The Cut Phase Explained: How to Lose Fat While Keeping Muscle

Learn how to cut fat while keeping muscle. Discover calorie deficit strategies, macros, training, and how AI coaching guides your cut for lasting results.

Bulk vs. Cut: The Basics

When it comes to building your best physique, most lifters cycle through two main phases:

• Bulk Phase - Eat in a calorie surplus to gain muscle.
• Cut Phase - Eat in a calorie deficit to lose fat while maintaining muscle.

Think of it like construction: the bulk phase is where you gather materials and build muscle tissue, while the cut phase is where you "polish the frame" and reveal the muscle you have built.

Haven't read about bulking yet? Check out our guide: [The Bulk Phase: How to Maximize Muscle Growth Without Gaining Excess Fat].

What Is the Cut Phase?

After months of building strength and size in a bulk, the cut phase is where you reveal what is underneath.

It is a period of calorie deficit designed to reduce body fat while preserving the muscle you worked so hard to gain. The goal is not just to get lighter—it is to look leaner, sharper, and more athletic.

Why Cutting Matters

The cut phase is about more than aesthetics:

• It highlights muscle definition from your bulk.
• Improves strength-to-weight ratio and athletic performance.
• Supports long-term health by reducing excess body fat.

Calorie Deficit: How Much Is Enough?

The golden rule: burn more than you consume. But the deficit must be controlled—too aggressive and you can lose not just fat, but also muscle.

• The recommended deficit is usually 250–500 kcal per day below maintenance.
• This typically results in 0.25–0.5 kg (0.5–1 lb) fat loss per week.
• If you feel comfortable, you can push further—up to 1000 kcal per day or more, depending on your size, body composition, and experience level.

Larger deficits create faster weight loss, but the risk of losing muscle also rises. A moderate approach is often the most sustainable for long-term results.

Macros During a Cut

Protein should be set high, around 2.0–2.5 g per kg of body weight daily, to protect against muscle breakdown. Great sources include chicken, fish, eggs, lean beef, Greek yogurt, tofu, and lentils.

Carbohydrates should be moderate and adjusted based on training intensity. Prioritize carbs around workouts to fuel performance. Solid sources include oats, rice, sweet potatoes, fruits, and whole grains.

If you push your deficit further, the easiest way to cut calories is often by reducing carbs. This can push your diet closer to a keto-style approach, where fats and protein dominate your intake. Some people thrive on this approach, while others may see reduced performance in the gym.

Fats should make up 20–25% of total calories to support hormones and recovery. Healthy sources include olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish.

Example Macro Split for a Cut

• 40% Protein
• 35% Carbs
• 25% Fats

(If you reduce calories further: protein stays high, carbs drop lower, fats may rise slightly.)

Training During a Cut

The goal is to maintain muscle mass while in a deficit.

Strength training should remain heavy to remind your body it needs muscle. Slightly reducing training volume is fine since you will have less energy, but if your strength consistently drops, it usually means you are losing muscle, not just energy. For advanced lifters, some strength decline during a cut is normal, but the focus should still be on preserving as much strength as possible.

Cardio can help increase your deficit—more activity means more calories burned. But for many individuals, a sudden increase in cardio also triggers a huge spike in hunger, which can make the diet much harder to sustain. If you notice this happening, it may be better to keep cardio minimal and rely more on diet adjustments for your deficit.

The Role of Recovery

Cutting stresses the body. Recovery is non-negotiable:

• Sleep 7–9 hours per night.
• Manage stress (high cortisol makes fat loss harder).
• Take deload weeks if fatigue builds up.

Common Cutting Mistakes

• Going too aggressive with calories.
• Relying on excessive cardio.
• Dropping protein intake too low.
• Obsessing over daily scale fluctuations.

How Long Should a Cut Last?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer—it depends on your goals and how your body responds. In principle, there are two main approaches:

• One Long Cut (8–16 weeks): If your goal is to lose around 4–8 kg of body fat, one dedicated cut phase is usually enough. This works well if you want to get lean steadily without breaking it up.
• Extended Cut with Phases: If you want to lose more than 8 kg, it is often smarter to go longer but break it into cycles. For example, alternate between a cut phase and a maintenance phase. This helps reset energy levels, supports recovery, and makes it easier to hold onto muscle over the long run.

Ultimately, how long and how much you can cut in a single phase depends on your body's response—energy levels, recovery, strength, and overall progress should guide when to continue, pause, or move back to maintenance.

Tracking Progress During a Cut

• Monitor weekly weight averages, not single days.
• Take progress photos regularly.
• Track measurements like waist and hips.
• Watch your performance in the gym—maintaining strength is a sign you are cutting correctly.

How AI Coaching Optimizes a Cut

Cutting is not just about eating less—it is about training smart while energy is limited. An AI-powered training app helps you maximize results by:

• Optimizing your training split so each muscle is trained as soon as it has recovered.
• Adjusting volume and intensity to keep progress steady without burning you out.
• Identifying when you are losing too much strength and guiding adjustments.
• Balancing cardio and lifting so fat loss happens without sacrificing muscle.
• Suggesting deloads or recovery tweaks when your performance or recovery trends downward.

Instead of guessing how hard to push, AI coaching ensures your cut is structured, efficient, and sustainable—helping you stay leaner and stronger throughout the process.

Takeaway

The cut phase is not about starving yourself—it is about creating a smart calorie deficit, training hard to keep your muscle, and being patient.

• Eat slightly less, but keep protein high.
• Lift heavy and consistently.
• Add cardio in moderation, if it does not backfire with hunger.
• Sleep, recover, and track trends.

And with AI coaching, you can cut smarter—getting lean while holding onto the strength and muscle you have worked so hard to build.