Health can determine where you are going in life. It decides whether the sky’s the limit or your bed. Now being healthy doesn’t mean having an hourglass figure or abs.
If you are someone who has put on a tremendous weight or excessive fat while going through a bulking phase. Then you might want to consider a cutting diet.
The ideology behind following a cut diet is that a person can cut the calorie intake for a short duration. This diet could make it much easier than burning those calories.
Now, the method you choose is entirely dependent on you. But, if you are planning to go ahead with this method, this article might help you know all about it with a list of some of the best foods for a cutting diet.
Since we have understood the importance of a cutting diet, it is equally vital to understand what you should include in it for better results.
Unfolding it further, let us take a quick look at some cutting foods and why you should consider consuming them-
Chicken Breasts
It is a basic food item to be onboarded for the non-vegetarians. It is rich in protein and has very few calories in comparison to protein.
A 100 g of chicken breast contains 21 g of protein and 3 grams of fat. It has more protein to fat ratio than any other type of meat making it a healthier alternative.
There are a few tips that can help get the most out of this mouthwatering edible.
Make sure to buy organic chicken breasts with no added flavors. Try to keep it simple.
Cook it less or maybe just try making it in the oven. This will help to get the most benefits out of it. Trying magenta chicken or any other healthy recipe can fill your tummy, and repair your muscles without adding unnecessary fat.
Not only does it have protein but also zinc, selenium, iron, vitamin B6 and many more nutritious properties.
Salmon
Whenever a healthy diet is being talked about, fish appears in the picture. The number of nutritious values it has can’t be unnoticed.
The star of all fish is salmon with hundreds of benefits consuming it. It is an oily fish that has omega3 fatty acids- and essential fatty acids. Since it is not produced by the body it’s important to include it in your diet.
It helps to improve metabolism and provides vitamin D, potassium, and many more nutrients. What makes it an ideal choice is the additive advantages it has along with low calories and high protein.
Though just eating salmon in large quantities regularly is not a good idea. Even just eating it and not working on your body is not the right choice. It is food that can help you to attain your goal, provided you work hard for it.
Now, as you know all about this fish, go ahead and enjoy sauteed, cooked, panfried, baked, grilled, smoked, or whatever healthy way of cooking salmon you prefer.
Beef
Beef, if eaten in the right amount, could be beneficial for you when following a cutting diet. If you want to include beef in your diet, you could go for a small piece a couple of times a week. This will add proteins and nutrients in decent quantities to your diet. Also, these days you can get beef from grass-fed cows. This type of beef could also be good for your overall health.
Mushrooms
It belongs to fungus species and has multiple advantages. It is a well-known source of vitamin D. It has antioxidants and it can regulate the insulin levels in the body.
This makes it a good food to be added to a diet for weight loss. It can give you the lean look you want. One of the best choices is shiitake mushroom.
Tomatoes
People admire them for being an amazing sauce ingredient, being a part of tangy dips, and an inseparable part of a salad.
But in all this, people forget their actual potency. They have lycopene which acts as a barrier to UV rays. They protect the skin and also keep the stomach full for a longer duration.
They are low in calories and also satisfy hunger which can reduce cravings. This will eliminate the extra fat.
Red Lentils
It is a majorly produced food crop in Canada and India. It is known for its low-calorie value and for providing high protein simultaneously.
Known as Masoor dal in India and neighboring countries, it is perfect for a soup or a desi dal recipe. It is good for the gut as it eases digestion. It is rich in vitamins and minerals.
It also regulates blood sugar levels so it’s good for people suffering from diabetes. So, if you are the one suffering from this disease and looking to add something healthy to your diet it could be your best pick.
Nuts
They are the tiniest bit to nail your fat loss diet as they are small but keep you full for a longer span. They are rich in antioxidants and proteins and can make you feel a little heavy.
This, in turn, will help to keep you healthy and cut unnecessary fat. They could also help to reduce weight. Some good options can be almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, and hazelnuts.
Bean
Beans offer a great variety of post-workout meals. They can be used both for bulking and cutting. Black beans and white kidney beans have shown benefits in aiding in fat loss.
They can block starch and Arjun fiber and proteins which can keep the body and the muscles maintained.
Rice
It is light and easy to digest. Usually, it finds a place in almost all diet plans because it is easy to digest, low in fat, and gluten-free. What only this but they are a good source of protein which is good for your body.
However, some people claim that white rice is good for weight loss and some people say that not enough evidence is there to show the same. But, brown rice has been significantly shown to assist in fat loss. Here’s some info on brown rice.
Chickpeas
The most important things to induce weight loss or cut short fat are proteins and fiber. Chickpeas have both. They have a hefty proportion of calcium, potassium, and iron. It helps to control appetite and provides ample nutrients.
You also have some amount of calories which are comparatively lesser in the canned chickpeas. Just remember to look for the sodium levels as they can be high. Consider washing it or buying one with no added salt.
Corn
If corn is considered in the cutting diet, it may provide you with a decent amount of protein as a part of healthy diet. In addition, as a grain, corn is high in fibers that may enhance your digestion during the cutting phase.
Along with this, it is also rich in antioxidants that could help you in enhancing your metabolism. Consuming corn within your cutting diet may improve your carbohydrates.
Further, it could keep being digested slowly. As a result, you may feel energized throughout the day. It could also maintain your glucose levels with the limited consumption of food.
Adding corn to your diet may help you with the enhanced levels of muscle formation in your body. It could be consumed raw on the go as a simple way of cutting higher calorie intake.
This governmental post discusses the overall usage of vegetables and fruits for weight management.
Broccoli
Broccoli consists of high amounts of fiber. Its consumption may help you in reducing your hunger. During the cutting phase, it is required to consume fewer calories.
So, considering broccoli in the cutting diet may maintain your overall calorie consumption. Along with this, it also consists of protein.
Enhanced protein consumption could help you in increasing muscular strength. This could also keep you physically active. In addition, fulfilling daily protein requirements may help in preventing muscle loss.
Consuming broccoli may also help you provide the macronutrients such as Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and Folate.
These nutrients could enhance your immune function and bone health. It may also help improve the transportation of oxygen by elevating the formation of red blood cells.
Cauliflower
Adding cauliflower to the cutting diet may help you provide you with the desired physique. In addition, they claim that it has a high fiber content which may reduce your digestion process.
Further, it could also improve your feeling of fullness. However, this may reduce your appetite throughout the day. Apart from all this, cauliflower also has higher water content.
This water content could help reduce your body’s fat ratio. It may also act as a friendly aspect throughout your cutting phase.
Cauliflower also contains low-calorie content, which could be ideal for considering in a cutting phase during your muscle-building process.
This may also improve your muscle growth with omega-3 fatty acids. It could also play a significant role in reducing your triglyceride levels.
It is also high in choline content as an essential nutrient. This may help you in maintaining your metabolism and could also synthesize DNA.
Among all the foods, cauliflower is one of the plant-based nutrient-rich foods that could help you balance your overall body functions.
Eggs
During the cutting phase of your muscle-building journey, consuming adequate protein could be essential. To achieve the desired amount of protein consumption, eggs could be a great choice. Consuming whole eggs may be a balanced diet.
It is a healthy source of protein, fats, and several micronutrients like calcium and potassium. This could keep your body further nourished and enhance your appearance.
High protein content in eggs may help keep you fuller for a longer time. Along with this, it could enhance your metabolism, improving your metabolism process.
Consuming eggs in your breakfast in your cutting diet could help you in losing weight quickly, as eating a healthy breakfast could be one of the science-backed ways to lose weight. Eventually, this may provide you with the desired physique throughout your diet consumption.
Yogurt
It is a protein-rich source of food that one could consider in their cutting diet. This may help you enhance the muscle mass in your chest and reduce the fat ratio in your trunk area.
Yogurt consumption may also help you in improving your metabolism. Further, it could give your body time to utilize the energy derived from reducing fat loss.
This may also help in burning plenty of calories every day. It could also promote weight loss by developing a feeling of fullness for a significant amount of time.
Considering yogurt in your cutting diet may enhance your overall body by empowering your immune function. This may also help you with improved digestion.
It may also play a significant role in providing you with good bacteria. This could improve your gut health and keep you away from unnecessary bloating throughout the day.
Low Fat Cheese
Goat cheese is considered to be the lowest in the fat ratio content. This may help you in providing you with healthy fats. It consists of filling protein along with a blend of calcium.
This may further help you with the enhanced nutrient capacity, which could keep your bones healthy through the course of your cutting diet consumption.
Low Fat cheese consumption may also help you provide the medium-chain fatty acids. It could help you improve satiety, which may result in an enhanced weight loss experience.
Its consumption could also help maintain your feeling of fullness for the long hours between meals. This may also play a significant role in reducing the fat ratio of your body.
Goat cheese consists of less lactose content and has a low sodium content. This also contains fats that may be easy to digest.
It has a minimal amount of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, vitamin B, riboflavin, calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium.
This may also reduce the fat ratio of your body. Eventually, it could enhance your cutting processes during your muscle-building journey.
What Is A Cutting Diet?
The word “cutting” defines the phase of losing body fat and maintaining as much muscle mass as possible. A cutting diet is a program of dieting and training for reducing the overall body weight, fat loss, and muscle maintenance.
The idea behind it has its roots in the bodybuilding culture. They first go on a bulking diet for gaining muscles and then lose some fat to look lean.
A cutting diet does not deal with reducing the food intake rather it focuses on cutting the calories in the food. These calories are the root cause of looking bulky and unwanted fat build-up in the body.
A cutting diet is rich in proteins which helps to maintain the muscles and eliminate fat from the body.
More on cutting calories here.
Why Follow A Cutting Diet?
A cutting diet can assist in cutting fat by losing body weight and healthily retaining muscle mass. It is proven to show an effect faster than increasing exercise.
If a proper workout session is accompanied by a cutting diet, the results could be magical.
During and after a bulking session, people need to consume calories in whopping amounts to gain weight, build muscles, and add more mass to muscles.
The high-calorie intake has to be continued to maintain your progress and gains. This mostly increases the fat accumulation in the body hence, bodybuilders switch to a cutting diet.
This diet could help attain the dual goals of fat loss and muscle maintenance at the same time. Anyone from a bodybuilder to a person with a lean body goal can follow this diet.
The removal of excess fat could help you in bringing out your lean muscles and this would make your body more display-worthy.
What Changes Are Observed When On A Cutting Diet
Changes in the body are naturally seen. This includes weight loss, lean look, and some amount of muscle mass loss too.
But, these changes are not just physical. It may sometimes interfere with sleeping patterns and libido. Feeling hungry sometimes is another possible visible effect.
Following the cutting diet in combination with exercises would help you in getting better and quicker results.
By following proper cutting diet, you will be able to reap all the benefits of exercise.
Conclusion
Any fitness enthusiast can find a cutting diet suitable for their needs. Especially after a bulking phase, it is important to eradicate extra fat. It is very helpful when accompanied by weightlifting.
It is not a mandatory norm but can be good for the body if followed properly. Make sure to not eliminate calories from the diet completely.
- This article is for informational purposes only.
- These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.
- We do not intend on giving professional advice in this article.