What is cutting? You may have heard this term at the gym. But, what does it mean? Cutting is nothing more than lowering your fat percentage by adhering to a strict diet plan. This makes your muscle mass more visible. The difference between cutting and a regular diet is that with a regular diet you often lose muscle mass. Cutting is adjusting your diet so that the loss of muscle mass is minimal. But, what do you have to eat? We'll give you tips.
Calorie deficit
In order to cut successfully, you need to reduce your energy intake. If you take in fewer calories than your body uses up, your body will burn fat. If you have a calorie deficit over an extended period, some muscle mass will always be lost. It is important to regulate your energy intake in such a way that this loss is minimal. To do this, you need to pay close attention to your dietary intake.
What should I eat?
What can and can't you eat when you start cutting? It's important to eat a lot of protein. Proteins ensure that your muscle mass is maintained. Fats and carbohydrates are also needed to extract energy so that your body actually has the energy to burn fat. On days when you train, you need more carbohydrates than on rest days. It's about having a good balance. A varied diet, in which the various sources of nutrition are in balance with one another. Since what you need to achieve the desired result will be very individual to you, it is best to make a nutrition and training plan with a professional such as a personal trainer.
Training during cutting
While cutting, you will of course continue to play sports! You want to keep your hard-earned muscle mass. For this it is important to continue with your training schedule. You can also do extra cardio training to make sure you burn enough energy. Make sure that your training and nutrition plans are coordinated.
How fast do you lose weight?
If your calorie intake is too low, your body will start burning muscle mass too. You don't want that! So, make sure you find the right balance and don't overdo it when reducing the number of calories you consume. We recommend that, in any event, those doing sport/exercise recreationally do not cut for longer than 4 to 6 weeks.
