Science-backed strategies to burn fat while preserving muscle. No gimmicks. Just proven methods.
Master these fundamentals. Everything else is details.
The ONLY way to lose fat. Burn more calories than you consume. TDEE - 500 cal = 1lb/week loss. Track everything. Weigh your food. No excuses.
Protein preserves muscle mass during deficit. Increases satiety. Highest thermic effect (30% calories burned digesting). Non-negotiable for lean cuts.
Lift heavy 3-5x/week. Tells your body to keep muscle. Without it, you lose muscle AND fat. Maintain or increase strength during cut.
LISS (walking, cycling) burns calories without interfering with recovery. HIIT for time efficiency. Start with 0-150min/week. Add as needed.
1-2lbs per week maximum. Faster = muscle loss. Track weekly averages, not daily fluctuations. 12-16 weeks minimum for real transformation.
Progressive approach to sustainable fat loss.
Establish deficit. Learn to track macros. Build sustainable habits. Expected loss: 4-8 lbs.
Increase cardio. Adjust calories if needed. Implement refeed if energy drops. Expected loss: 4-6 lbs.
Maximum effort. Highest cardio volume. Mental toughness required. Get shredded. Expected loss: 3-5 lbs.
Avoid these errors that kill progress.
Cutting 1000+ cal/day. Lose muscle mass. Tank metabolism. Rebound weight gain guaranteed.
"Eating clean" but not weighing food. Underestimating calories by 30-50%. No deficit = no loss.
2 hours daily cardio, no lifting. Lose muscle AND fat. Look skinny-fat. Destroyed metabolism.
Quitting after 3 weeks. "Not seeing results fast enough." Jumping between diets constantly.
Only hitting 0.8g/kg protein. Losing muscle during cut. Weak, tired, hungry all the time.
Months in deficit without breaks. Leptin crashes. Metabolism adapts. Progress stops completely.