Should your cut be aggressive?

IT DEPENDS.

The best approach is one that you can maintain throughout the duration of the cut.

An aggressive approach can be more rewarding as progress is faster.

However, it is more challenging to remain consistent as it requires a greater degree of disciple. This can be especially challenging in social situations.

A more conservative approach could be more sustainable for some people.

Sure, progress may happen at a slower rate, but their adherence over time may be more consistent than the aggressive approach.

It completely comes down to the individual.

It depends on your history with dieting, your preferences, what YOU find sustainable. Regardless of whether you take a fast or slow approach, it’s about making sure you are establishing healthy habits that fit your lifestyle, not the other way around.

It’s important to remember that the grass isn’t always greener.

An aggressive approach may seem exciting because duh, who wouldn’t want to make quicker progress? But the downside is that it’s much harder to stick to throughout the cut and often leads to yo-yo dieting, which simply ends up making the cut less effective and can cause a lot of mental stress and fatigue.

A conservative approach is often more favorable, especially for general population clientele as it’s easier to stick to over time. Sure, progress may be a little slower, but you probably won’t hate your life while doing it. That’s a big win in my book.

Written by: Emi Mraule, Nutrition Coach