When you're in a calorie deficit, your body has to find fuel somewhere. Most people assume that means fat. But the research is pretty clear that whether you're burning fat or breaking down muscle depends on specific, controllable variables — not just the size of your deficit. Quick poll for the collective: which of these are you currently doing? ✅ Hitting 1.6g+ protein per kg bodyweight ✅ Lifting 2–3x per week (not just cardio) ✅ Averaging 7–9 hours sleep Drop how many boxes you can check. And if you're missing one — which one, and what's the friction? I'll post a full breakdown in the comments.