I just finished a weight cut just doing calories-in/calories-out (CICO) . This was both the easiest and the hardest cut I did so far. I recorded a video about these 12 weeks of cutting, if you prefer this medium.

In the past, I did a body composition and reverse diet too.

It was the easiest, because I knew what to expect, how it would feel and that patience would be required. Also, this was the most muscular I’ve ever attempted a weight cut and it helped a lot.

Besides that, in the first 4 weeks I barely lost any weight on the scale. And this was mentally brutal. I knew I was in a deficit, but nothing really happened. I could see the changes on the pictures I took already 2 weeks into the cut.

That’s where it really helped to been through this is in the past. I knew I could trust the process, knew I had to trust the process.

Here a few highlights of the cut and before/after pictures.

 Staring Settings

• BF% above 20%, 88kg
• After a big bulk and a long maintenance phase
• Time to see the changes visually

Diet

• Around 2100 calories
• Macros: P 185g / F 68g / C 185g
• 4 meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner (post workout), night
• A few refeeds and celebrated my birthday and wedding anniversary

Training

• 4 days a week, 5/3/1 Boring but Big
• Last 2 weeks extra training day in a gym
• Daily walks, around 10k+ steps
• In the morning with weighted vest
• Sometimes some 5-10 minute upper body pump session on off days

Cardio

• No dedicated cardio
• Good warmup, sometimes WOD like workout finishers

Weight changes

• From 88kg down to 83kg

Challenges / Opportunities

• No weight changes on scale at first
• Big visual changes
• Good trend over years

Next

• Reverse diet
• Capitalizing on a primed body for more fat-free mass and strength gains
• Potentially another cut afterwards

I would like to hear your thoughts on it.