Cutting Meal Plan Template for Coaches (7-Day, 1,800 kcal)
A ready-to-use 1,800 kcal cutting plan with high protein and real recipes. Built for coaches preparing clients for physique competitions or summer cuts.
Cutting season asks more of a meal plan than generic weight loss. Your physique clients need aggressive protein (2.0-2.4 g/kg) to preserve muscle in deficit, strategic carb timing around training, and enough variety to survive 8-16 weeks without going insane.
Below you'll find a complete 1,800 kcal cutting template built from real dietitian-crafted recipes, the science behind cutting vs. general weight loss, and a step-by-step guide to customizing this plan for different body weights, training schedules, and competition timelines.
Want the full 7-day version with grocery lists?
Download the Full Plan (PDF) ↓What Is a Cutting Meal Plan (and Why It's Not Weight Loss)
A cutting meal plan is a time-limited calorie deficit designed for physique athletes who need to lose body fat while holding onto muscle. The distinction matters. Weight loss plans focus on the scale. Cutting plans focus on body composition.
Higher protein than standard weight loss
Cutting demands 2.0-2.4 g of protein per kg of body weight, roughly 20-30% more than a general weight loss plan. This is the single most important factor in preserving lean mass during a deficit. An 80 kg athlete needs 160-192g of protein every day of the cut.
Training-periodized carbs
Unlike general weight loss, cutting plans adjust carbs around training. More carbs on heavy lifting days to fuel performance and recovery. Fewer carbs on rest days when glycogen demand is lower. Fat and protein stay consistent.
A defined end date
Cutting has a timeline: 8-16 weeks leading up to a competition, photoshoot, or season goal. It's not a permanent lifestyle. This structure lets you plan progressive calorie reductions and schedule refeed days strategically.
Refeed days built in
Every 7-14 days, carbs go back up to maintenance level for one day. This restores leptin, replenishes glycogen, and gives the client a psychological break from the deficit. General weight loss plans rarely include refeeds.
The 1,800 kcal Cutting Meal Plan (7 Days)
Here's a real 7-day cutting plan generated by Promealplan from its library of 1,000+ dietitian-crafted recipes. It runs 4 meals a day and averages 1,791 kcal with 154g of protein, roughly 2 g per kg for an 80 kg client holding a deficit. The plan repeats in three menu blocks (days 1–3, 4–5, and 6–7), so meal prep stays simple while the macros stay locked in. Every recipe name and macro number below comes straight from the Promealplan database.
| Day | Meal | Recipe | Kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 — 1,788 kcal · 150g P · 154g C · 63g F | ||||||
| 1 | Breakfast | Greek Yogurt with Honey/Agave | 440 | 38g | 38g | 15g |
| 1 | Lunch | Hummus and Tuna Sandwich | 532 | 47g | 43g | 19g |
| 1 | Afternoon snack | English Muffin Egg-Bacon | 307 | 22g | 28g | 12g |
| 1 | Dinner | Lactose-Free Sweet Potato and Pork Blanquette | 509 | 43g | 45g | 17g |
| Day 2 — 1,788 kcal · 150g P · 154g C · 63g F | ||||||
| 2 | Breakfast | Greek Yogurt with Honey/Agave | 440 | 38g | 38g | 15g |
| 2 | Lunch | Hummus and Tuna Sandwich | 532 | 47g | 43g | 19g |
| 2 | Afternoon snack | English Muffin Egg-Bacon | 307 | 22g | 28g | 12g |
| 2 | Dinner | Lactose-Free Sweet Potato and Pork Blanquette | 509 | 43g | 45g | 17g |
| Day 3 — 1,788 kcal · 150g P · 154g C · 63g F | ||||||
| 3 | Breakfast | Greek Yogurt with Honey/Agave | 440 | 38g | 38g | 15g |
| 3 | Lunch | Hummus and Tuna Sandwich | 532 | 47g | 43g | 19g |
| 3 | Afternoon snack | English Muffin Egg-Bacon | 307 | 22g | 28g | 12g |
| 3 | Dinner | Lactose-Free Sweet Potato and Pork Blanquette | 509 | 43g | 45g | 17g |
| Day 4 — 1,807 kcal · 161g P · 148g C · 65g F | ||||||
| 4 | Breakfast | Buckwheat Wrap with Turkey and Avocado | 507 | 42g | 40g | 21g |
| 4 | Lunch | Mediterranean Chicken and Chickpea Salad | 495 | 47g | 42g | 16g |
| 4 | Afternoon snack | Grison Meat and Cancoillotte Toast | 306 | 32g | 26g | 8g |
| 4 | Dinner | Chicken Pasta Salad | 499 | 40g | 40g | 20g |
| Day 5 — 1,807 kcal · 161g P · 148g C · 65g F | ||||||
| 5 | Breakfast | Buckwheat Wrap with Turkey and Avocado | 507 | 42g | 40g | 21g |
| 5 | Lunch | Mediterranean Chicken and Chickpea Salad | 495 | 47g | 42g | 16g |
| 5 | Afternoon snack | Grison Meat and Cancoillotte Toast | 306 | 32g | 26g | 8g |
| 5 | Dinner | Chicken Pasta Salad | 499 | 40g | 40g | 20g |
| Day 6 — 1,778 kcal · 152g P · 153g C · 62g F | ||||||
| 6 | Breakfast | Protein Oat Pancakes | 481 | 38g | 49g | 15g |
| 6 | Lunch | Roasted Chicken Thigh with Potatoes and Carrots | 467 | 39g | 38g | 18g |
| 6 | Afternoon snack | Smoked Salmon and Plant-Based Yogurt Toast | 318 | 28g | 24g | 12g |
| 6 | Dinner | Lactose-Free Quinoa with Mushrooms and Chicken | 512 | 47g | 42g | 17g |
| Day 7 — 1,778 kcal · 152g P · 153g C · 62g F | ||||||
| 7 | Breakfast | Protein Oat Pancakes | 481 | 38g | 49g | 15g |
| 7 | Lunch | Roasted Chicken Thigh with Potatoes and Carrots | 467 | 39g | 38g | 18g |
| 7 | Afternoon snack | Smoked Salmon and Plant-Based Yogurt Toast | 318 | 28g | 24g | 12g |
| 7 | Dinner | Lactose-Free Quinoa with Mushrooms and Chicken | 512 | 47g | 42g | 17g |
| Weekly Average (per day) | 1,791 | 154g | 152g | 63g | ||
The plan repeats in three menu blocks across the week (days 1–3, 4–5, and 6–7). Protein is deliberately high on every menu to protect lean mass through a cutting phase. Every recipe and macro number comes from Promealplan's dietitian-validated database.
Macro split (weekly average): ~34% protein, ~34% carbs, ~32% fat, averaging 1,791 kcal with 154g protein, 152g carbs, and 63g fat per day. Protein stays aggressive to preserve muscle in a deficit. Give the higher-carb menus to training days and the lighter ones to rest days.
How to Customize This Cutting Plan
Every physique client has a different starting body weight, training volume, and competition timeline. Here's how to adapt this 1,800 kcal base for different scenarios.
Set calories from body weight
A common starting point for cutting is 22-26 kcal per kg of body weight. An 80 kg client starts at roughly 1,760-2,080 kcal. Begin at the higher end and reduce by 100-150 kcal every 2-3 weeks as fat loss stalls. Never drop below 20 kcal/kg unless medically supervised.
Schedule refeed days
Every 7-14 days, bring carbs up to maintenance level (bodyweight x 4-6g carbs) for one day. Keep protein and fat the same. Refeeds restore leptin, replenish muscle glycogen, and improve training performance during the back half of a long cut. Place them on the hardest training day of the week.
Adjust carbs for training days
On heavy lifting days, shift 20-30g of carbs from fat (about 10-15g less fat) to fuel performance. On rest days, reduce carbs by 20-30g and let fat fill the gap. Protein stays constant every day. This keeps total calories the same while matching fuel to demand.
Plan the cut duration
Work backwards from the target date. A realistic rate of fat loss during a cut is 0.5-1% of body weight per week. An 80 kg client aiming to drop from 15% to 10% body fat (about 4 kg of fat) needs 8-12 weeks. Add 2 weeks of buffer for stalls and refeeds. Start the plan before the client feels "ready."
Common Cutting Mistakes
Cutting looks simple on paper. In practice, these mistakes ruin more prep seasons than bad genetics ever will.
Too aggressive of a deficit from day one. Starting at 1,200 kcal leaves nowhere to go when fat loss stalls at week 6. Begin with the smallest deficit that produces results (300-500 kcal below maintenance) and tighten gradually. You need room to make reductions over 12-16 weeks.
Cutting for too long without a break. Cuts beyond 16 weeks increase metabolic adaptation, cortisol, and the risk of muscle loss. If the client needs more than 16 weeks, schedule a 2-week diet break at maintenance calories in the middle. Two 10-week blocks beat one 20-week grind.
Skipping refeed days. Refeeds aren't cheat days. They're a strategic tool to manage leptin, glycogen, and mental health during a prolonged deficit. Skipping them leads to flat muscles, poor training performance, and diet abandonment.
Using cardio as the first solution. When fat loss stalls, coaches often add cardio before adjusting food. This backfires: excessive cardio increases appetite, cortisol, and recovery demands. Reduce calories by 100-150 kcal first. Only add cardio (low intensity, 20-30 minutes) when food can't go lower without compromising protein intake.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a cut last?
What's the difference between cutting and weight loss?
How much protein does a client need during a cut?
When should clients do refeed days?
How do I adjust macros as a client gets leaner?
Looking for more templates? Browse our complete collection of free meal plan templates covering weight loss, muscle gain, cutting, vegetarian, and athletes.
Related Articles
Build Cutting Plans in Minutes, Not Hours
This template gives you a solid starting point for comp prep and summer cuts. But every client needs different calorie targets, refeed schedules, and recipe rotations every few weeks. Doing that manually doesn't scale. Promealplan generates personalized, branded cutting plans from 1,000+ dietitian-crafted recipes, with macro breakdowns and grocery lists included.