4 Week Aggressive Cut Complete – Progress, Maintenance Struggles & Wondering If It Was Worth It?

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to share my experience with a recent aggressive cut I did over 4 weeks. I ate around ~1113 calories/day consistently, with no cheat meals or cheat days, and focused on whole, nutrient-dense foods. It was a tough 4 weeks, but I stuck with it.

Progress Recap:

• Starting Weight: 60.5kg
• Ending Weight: 54.5kg
• Body Fat %: Down from 25.4% to 20.6%
• Visible physical changes: My body looks tighter and more toned, especially around the midsection.

Training Routine:

• Strength training 3x a week (glute focus + full body)
• 1 cardio + abs session
• Try to stay active on rest days with walks, though sometimes I do absolutely nothing.

Protein Intake:
I aim to hit 121g of protein/day, but I usually go over and end up around 130–150g most days. Prioritizing protein has definitely helped with satiety and maintaining muscle.

TDEE & Maintenance Struggles:
At my new weight, my TDEE is around 1700–1900 calories, depending on the calculator. I tried maintaining at 1700, but it felt too restrictive. 1900 feels better, but still not “easy.” I often feel like I can't enjoy little extras like nuts, peanut butter, or even a matcha with milk without worrying about going over.

To feel mentally and physically relaxed with food, I’d probably want to eat ~2200–2500 calories/day. But I’m nervous that might lead to weight gain. For context:

• I’m 31 years old, 165cm tall, and
• Here's my weekly workout breakdown

Current Meal Structure:

• Breakfast: 200g 0% Greek yogurt + 100g berries
• Lunch: Chicken salad (150g chicken breast, salad, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion)
• Snacks: Usually 1–2 apples
• Dinner: Changes daily — usually chicken/beef/salmon + veggies + potatoes
• Dessert: Frozen Greek yogurt + cherries + 15g dark choc chips

All of this usually keeps me around 1900 kcal, but again, it still feels restrictive.

Where I'm at now:
I’m 2 weeks post-cut, and I’ve noticed my abdomen is slightly softer than at the end of the cut, although some definition remains. I don’t weigh myself daily (no scale at home), but I plan to do a check-in in about 2 weeks. I’m expecting to have stabilized around 56–58kg.

That said, I’m starting to question whether the cut was really worth the effort.

submitted by /u/iam_aimee
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from loseit - Lose the Fat https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/1kwiig8/4_week_aggressive_cut_complete_progress/