Cutting Steroid Cycles & Stacks

Hands up who loves a cutting cycle? Without a doubt, cutting is not a time for any bodybuilder or competitor really looks forwards to.

For me, I have always dreaded a cutting phase. What’s fun about watching your every calorie, having to say no to most of the food you love, and generally feeling like you’re depriving yourself of everything good in life? Okay, so it’s not going to be the end of the world, but cutting cycles are tough.

There’s no way around it. Well, there is and it’s called slacking off: but a cutting cycle that isn’t tough isn’t going to get you results. So if you aren’t gonna do it properly, don’t bother cutting at all.

Cutting, or shredding, at its very core is all about losing fat and maintaining lean muscle. Losing fat is easy enough – just eat less. But if you start burning up muscle tissue then you’re not cutting: you’re just losing weight.

You need to keep your body in an anabolic state while losing fat. Easier said than done! Using steroids that promote muscle retention is the key to a successful cutting cycle. Some are obviously better than this at others, and some can go further in actively promoting fat loss.

No matter what steroids you take though, your diet has to be on point or you’ll be wasting a whole lot of time and money! This guide is ALL you need to know about the best cutting compounds, cycles and stacks for steroid users.

Author’s Note: The following guide is based on my personal experience and does NOT promote the use of illegal steroids (PEDs).

Steroid Compounds for Cutting (Lean Muscle)

Some anabolic steroids are a lot more suitable for cutting cycles than others. There are also some other non-anabolic steroid compounds and products which have their place in a cutting phase.

So with so many options available, how do you choose the right combination for your cutting cycle? You want to get ripped, lose fat, and retain muscle. All of the follow steroids and other compounds will help you achieve these goals.

Anavar

Anavar is one of the few steroids which can really be called a cutting steroid. Very few cutting stacks will go without using Anavar because of its superior ability to increase body fat loss while retaining existing muscle tissue and promoting a lean, hard, vascular physique.

WHAT IS IT: Anavar (Oxandrolone) is an oral steroid that starts working very quickly. Even though Anavar has a much higher anabolic rating than testosterone, it is not considered a bulking steroid at all; in fact it will provide very little benefit for building muscle in men. It is however the most popular cutting steroid for many reasons.

HOW IT WORKS: Unlike most steroids, Anavar actively contributes to fat burning by promoting the lipolysis process. It helps maintain a healthy metabolic rate by preserving lean tissue; if this tissue is lost, you enter a state of catabolism so this is where the true value of Anavar is.

BENEFITS: Anavar boosts the metabolism and this is a core principal if you’re going to cut fat. Anavar keeps the body in an anabolic state so not only are you losing fat, but keeping the muscle you’ve gained from bulking cycles.

A secondary benefit is the increase in strength Anavar will give you, more endurance, and faster recovery – all translating to harder, more efficient cardio and workout sessions.

Another benefit is the lack of aromatizing activity, so even if you are gaining a small amount of mass during this cycle Anavar won’t be causing fluid retention and importantly, you’ll get a harder and more defined physique including increased vascularity.

DOSAGE: There’s some flexibility in Anavar dosing, with some guys using as low as 30mg daily, and going up to 60mg or more in more hardcore cycles. Due to Anavar’s liver toxicity risk, your Anavar cutting cycle shouldn’t go longer than 8 weeks maximum no matter what your dosage is.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Anavar is relatively mild when it comes to side effects. There are no estrogenic effects, and androgenic effects are mild but if you are prone to acne or hair loss, you might see these effects.

Negative changes to cholesterol can be the most serious side effect. As an oral steroid, Anavar will stress the liver and is considered moderately hepatotoxic compared to some other orals.

Anavar is a legendary cutting steroid for good reason and you would need a very good reason not to add it to your next cutting cycle.

Winstrol

Winstrol is a famous steroid that has the most benefits for cutting as well as athletic performance. Little wonder then that it’s been the illicit drug of choice for many athletes over the years, most notably several famous sprinters back in the late 1980’s. You’re probably not an Olympic sprinter though, so what can Winstrol do for you in a cutting cycle?

WHAT IS IT: Winstrol (Stanozolol) is based on dihydrotestosterone (DHT), resulting in a hormone that is much less androgenic than regular DHT and only one fifth of testosterone.

Winstrol is not specifically a cutting or fat burning steroid like Anavar is, but it increases strength, power and speed and importantly, it has great benefits for the joints.

HOW IT WORKS: One of the unique functions of Winstrol is its ability to greatly reduce SHBG (while most other steroids actually increase it), ultimately bringing about an increase in free testosterone.

Even though it’s far from a bulking steroid, Winstrol still increases nitrogen retention and improves protein synthesis and red blood cell count – but minimally compared with most other compounds.

BENEFITS: With the boost in strength and power, you’re going to be able to supercharge your cardio workouts while reducing fat. Winstrol helps you reach your cutting targets faster, and with additional benefits.

Winstrol promotes muscle hardening so you’re not just losing fat but you’re getting a shredded, hard physique as well. It can really help reduce joint pain, and this is a problem we often deal with when becoming more lean during cutting.

DOSAGE: First, choose whether you’re going to use oral or injectable Winstrol. For cutting, the oral form at 25mg up to 50mg daily is effective. If injecting, 50mg every two days provides a balance of benefits and side effects.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Winstrol comes in both oral and injectable forms, and you can expect the same side effects with both including that both are liver toxic. The toxicity is quite high with Winstrol, higher than Anavar, and this will limit your cycle length and dosage.

Winstrol will suppress your testosterone a lot so you’ll need exogenous testosterone in your cycle. There are no estrogenic effects, and androgenic effects are usually mild. Winstrol can significantly negatively impact cholesterol levels.

Winstrol is a very popular steroid for good reason. It’s an extremely effective cutting compound that can deliver that highly desirable hard, dry appearance and is particularly valuable when you’re already lean and need more extreme results.

Clenbuterol

Actually Clenbuterol isn’t an anabolic steroid at all, but a beta2-agonist that can act as a bronchodilator that has steroid type effects, and for this reason it has some very appealing properties for those wanting a non-anabolic steroid compound to use for performance enhancement and weight loss.

WHAT IS IT: Clenbuterol was originally made to treat asthma medically, but it’s become much more famous as a weight loss agent. It is basically a powerful stimulant and it can have a great effect on reducing fat and muscle growth.

Clen won’t grow muscle like anabolic steroids do, but studies have shown it can stimulate muscle growth as well as muscle repair, and this is important when you’re cutting fat.

HOW IT WORKS: This compound is proven to reduce body fat as well as increase lean muscle. Clen boosts the metabolic rate, which at its core is caused by an increase in body temperature (this does contribute to some possible side effects). Some users find the metabolic effects wane with continued use, so a two week and two week off routine is often very effective.

BENEFITS: The biggest benefit of Clen is its positive impacts on metabolism. With your metabolism working more efficiently, your body can’t help but burn body fat, especially when you’re on a calorie deficit diet while cutting.

Although far from a muscle building compound, Clen will help prevent muscle wastage while you’re cutting thanks to its minor anabolic properties that mildly increases protein synthesis.

DOSAGE: It’s best to start at a low dose and increase gradually. 40mcg daily to start with can be increased during the cycle up to 100mcg, with some guys even going to 140mcg daily (this should be the absolute maximum dose).

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: As a stimulant, Clen comes with some different side effects than you’ll normally see with real anabolic steroids. These can include an increased heart rate, chest pain or faster heart rate and breathing, increased sweating, anxiety, increased blood sugar levels, and a general jittery feeling like some people can experience after a lot of caffeine.

So Clen isn’t a fat loss miracle, but it’s a powerful metabolic booster that will simply help you burn calories faster, and we all want to do that in a cutting cycle.

Clen is often stacked with potent cutting steroids like Anavar or Winstrol and helps provide that extra edge as you work to become leaner during your cutting phase.

Trenbolone

Trenbolone is a steroid that you can either use, or you can’t. Many guys find the side effects too much to handle, but if you someone who can tolerate Tren then you’ll reap big benefits. It’s true that Trenbolone is best known as a bulking steroid, but as you’ll see it is excellent for cutting cycles too.

WHAT IS IT: Trenbolone is one of, if not the most powerful anabolic steroid and with that comes potent effects. Those in the know will not only use Tren for bulking, but in a cutting phase where it can stack very well with a steroid like Winstrol. Tren has a massive anabolic/androgenic ratio of 500 and 500 and is a nandrolone derived steroid.

HOW IT WORKS: For cutting purposes, Tren will keep your nitrogen balance intact so you’re not falling into a catabolic state and losing lean muscle.

Tren reduces stress hormones, which can also lead to catabolism when you’re on a strict cutting diet and doing intense cardio work. It binds strongly to the androgen receptor and this can result in direct fat burning.

BENEFITS: Some say that Tren is the most beneficial cutting steroid ever. Losing fat while cutting is pretty simple, but not losing muscle is the hard part.

Tren steps in here to protect muscle mass while also promoting more efficient fat burning – a result of its ability to bind to androgen receptors. Hardness and vascularity are also enhanced with Tren.

DOSAGE: You need to strike a fine balance between side effects and benefits when dosing Tren for cutting. As a very powerful steroid, as low as 50mg every two days is enough for some guys. You might be able to increase this to 100mg, or even 200mg every other day.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: You can expect many of the side effects seen with other steroids, as well as a few that are unique to Tren – but not everyone will experience some of the more severe effects. The good news is that there’s no water retention because Tren doesn’t aromatize.

Unfortunately gyno can still develop due to progestin. Estrogenic effects can occur, and blood pressure can be impacted at higher doses. The more dreaded Tren specific effects include increased sweating, heart rate and anxiety, loss of libido and insomnia.

It’s hard to look past Trenbolone because it really is one of the ultimate steroids, and not just for bulking. It’s one of the best cutting compounds you can use and if you’re fortunate enough to be able to tolerate Tren well, you will find it an invaluable addition to your cycle.

Testosterone Propionate

These days Testosterone Propionate is not as popular as larger ester and longer acting compounds like Cypionate and Enanthate, but it certainly still has its uses and is worth considering in your cutting cycles for reasons you will discover below.

WHAT IS IT: Testosterone Propionate is a regular testosterone hormone with the propionate ester attached. It is one of the faster acting testosterone compounds with a half life of about 2 days.

HOW IT WORKS: The Propionate ester ensures a controlled release of the pure testosterone hormone once you’ve injected, providing a stable release of testosterone into the bloodstream.

When it comes to cutting, if you’re using other steroids that suppress testosterone, you will need an external form. Testosterone Propionate provides that source and is easy to include in any cutting cycle as a testosterone replacement.

BENEFITS: Although not confirmed, many users swear that Testosterone Propionate results in reduced water retention compared with other forms of testosterone, and for this reason it is most often used as the testosterone source of a cutting cycle.

It has a benefit over slower acting esters in that you’ll be injecting more frequently, making sure your testosterone is always at the optimal level. It stacks well with all popular cutting steroids, including Anavar, Masteron, Primobolan, Trenbolone and Winstrol.

DOSAGE: For testosterone replacement during a steroid cutting cycle, no more than 25mg to 50mg every two days will be needed for the duration of your cutting cycle.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: At the low dosage used for testosterone replacement, most side effects associated with higher doses are unlikely but if you do experience them it may include some androgenic effects like acne and hair loss, while natural testosterone will be suppressed so you’ll still require PCT after your cycle.

While Testosterone Propionate is the same as all other testosterone steroids, with a shorter ester, if you want a compound that you can inject more frequently to ensure your blood levels of testosterone are always at their peak during your cutting cycle, it’s worth considering this lesser used form over other esters.

Primobolan

Primobolan (Methenolone) is both an oral and injectable steroid that is known to directly promote fat loss. It is most often used for cutting cycles for this reason, and because its anabolic rating is quite weak so it’s not well suited to bulking.

WHAT IS IT: Primobolan is a dihydrotestosterone (DHT) derived steroid. You can choose either the oral or injectable (Depot) forms, but the injection is widely regarded as being much more effective.

HOW IT WORKS: Primobolan works to deliver excellent cutting outcomes by increasing protein synthesis and most of all, enhancing nitrogen retention.

Primo does not do these things to the extreme extend of potent bulking steroids, but the key is its ability to promote lean mass retention – maintaining your existing muscle while losing fat. Because of its high androgen receptor binding activity, Primobolan contributes directly to the fat burning process (lipolysis).

BENEFITS: With no water retention, Primobolan can help you achieve that hardened, ripped look. It’s no secret that this was likely ones of Arnie’s favorite steroids.

Preservation of muscle tissue is a critical benefit of Primobolan, as it stops you becoming catabolic while your cutting diet is one of calorie deficiency.

Primobolan increases strength, recovery and muscle endurance so will contribute positively to your workouts.

DOSAGE: The lowest dose or Primobolan Depot when cutting to promote muscle retention is 200mg weekly, however most users will want at least 300mg.

Depending on your goals, most guys can go up to 500-600mg weekly without risk of serious side effects. The oral form can work well with as little as 50mg daily, up to 150mg maximum.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Overall Primobolan is a safe and mild steroid (compared to most others). Primobolan Depot poses some risk to cholesterol health, but no serious risk to blood pressure. Primobolan comes with risks of androgenic effects including acne and hair loss, with individual reactions widely varying.

There are no estrogenic effects, and it will suppress testosterone to an extent but as you’ll likely be using it combined with other steroids, your testosterone is likely to be suppressed anyway and you’ll require a testosterone steroid in your cutting cycle. Oral Primobolan poses no liver toxicity issues, unlike most other oral steroids.

Primobolan is a steroid that can disappoint you if you don’t understand it, but can also greatly impress you if you realize its limitations and the specific benefits it can provide – if your main goal is to lose body fat while maintaining muscle mass then Primobolan is a quality steroid to consider.

Masteron

Masteron is an old steroid but one that to this day is extremely popular for cutting, and particularly for competition purposes. But even if you’re not a competitor, Masteron can provide significant benefits when included in a cutting cycle.

WHAT IS IT: Masteron (Drostanolone) is a DHT derived anabolic steroid. By its anabolic rating of 65 and androgenic rating of 25, it seems a mild steroid compared with testosterone. This makes it pretty well tolerated by most guys and perfect for cutting; Masteron is not a bulking steroid.

HOW IT WORKS: Masteron works best when stacked with other steroids in a cutting cycle, because of it’s anti-estrogenic properties it naturally works to harden the body and reduce (but not totally remove) unwanted estrogenic effects of other steroids, especially fluid retention which is the last thing you want when cutting or doing contest prep.

BENEFITS: Masteron will give you the most benefit if you’re already nice and lean – it’s not a compound for reducing obesity. Masteron excels at removing those last ounces of stubborn fat, which is why it’s so prized by competitors.

Masteron will also increase strength which you will certainly welcome on your calorie deficient cutting diet.

A unique property of Masteron is that it’s anti-estrogenic, so not only don’t you get water retention but it can actively help with physique hardening during cutting.

DOSAGE: As part of a cutting stack, Masteron is usually used for up to 8 weeks at a maximum of 400mg weekly. You’ll need to split the dose to approximately 100mg every two days.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Masteron presents a more mild side effect risk than most other compounds. You won’t have to worry about gyno or water retention because Masteron doesn’t aromatize. If you’re genetically predisposed to baldness, Masteron can have a strong effect in this area.

Masteron can also negatively effect your cholesterol and shouldn’t be used if you already have cholesterol issues. As expected your natural testosterone will be suppressed by Masteron.

Masteron is a steroid with great benefits, but must be put to specific use to really see the maximum potential for what it can offer you. Put Masteron near the end of any cutting cycle and you will reap significant results if a hardened, ripped, bloat-free physique is what you’re aiming for.

Equipoise

Equipoise is one of the more versatile steroids, but where it provides the biggest benefit is during cutting cycles. If you’re after a steroid that is likely to be well tolerated while providing specific benefits while you’re cutting, you will be hard pressed to find many that are better suited than Equipoise.

WHAT IS IT: Equipoise was originally made for use in horses to promote increased strength and lean mass. It is based on testosterone, but has a reduced androgenic rating of just 50, while the anabolic rating remains the same at 100.

HOW IT WORKS: Equipoise only has a minor modification from testosterone but this decreases the androgenic strength and also its ability to build mass compared with testosterone.

EQ still works to boost nitrogen retention and protein synthesis, whilst increasing output of IGF-1. It has value for cutting purposes as it can help protect lean mass while improving conditioning, as long as its moderate estrogenic effects are controlled.

BENEFITS: Even though Equipoise is useful for bulking, it really shines when it comes to cutting cycles because of the way it promotes retention of lean muscle tissue while you’re on a calorie deficient diet. The boost to strength is also valuable while cutting. EQ will improve vascularity and hardness of your physique.

DOSAGE: For cutting purposes, a higher dosage holds little benefit but higher risk of side effects. Therefore, as little as 200mg weekly, up to 400mg weekly is most recommended.

An 8 week cutting cycle with Equipoise is recommended, including if you are doing a longer cycle with other compounds; simply use EQ for the first 8 weeks.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: A concerning side effect – or more so, just an effect of EQ, if you’re on a cutting cycle is that of appetite stimulation. Equipoise can make some users want to eat more, but not everyone will experience this issue. At mid to high doses, estrogenic effects can rear their head, including gyno and water retention.

EQ has fairly low androgenic activity, but these side effects are still possible and include acne and male pattern baldness. Natural testosterone production will be suppressed by EQ so an exogenous testosterone compound in your stack is a must.

Equipoise’s unique ability to stimulate the appetite can clearly present some problems when you’re doing a cutting cycle – the last thing you want is to feel more hungry! But if you don’t experience a strong appetite stimulant effect from this steroid, it is an exceptional compound to use for cutting and physique enhancement.

ECA stack

An ECA stack is nothing like you’ll find with anabolic steroids. It contains no steroids at all; it is simply a combination of three well known ingredients: ephedrine, caffeine, and aspirin.

WHAT IS IT: ECA stack is designed to have a stimulant effect and to be used for weight loss. It is a potent combination of ingredients which includes one, ephedrine, which is not legal in many countries including the US.

HOW IT WORKS: Both Ephedrine and caffeine are stimulants which can increase the heart rate, increase body temperature, boost energy and alertness and reduce fatigue. Caffeine alone won’t help you lose fat, but it can boost your workout performance. The aspirin part of the ECA stack works to maintain the effects of the other two ingredients.

BENEFITS: Increased energy (both physical and mental) can motivate you to increase your cardio workouts, so you’ll burn fat faster. Ephedrine itself may increase your resting metabolic rate, so it can potentially directly help burn fat. Another benefit is that there are no steroids in the stack, so you’re not dealing with the usual side effects like water retention or testosterone suppression.

DOSAGE: Depending where you live, it might be difficult or impossible to find a ready to use ECA stack product, so sourcing separate ingredients might be needed. Aspirin and caffeine are easy enough to find, but Ephedrine is not legal in many locations.

If you are able to source all three ingredients, you should start at a low dose and monitor the effects. 20mg daily of ephedrine is considered low, 40–90 mg daily is a high dose which is as high as you’d want to go. 400mg caffeine daily and 81mg aspirin daily is often recommended.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Taking stimulants can cause some people to experience serious side effects, like insomnia, headaches, high blood pressure and anxiety. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, you’d probably want to skip the ECA stack altogether. Additionally, some people experience gastrointestinal tract bleeding when using aspirin over a long term.

The ECA stack provides a genuine alternative to anabolic steroids for fat loss. However keep in mind that it does heavily rely on the effects of stimulants, and this won’t be tolerated well by everyone.

T3 Cytomel

Cytomel (Liothyronine Sodium) is also not an anabolic steroid in the traditional sense, in that it isn’t based on testosterone. Instead it is a synthetic form of the thyroid hormone triiodothyronine. This hormone is critical to normal metabolic processes, which might give you some hint as to its potential for cutting and fat loss.

WHAT IS IT: Cytomel (T3) is used medically by people with an underactive thyroid which can result in weight gain. T3 therefore assists with weight loss indirectly, by replacing this thyroid hormone.

When used by athletes with a normal functioning thyroid at a dose above what is naturally produced by the thyroid, the metabolism is increased and fat burning becomes easier and faster.

HOW IT WORKS: The T3 hormone naturally regulates your body’s metabolism, and the synthetic form is designed to mimic the hormone’s functionality.

When your T3 and metabolism is at a high level, the body burns fat faster and more efficiently. Clearly this is highly appealing on a cutting cycle and allows you to become leaner than you otherwise could naturally.

BENEFITS: T3 can be paired with some anabolic steroids as a fat burning agent in a cutting cycle, with the steroids preventing any potential catabolism or muscle tissue loss. The full potential fat loss benefits of T3 will only be realized if your cutting diet is running at a calorie deficit and your workouts are suitable.

DOSAGE: Your body produces a certain amount of T3 naturally, so if you take less than that amount you’ll actually be going backwards and will become deficient in this hormone.

The minimum recommended dose to start with and to assess the impact on yourself is 25mcg daily, and no lower. Increase to 50mcg if you feel comfortable.

The dosage can be increased gradually over the next few days, by 25mcg daily, until you reach your desired maximum which could be 75mcg per day, or 100mcg daily – any higher is rarely recommended.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Too high of a dosage can result in muscle loss due to protein metabolism also increasing. Too low of a dosage can result in fat gain due to not enough hormone being present. Both these effects are easily avoided through correct dosing.

Mild side effects that you may experience at any dose are a higher body temperature and increased hunger (which might not be welcome while cutting). The muscles might also feel a little flat, particularly at higher doses.

T3 speeds up your fat loss and makes it easier to lose fat; this is the core use of this hormone and it’s a very specific use. It is a low cost drug that is generally easy to find and is tolerated well by most people when used within the recommended dosage range.

Steroid Stacks for Cutting (Fat Loss)

Steroid stacks combine two or more compounds together so you can combine the benefits of them all and achieve greater results than you would by using just one compound alone. Beginner stacks can be simple, while advanced users can easily combine three or even more compounds in a cycle.

Anavar/Winstrol

A stack of two of the most legendary cutting steroids can’t let you down. They just work perfectly together!

BENEFITS: Anavar is a nice mild steroid and at moderate doses is side effect friendly. Winstrol has a drying effect which is going to harden and vascularize

DOSING: You can get away with just 30mg of Winny here and see exceptional results, with Anavar used at anything from 30mg daily, up to 100mg – depending how extreme you need your results to be. Be sure to include testosterone, such as enanthate at 200mg weekly.

RESULTS: With a possible reduction in appetite from Anavar, this will help with your dieting. You can expect awesome synergy between these two compounds that should get you moving some of the more stubborn fat.

PCT: Start 14 days after the cycle if you’ve used test enanthate, then 20 days of Clomid at 50mg daily and it helps to add 1/2 mg daily of Arimidex with it.

Primobolan/Anavar/Deca/Test

A killer combo, with Primo included because of the quality gains it delivers. You won’t be putting much size on with this stack, but it’s perfect for cutting.

BENEFITS: The Deca is going to give you the big benefit of therapeutic improvements, especially joint healing. Combining Anavar and Primo will deliver the hard physique you’re after, and can even be a bit more forgiving if your diet isn’t perfect. You’ll also be able to maintain muscle easier (Primo doesn’t aromatize), but keep in mind this isn’t a cheap cycle to run.

DOSING: A 12 week cycle, you can run Anavar for the entire cycle at 40-60mg daily. Primo can start low at 400mg weekly, increased to 600mg from week 5 onwards. Deca should stay at 200mg weekly throughout. 200mg weekly of test enanthate will cover your testosterone needs.

RESULTS: This stack will help redefine the size you’ve already put on, especially with the inclusion of Primo. The healing properties are a bonus, and with increased nitrogen retention you’re going to be maintaining lean mass while shredding off fat.

PCT: Clomid at 200mg daily, starting 14 days after the cycle ends. Drop this to 50mg daily from days 11 to 20. Many guys also add hCG and start it as soon as the cycle ends. 2,500iu weekly, ideally split in half for two shots a week

Test Prop/Tren/Winstrol

This could possibly be the best stack ever for cutting – it certainly was for me! Don’t be fooled by how basic this cycle looks, because it works.

BENEFITS: Winny will give you the dry hard look you’re wanting with this stack. All three compounds combine to deliver a hard and ripped physique, and they can do this at pretty lose doses thanks to the amazing way they all work together. Just make sure your diet and workouts are right! This is also a pretty cheap cycle to run that won’t break the bank.

DOSING: 8 weeks of 300mg weekly of Tren, 300mg weekly of Winstrol, and 300mg weekly of testosterone propionate.

RESULTS: Everyone’s results will differ, but it’s more than possible to lose 20 or more pounds on this cycle – and not lose any muscle! You can get very lean with this, and easily use it as a pre-comp cycle. Expect a very dry look thanks to Winstrol. Just make sure you can handle the possible side effects, like joint pain and possible mood swings.

PCT: Start 10 days after your cycle ends. 50mg daily of Clomid (20 days total), and include half mg per day of Arimidex which continues for an extra week (27 days total).

Tren/Test Prop/Halotestin/Anavar

A nice simple cycle that goes for 8 weeks and includes a lesser known compound in Halotestin for extra benefit.

BENEFITS: Halotestin provides a big boost to body hardening (but beware that it is strongly toxic to the liver). This is the centerpiece of this cycle, with the other compounds promoting muscle maintenance and strength increases while you’re cutting fat.

DOSING: Halotestin should be run for no longer than 3 weeks with 30mg daily recommended as the maximum. Take Tren at 300mg weekly, Anavar at 50mg daily, and don’t forget your testosterone prop at 300mg weekly.

RESULTS: Expect a hard dry look from this cycle. It is very good for contest prep, especially if you add Halotestin for the last three weeks of the cycle which is going to dramatically harden up the physique while boosting strength quite considerably.

PCT: Start 10 days after your cycle ends. 50mg daily of Clomid (20 days total), and include half mg per day of Arimidex which continues for an extra week (27 days total).

FAQs

Which steroids are best for cutting?

Some steroids have properties that make them highly desirable for cutting – especially where they can preserve lean muscle and promote fat loss. Trenbolone, Anavar, Winstrol, and Primobolan are known as the best steroids for cutting cycles.

What is a good cutting cycle?

A good cutting cycle is one you can stick to for the entire length (remember: cutting is intense!), and one that does not send you into a catabolic state where you’re not only losing fat, but losing muscle too. Check out my recommended cutting cycle stacks above for some of the most effective ways of getting shredded.

How long should a cutting cycle last?

Your cutting cycle length will depend a lot on what steroid you’re using, and how safe or effective they are to use over a period of time. Some work quickly, while others take longer to kick in. In general, a cutting cycle will run anywhere from 8 weeks, up to 16 weeks.

Can you gain muscle while cutting?

Most cutting cycles aren’t focused on gaining mass, but it is possible to gain a little particularly when using steroids that are promoting protein synthesis and nitrogen retention.

If you include a lot of resistance training while on such a stack, some mass might be added but in general the cutting compounds we use are not known for their ability to add a lot of mass, but instead to help maintain existing muscle.

What should I eat during a cutting cycle?

The amount you eat will depend on your body type, how much fat you want to lose, and what your current weight is.

In general, eliminate sugar and processed foods completely and focus on whole foods and quality protein, lean meat, oily fish, eggs, low fat yogurt, beans, nuts, seeds and keeping your cholesterol healthy by including olive oil and avocado into meals.

My Conclusion and Recommendation

There are dozens of options when it comes to cutting – we are spoiled for choice when it comes to what compounds to use, and how to put them together in a stack.

My recommendation is that all four of the above stacks are going to give killer results – but the simple stack of Anavar and Winstrol is hard to beat for a first cutting cycle.

Whichever you choose, they will mean absolutely nothing if you can’t stick to a cutting diet (nobody said it’d be easy!) and an intense cardio-based fat burning workout plan.

Author’s Note: For real, NO-BS information on using steroids be sure to check out Straight From the Underground (my recommended underground steroid handbook). Everything in this book is based on first hand experience, not theory.