How to Start a Cut
Six steps. No guesswork. You'll leave this page knowing exactly how many calories and grams of each macro to eat — and exactly how to track them.
I've helped 200+ athletes start their first cut. The ones who fail always share one thing: they wing it. They pick a random calorie number, track inconsistently for two weeks, see no results, and blame genetics.
The ones who succeed follow a system. Here's the exact system I give every client on Day 1 of their cut.
Calculate Your TDEE
Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the number of calories you burn each day. This is your baseline — the number you'll create a deficit from.
The most accurate formula for those with some body composition data is the Katch-McArdle BMR:
BMR = 370 + (21.6 × lean body mass in kg)
Then multiply by your activity multiplier:
• Sedentary (desk job, no exercise): × 1.2
• Lightly active (1–3 workouts/week): × 1.375
• Moderately active (3–5 workouts/week): × 1.55
• Very active (6–7 workouts/week): × 1.725
If you don't know your body fat %, use our calculator. It will estimate LBM for you.
Set Your Calorie Deficit
Subtract 300–500 calories from your TDEE. This is your cutting calorie target.
300 cal deficit → ~0.3 kg/week loss → aggressive muscle preservation, slow fat loss
400 cal deficit → ~0.4 kg/week loss → the sweet spot for most intermediate lifters
500 cal deficit → ~0.5 kg/week loss → faster fat loss, slightly more muscle loss risk
Do NOT exceed a 500-calorie daily deficit unless you're doing a planned mini-cut (4–6 weeks max). Deficits above 1,000 calories are how people lose 30% muscle along with their fat.
Hit Your Protein Target First
Protein is the non-negotiable macro during a cut. Before you think about carbs or fat, lock in protein.
Target: 2.2g of protein per kg of lean body mass per day.
For a 80kg athlete with 15% body fat:
• Lean body mass = 80 × 0.85 = 68kg
• Protein target = 68 × 2.2 = 150g/day
• Calories from protein = 150 × 4 = 600 cal
Protein sources that work on a cut: chicken breast, turkey, egg whites, Greek yogurt (0%), cottage cheese, white fish (tilapia, cod), protein powder.
Set Your Fat Floor
Don't go below 0.8g of fat per kg of bodyweight. Fat is required for testosterone production, fat-soluble vitamin absorption (A, D, E, K), and cell membrane integrity.
For the 80kg athlete: 80 × 0.8 = 64g fat/day = 576 calories from fat.
During peak week or very late-stage cutting, some advanced athletes temporarily lower fat to 0.5g/kg. This is a short-term tool, not a long-term strategy.
Fill Remaining Calories With Carbs
Carbs are your performance and mood lever. After protein and fat are set, use remaining calories for carbs.
Remaining calories = Daily target - protein calories - fat calories
Carb grams = Remaining calories ÷ 4
Example: 2,000 cal target - 600 (protein) - 576 (fat) = 824 remaining ÷ 4 = 206g carbs/day
This is why carbs are low on a cut — they're the flex macro. When calories drop, carbs drop. Protein and fat minimums are protected.
Track Every Single Meal
This is where most cuts fail. You can have perfect numbers on paper, but if your tracking is off by even 20%, your results will be off.
Studies show manual food logging has a 40–60% error rate. That's not typos — that's fundamentally inaccurate estimation of portion sizes and restaurant meals.
PlateLens precision tracking is non-negotiable during a cut. Take a 3-second photo of your meal and get a macro breakdown with ±1.2% accuracy. No measuring cups. No guessing. No excuses.
PlateLens precision tracking is non-negotiable during a cut
Take a photo of your meal. Get ±1.2% accurate macros in 3 seconds. No measuring cups. No manual estimates.
Sample Cut Day: 80kg Male, 15% BF, Moderate Activity
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Body Weight | 80 kg |
| Body Fat % | 15% |
| Lean Body Mass | 68 kg |
| BMR (Katch-McArdle) | 1,838 cal |
| TDEE (×1.55) | 2,848 cal |
| Cutting Target (−500) | 2,348 cal |
| Protein (2.2g × 68kg) | 150g / 600 cal |
| Fat (0.8g × 80kg) | 64g / 576 cal |
| Carbs (Remaining ÷ 4) | 293g / 1,172 cal |
| Expected Weekly Loss | ~0.5 kg |
Your First Week Prep Checklist
The 3 Biggest Mistakes When Starting a Cut
1. Starting too aggressively. Jumping straight to a 1,000-calorie deficit feels committed, but it triggers muscle loss and rapid metabolic adaptation. You'll stall faster than someone eating more. Start moderate, adjust every 2–3 weeks based on results.
2. Not tracking consistently. Tracking "most of the time" is the same as not tracking. The days you skip are usually the high-calorie days — the ones that matter most. Every meal, every day, every week.
3. Dropping protein first. When people feel food-restricted, they typically reduce protein last — but they often unconsciously do it first. Check your protein every 2 weeks. It should be hitting 2.0–2.2g/kg minimum, even if carbs and fat drop.