Getting Shredded: A Practical Guide to Your First Cutting Phase

You’ve put in the hard work. You’ve built a solid foundation of muscle through months, or even years, of consistent training and eating. Now, it’s time to reveal it. Welcome to the cutting phase—the process of strategically losing body fat to achieve a lean, defined, and "shredded" physique.

For those new to it, cutting can be a daunting and often misunderstood process. It’s not about starving yourself, doing endless cardio, or losing all your hard-earned muscle. It’s a precise and patient practice of preserving muscle while systematically shedding fat.

This is your practical, no-BS guide to running your first successful cut.

Step 1: The Prerequisite – Did You Actually Build Enough Muscle?

This is the most critical question. You cannot reveal what isn’t there. If you jump into a cut without a sufficient muscle base, you’ll just end up looking like a smaller, skinnier version of yourself—often called "skinny-fat."

Ask yourself:

Have I been consistently strength training for at least 6-12 months?

Have my strength numbers on key lifts (e.g., Bench Press, Squat, Rows) steadily increased?

Do I have a noticeable amount of muscle mass under a layer of fat?

If the answer is yes, you’re ready. If not, focus on building muscle first (a "bulking" or "maintenance" phase). A successful cut starts with something worth showing off.

Step 2: Set a Smart Goal & Timeline

Forget "lose weight." Your goal is to lose fat while maintaining muscle.

Calculate a Moderate Calorie Deficit: To lose fat, you must consume fewer calories than you burn. But the deficit must be moderate.

A great starting point is a 300-500 calorie deficit from your maintenance calories.

Why not more? A drastic deficit (e.g., 1000+ calories) will cause rapid weight loss, but a significant portion will come from muscle glycogen, water, and worst of all, precious muscle tissue. You’ll also feel miserable, lethargic, and likely quit.

Set a Realistic Timeline: Aim to lose 0.5 to 1.0 pounds of body weight per week.

This pace is slow enough to signal to your body that it should hold onto muscle but still burn fat for energy.

For example, losing 15 pounds should take a minimum of 15-20 weeks. Be patient. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

Step 3: The Nutrition Protocol – Your #1 Tool

Diet is 80-90% of the battle during a cut. Your training preserves muscle; your diet burns the fat.

1. Prioritize Protein – This is Non-Negotiable

When in a calorie deficit, your body will look for energy anywhere it can, including breaking down muscle tissue. A high protein intake prevents this.

Target: 1.0 - 1.2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight (or 2.2 - 2.6 g/kg).

Example: A 180lb person should aim for 180 - 216g of protein daily.

This is your top priority. It keeps you full, supports muscle repair, and is metabolically expensive to digest.

2. Don’t Fear Carbs and Fats

Carbohydrates: They are your primary energy source for intense training. Drastically cutting them will make your workouts suffer, hindering your ability to maintain muscle. Time most of your carbs around your workouts for energy and recovery.

Fats: Essential for hormone production (including testosterone, which is crucial for muscle retention). Keep your fat intake at a moderate level (e.g., 20-30% of your total calories).

3. Track… At Least in the Beginning

You can't manage what you don't measure. For your first cut, use a tracking app like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer for at least the first 2-4 weeks. This isn’t forever, but it teaches you portion control and gives you a real understanding of the calorie and macronutrient content of your food.

Step 4: The Training Shift – Lift to Preserve, Not to PR

Your goal in the gym during a cut is muscle preservation, not building new muscle or hitting personal records.

Maintain Your Strength: Keep lifting heavy. This is the primary signal to your body that it needs to hold onto that muscle. Do not suddenly switch to high-rep, light-weight "toning" workouts.

Reduce Volume (Slightly): You may need to reduce your total number of sets by 1-2 per exercise as you’ll have less energy and need more recovery. For example, if you were doing 4 sets of squats, drop to 3. The key is to maintain intensity (weight on the bar), even if volume dips a little.

Keep Workouts Efficient: Don’t waste energy. Focus on your compound lifts and key accessories. Get in, lift with purpose, and get out.

Step 5: Strategic Cardio – The Finishing Touch

Cardio is a tool to augment your calorie deficit, not create it. Your diet should be doing most of the work.

Focus on LISS (Low-Intensity Steady State): Walking on an incline, cycling at a comfortable pace, or using the elliptical for 20-45 minutes.

Why LISS? It burns calories with minimal fatigue and stress on your central nervous system, allowing you to recover and maintain strength in your weight training.

Add it Gradually: Start with 2-3 sessions of 20-30 minutes per week. Only add more if your fat loss stalls after a few weeks.

Step 6: Manage Your Mindset & Expectations

This is often the hardest part. A cut is physically and mentally demanding.

You Will Be Hungrier: This is normal. Prioritize volume eating—foods with low calorie density but high volume (vegetables, lean proteins) to help you feel full.

Your Strength Might Stagnate or Slightly Decrease: Don’t panic. This is expected when you’re in a deficit and have lower energy. Focus on maintaining, not progressing.

Trust the Process: The scale will fluctuate daily due to water weight. Don’t obsess over daily weigh-ins. Look at the weekly average trend. Take progress photos and measurements monthly—they often tell a better story than the scale.

Plan Your End Point: Know when to stop. A cut shouldn’t last forever. Once you’ve reached your goal or are feeling excessively drained, it’s time to transition to a maintenance phase to reset your metabolism and mental health.

Cutting is a test of discipline. It’s the final, challenging chapter where your hard work is unveiled. By following this practical framework—emphasizing a modest deficit, high protein, heavy lifting, and patience—you’ll ensure that when the fat melts away, all that’s left is the powerful, muscular frame you worked so hard to build.