How do I know when to Adjust my Cutting Diet?

danielb2sp

I’ve been cutting for about two months now. Love the results and feeling phenomenal. My question is when doing this diet is there ever a need to adjust my macros? For instance I’m 40, 5’11 and keep my calories to 1950-2k a day with regular intense lifting 5 days a week. I’ve lost close to 20 pounds but want to be sure I’m continuing to build muscle. Has anyone adjusted their cutting diet or is it something you typically ride out until bulking time?

Thanks!!

Leo_King84

The less fat you have the less calories you'll need so yeah, you should readjust it.

Retroguy2000

Yes, your macros should change.

Your protein should consistently be a ratio per bodyweight, e.g. 0.7g per pound. While cutting, protein as a % of total calories would therefore increase. The reduction in total calories should come mostly from carbs.

Btw, losing about two pounds per week, you probably aren't building much if any muscle because that's a substantial deficit.

AnnPT77

Reinforcing what Retro said: Know appropriate protein and fats minimums for your situation in grams, not just percents of calories. Maintain those minimums as you raise/lower calories to affect body fat gain or loss.

This is a science-based protein calculator and guide:

https://examine.com/protein-intake-calculator/
https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/

For most people, the range that calculator suggests will overlap with the rule of thumb Retro recommended. As the guide points out, people who are materially over-fat can reasonably use a healthy goal weight to estimate gram goals. (We don't need massive extra protein to maintain our fat mass: It's for maintaining lean tissue.)

I'm not aware of a fats-needs calculator. I calculate my minimum using the rule of thumb that something in the 0.35g-0.45g per pound range should be OK, adjusting if needed based on experience. I'm female. I've read that men might be OK going a little lower, maybe 0.3g per pound. Many people get an adequate minimum of fat without paying conscious attention to it.

It's fine for a healthy person to get more than the minimum of protein or fats, as long as the other isn't persistently too low (when hitting calorie goal). Carbs are more flexible technically, not an "essential nutrient" in the same sense as protein/fats, but can (subjectively) affect an individual's energy level or appetite.

tomcustombuilder

A lot of calorie adjustment will depend on how being 20 lbs had affected your lifestyle outside of the gym]exercise program. If the loss causes you to be more active then not much if any reduction is needed. If your outside of gym\exercisise activity hasn't changed then drop around 100-200 calories a day and review that change in a month.

Much depends on your current rate of loss and how many more lbs you want to lose