When to Cut, Maintain, or Build
Should you eat less, eat more, or stay where you are? It depends on your current body fat, training experience, and what you want. Here's how to decide.
Quick Decision Guide
Find the row that best describes your situation. These are guidelines, not rules — use them as a starting point.
Cut
Body fat over 25% (men) or 35% (women)
Health priority. Reducing fat improves insulin sensitivity, hormones, and sets you up for better muscle gain later.
Cut or Maintain
Body fat 20-25% (men) or 28-35% (women)
Either works. Cut if you want faster visual results. Maintain if you're new to training and want to recomp.
Maintain or Build
Body fat 15-20% (men) or 22-28% (women)
Sweet spot for recomp if you're a beginner. Intermediate lifters may want to choose a direction.
Build or Maintain
Body fat under 15% (men) or 22% (women)
You're lean enough to gain muscle without getting too heavy. A small surplus will maximise growth rate.
Maintain
New to strength training (any body fat)
Beginners can gain muscle at maintenance or even in a deficit. No need to bulk. Focus on learning the movements and building habits.
Cut
Fat loss phase
Calories: TDEE minus 300-500 cal
Duration: 8-16 weeks
The goal is to lose fat while preserving as much muscle as possible. You eat below maintenance, keep protein high, and maintain training intensity.
When to choose this
- Body fat is above ~20% (men) or ~30% (women)
- You want visible definition or muscle separation
- Summer, event, or personal deadline approaching
- You've been building and want to reveal the muscle underneath
Tips
- Keep protein at 2.0-2.4g/kg — higher during a cut to protect muscle
- Maintain training intensity and volume as long as possible
- Moderate deficit (300-500 cal) preserves more muscle than aggressive cuts
- Accept strength may plateau or slightly decrease — that's normal
- Take diet breaks (1-2 weeks at maintenance) every 8-12 weeks if cutting long
Avoid
- Cutting calories too aggressively (below BMR)
- Dropping training volume significantly
- Cutting for too long without breaks
- Using only the scale to measure progress — use measurements and photos
Maintain
Recomposition / sustain phase
Calories: At or near TDEE
Duration: Weeks to months
Eat roughly at maintenance while training hard. For beginners and intermediate lifters, this can result in body recomposition — losing fat and gaining muscle simultaneously, just more slowly than dedicated phases.
When to choose this
- You're relatively new to strength training (first 1-2 years)
- Your body fat is in a moderate range (15-20% men, 22-28% women)
- You don't want the mental overhead of strict tracking
- Between cut and build phases as a transition
- You're happy with your physique and want to sustain it
Tips
- Keep protein at 1.6-2.0g/kg
- Focus on progressive overload in training — strength gains drive recomp
- Track measurements and photos rather than the scale (it won't move much)
- This is the most sustainable long-term approach for most people
- Be patient — recomp is slower but you never have to deal with a harsh cut
Avoid
- Expecting rapid visual changes — recomp is gradual
- Accidentally drifting into a surplus by eating loosely
- Abandoning maintenance because the scale isn't moving (it shouldn't be)
Build
Muscle gain phase
Calories: TDEE plus 200-300 cal
Duration: 12-24+ weeks
Eating in a controlled surplus while training hard to maximise muscle growth. The goal is to gain weight slowly so most of it is muscle rather than fat.
When to choose this
- You're already lean (under 15% men, 22% women)
- You want more muscle mass and don't mind gaining a bit of fat
- You've been cutting and want to take advantage of fresh hormone levels
- You're an intermediate+ lifter and progress has slowed at maintenance
Tips
- Small surplus (200-300 cal) — bigger isn't faster, it's just fatter
- Aim for 0.25-0.5kg gain per week (closer to 0.25 for intermediate+)
- Protein at 1.6-2.0g/kg is sufficient — no need to go higher
- Training volume and progressive overload are more important than diet details
- Monitor waist measurement — if it's growing fast, your surplus is too big
Avoid
- Eating everything in sight ("dirty bulk") — you'll gain mostly fat
- Building above ~20% body fat — harder to cut back and worse for health
- Neglecting cardio entirely — some conditioning is good for health and recovery
- Building without a training program — a surplus without stimulus just makes you fatter
Cycling Phases
Most people benefit from cycling: build for 12-24 weeks, cut for 8-12 weeks, maintain for 4-6 weeks, repeat. Each cycle you'll have more muscle and less fat than the last.
Don't Overthink It
If you're unsure, just maintain and train hard. It works for most people at most body fat levels, especially if you're in your first few years of training. You can always adjust later.
Play the Long Game
Your physique is built over years, not weeks. A moderate approach you sustain for 2 years beats an extreme approach you abandon after 6 weeks. Choose the phase that fits your life right now.