Calorie tracker for cutting
Cutting is fat loss with muscle preservation as the explicit priority. Used by lifters, athletes, and physique competitors leading up to events. The mechanics differ from general weight loss: the deficit is smaller, protein is higher, and precision matters more.
Why tracking actually helps here
- Aggressive deficits (>20% under maintenance) accelerate muscle loss
- Protein at 1g/lb (or higher) preserves lean mass during deficit
- Strength typically drops slightly during cuts; track to know if it's diet or program
- Diet breaks (3–5 days at maintenance every 8–12 weeks) help long cuts
- End-of-cut bodyweight target should be set ahead of time, not chased
How CalPilot helps
Tight deficit calculator
We cap deficits at 20% under maintenance for cuts. Anything more aggressive triggers a warning about muscle loss risk.
Diet break scheduling
After 8 weeks in deficit, we suggest a 5-day maintenance break. Useful for hormonal recovery and binge prevention on long cuts.
Strength + bodyweight tracking
Side-by-side log of weight trend and lift progressions. Strength stalls or drops are an early warning the deficit is too aggressive.
Recommended setup
Tips that actually help
Don't cut and add cardio simultaneously
Adding cardio is calories burned, not 'free.' Either run a tighter deficit or add cardio — doing both produces unnecessary fatigue and muscle loss.