A body cut (or cutting phase) is a process aimed at maximizing the reduction of subcutaneous fat while preserving muscle mass to achieve a defined, muscular look. This is not the same as general weight loss. During weight loss, the main goal is to reduce overall body weight, which can include losing both fat and muscle. In a cutting phase, the priority is specifically to retain muscle.
Что такое сушка тела?
A body cut (or cutting phase) is a process aimed at maximizing the reduction of subcutaneous fat while preserving muscle mass to achieve a defined, muscular look. This is not the same as general weight loss. During weight loss, the main goal is to reduce overall body weight, which can include losing both fat and muscle. In a cutting phase, the priority is specifically to retain muscle.
This process can be compared to a marathon: it requires time, discipline, and a strategic approach to nutrition and training.
How It Works: The Core Principles
The foundation of a cut is creating a calorie deficit, meaning you consume fewer calories than your body expends. However, the key is the correct balance of macronutrients (protein, fats, and carbohydrates).
- Calculating Daily Calorie Needs:Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): The number of calories needed to maintain vital functions at rest.Formula for Men: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) + 5Formula for Women: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) - 161Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE): Your BMR multiplied by an activity factor (ranging from 1.2 for a sedentary lifestyle to 1.9 for very high activity).Creating the Deficit: Subtract 15-20% from your TDEE to create a safe and effective calorie deficit.
- Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): The number of calories needed to maintain vital functions at rest.Formula for Men: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) + 5Formula for Women: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) - 161
- Formula for Men: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) + 5
- Formula for Women: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) - 161
- Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE): Your BMR multiplied by an activity factor (ranging from 1.2 for a sedentary lifestyle to 1.9 for very high activity).
- Creating the Deficit: Subtract 15-20% from your TDEE to create a safe and effective calorie deficit.
- Macronutrient Distribution (Macros):Protein: 2-2.5 grams per kg of body weight. Protein is the building block for muscles, and high intake is crucial to prevent their breakdown (catabolism).Fats: 0.8-1 gram per kg of body weight. Healthy fats are essential for hormonal balance, including the production of testosterone, which is important for maintaining muscle mass.Carbohydrates: The remaining calories. Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy. Their intake is gradually reduced, forcing the body to use fat stores for fuel.
- Protein: 2-2.5 grams per kg of body weight. Protein is the building block for muscles, and high intake is crucial to prevent their breakdown (catabolism).
- Fats: 0.8-1 gram per kg of body weight. Healthy fats are essential for hormonal balance, including the production of testosterone, which is important for maintaining muscle mass.
- Carbohydrates: The remaining calories. Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy. Their intake is gradually reduced, forcing the body to use fat stores for fuel.
The Role of Insulin and Muscle Preservation
How does insulin work?
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas in response to a rise in blood glucose (sugar) levels, typically after consuming carbohydrates. Its main functions are:
- Glucose Transport: Insulin helps glucose enter the cells of muscles, the liver, and fat tissue, where it is used for energy.
- Glycogen Synthesis: In muscles and the liver, insulin promotes the conversion of excess glucose into glycogen—a stored form of energy.
- Anabolic Function: Insulin stimulates protein synthesis in muscles, promoting their growth.
- Inhibition of Fat Breakdown: At the same time, insulin is a potent inhibitor of lipolysis (the breakdown of fat). When insulin levels are high, the body is in a storage mode, not a fat-burning mode.
Why control insulin during a cut?
The goal of a cut is to force the body to use fat as an energy source. This is only possible when insulin levels are low. By limiting simple carbohydrates and controlling their overall intake, we keep insulin levels low, which allows the fat-burning process to activate.
How to preserve muscle mass?
In a calorie deficit, the body may start breaking down muscle protein for energy. To avoid this, you must:
- Consume enough protein: This provides your muscles with amino acids and signals to the body that there is no need to break them down.
- Perform strength training: Regular resistance training gives muscles a stimulus to maintain their size and strength. Without this stimulus, the body will consider muscles an "unnecessary," energy-consuming asset.
- Don't create too large a calorie deficit: Losing weight too quickly almost always leads to muscle loss. An optimal deficit is 15-20%.
- Time your carbohydrates correctly: Consuming carbohydrates before and after workouts helps provide energy for exercise and replenish glycogen stores, minimizing muscle catabolism.
Training During a Cut
- Strength Training (3-4 times per week): The foundation for preserving muscle. It's important to work with challenging weights to stimulate the muscles.
- Cardio (2-4 times per week): Helps increase the calorie deficit. Low-intensity cardio (like walking) or High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is recommended, but in moderation to avoid provoking catabolism.
What Hinders the Process: Physiological and Psychological Obstacles
- Stress and Cortisol: Chronic stress (including the stress from dieting and training) increases cortisol levels. This hormone promotes the storage of visceral fat (around the organs) and the breakdown of muscle tissue.
- Disruption of Appetite Hormones: Lack of sleep and stress disrupt the balance of leptin (the satiety hormone) and ghrelin (the hunger hormone). Leptin levels drop while ghrelin levels rise, leading to a constant feeling of hunger.
- Psychological "Walls":Burnout: Loss of motivation due to the monotony of the process.Self-sabotage: Unconsciously breaking the diet or skipping workouts due to fatigue.The "Wall": The feeling that progress has stalled despite your efforts.
- Burnout: Loss of motivation due to the monotony of the process.
- Self-sabotage: Unconsciously breaking the diet or skipping workouts due to fatigue.
- The "Wall": The feeling that progress has stalled despite your efforts.
Strategies to Overcome Obstacles
- Strategic Pause: If you feel burnt out, take a short break (1-2 weeks) by switching to maintenance calories. This will help restore your hormonal balance and mental state.
- Break Down the Distance: Set small, intermediate goals to maintain motivation.
- Avoid Comparison: Your progress is unique. Do not compare yourself to others.
- Quality Sleep: Get 7-9 hours of sleep to normalize cortisol, leptin, and ghrelin levels.
Medical Contraindications
A body cut places significant stress on the body and is contraindicated for individuals with:
- Kidney, liver, or cardiovascular diseases.
- Diabetes.
- Gastrointestinal issues.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding.