- A moderate deficit (losing 0.5 to 1% of body weight a week) keeps more muscle than a crash diet.
- Protein goes up when you cut: lean, dieting lifters do well at around 2.3 to 3.1 g per kg of fat-free mass.
- Keep lifting heavy; it’s the signal that tells your body to keep muscle.
- Planned diet breaks can make long cuts easier to sustain.
Cutting is where many lifters lose the muscle they worked months to build. It doesn’t have to happen. This guide sets out the numbers, the training approach and a sample day, with or without steroids in the picture.
Set the deficit
Start about 300 to 500 kcal below maintenance. Track morning weight several times a week and aim for 0.5 to 1% of body weight lost per week. Leaner lifters should aim for the lower end; the leaner you are, the more muscle a fast cut costs.
Set protein, then fat and carbs
| Macro | Cutting target |
|---|---|
| Protein | About 2.3 to 3.1 g per kg of fat-free mass (roughly 2 to 2.6 g/kg body weight for most lean lifters) |
| Fat | At least 0.6 to 0.8 g/kg, for hormones and satiety |
| Carbohydrate | The remaining calories, focused around training |
Higher protein preserves muscle and keeps you fuller. Carbs around training keep performance up.
Train to keep muscle
- Keep the weights heavy, even if volume comes down a little
- Don’t switch to light, high-rep “toning” work
- Add cardio gradually; walking is easy to recover from and very effective
Diet breaks and refeeds
In the MATADOR study, people who alternated two weeks of dieting with two weeks at maintenance lost more fat and kept more of it off than those who dieted continuously. Many lifters use a maintenance week every 6 to 12 weeks, or higher-carb days around hard sessions, to make long cuts sustainable.
Sample cutting day (about 2,200 kcal, 190 g protein)
| Meal | Foods |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Egg whites with 2 whole eggs, spinach, rye toast |
| Lunch | Chicken breast, quinoa, big salad, light vinaigrette |
| Snack | Skyr or Greek yogurt with berries |
| Pre-workout | Rice cakes with jam; coffee |
| Dinner | White fish or extra-lean ground turkey, potatoes, roasted vegetables |
| Evening | Cottage cheese or casein shake |
Hunger management
- High-volume, low-calorie foods: vegetables, potatoes, berries, soups
- Protein and fibre at every meal
- Sleep: short sleep increases hunger
- Avoid drinking calories
On a cycle
Steroids help preserve muscle in a deficit, but they don’t replace the deficit. Cutting compounds lower HDL cholesterol, and dieting plus stimulants strain the heart, so monitor blood pressure and lipids. See bulking vs cutting and our bulking meal plan.
Frequently asked questions
How fast should I cut?
About 0.5 to 1% of body weight a week; leaner lifters should go slower.
How much protein on a cut?
Around 2.3 to 3.1 g per kg of fat-free mass for lean lifters, roughly 2 to 2.6 g/kg body weight.
Do diet breaks work?
Research suggests planned breaks at maintenance can improve fat loss and make it easier to sustain.
Should I do cardio while cutting?
Yes, gradually. Walking is effective and easy to recover from; keep strength training as the priority.
This article is general information for adults in Canada, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before using any prescription drug, anabolic steroid or research compound, and get bloodwork done. If you’re in crisis, call or text 9-8-8 (Suicide Crisis Helpline) any time.
