How to be successful in your cut
Calorie deficits can be tough, and you WILL feel HUNGRY. But how can you stick to it long enough to meet your goals? Everything listed are strategies and tips I have used, as well as successful clients of mine in weight loss.
#1: Acceptance. You will be hungry, tired, and meet more resistance than normal.
This is the harder part of nutrition goals. When you’re in a cutting phase, resistance is harder and much more apparent. You’re running on less fuel, and hunger can lead to a hangry you. You have to know what you’re in for so that you can adjust and manage your expectations better in this temporary process.
Once you know what to expect, you can start implementing some strategies to make it more manageable.
#2: Delay your breakfast
This may not be for everyone - especially with a high protein goal. But, delaying breakfast can help so that your “window” of consuming calories is more narrow so that you’re not overeating or feeling extremely hungry at the end of the day without any cals left.
#3: Start with protein always
Any meal or snack you have should be protein heavy, and you should start with eating protein first before anything. Starting with protein helps manage blood sugars so that you don’t have a crash — or that feeling of “I am so hungry I will eat anything on sight IMMEDIATELY”. Protein will make you feel full, and less “empty” when you’ve eaten your meals. It’ll sustain your hunger pains as well as muscle mass when you’re losing weight (You don’t want to lose your shape and strength when dropping weight and fat, so eat that protein).
#4: Add in veggies galore
Spinach, broccoli, white onion, bell pepper, salsa, mushrooms, and lettuce - these are my veggie staples for when I’m in a cut. They have very little calories, but help with flavor, texture, and VOLUME to my food. They add fiber, which helps with the full feeling after I eat. Any foods I have trouble with eating in large amounts on their own (usually proteins, like egg whites or ground beef), I add in these veggies to help get them down.
#5: Meals are mostly prepped
Because this is a phase where you’re HUNGRY already, you need food ready to go for the inevitable days that you’ll be so busy you forget to eat. That way you’re not crushing any and all food once you FINALLY have a chance to eat. Having microwavable meals in your freezer is a good strategy when you know you are coming up on a very busy week. I use these with my already prepped foods. One of my favorites is a protein vermont mac’n cheese (17 -21g protein). To add even more protein, I add in shredded chicken. I already have a prepped protein, but the microwavable meal gives me convenience + palatability when I am swamped.
#6: Super Low-Calorie Treats
I need flexibility in my diet, even when I am cutting. Sometimes, I just need a Diet Coke and my fix is handled. Other times, I need 2 Reese’s thins, and I am still hitting my macros. Wanting a little something sweet is fine if it helps me stay on the path of hitting my goals. Confusing true hunger for “cravings” is what usually get people (especially if you’re near your period). Make sure that you’ve already had a protein-rich meal, and track any and all food that you add in to help curb your sweet tooth. That way, you can ssee how well you’re actually sticking to your goals while finding ways to make it work into your diet.
#7: Mindset Management
This is a shift that takes time and practice. If you are implementing everything listed above, this becomes easier. This is a shift from passive actions to intentional reflection and strategy with food - and helps contribute to a healthier relationship with food. An example of this is when you’ve neglected to eat meals at regular intervals because you’ve been swamped with the kids or work. Suddenly, you have this intense hunger craving and you need a burger, NOW. It’s all you can think about because your blood sugar is crashing, you’re shaking, and all you care about is getting the quickest, most convenient source of food down. The shift happens when you have more knowledge on why this is happening: you didn’t eat all day, so your brain is signaling you to eat something that digests quickly and contributes to it’s only fuel source: glucose (sugar). Thus, an image of a burger appears in your head, and you can’t get it out. But you have been learning more about nutrition, and also really want to make better decisions so that you’re not frustrated with yourself on lack of progress. So instead of getting a burger, you take a breath and remind yourself of the logic - your brain and body are CRAVING fuel. So, you give yourself the fuel needed, but in a much healthier version. Best case scenario, you have that prepped white rice, chicken, and broccoli. And it’s not as easy to get down as the burger, but you end up feeling MUCH better - physically and mentally - because of this decision. Or, instead of the burger, you ask for the grilled chicken nuggets with a side of fruit, and use that 90s microwavable rice you have at home to pair with it.