The cutting phase is often part of a fitness enthusiast or bodybuilder’s training, and it’s the phase that involves shedding body weight quickly while maintaining muscle mass. If you’re preparing to enter this phase and cut your weight, check out these hacks to make the process a little easier and more effective.
-
Table of Contents
Drink Water All Day Long
Staying hydrated is essential to your overall health and well-being, and it’s also an important aspect of cutting weight. Although you might think that too much water can cause you to bloat and increase your weight on the scale, drinking water can actually help you achieve your goals more efficiently.
When you’re dehydrated, your energy level drops, which makes it much harder to push yourself during your workouts. Drinking water can also help you feel full, even when you’re eating less. If you’re in the habit of drinking soda, energy drinks, or other sugar- and calorie-packed beverages, water can replace them so that you’re not taking in empty calories. Aim to drink between one-half to one ounce of water per pound of body weight per day.
-
Wear a Sauna Suit While Exercising
When you’re working on cutting weight, exercising in a sauna suit can make a big difference in your results. A sauna suit is made of neoprene or another synthetic material, which traps in the heat your body produces as you exercise. Wearing a sauna suit during your workouts also causes your body to sweat more to cool itself down while increasing the oxygen and blood flow to your muscles to promote recovery.
In a study performed at Western State Colorado University, obese or overweight and sedentary adults participated in a progressive exercise program. A portion of the participants wore sauna suits during their workouts, and the results among that group showed significant improvements in fat loss, resting metabolic rates, and overall weight loss.
-
Get Enough Sleep
The body needs sleep to function properly, and losing weight is more challenging when you don’t get enough sleep. The cutting phase often involves feelings of hunger, but sleeping provides a break from these feelings as the body naturally decreases the levels of neurotransmitters that signal the need to consume more calories. Spending more time awake can increase the opportunities to eat, so prioritize your time for rest.
-
Skip the Cheat Meals
Eating at a caloric deficit is challenging, but consuming a cheat meal can derail your progress. When you’re in the cutting phase of your training program, it’s important to consume a macro-balanced diet.
The key nutrients to consume include carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Carbohydrates provide energy, protein aids in muscle recovery and growth, and fat plays a role in hormone production. Consuming a meal that isn’t properly balanced and is high in calories can cause you to bloat and gain weight, setting you back in your progress.
With these tips, you can complete the cutting phase in your training plan successfully. It may not be easy, but it will be worth it as you achieve your fitness goals and look and feel your best.
