Cutting...

Cutting to me, is cutting to make a certain weight esp dropping water weight fast.

"Cutting" typically is used in the Bodybuilding realm where "Bulking" refers to gaining weight and muscle mass/eating lots of calories, followed by a period of "Cutting" where you reduce calories to below your maintenance in order to reduce as much fat as possible and reveal defined muscles.

"Cutting" typically is used in the Bodybuilding realm where "Bulking" refers to gaining weight and muscle mass/eating lots of calories, followed by a period of "Cutting" where you reduce calories to below your maintenance in order to reduce as much fat as possible and reveal defined muscles.

Well that was my best understanding but I notice some people focus a LOT on fats. Even when not at a BF percentage that one would reach before bulking.

I think that's where my confusion is coming in.

Are there other times when cutting is valid. Or when low fat is really that necessary?

Cutting doesn't apply to just lean individuals trying to get leaner. In general cutting is when your dropping weight. It doesn't have to specify anything else other than that because our objective in losing weight is always to drop fat and preserve muscle. So a 300 lb guy and a 160 lb guy trying to drop body fat are both cutting.

Bulking we all know is to gain weight. Primarily muscle with minimal fat gains.

^that was admittedly unclear.

Why do I see obese people cutting their fats very low when "cutting". I thought just a balance of macro's was necessary when you are very overweight and trying to lose. I feel like amongst even the most successful members on here there is a difference of opinion/method on this point.

Is it valid to cut just calories overall and not focus too much on cutting fats until one is lower in weight?

In my opinion I prefer to keep my dietary fat intake at no lower than 60g which puts me at .4g per lb of bodyweight. I think that's a good place for me. You will find some people that may go a little lower and even some that will take it as low as .25g but usually and hopefully these individuals do that because over time they have found that their bodies respond well to lower fat intake to get lean. However going that low for an extended period of time can be detrimental to overall health.

I personally know several people including a person who posts around here and even when getting lean his fat intake is 100g plus, I've seen it as high as 140g and he weighs in the 180 ' lean. That's his preference.

I don't think you'll find a general rule of it needing to be one way or the other to get lean. It really comes down to calories and then it will take experimenting and personal preference to decide what you want to do. I think a balance is important and I like the .4-.45g guideline and going any lower than that should be done only by those people that know what they are doing.

^yes

^yes

THNKS/

SO do i just get to randomly choose my fats? That's what I got from MRMR's advice? or like do trial and error and choose the lowest amount that I still feel sated?

Watch this (vismal's video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cc18wLJW3k&feature=youtu.be

Fat and protein goals should be treated as minimums. Your fat minimum goal can be between 0.3-0.45 grams per lb of body weight. If you go over, no biggie.