1. INTRODUCTION

When it comes to planning a cutting cycle, less is always more. Many bodybuilders wrongly assume that running high-dose, aggressive cycles when cutting is necessary in order to build muscle mass and maximize muscle loss, but that could not be further from the truth.

When cutting, the main priority is to lose fat while preserving muscle. You are lucky if you even gain 1lb of real muscle during a cutting cycle. And guess what? Unless you are a real mass monster, you don’t need a whole lot of androgens to maintain your muscle tissue and performance on a deficit.

This article will teach you everything you need to know to plan a perfect cutting cycle…

2. WHAT ANABOLIC STEROIDS SHOULD YOU OPT FOR?

Every cycle requires a Testosterone base, regardless of the end goal. While cutting, running 200 to 300mg of Testosterone per week is more than enough to maintain muscle mass and performance while feeling your best - you don’t really need to go any higher or add any other compounds.

If you want to maximize muscle hardness and vascularity, you can add a second or even third anabolic steroid like:

• Masteron (Drostanolone) – Injectable – 200 to 400mg a week.
• Primobolan (Methenolone) – Injectable – 300 to 600mg a week.
• Proviron (Mesterolone) – Oral – 25 to 75mg a day.
• Anavar (Oxandrolone) – Oral – 30 to 50mg a day.
• Winstrol (Stanozolol) – Oral – 30 to 50mg a day.

These are all DHT derivatives, and they shine because they pull water out of the muscles while thinning the skin and increasing muscle density, giving you that hard, dry and veiny look (provided you get lean enough).
Equipoise (Boldenone) and Turinabol can also work, though they are not as effective as DHT derivatives when it comes to improving the aesthetic qualities of a lean physique.

For advanced users or competitors, Trenbolone and Superdrol are also an option, but you should probably avoid them unless you already have many cycles under your belt.

Needless to say, you should avoid compounds that cause water retention, like Dianabol, Nandrolone, Anadrol and high doses of Testosterone.

3. THE FAT-BURNERS

The Anabolic Steroids will enhance your energy levels, mood, sex drive, muscle retention, aesthetics and performance while you cut, but they will not have a significant impact on how fast you lose fat tissue.

Losing fat comes down to being on a calorie deficit, which can be achieved by eating less calories and increasing cardio. In most cases, a good diet and regular cardio are enough to reach a lean physique, but athletes who want to get freakishly peeled or those who simply want to accelerate the process may opt for using fat-burning drugs.

Fat-burners are incredibly diverse. You can find oral, injectable and even topical options. Some are incredibly safe, others can literally kill you if overdosed (like DNP).

Tried and tested, popular fat-burners include Clenbuterol, T3, ECA Stack and Yohimbine, among others. While they all have different mechanisms of action, they all burn fat through their stimulant properties, which lead to serious side-effects like tachycardia, hypertension, sweating and jitters.

In recent years, safer (and equally, if not more effective) peptide fat-burners have grown in popularity. Incretin mimetics like Semaglutide, Tirzepatide and Retatrutide are absolutely revolutionizing the weight loss industry, and many bodybuilders are hopping on the bandwagon.

Mitochondrial enhancers like SLU-PP-332, MOTS-C and 5-Amino-1MQ are also making waves for their ability to accelerate fat loss while improving overall health in many ways.

While not strictly necessary (especially if you are not already somewhat lean), adding a fat-burner (or two) to a cutting cycle is an effective way to accelerate your results, break through fat loss plateaus, and get as lean as possible.

4. POST-CYCLE MEASURES

Once your cutting cycle is over, you have to take the right measures to prevent a rebound and stay lean.

If you are cruising, you can stay on a calorie deficit to keep getting leaner without sacrificing your muscle mass, you can opt for maintenance if you are happy with your condition, or you can even aim for a small surplus if you are satisfied with your bodyfat percentage and you want to regain some size.

If you are doing a Post-Cycle Therapy (PCT), you should aim for maintenance calories. Staying on a deficit during PCT is a surefire way to lose muscle mass while compromising hormonal recovery. Switching to a surplus during PCT is an excellent way to regain some of the fat you just lost.

5. FINAL NOTES

A successful cutting cycle is built on simplicity, discipline and smart drug selection, not on reckless doses or unnecessary complexity. Keep your hormones stable, choose compounds that support your goal, use fat-burners strategically, and follow the right post-cycle measures so you keep the condition you worked for.

If you approach your cut with patience and structure, you will get leaner, stay healthier and preserve far more muscle than those who chase shortcuts.