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Cutting Week

A five-day, higher-protein, lower-calorie rotation for a fat-loss phase — built around the same combo meals as the Balanced Week, with carbs trimmed and protein pushed up.

Daily calories
1500-1700 kcal
Protein focus
120-140g/day
Length
5 days

Tuesday

Breakfast
Egg whites scrambled with spinach
Snack
Celery with a small spoon of peanut butter

Thursday

Breakfast
Egg whites scrambled with spinach
Snack
Cucumber and cherry tomatoes

Friday

Dinner
Flex night — keep it protein-forward, watch the portion
Snack
Whatever's left in the fridge

Grocery highlights

  • 3-4 lbs chicken breast
  • 2-3 cans tuna
  • 32oz plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 2 dozen eggs
  • 2-3 avocados
  • Mixed vegetables for roasting
  • Berries
  • Tahini + lemons
  • Lettuce or leafy greens

Same underlying prep as the Balanced Week — same chicken, same tuna, same yogurt — but the carb-heavy sides (rice, pita bread) are cut back or dropped so protein makes up a bigger share of every meal. That's the actual mechanism behind a "cutting" plan: not starvation, just shifting the ratio so you stay fuller on fewer calories.

How to use this plan

  • Cook the chicken and vegetables plain (just salt, pepper, oil) so you can portion by weight if you're tracking macros precisely.
  • The Everyday Yogurt-Tahini Sauce is calorie-dense in small amounts — use it sparingly (a drizzle, not a ladle) to stay in range.
  • 1500-1700 kcal is a starting point, not a rule — adjust portions to your own size, activity level, and how the week feels rather than following the number rigidly.
  • If a snack or dinner leaves you genuinely hungry, add a larger portion of the vegetables first before adding more of anything calorie-dense — they're the cheapest way to add volume.

Have a question about following cutting week?

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