A cutting diet is a diet plan being given immense importance gradually with the passage of time. Cutting diet is of significance for bodybuilders who aim at getting as lean as they possibly can.
A cutting diet is basically developed with one main motive, to lose weight or body fat, but not muscle mass. Usually, when a person who had a lean body at one point in life or a person wishing to have one but at the same time losing body fat, follow this diet plan.
Usually, bodybuilders avoid following diet plans because fat isn’t the only thing they end up losing. Many only want to have as much lean mass as they possibly can be on the low number of weight. And this diet definitely helps them with that.
HOW TO FOLLOW A CUTTING DIET FOR WEIGHT LOSS
A cutting diet differs from your normal diet plans. Protein isn’t the only thing that this diet includes but it is a combination of carbs along with proteins. Moreover, one key change that it has as compared to the others is it having weightlifting as a necessity included in it. Weight lifting is considered a must because it promotes the build-up of muscles. People usually follow this diet plan for a maximum of 4 months. However, this duration is highly dependent upon the amount that one has to shed.
The question that arises in people’s mind is what way an individual follow a cutting diet plan.
1- Calculation of your BMI
BMI calculation is highly important. You can only know your ideal weight and where you stand in terms of weight only by calculating your body mass index and then comparing it with your ideal BMI scale. You can use an online BMI calculator for this purpose such as the one present at calculators. tech.
2- Know the number of calories that you need
The concept of fat loss is always linked with calorie intake. If you want to lose fat, you must decrease the number of calories that you intake. Otherwise, there’s no possible way in which you can lose weight.
An average calculation tells us that a man requires around 2000 calories to lose weight while a woman requires about 1500 calories for that purpose. However, these amounts of calories lose about 0.45 kg of a person’s weight. If you are a person consuming even lesser calories than this, you are likely to lose muscle mass.
3- Know the number of fats you need
Now, cutting diet does not mean that you have to stick on protein intake only as has already been mentioned above. You need a properly balanced diet in which all 03 important components are included.
Fats specifically, play a very essential role such as the one in hormone production. And therefore, not consuming enough fat in the diet can end up causing hormone deficiencies in your bodies. Specifically hormones like IGF-1 which is a key role player in conserving muscle mass. About 30-66 grams of fat consumption is advised to people who follow a cutting diet.
NOTE: Each gram contains about 09 calories.
4- Know your protein intake
Protein intake is always considered important for people who either want to lose weight or are in the urge of gaining muscle mass. Therefore, knowing what amount of protein is the body’s requirement in such a case is also very significant.
The question is, how does protein help in the loss of weight? Basically, protein helps in boosting metabolism. The boost in metabolism accounts for fat burning and also calorie burning. There is also a reduction in the appetite of people consuming protein-rich diets and also muscle mass is also preserved by proteins.
With the importance of protein, it is suggested that one must consume up to 0.9 grams of protein per pound of body weight. This amount of protein not only conserves the muscle mass of the body but also helps tone the body out.
5- Know the number of carbohydrates that your body needs.
There is this misconception that you do not eat any % of carbs when you are on a diet. However, this is a very misleading statement. Carbohydrates are the highest source of energy for the body. Therefore, your body prefers using carbs for energy instead of proteins which means, eating sufficient carbs won’t make your body break the muscle mass for energy.
The amount of carb intake depends upon the number of total calories being consumed by that individual along with the portions of protein and fats. The leftover calorie requirement is fulfilled through carbs. Visit here to learn essential health tips.
SOME TIPS FOR CUTTING DIET
Below are some of the tips that you must consider when you are on a cutting diet.
1- Drink a sufficient amount of water
This is important even for simple diet plans. Water intake doesn’t only make you feel full and eat less, but it also helps your metabolism get that instant boost.
2- Do include cardio
Although, weight lifting is a MUST you must also include cardio in your routine. Cardio can help in burning the body fat real quick.
3- Go for foods that are rich in fiber
A very important fact to be considered is that you need to consume foods that are rich in fiber. The fiber-rich foods make you feel fuller.
NOTE: The non-starchy veggies are usually foods rich in fiber.
THINGS TO BE CONSIDERED
Some of the things that must be considered are listed below:
1- Keep your fat consumption low
Despite fat being a necessity, you must keep the levels in your bodies low and must not exceed the required amount in ANY WAY.
2- Post-workout shakes and supplements intake
Post-workout shakes and supplements are extremely important when it comes to the build-up of muscle mass or having a lean body. Post-workout shakes and supplements are therefore highly recommended. However, which ones you must take and in what amount, is another topic of discussion of high importance. So, do consider the SAFE amount of consumption of these supplements and shakes.
