The cutting phase lasts 12-16 weeks depending on how much body fat the athlete begins with and their desired weight. It is a slow and steady process of creating a calorie deficit, training hard, and using cardio and high-intensity interval training to reduce body fat while maintaining as much muscle mass as possible. Cardio and strength training complement one another and bodybuilding prep is a perfect example of how they do so. When the goal is to reduce body fat, you need these two training components together in the correct balance!