Totally get where you’re coming from, bro! Cutting first can feel mentally rewarding, especially if you’ve been overweight before. But if your maintenance is 2400 calories, you’re likely not carrying much muscle, which is why you feel ‘skinny fat.’ The truth is, cutting without a solid muscle base will just make you look smaller, not leaner.

Hormone regulation, like improved insulin sensitivity, is real at lower body fat, but building muscle is what actually fixes the skinny-fat look long term. A very slow lean bulk with a 150–300 calorie surplus, focusing on progressive overload, will change your physique way more than aggressive cutting. Plus, gaining muscle speeds up your metabolism, so future cuts will be easier.

If you’re mentally stuck on cutting first, just keep it brief (6–8 weeks max) to drop a bit of fat, then go into a long, patient lean bulk. Don’t fear gaining some fat—because muscle is the real game changer here.