Three years around here now, mostly reading the monthly-average threads and keeping my own log quiet. Posting this for anyone sketching out a long aggressive push.
I ran a steep deficit from late winter into fall — 34 weeks, about 61 pounds down, paper deficit somewhere in the 700-800 range most days. Protein stayed near 150g, steps between 9k and 11k, two lifting sessions a week when my knees cooperated.
The thing I keep coming back to: "aggressive" was the least interesting variable. What held was dull. Same breakfast. Same weigh-in time. Sundays off from tracking entirely.
When I got greedy and bolted on another cardio block, sleep fell apart and my weekly averages sat flat for almost three weeks. That's the stretch I'd take back, not the food.
I don't regret the pace. I regret treating fatigue like a character test instead of information.
For the people who've logged their own long cuts here — how did you know when a deeper deficit stopped paying rent and it was time to ease off?