4 The Basics of the Cut Meal Plans
Eating to Shed Fat and Boost Energy
Your diet—what you eat, and how much—is critical to your success on The Cut. In this chapter, you’ll learn about the basics of the Cut meal plans. In chapter 5, you’ll find the specific meal plans, which will depend on your current body weight:
MEN:
Starting Weight: 220+ pounds
Starting Daily Caloric Intake: 2,200 to 2,250 calories
Starting Weight: 180–219 pounds
Starting Daily Caloric Intake: 2,000 to 2,050 calories
Starting Weight: 160–179 pounds
Starting Daily Caloric Intake: 1,800 to 1,850 calories
Starting Weight: Under 160 pounds
Starting Daily Caloric Intake: 1,600 to 1,650 calories
WOMEN:
Starting Weight: 220+ pounds
Starting Daily Caloric Intake: 1,700 to 1,750 calories
Starting Weight: 180–219 pounds
Starting Daily Caloric Intake: 1,600 to 1,650 calories
Starting Weight: 160–179 pounds
Starting Daily Caloric Intake: 1,500 to 1,550 calories
Starting Weight: 140–159 pounds
Starting Daily Caloric Intake: 1,400 to 1,450 calories
Starting Weight: Under 140 pounds
Starting Daily Caloric Intake: 1,300 to 1,350 calories
The meal plans are designed to provide you enough calories from healthy, clean foods so you’ll feel satisfied during the day, while allowing you to lose a minimum of 1 or 2 pounds per week. The balance of proteins, carbs (both starchy carbs and fibrous carbs, which we’ll talk about in a bit), and healthy fat should prevent you from feeling hungry between meals—that’s what the people who participated in our focus group told us! If you do get hungry between meals, drink more water, or snack on a handful of raw broccoli, peppers, or carrots. They’ll fill you up without a lot of extra calories.
On each plan, you’ll consume the same average number of calories a day for the first four weeks. During the next four weeks (week 5 to week 8), your daily calorie intake will drop slightly; during the last four weeks (week 9 to week 12), your calorie intake will drop again. This caloric reduction takes into account the weight you’ve already lost on the program, and will keep you from hitting a plateau where you stop losing weight.
THE CUT DIET
The Cut is based on natural, whole foods that are loaded with nutrients and fiber that will help stave off hunger while giving you steady energy all day. While the calorie totals of the plans vary, each plan is based on the four following components:
Lean protein: Lean protein at every meal, to help create and maintain lean muscle.
Starchy carbs: Healthy complex carbs (what we’ll call starchy carbs) for energy and satisfaction.
Fibrous carbs: A variety of vegetables and fruits (what we’ll refer to as fibrous carbs) for energy, vitamins, and fiber.
Healthy fats: Healthy fats to help your body absorb certain nutrients and feel satisfied.
To make things simple to follow, we’ve calculated the number of servings of each of these four components that you’ll eat each day, based on your gender and starting body weight.
For example, if you’re a 5'2" woman whose starting weight is 138 pounds, during the first four weeks on the plan, each day you’ll consume:
4 servings of lean protein;
2 servings of starchy carbs;
4 servings of fibrous carbs; and
3 servings of healthy fats.
And if you’re a 5'8" man whose starting weight is 228 pounds, during the first four weeks on the plan, each day you’ll consume:
7 servings of lean protein;
6 servings of starchy carbs;
5 servings of fibrous carbs; and
6 servings of healthy fats.
The Cut diet plans emphasize eating lean protein and vegetables. While these plans are based on consuming a certain number of calories, you needn’t count calories to succeed. You just follow the number of portions, swapping in different foods as you’d like. We’ve provided you with some sample daily plans to give you some ideas, but they’re only a guideline. The “Cut Food Lists” below let you swap different foods, depending on what you feel like eating. You’ll also find recipes that meet the Cut program guidelines in chapter 6.
Portion sizes are really important. Not only do most people choose the wrong kinds of foods—they also eat far too much of them! We’ve made it easy for you by giving suggested portions for each food you’ll eat. Not only will this keep your calories in the suggested range, you’ll also relearn the appropriate portion sizes. As you start to eat healthy foods that nourish your body, provide energy, and support weight loss, you won’t have to battle the same kinds of cravings that can sabotage so many typical diets. And as your stomach becomes used to consuming smaller amounts of food, you’ll find that you’re satisfied with smaller portions. Many of our focus group participants told us they couldn’t believe how much smaller their meals became—yet they still felt full! Why? First, protein takes longer to digest; second, the healthy carbs you eat help fill you up and keep you feeling full for hours. This will help you maintain your weight long after you’ve completed The Cut!
Finally, you’ll also consume a whey protein shake five days a week on the Cut program (see recipe, here). Drink it an hour before you work out, and whenever you prefer on days you don’t exercise. The shake will give you extra energy and protein to help build and retain the lean muscle that drives your metabolism. We also suggest you take fish oil supplements to increase your intake of healthy omega-3 fats while on The Cut. The fish oil counts as a healthy fat on the program. (If you don’t want to take fish oil, that’s fine—swap in one serving of healthy fat instead.) Finally, we recommend a multivitamin to make sure that you’re getting essential vitamins and minerals.
Making the Cut: Real People, Real Results
Name: Olivia Rose Bolton
Age: 24
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Occupation: Full-time student and mother
Height: 5'2"
Starting weight: 172.4 pounds
Ending weight: 144 pounds
Ever since giving birth to my daughter, who’s now a toddler, I’ve struggled with my weight. I had success with one diet, but I had to make special meals that were different from what I made for my family. That was unrealistic for me. I like that on The Cut, the meals are something my whole family can enjoy.
I wasn’t sure what my husband would think of the meals because of how we normally ate before I did the program—I made a lot of pasta, casseroles, and other heavy dishes—but he loved how simple yet flavorful the meals were. He was happy we could still have pasta, sweet potatoes, and brown rice; just the portions, sauces, and dressings changed. I was able to find a healthier way to cook without adding sauces, salt, and calories to everything.
I felt a difference in my body during the first week of The Cut. Not only did I lose 5 pounds in five days, but I was starting to feel more energetic and not so sluggish. I was definitely sore but it was a good feeling! The strength training was my favorite part of the program.
I had the misconception that women who lifted weights would start to look masculine. Boy, was I wrong! Strength training is what made me more defined and got me pumped to tackle the cardio. I noticed a huge difference in my arms specifically using the strength training, and compliments have been pouring in.
The interval training, or sprinting at 6 mph then walking at 3 mph at 30-second intervals, got my heart rate up, but I didn’t feel like I was killing myself on the treadmill. I noticed after a while that I wasn’t getting as winded as I did before, and I could increase my sprints to 7 mph. After 12 weeks, I feel more confident, energetic, and like I have my old spark back. I can finally run without feeling like I’m going to pass out, and I feel stronger than ever.
My toddler picks up on everything I do, and I hated that she saw that Mommy ate so unhealthy and couldn’t keep up with her without getting winded. Now my daughter will randomly try to do squats and push-ups when she sees Mommy doing them at the park. She has gotten so used to me going to the gym every night that like clockwork, she brings me my tennis shoes and shaker cup, saying “Mommy go gym?” That feels fantastic—knowing your child sees you working hard and that you’re setting the example of a healthy lifestyle.
The Cut has completely changed how I think about nutrition and exercise. It’s also helped my personal life because I now have the confidence and energy to be a better wife and mother. I’m grateful for this experience and my newfound passion for living a healthy lifestyle!
THE CUT SERVINGS LIST
As we explained, the number of servings of the four food groups you’ll consume depends on your target number of calories. In most cases, that caloric target will drop every four weeks to help avoid weight loss plateaus. Here are the number of servings you’ll have depending on your target calorie intake:
Number of Servings/Day
Daily Caloric Target: Lean protein (P)
1,200: 4
1,300: 4
1,400: 4
1,500: 4
1,600: 5
1,700: 5
1,800: 5
2,000: 6
2,220: 7
Daily Caloric Target: Starchy carbs (SC)
1,200: 2
1,300: 3
1,400: 3
1,500: 3
1,600: 3
1,700: 4
1,800: 5
2,000: 5
2,220: 6
Daily Caloric Target: Fibrous carbs (C)
1,200: 4
1,300: 4
1,400: 5
1,500: 5
1,600: 5
1,700: 5
1,800: 5
2,000: 5
2,220: 5
Daily Caloric Target: Healthy fats (F)
1,200: 3
1,300: 3
1,400: 3
1,500: 4
1,600: 4
1,700: 4
1,800: 5
2,000: 6
2,220: 6
THE CUT FOODS
The Cut meal plan is designed to keep your metabolism revved with plenty of protein and nutrients from complex carbohydrates, vegetables and fruits, and a little bit of healthy fat. Each day’s plan is a blueprint—you can follow it as is, or swap in other allowed foods from the same category, as long as you keep the portions the same.
The way you prepare your food is also important. Use cooking methods like grilling, braising, baking, or roasting that add a minimal amount of fat to your food. Fat—even healthy fat—contains a lot of calories (9 calories per gram) compared with protein and carbs (which each contain 4 calories per gram), so you want to be mindful of your portions when eating foods like nuts and olive oil. Use a measuring spoon until you’re sure you can serve yourself the correct amount.
The Cut Food Lists
Proteins (P)
A serving is 3 ounces of the following:
Beef (any lean cut)
Chicken
Eggs and/or egg whites (1 egg = 1 serving; 5 egg whites = 1 serving)
Fish (including haddock, salmon, swordfish, tilapia, whitefish)
Lobster
Low-fat or no-fat cottage cheese (½ cup = 1 serving)
Low-fat or nonfat Greek yogurt (Greek yogurt contains more protein than regular yogurt; ½ cup = 1 serving)
Pork (lean cuts)
Shrimp
Tempeh
Tofu (firm or soft)
Tuna (canned, packaged, or fresh)
Turkey
Starchy Carbs (SC)
A serving is ½ cup of the following:
Beans/legumes (for example, black beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, white beans)
Bread (whole-grain or multigrain preferred; 1 slice is a serving)
Farro
Millet
Oatmeal (plain)
Oats, rolled
Pasta (whole-grain preferred)
Potatoes (any type)
Quinoa
Rice (brown preferred)
Sweet potatoes
Tortillas (whole-grain or corn)
Fibrous Carbs (C)
Vegetables
A serving of non-leafy vegetables is 1 cup; a serving of leafy vegetables is 2 cups.
Alfalfa sprouts
Artichokes
Asparagus
Bean sprouts
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Corn
Cucumbers
Garlic
Green beans
Kale
Mushrooms
Onions
Peas (any kind)
Peppers (all types, including hot)
Radishes
Scallions
Spinach
Squash (all types)
Swiss chard
Tomatoes
Water chestnuts
Fruits
A serving is 1 cup or 1 medium whole fruit.
Apples
Apricots
Avocados
Bananas
Cantaloupe
Cranberries
Grapes
Honeydew melon
Oranges
Peaches
Pears
Pineapple
Plums
Raisins
Strawberries
Watermelon
Healthy Fats (F)
A serving is 2 teaspoons of the nut butters and oils; a serving is also 1⁄8 cup (2 tablespoons) of nuts or seeds.
Almond butter
Almonds (unsalted)
Canola oil
Coconut oil
Flaxseeds/flaxseed oil
Olive oil
Olives (all types)
Peanut butter
Peanuts (unsalted)
Pecans (unsalted)
Pistachios (unsalted)
Sesame seeds
Sunflower oil
Sunflower seeds
Walnuts (unsalted)
Making the Cut: Real People, Real Results
Name: Will Capello
Age: 32
Location: Gonzales, Louisiana
Occupation: Process operator
Height: 5'11"
Starting weight: 230 pounds
Ending weight: 197 pounds
I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember, and this time I was at my all-time heaviest. When I had to order new work pants in a bigger size, I drew the line and decided to do something.
I’ve always ridden that infamous metabolic yo-yo. I’d lose 30 pounds, get to looking and feeling good, and then totally lose momentum. Then I’d be back to square one. That was very stressful mentally.
I’ve tried all kinds of diets and eating tricks. Low-carb was the one I typically used the most. The diets worked for short periods of time but I would get so burned out eating the same stuff. I just had no variety and felt like I was depriving myself. Then, when I came off the diet, all that hard work would go down the drain, and I was back trying to get the weight back down. I just hadn’t been able to figure out a diet and exercise plan that worked well with my lifestyle.
The main issue I dealt with on The Cut was that urge to eat other foods that weren’t on the diet—you know, like that big plate of spaghetti and meatballs, pizza, beans and rice with sausage and gumbo. For me it was a matter of telling myself no.
I drank plenty of water to try to stay full so I wouldn’t crave anything and tried to avoid situations where I would be tempted to eat off the program. Even though it took discipline, I enjoyed the diet more than other diets. I loved this diet because you can eat a variety of good foods and not feel so deprived. Plus, I always had energy.
At first on The Cut, it was just mentally taxing knowing I had a long way to go to get in great shape. But after a few weeks, I felt excellent. I had more energy and was seeing progress. The foods are clean but tasty, and are something I can eat every day. The workouts are intense, but I really feel good after a gym session.
The most challenging part was staying consistent with the cardio. I’ve done lots in the past but never this consistently. It was just mind over matter for me. I just kept my rock music blaring on my iPhone and kept pushing through.
By about the end of the first month, my pants were feeling looser and I had more energy. I was getting stronger in the gym and had more stamina. After 12 weeks, I feel great. I’m going to continue working out to get beach-ready for next summer!
THE IMPORTANCE OF CHEAT MEALS
During every week of The Cut, you’ll follow the same basic diet Monday through Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, however, you’ll eat two cheat meals each, for a total of four cheat meals each weekend. You can “cheat” with whatever foods you love, including the following:
Bacon/sausage (or other fatty meats)
Doughnuts
Enchiladas
French fries
Fried chicken
Hamburger
Ice cream
Pancakes/waffles
Pastrami sandwich
Pizza
Subway sandwich
Cheat meals play an important role in the Cut diet plan. They break the monotony of eating the same types of foods, day after day, and give you treats to look forward to on the weekends. You can choose any food you’d like as a cheat meal as long as you choose small portions—about the size of your fist. That will keep your calories in the range to continue your weight loss.
Cheats break up the monotony day in, day out, and let you reward yourself—in a small way—after sticking to The Cut for a week. They also let you indulge in your favorite foods, and you learn how to include smaller portions of even unhealthy foods without overeating. That will help you maintain your fat loss even after you complete The Cut.
THE BIG PICTURE
Now that you understand the why of the Cut diet, let’s take the next step and get into the how. You’ll find the Cut meal plans in the next chapter.