You're Not Losing Fat Because You're Not Hungry Enough

What it really means to get lean — and why most guys never make it.

Here's a truth most guys don't want to hear: if you're never uncomfortable, you're not getting shredded. You can't outsmart biology. You can't out-hack discipline. And you can't fake consistency. At some point during a real cut — not a lifestyle diet, not a "clean bulk," but a true fat-loss phase — you're going to feel hungry. That's not a red flag. That's the sign you're finally doing something right.

Now I know the trend these days is "no-hunger diets" and "effortless fat loss." That's marketing. Not reality. The reality is that if you want to see veins in your abs or drop two inches off your waist, you're going to battle hunger. Period. And I don't mean the kind of hunger where you're like, "Hmm, I could eat." I mean the kind of hunger where you finish your meal, sit back, and your body is like, "That's it?"

This is where most guys quit. But this is where results begin.

Getting lean isn't about chasing pain, but it *is* about understanding signals. Hunger is one of the most honest signals your body gives you. When I'm deep in a prep or cutting hard for a shoot, I expect it. I plan for it. I even welcome it. Because it tells me I'm moving in the right direction.

The truth is, hunger isn't a crisis. It's feedback. You just have to know how to read it — and not overreact to it.

What Hunger Really Means During a Cut:

• Your body is dipping into stored energy. That's the goal. That's literally what fat loss is.
• Ghrelin (your hunger hormone) is doing its job. It's nudging you to eat. You don't have to listen every time.
• You're finally off autopilot. Most people have no idea what real hunger feels like because they've been snacking nonstop for years. The first few days of a real cut? That's the wake-up call.

Now listen, I'm not here to glorify suffering. This isn't about starving yourself. It's about embracing the temporary discomfort required to push through plateaus and actually earn the physique you say you want.

What I Do — And What I Recommend:

• Get brutally honest with your tracking. You're probably eating more than you think. The bites, the licks, the "just a little" peanut butter — it adds up. Log everything.
• Time your meals strategically. I prefer front-loading my day when I'm deep in a cut. Bigger meal post-training, lighter meal at night. Some guys do better with intermittent fasting. Find your rhythm, but stick to the numbers.
• Drink water and stay busy. A lot of hunger is boredom. If you're sitting around thinking about your next meal, of course it's going to suck. Move. Train. Create momentum.
• Train with intensity even while cutting. Your lifts might not all be PRs, but you better walk into that gym like you're still trying to build. Your mindset doesn't shift just because your calories did.

Here's the biggest reason most guys never get lean:

They confuse hunger with failure. They hit a few days of cravings or fatigue and assume something's wrong — so they cheat, they refeed, they change the plan. That's like leaving the gym mid-set because the weight got heavy. That's the work. That's the whole point.

You have to remember: your body doesn't care about abs. It cares about survival. It's going to push back when you get lean. That resistance? That's the price. Pay it. And don't whine about it.

Final Thoughts:

Look, you're either building or you're maintaining. If you're cutting, you're going to feel it. You're going to be hungry. And you're going to have to override that little voice in your head that says, "I've earned a break." No. You've earned a result — and you're either moving toward it, or you're not.

If you want to look like you train — not just lift weights, but *look like it* — you're going to have to go through a season of discomfort. It's temporary. But the results last. And when the hunger hits… smile. You're getting closer.