Cutting fat and losing fat are really the same thing, but sometimes, they are actually not. Losing fat (or simply losing body fat) simply means reducing your total body fat percentage. This includes both fat and muscle. Cutting fat (aka “dieting”) means getting rid of fat at a controlled rate, which enables you to keep your muscle mass intact. This is how diet and exercise really work to reduce fat levels and help you lose fat.
So, if building muscle is the goal of those who are cutting fat, then obviously weight lifting is the way to go. In fact, there is no better way to go than with weights and some form of resistance training in your routine. This will increase your metabolism rate, which in turn leads to weight loss. In addition, this type of training is great for building muscle and increasing your metabolism as well.1
However, these tips are only effective if you are following a healthy and consistent cutting diet and exercise routine. It is also important that you do not cheat on your diet and do not skip any meals. Cheating and missing meals will surely hinder your progress in both dieting and weight loss. If you want to see some results, then you must stick to a simple plan and follow it consistently.
Why Do People Cut Fat?
If you are wanting to lose weight, why do people cut fat? This is a question that has baffled health professionals for years and it still confuses a lot of people. The reason why people cut fat is because they want to reduce fat from their bodies but they don’t want to cut fat out of their diets completely. So why do people cut fat?
The reason why people cut fat is because they think that it’s very hard to lose weight and they feel that cutting fat is a way to get rid of weight fast. So the first thing that they do is to try to reduce the amount of calorie intake. The next step that they take is to reduce the amount of calories that are burned by their bodies and this ultimately leads them to cutting down on the size of their muscles.2
The big mistake that most people make is that they do not focus on losing weight with a combination of diet and exercise. You should follow a combination of diet and exercise for optimal results. If you are doing all the right things then you should be able to burn fat easily. If you are doing the wrong things then you will have a difficult time losing fat and you might end up getting fatter.
The Benefits of Cutting Fat Out of Your Diet
Many people are starting to question the benefits of cutting fat from their diets. People are becoming more health conscious and they are starting to read everything they can about clean eating and healthy diets. There is a large group of people that think one diet is the best for all, however, there is truth in saying that everyone’s body is different. One diet may work great for one person but not another.
One diet that has become more popular is the one that says eating healthy is the benefit of cutting fat out of your diet. With this diet you want to eliminate all the bad foods that are bad for you such as processed foods, junk food, foods that have a high sugar content and trans fats. You want to also eliminate the good foods from your diet such as fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats and fish. One of the benefits of cutting fat out of your diet is, it will help to improve your blood sugar levels. When your blood sugar level is high then your body will use insulin to help make your blood sugar level normal. When your blood sugar level is low, your body will use fat to help make your blood sugar level normal.3
This diet consists of eating foods that have a high fiber content like raw nuts and seeds, healthy oils like olive oil and canola oil, and plenty of vegetables and fruits. When you replace your unhealthy fat sources with healthy plant based oils, fruits and vegetables you will be able to reduce the amount of cholesterol that is being deposited into your arteries. There are some foods that are high in saturated fats that should be avoided.4
The two main macronutrients that have to be balanced in order for your diet to be a healthy one are fat and carbohydrates. Not only do you need to eat a balance between the two macronutrients you need to avoid having too much of one or the other. Eating too much of one can cause an imbalance in your blood sugar level. Eating too much of the other can lead to high cholesterol. It is best to find a food that has both of the macronutrients at the same time so that you don’t run into problems.
A benefit of cutting fat out of your diet is that it can also help to lose weight. Your intake of fat will be decreased, which will help to reduce your weight. You should cut back on your fat intake by approximately 20% if you want to lose weight. Even though you won’t be consuming any cheese or butter, it will be beneficial for you to do so. Eating these foods can help you lose weight because of the fat content. There is no way for your body to burn fat when you are consuming dairy products.5
Another great benefit of cutting fat from your diet is that it will also help to improve the taste and flavor of many foods. Many people don’t like the taste of many of the traditional meals that are served at the local restaurants. If you add fat back into the mix, you will be able to have the healthy eating that you desire and still be able to eat some of the great tasting foods that you love. By adding low-fat ingredients to the menu you will also be increasing the amount of vitamins and nutrients that you receive from the meal. Your stomach will have to work harder to digest these foods so it will take longer for your body to get rid of them and they will be more likely to stay in your digestive system for a longer period of time, building to a better digestion and a better quality of food that you are consuming.
Best Ways to Cut Fat
You will hear different opinions on what are the best ways to cut fat from your body, but if you are determined to burn fat and build muscle, then you must have the commitment to stick to a regime until you achieve your desired results. The best ways to cut fat from your body are not always the same for everyone. There are many different exercise programmes to choose from, and each requires its own type of dedication and effort on your part.
Cardio
Running, biking, swimming, aerobics and so forth are all amongst the best ways to cut body fat from your body quickly. Some trainers believe that cardio is actually one of the best ways to cut fat from your body, as it burns a large number of calories without causing any long term damage. However, cardio is also a long term process. If you want to lose weight quickly, then it’s highly recommended that the high intensity interval style of cardio like speed and intensity cardio routines. For best results you should ideally start off with thirty minutes sessions five days a week.6
The fastest cardio, on the other hand, is a type of cardio that involves high intensity activity in a short space of time (usually no more than sixty minutes). It is very effective in burning fat quickly, especially if it is performed on a regular basis. The HIIT method is perfect for burning fat off your stomach. If you perform this type of fasted cardio on a daily basis, it can help you to burn hundreds of calories per hour.7
HIIT Training
In contrast to aerobic training which pushes the oxygenated muscles and the heart into greater exertion, the anaerobic style actually burns the fat whilst you are at rest. This is due to the fact that the muscles do not have as many glycogen stores. Glycogen is a glucose-like substance which the body actually produces to help the muscles to produce energy. Whilst the workout is going on, and especially while the hiit is going on, the bodybuilder’s body will use this stored glycogen to try and bring back a higher level of energy so that the workout can continue.8
As a result of this, fat is broken down and the energy utilized by the skeletal muscles is utilized to burn up this excess glucose and glycogen. If you are trying to find the best HIIT exercises to reduce fat, look to the ones that force the anaerobic system to work harder. A good way to do this is to mimic long distance running. You increase your intensity but you also increase the distance. This will actually make it harder for the anaerobic system to operate as you need to make sure you’re maintaining a sufficient supply of air. This then becomes more of a mental challenge than anything else.
Why Do Bodybuilders Cut Fat?
Many people have the mistaken idea that bodybuilding means huge muscles. While it’s true that bodybuilding can produce a tremendous amount of muscular mass, the term bodybuilding actually refers to a very different activity. While bodybuilding is certainly a physical and mental activity aimed at improving one’s physique, muscle building is not an end in itself. Rather, bodybuilding is simply a means to achieve that goal – a well-toned, shapely body. For this reason, many bodybuilders are continually cutting fat while trying to bulk up on muscle.
In order to get into peak physical condition, bodybuilders need to eat a diet that is high in protein and yet low in carbohydrates. This is because muscle requires far more calories than fat and cutting fat helps bodybuilders better fuel their muscle building efforts. It’s also fairly common for bodybuilders to turn to fat burning supplements, such as whey protein and casein to help them get through workouts and fat-burning dinners without going hungry.9 The reason why bodybuilders often cut fat while lifting weights is that they use up more calories when bodybuilding than they do when just trying to stay healthy.
Some bodybuilders, especially those who are just starting out bodybuilding, may even cut fat while bodybuilding to gain some experience in bodybuilding. However, cutting fat while bodybuilding will usually only be necessary if the bodybuilder has some physical limits – for example, if the bodybuilder is very close to losing muscle strength, or if he or she is extremely obese. In most cases, a bodybuilder would make better use of muscle building rather than cutting fat and staying fit.
Image Credits
Precision Nutrition / 2021
Open Fit / February 5, 2020
Functional Sports Performance / March 5, 2020
Bodybuilding.com / May 27, 2021
1 “How to Follow a Cutting Diet for Weight Loss – Healthline.” 12 Sep. 2019, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cutting-diet Accessed 28 Jun. 2021.
2 “Bodybuilders Top 10 Tips to Help You Cut | Maximuscle®.” https://www.maximuscle.com/sports/bodybuilding/Cutting-tips-from-bodybuilders/ Accessed 28 Jun. 2021.
3 “The 14 Best Ways to Burn Fat Fast – Healthline.” 19 Mar. 2018, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-ways-to-burn-fat Accessed 28 Jun. 2021.
4 “10 tips to cut body fat — for good – Men’s Journal.” https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/10-tips-cut-body-fat-good/ Accessed 28 Jun. 2021.
5 “Cutting Fat Wisely – WebMD.” https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/cutting-fat-wisely Accessed 28 Jun. 2021.
6 “How Much Cardio Do I Need to Lose Weight? Here’s What Works.” 8 May. 2019, https://www.healthline.com/health/how-much-cardio-to-lose-weight Accessed 28 Jun. 2021.
7 “Is Cardio Really the Secret to Fat Loss? | ISSA.” https://www.issaonline.com/blog/index.cfm/2016/is-cardio-really-the-secret-to-fat-loss Accessed 28 Jun. 2021.
8 “5 Major Health Benefits of HIIT, or High-Intensity Interval Training.” 5 Aug. 2020, https://www.insider.com/benefits-of-hiit Accessed 28 Jun. 2021.
9 “What’s the Difference Between Casein and Whey Protein? – Healthline.” 30 Aug. 2018, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/casein-vs-whey Accessed 28 Jun. 2021.
