What is cutting
The word “cutting” originates from the English language and literally translates to “cutting” or “cutting away,” in this case, of fat.
Cutting and bulking
Often bulking precedes cutting. Bulking, also originating from the English language, roughly translates from the word “bulking,” which means “mass increase.” So, summarily, bulking is the increase in mass, primarily muscle mass, and cutting is the removal of excess fat mass to reveal the gained muscles.
There are several terms for the controlled decrease in fat mass while maintaining muscle mass. In addition to the term cutting, the term “dry training” is also well known. Both terms mean the same thing: depositing fat tissue while preserving muscles with the aim of showing as much muscle definition as possible. This is particularly important in bodybuilding when participants compete in a contest. Often, someone is considered “dry” or contest-ready when their body fat percentage is below 8%.
Cutting and body fat percentage
Essentially, in the cutting phase, you want to lower your body fat percentage and show more Lean Body Mass (LBM). To achieve this, you need to achieve a negative energy balance daily. The energy balance is the difference between daily energy expenditure and energy intake. To make this negative, you need to eat 15 to 25% less than when you are not in the cutting phase. To ensure that muscle mass does not decrease during this phase, more protein is often consumed and fewer carbohydrates. More on this later.
So you need to know what your current body fat percentage is to track your progress. This is the indication whether you are on the right track or whether you need to adjust something in your diet or training routine.
Nowadays, there are body fat meters that work similarly to skinfold measurements but calculate the result for you.
Starting with cutting
When you want to start cutting, it is important that you have at least knowledge about how your muscles and body work. Strength training is the basis and essential if you want to achieve muscle growth. You also need to know the role of nutrition and the functions of the different macronutrients. Macronutrients are proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
To know where you stand and where you want to go, you first need to calculate your daily energy requirement. You can do this based on different methods. However, keep in mind that this will always be an indication. You will never get an exact number to 2 decimal places. But perhaps the calculator on this site can help you get started.
Next, you need to calculate your calorie deficit, or create a negative energy balance. You can do this by aiming for 15 to 25% fewer calories than your energy requirement. This can amount to about 250 – 500 calories, varying per person.
You need to distribute the food you consume in percentages across the different macronutrients. Choose the following distribution for your cutting phase: 30% protein, 50% carbohydrates, and 20% fats. Also, measure what this does for you and adjust your ratio and calorie intake accordingly. Do not consume your meals 3 times a day, but divide them into 5 – 7 meals per day.
An additional way to achieve a negative energy balance is to increase energy expenditure. This can be done based on high-intensity cardio training, or High-Intensity Interval Training is perfect for cutting.
Cutting training schedule
Often in gyms, the advice is given that if you want to develop more muscle definition, you should do more repetitions. This is, of course, incorrect. You develop more muscles by training heavily and creating overload while consuming the right nutrition. More definition is achieved by reducing your body fat percentage.
To help you in the right direction with the training schedule during cutting, it is important to realize that you do not want to lose muscle mass. You prevent this by continuing to train well and taking in enough protein. By good training, we mean that you should continue to train heavily, with maximum muscle stimulation. Also, ensure that you not only have a high protein intake after your workout but also eat well before your workout.
As mentioned earlier, you do not want to lose muscles in the cutting phase. The goal of cutting is fat loss and not total weight loss, although that is often the result. Therefore, try to maintain your strength training with the intensity you had before the cutting phase. Combine this with cardio training that fits. As mentioned, this can help create a negative energy balance, but cardio training is not necessary if you want to dry train. If you want to do cardio, do it immediately AFTER your workout, or on the days you are not doing strength training.
Also read the article: Muscle definition through many repetitions with light weight?
Cutting diet
As described above, the basis of cutting is strength training and nutrition. So to effectively cut, adjusting your diet is essential. So first determine what your daily energy requirement is. Based on that calculation, you can calculate how many calories you need to consume less to cut responsibly, without losing muscle mass. So aim for 15% – 25% below your daily energy requirement with calories or 250 – 500 calories less per day.
Once you have made that calculation for yourself, divide the macronutrient ratio accordingly:
Proteins 30 percent Carbohydrates 50 percent Fats 20 percent
This distribution may vary per person, but this rough guideline can get you on the right track. Try to evaluate what the impact has been after 2 weeks and adjust as follows:
If you lose a lot of muscle mass? Then take more protein and carbohydrates. Perhaps you need to increase your daily calorie intake.
If you lose too little fat mass? Lower the carbohydrates further and take more protein and unsaturated fats.
Calculating macronutrients in percentages is not enough. You also need to calculate this in terms of calories. This way, you know exactly what you are consuming and can distribute it to the different meals you need to eat per day.
Cutting without cardio
The cutting phase does not have to be characterized by a lot of cardiovascular training after your workouts or on rest days. Use cardio training in the cutting phase as a supplement to burn more energy than you consume. But to ensure that you don’t have to do cardio training during cutting, we want to give you a few more tips.
Eat enough throughout the day. This prevents the feeling of hunger. Try to suppress the feeling of hunger with protein.
Do not cut for longer than 6 to 8 weeks. The body adapts to the new conditions and may then need less energy than it was used to.
Distribute your meals throughout the day. This ensures that your metabolism stays active and prevents the feeling of hunger. It also prevents peaks in your blood sugar levels.
Eat your meals slowly. How often do you read this tip in diet books?
Drink water to suppress hunger.
And if you want to cheat, do it in moderation, 1x per week and responsibly.
