Let’s talk about something that’s killing your fat loss transformation before it even gets started — going full throttle on the calorie cut.
You’ve probably been there: motivation’s high, you want to shred fat yesterday, so you slash your calories like a horror movie villain. The logic seems simple: eat less, weigh less. Right?
Well… yes. And no.
If your goal is to be a smaller, squishier version of your current self (“skinning-fat”) — sure, go ahead and crash diet. But if you’re chasing the holy grail of body recomposition — losing fat while holding on to (or even building) muscle — then you need to play a smarter game.
Here’s why cutting calories too much, too fast is not only a bad idea — it’s the worst idea.
1. You’re Not Just Burning Fat — You’re Losing Muscle
When your body’s short on energy (calories), it looks for other ways to fuel itself. If the deficit is too steep, and you’re not giving your body enough protein or reason to hold onto muscle (hint: resistance training), it’ll start cannibalizing your lean tissue.
Muscle protein degradation exceeds muscle protein synthesis. The net result is a reduction in muscle.
And muscle is exactly what gives your body shape, structure, and that “fit” look you’re after.
So yes, the scale might move down. But if you’re losing both fat and muscle? You’re just shrinking. Like a deflated balloon.
2. Your Metabolism Will Turn Into a Sloth
Your body isn’t stupid. When you drastically reduce calories, your brain goes, “Uh oh, famine incoming,” and hits the brakes on your metabolism to keep you alive.
This is called adaptive thermogenesis, and it’s your body’s way of surviving when it thinks food is scarce. The problem? It means you have to eat even less to keep losing fat — and that’s a road that leads straight to Dieting Hell.
In my coaching practice I see this all the time, where often a client starts working with me after feeling “stuck” on low calories and not losing any body fat. They (or their previous Coach) just continue to reduce calorie intake (food) in the hope that fat loss picks back up again. All that happens is a deeper hole being dug, and one that’s very hard to get out of.
Muscle is metabolically active tissue. The more you have the more calories your body will burn even at rest. So if you’re losing it, your baseline calorie burn drops even more.
Less food, lower energy, fewer calories being burned. See where this is going?
3. Hormones Don’t Like Starvation
When calories plummet, your hormones get wonky. Leptin drops (so your brain thinks you’re starving), ghrelin spikes (hello, hunger), cortisol rises (bye-bye muscle), and anabolic hormones like testosterone and thyroid hormones take a dive.
This hormonal cocktail is the perfect recipe for:
- Feeling miserable
- Gaining fat in all the wrong places
- Losing that hard-earned muscle
Your body basically turns into a stress-ball that really wants pizza.
(Side note: Cortisol often gets demonized. But, cortisol can actually be your friend when it’s well-managed. It’s chronically elevated cortisol that’t an issue, which can happen as a result of aggressive dieting. Among other things.)
4. Your Workouts Will Suck
Try training hard when you’re underfed, under-recovered, and running on fumes. Good luck.
One of the biggest mistakes I see: people trying to “train like an athlete” while “eating like a rabbit.” All that results in is poor lifts, less intensity, zero progress, and an increased risk of injury.
Remember: you’re not just working out to burn calories — you’re working out to stimulate muscle retention. That means you need fuel.
In addition to having the right amount of fuel, your training is also key in enabling you to retain (or even build) muscle while losing body fat.
One key piece of advice here is to have just as much of a focus on building lean muscle and strength in the gym as you would if you were NOT dieting. What I mean by that is having the same approach you have in the gym when your calories are higher and you’re trying to build, as you do when you’re trying to lose body fat.
If you lift weights with intent, then even when you don’t have as much fuel in your body then you’ll be losing less muscle.
5. You’re Setting Yourself Up for Rebound Weight Gain
Ever wonder why crash diets work for a few weeks and then leave you worse off than before?
Because they’re unsustainable, and your body remembers. It doesn’t just bounce back — it rebounds with interest. You’ll regain fat faster than you lost it, and you’ll find it harder to lose it the next time around.
Why? Because your metabolism is shot, your hunger hormones are out of whack, and your muscle mass is down.
So What Should You Do Instead?
Glad you asked. Here’s the smart, sustainable strategy:
- Create a moderate calorie deficit: 10-20% below maintenance is enough to move the dial. Not 50%.
- Prioritize protein: Aim for 1g per pound of body weight as a starting point. Adjust as needed along the way, but bare minimum I would never drop below 1g per pound of your TARGET body weight when losing fat.
- Lift heavy things: Strength training tells your body, “Hey, this muscle is important. Keep it.”
- Sleep, manage stress, and don’t be an idiot with cardio.
- Be patient: You’re not going to “transform” in two weeks. Real change takes time.
The Bottom Line
Fat loss isn’t just about eating less. It’s about eating smart, training right, and playing the long game. Because at the end of the day, no one cares if the scale says 10 pounds less — if what you see in the mirror is just a flatter, softer version of what you started with.
Take your time. Feed your body. Train like you mean it.
Get leaner — not just lighter
Want help with a training plan that protects your muscle while you cut fat? My subscription training programs are built just for that. Learn more about the Women’s Training Program HERE, or the Men’s Training Program HERE. See you there!
