This article is a little different from what you usually read here.

It took me multiple failed attempts until I finally got relatively lean.

Can you guess what my biggest cutting mistake was?

It was;

Not Cutting Long Enough

And I feel this is one of the main reasons people get stuck in the skinny-fat loop.

The worst part is that it wasn’t that I didn’t know how to diet down! 

If you have ever gone on a serious cut before, you’ll relate with what I say next.

Everything starts out great.

You’re finally entering the diet and you’re motivated.

A week in, glycogen is depleted and you start looking softer.

Another week in and you get a little more flatter.

Do this for a few weeks, and you reach a point where you’re looking your worst.

You’re super flat, you’re floating in your clothes, your training is taking a hit, and this is stuff besides the normal dieting stress which will lead to some water retention.

But it doesn’t end here.

If you don’t have a couple years of lifting (in a surplus!) under your belt, you’re probably not going to have gigantic muscles, to begin with.

On top of this, as you lean down, you will get the common “are you sick?” and “weren’t you buffer before?” questions.

All of this is just me touching the surface of what a real skinny-fat has to go through while cutting.

Why do you think the skinny-fat physique is the most dreaded out of all?

This leads most people to stop their cut and start a gaining phase.

While there is nothing wrong with this, I’ve seen the majority of the people who do this end up stopping their bulk because they start getting “fat”.

This makes them turn to cutting and the cycle continues.

I’ve had proper dieticians give me bad advice too.

Obviously, I followed!

Because a dietician will surely know right? 

Turns out not.

I did this several times.

Every time I ended up in the same place with a little recomposition. 

“But you still made progress!”

The amount of time and effort I wasted in this was almost unnecessary.

What’s the solution to this?

If you want to cut, then cut properly. 

Cut till you reach 10-12% body fat.

No, you can’t measure this accurately and no the machines you stand on aren’t accurate.

But trust me, you’ll know when you’re there.

I’ve researched this topic in-depth for years now and I can promise you that this will be the best way out if you want to get lean.

Once you’re done, you can focus on gaining.

Don’t be afraid of looking skinny.

If you have set your nutrition and training properly, you don’t have much to worry about.

Patience is the only way out.

This is what finally helped me get lean.

And I believe this is the most crucial advice for a skinny-fat person.

You just have to mute out everyone’s opinion.

• Diet down till you get lean.

• Take breaks.

• Program your training right.

• Program your nutrition right.

• Be patient.

• Be consistent. 

If you’re stuck, just ask yourself who you’re doing this for?

I know a lot of people who train to impress others.

Like a lot.

The only way out is when you do this for yourself. 

You don’t have to explain your goals to others.

Let’s face it, at some point, you will have to face the “you’re becoming too thin” situation.

You could explain this entire article to the other person.

But I wouldn’t go that way. 

Because it doesn’t matter.

My usual reply in such situations is that I lost muscle.

I say that even if I didn’t lose any.

I feel it is a lot better and quicker than explaining this entire article to someone.

In the end, it’s your goals.

You have to do what it takes to get there.

If you’re skinny fat, focus on your body composition.

If you want to cut, then cut.

As long as you’re in a healthy body fat range, there is nothing wrong with it.

Don’t stop at 15% if your goal is 10% just because you feel flat.

Once you push past the awkward period, you’ll be in the best shape of your life.

That’s what the illusion of cut is all about.

On the other hand, if you plan on bulking first, bulk properly.

Give yourself at least 1-2 years to put on quality size.

If you feel you can’t devote a year to it without getting fatter than you like, start cutting and stop when you reach the 10%-12% mark.

This is something that most coaches don’t talk about.

You have to shift your mindset if you want to get lean.

Everyone talks about diet and training, but very few know the mental struggle of getting lean as a skinny-fat.

As I said, in the end, it comes down to a few key things.

Program your training right. Program your nutrition right. Be patient. Be consistent.

If you truly want to get ripped, cutting is the way to go.

Check out the Three Steps To Get Ripped.

Once you finish your cut, patiently bulk up till you are satisfied.

Still not sure of what you should do?

Give this article a read:

Should I Cut If I Haven’t Built A Lot Of Muscle Yet?

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