 weeks and adjust

Apply a gradual deficit

For cutting, the ideal deficit is 300 to 500 kcal below your maintenance.

Real example: if your maintenance is 2,600 kcal, aim for 2,100-2,300 kcal per day.

Why not more aggressive?

• Deficit > 700 kcal: accelerated muscle loss, disrupted hormones, performance crash
• Deficit 300-500 kcal: optimal fat loss, muscle preserved, performance maintained

Adjust every 2 weeks

Your metabolism adapts to the deficit. If your weight loss stalls for 2 weeks in a row:

• Cut another 100-150 kcal
• Or add 1-2 cardio sessions
• Never drop below 1,500 kcal (men) or 1,200 kcal (women)

Step 2: Optimize your macros

Macronutrients matter even more during a cut than during a bulk.

Protein: the top priority

Aim for 2 to 2.5 g of protein per kg of body weight. It's the single most important variable for preserving muscle in a deficit.

For an 80 kg man on a cut: 160 to 200 g of protein per day.

Optimal sources for cutting (protein-to-calorie ratio):

• Chicken breast: 31g protein / 165 kcal per 100g
• Canned tuna: 26g protein / 116 kcal per 100g
• 0% fat cottage cheese: 8g protein / 45 kcal per 100g
• Egg whites: 11g protein / 52 kcal per 100g
• Shrimp: 24g protein / 99 kcal per 100g

Fat: don't go too low

Fats are essential for your hormones (testosterone, estrogen). Aim for at least 0.8 g per kg of body weight, or about 20-25% of your total calories.

Favor healthy fats: olive oil, avocado, nuts, fatty fish.

Carbs: the adjustment variable

Once protein and fat are set, the rest goes to carbs. On a cut, they usually represent 35-45% of total calories.

Favor complex carbs: rice, sweet potato, oats, whole-grain bread. They fuel your workouts.

Step 3: Training during a cut

Keep lifting heavy

The classic mistake: switching to light, long sets during a cut. It's the fastest way to lose muscle.

The rule: keep training with the same loads and the same volume as during your bulk. Your body has no reason to hold onto muscle if you don't send the signal that it's still needed.

Typical cutting program:

• 4-5 sessions per week (Upper/Lower or Push/Pull/Legs)
• Heavy loads: 75-85% of your 1RM
• 6-12 reps per set
• Moderate volume: 10-15 sets per muscle group per week
• Rest: 2-3 min between compound sets

Cardio: a tool, not a requirement

Cardio isn't essential during a cut, but it helps raise your calorie expenditure without cutting food further.

Recommended cardio:

• LISS (Low Intensity Steady State): 2-3 sessions of 30-45 min per week (brisk walking, cycling)
• HIIT: 1-2 sessions of 15-20 min per week (optional)
• Always AFTER lifting, never before

Don't go over 4-5 cardio sessions per week. Too much cardio = hormonal stress = muscle loss.

Step 4: Daily tracking

Weigh yourself smartly

Weight fluctuates 0.5 to 2 kg per day (water, sodium, digestion). For a reliable picture:

• Weigh yourself every morning, fasted, after using the bathroom
• Calculate your weekly average
• Compare averages from one week to the next
• Aim to lose 0.5 to 1% of your body weight per week

Track your meals

On a cut, tracking is non-negotiable. A 200 kcal mistake per day can be the difference between losing fat and stalling.

With Kalo, simply send your meals via WhatsApp: text or photo. Kalo calculates your calories and macros in seconds. No more digging through a food database.

Watch your performance

If your gym numbers drop more than 10%, that's a red flag: your deficit is probably too aggressive or your protein too low.

Sample cutting meal plan (2,200 kcal)

Breakfast (500 kcal)

• 60g oats + skim milk
• 3 egg whites + 1 whole egg
• 1 banana

Lunch (650 kcal)

• 200g chicken breast
• 180g cooked basmati rice
• 150g broccoli
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Snack (250 kcal)

• 250g 0% fat cottage cheese
• 20g almonds
• 1 apple

Dinner (550 kcal)

• 150g salmon
• 200g sweet potato
• Green salad + cucumber
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Evening snack (250 kcal)

• 250g casein or cottage cheese
• 10g peanut butter

Total: ~2,200 kcal | 190g protein | 75g fat | 185g carbs

The 5 most common cutting mistakes

1. Too aggressive a deficit from the start

Starting at 1,500 kcal when your maintenance is 2,800 kcal is a guaranteed way to lose muscle, crack, and rebound. Start at -300 kcal and adjust gradually.

2. Skimping on protein

Every gram of protein matters. At 1.2 g/kg you'll lose muscle. At 2.2 g/kg you'll preserve it. It's that simple.

3. Cutting out carbs

Carbs fuel your workouts. Without them, performance drops, you lose muscle, and cravings explode. Reduce them moderately, don't eliminate them.

4. Too much cardio, not enough lifting

Cardio burns calories, but lifting is what tells your body "keep the muscle." Without that stimulus, your body taps into muscle to save energy.

5. No refeed

Every 1-2 weeks, do a day at maintenance (or slightly above) by bumping up carbs. It boosts leptin, improves performance, and helps mentally.

How long does a cut last?

Duration depends on your current body fat and your goal:

• 20% -> 15%: about 8-10 weeks
• 15% -> 12%: about 6-8 weeks
• 12% -> 10%: about 6-8 weeks (harder)
• 10% -> 8%: 8+ weeks (very tough, not needed for most people)

Never exceed 16 weeks of continuous cutting. After that, do a 4-8 week maintenance phase before starting again.

Conclusion

A successful cut rests on 4 pillars: a moderate calorie deficit, high protein, intense training, and rigorous tracking. No shortcuts, no magic formulas, just consistency and patience.

To make meal tracking easier during your cut, try Kalo: a simple WhatsApp message is enough to track your calories and macros every day.