Cutting Remarks.

Cutting often gets framed as starving yourself and being miserable.

Which is typically a result when you make massive cuts to your diet and being a cardio regime that has people questioning when the marathon is… instead of planning out a weekly adjustment protocol.
Calories drop too quickly, training becomes a chore with endless cardio, and your hormones take a hit.
And yeah, the scale might move at first, but the approach is hard to sustain and rarely leads to any lasting results.

A caloric deficit isn’t a punishment phase, and you do not have to suffer through it. It’s a controlled tool to reduce body fat while keeping training quality, recovery, and day-to-day life intact. While either getting healthier, or trying to be beach ready.

It should always be intentional and deliberate.

A deficit simply means eating less than your body needs to maintain its current weight. Typically done to lose body fat and hopefully retain lean muscle mass.
The biggest mistake is trying to rush this process… or not understanding it.

The goal isn’t to lose the weight as fast as possible. It’s to lose fat with the least amount of collateral damage. If strength and energy start to tank, joints begin aching a bit more than usual, motivation basically disappears, and recovery never quite happens, the deficit isn’t “working better.” And it’s just too aggressive.

That also means that you’re doing endless amounts of cardio. As with everything in this cut, add or subtract gradually… and be patient.

Most successful cuts are smaller than people expect.

A modest daily deficit, paired with consistent training, usually leads to slow but repeatable fat loss. That means the scale number will drop, but not dramatically; but that’s good. Strength should stick around, but will still come down a bit. Training and your daily routine should still feel productive.

Rapid loss looks impressive early on. Cutting harder rarely means cutting smarter.

If bulking is about building, cutting is about preserving.

Protein becomes your safety net. It helps protect muscle, manage hunger, and keep training quality from falling off a cliff.
This is the phase where protein can be a bit on the higher end of the recommended amounts. I would at the very least aim for the 1g/per pound of bodyweight.
Protein is a tough macro for your body to convert into any meaningful amount of fat store. Which means that even if you go a bit higher on this, it’ll help you feel fuller after eating and ensure you have the right tools to maintain that muscle mass you worked so hard to show off.

One of the fastest ways to make a cut unbearable is slashing carbs to nonexistent levels.

Carbs support training, recovery, and mood.
Pulling them back slowly and in controlled doses makes sense. Removing them entirely or in mass quantities usually doesn’t.
Keeping carbs around training often makes the difference between productive sessions and dragging through workouts. Plus, this will help you have an easy mind knowing you had the bulk of your daily carbs mainly before and after your training. Keeping the utilization on energy and replenishment… Not energy stores.

Performance should dip slightly in a deficit. It shouldn’t just disappear.

When calories drop, food quality matters; not because certain foods are “good” or “bad,” but because some simply make a deficit easier to manage.

Lean proteins tend to do the heavy lifting here. They help control hunger, support recovery, and protect muscle while calories are lower. Most people feel better prioritizing things that are filling without being calorie dense.

Carbohydrates still have a place, especially around training. Foods that are easier to portion and digest tend to work best when energy is limited. The goal isn’t to eliminate carbs, but to be more intentional with when and how they’re used. Higher fiber carbs can really make a difference in hunger and blood sugar throughout your day.

Fats need a bit more awareness in a deficit. They’re important for health and satiety, but they add up quickly. Keeping fat sources consistent and measured usually prevents calories from creeping higher than intended. Even though they should be tightly controlled, be wary that fats are important for many processes in the body, but extremely important in the case for hormone production. Keep them as high as you can throughout your cut.

A deficit is not the time to chase new PRs, add random junk volume, or turn every lift into an all out conditioning session. Training should send a clear signal: this muscle is still needed.

That usually means maintaining intensity, slightly trimming volume if required, and keeping movement quality high. Excess fatigue tells the body the opposite story.
Not meaning to stop training hard and “go through the motions,” it’s about keeping the goal in mind.

A well-run cut shouldn’t derail your life.

You’re a little hungry, but functional. Weight trends down slowly. Strength mostly holds. And your swim trunks are starting to call your name.
You don’t feel great every day, but you don’t feel wrecked either.

If you’re constantly cold, irritable, flat in the gym, and counting down the days until it’s over, don’t be afraid to make adjustments.

A good cut is:

You’re consistent.
You’re patient.
You’re still training well.
Life keeps moving.

Or reply to this newsletter with any questions!