How to Cut After Bulking?

After a successful bulking phase, where the goal is to gain muscle mass and strength, it’s common to also accumulate some body fat. This is where cutting becomes essential. It is a strategic phase focused on reducing fat while preserving the muscle you worked hard to build.

Cutting after bulking is not just about looking leaner. It is about revealing muscle definition and improving overall body composition. If done correctly, it leads to a more aesthetic and healthier physique without compromising performance.

In this guide, I explain when to start cutting, how to set realistic goals, and which strategies in training, nutrition, and tracking can help you get lean while keeping your muscle mass.

Table of Contents

1. When to Start Your Cut
2. How to Set Cutting Goals (Calories, Body Fat, Timeline)
3. Training and Cardio Strategies for Fat Loss
4. Avoiding Muscle Loss While Cutting
5. Conclusion

When to Start Your Cut

The best time to start cutting depends on a few key factors: your current body fat percentage, how long you've been bulking, and how you're feeling physically and mentally.

Personally, I recommend starting a cut when your body fat reaches a point where definition is noticeably fading and performance is beginning to suffer. For most people, this tends to be around 15 to 18% body fat for men and 23 to 26% for women. Beyond that range, fat gain often outweighs muscle gain in terms of visual impact and metabolic efficiency.

You should also consider how long you've been in a calorie surplus. After 4 to 6 months of consistent bulking, most lifters reach a point of diminishing returns. Starting a cut at this stage helps you reset hormonally, maintain insulin sensitivity, and stay motivated.

Finally, listen to your body. If you feel sluggish, your pumps are fading, or you're not enjoying your training anymore, it might be time to enter a cutting phase.

How to Set Cutting Goals (Calories, Body Fat, Timeline)

Before starting a cut, I always define three things: target body fat percentage, estimated timeline, and daily calorie intake. Without these, it's easy to lose motivation or compromise your results.

A realistic fat loss rate is around 0.5 to 1 percent of your body weight per week. That means if you weigh 180 pounds (about 82 kg), a good target is 0.9 to 1.8 pounds (0.4 to 0.8 kg) of fat lost per week. Trying to lose weight faster than that increases the risk of losing muscle mass.

To calculate your calorie target, estimate your maintenance level using a TDEE calculator, then reduce it by 15 to 25 percent. I usually start with a 20 percent deficit and adjust based on weekly progress. Protein intake should stay high, at least 1 gram per pound of body weight (2.2 g per kg), to help preserve lean muscle.

Most cutting phases last between 6 and 12 weeks. Longer phases might require planned breaks to maintain consistency and avoid hormonal adaptation.

If you're not sure how long your cut might take, try the tool below. Just enter your current and target body fat percentage, and I’ll estimate the number of weeks it may take to reach your goal based on your current level.

Training and Cardio Strategies for Fat Loss

During a cut, my priority is to maintain strength and muscle mass while creating a calorie deficit. That means I keep lifting heavy and avoid drastically changing my routine just because I’m cutting.

I focus on compound movements like squats, bench press, rows, and deadlifts. These exercises give me the most muscle retention for the effort. I typically train 3 to 5 times per week, depending on recovery and calorie intake.

For cardio, I prefer walking and set a daily step goal. I usually aim for around 10,000 steps per day. If I notice that fat loss stalls after a few weeks, instead of cutting calories right away, I first try increasing my daily step target to boost energy expenditure in a manageable way.

This approach keeps fatigue low and recovery high. I only add higher intensity sessions occasionally, if I’m short on time or need an extra push.

Avoiding Muscle Loss While Cutting

One of the biggest concerns during a cut is losing muscle along with fat. I approach this by focusing on three main things: keeping my protein high, maintaining training intensity, and not cutting calories too aggressively.

Protein is non-negotiable. I aim for at least 1 gram per pound of body weight (2.2 g per kg), sometimes more if I'm in a deeper deficit. This gives my body the amino acids it needs to protect lean tissue.

I also keep lifting heavy. I don’t chase PRs, but I try to maintain strength levels as much as possible. If I let my training intensity drop, my body has no reason to hold on to muscle.

Lastly, I avoid extreme calorie deficits. Dropping calories too fast leads to fatigue, poor recovery, and a higher risk of muscle breakdown. A slow, steady approach gives me better results in the long term.

Conclusion

Cutting after a bulk is where all the effort starts to show. It requires precision, patience, and consistency. Without clear goals, proper nutrition, and the right training approach, it’s easy to lose both muscle and motivation.

The key is to create a moderate calorie deficit, prioritize strength training, and adjust based on real progress — not just how you feel or what the scale says. Knowing your body fat levels, tracking performance in the gym, and making changes strategically is what separates a successful cut from a frustrating one.

Whether your goal is aesthetics, health, or athletic performance, a smart cut lays the foundation for long-term results. Stay consistent, stay objective, and treat the process like a cycle — assess, act, and adapt.