Everyone has a unique reason for exercise, including getting stronger, losing weight, or improving overall athletic performance. Two of the most common fitness goals are building muscle mass and losing fat. Body recomposition is an effective way to achieve both, improving your overall fitness and creating a leaner, more toned physique. Let’s talk about how to do body recomposition and what it really means.
We’ll cover:
- What is body recomposition?
- How does body recomposition work?
- How to build muscle and lose fat
- The ideal body recomposition diet and workout plan
What is body recomposition?
Body composition is a term to describe the makeup of a person’s body in terms of percent body fat and percent lean mass. It may also be referred to as “body fat percentage.”
Body recomposition is the gradual process of simultaneously building muscle and losing fat, resulting in a more toned appearance, improved metabolism, increased strength, better functional fitness, and sustainable fitness results.
BMI vs. body composition
Body composition and BMI (body mass index) are both ways of measuring body metrics, but fitness and medical professionals have started to move away from using BMI to measure clients’ fitness. Instead, they use a person’s body composition to evaluate leanness and muscularity.
BMI is an older health metric that takes into account your total body weight compared to your height. BMI is calculated using this formula: BMI = 703 x weight (lbs) / [height (in.)]2
BMI does not account for the composition of your body and does not discern between lean and fat mass in calculations. People with higher amounts of muscle mass often have a high BMI, which categorizes them as overweight or obese even if their amount of body fat is low. For this reason, BMI is now considered less accurate than body fat percentage when measuring leanness and muscle.
Body composition, or body fat percentage, is calculated with this formula: body fat percentage = (pounds of body fat / total body weight in pounds) x 100
Here’s how body composition breaks down for men and women.
How does body recomposition work?
So, how does body composition work, really? Body recomposition occurs as a result of one or both of the following factors: a person loses body fat or gains muscle mass. Because body composition is a comparative measurement, changing one or both variables changes a person’s body fat percentage.
Someone looking to change their body composition may follow a muscle-building and conditioning routine. In addition, they might carefully monitor their caloric intake and daily energy expenditure, and eat a diet that’s rich in nutrients like protein and fiber, and low in excess sugar, and fat.
Is body recomposition safe?
Body recomposition is a safe and effective way to help improve your overall health and well-being and reduce your risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes.
As with any workout regimen or diet change, consult with your doctor before starting a weight loss program if you have a history of chronic disease.
How to build muscle and lose fat
While it’s not possible to directly convert fat into muscle, you can adopt habits to help promote fat loss while also working toward building muscle. Let’s talk about how to build muscle and lose fat, plus training methods to support your strength and overall health goals.
How to lose fat
Fat loss is a complex process that varies from one person to the next, but in general, the amount of fat you burn comes down to energy in (calories) vs. energy out (physical activity). If fat loss is your goal, your energy out should be more than your total daily calorie intake (also known as a calorie deficit).
Note: Use caution to avoid undereating. Even in a calorie deficit, it’s important to consume enough calories to meet your metabolic needs and keep your body functioning properly. Increasing your activity level to burn more calories throughout the day is also an effective strategy to promote fat loss.
How to build muscle
Building muscle, on the other hand, is the result of resistance training and maintaining a caloric surplus.
For muscle tissue to grow, progressive overload is the principle that it must be placed repeatedly under a load with progressively heavier weights. Resistance and strength training cause microtears in your muscles — in response, your body builds those muscle fibers back stronger and larger through recovery time and proper nutrition (hello, protein).
What is the best body recomposition diet?
Speaking of nutrition: Let’s talk about how to determine the best body recomposition diet for your needs and goals.
Because body recomp involves muscle growth (caloric surplus) and fat loss (caloric deficit), deciding which phase you want to be in is important. Completing a training and nutrition block focusing on just one will help you achieve better results than focusing on both at the same time. For example, you may focus on strength training to build muscle for 8 weeks, then go into a calorie deficit for 8 weeks.
Whether you’re bulking or cutting, it’s important to support your body with a diet that’s rich in nutrients, especially fats, protein, and carbohydrates — also known as macros — to maintain energy and lean muscle mass.
How to create a body recomposition workout plan
Just like diet and nutrition, body recomposition training plans vary from person to person. The main goals of any body recomposition plan are to promote muscle gain through resistance training and increase your activity level to promote fat loss.
A typical workout plan to build muscle and lose fat includes resistance training two to three days a week and incorporates other forms of movement and active recovery throughout the week, including:
- Walking
- Yoga
- Dance
- Biking
- Hiking
- Swimming
- Playing with kids or pets
Ultimately, the key is to stay consistent. Body recomposition takes time, so find enjoyable ways to regularly lift weights and move to create sustainable results.
How long does body recomposition take?
The amount of time it will take to reach your body composition goal depends on many factors, including individual differences in physiology and genetics. Some people may build muscle mass more easily, and others may lose body fat more quickly.
No matter your individual physiology, you will see results faster with a consistent workout program and healthy nutrition intake. Remember: Body recomposition takes place over months or years, not days or weeks.
A final word on body recomposition
Like any fitness program, body recomposition isn’t one-size-fits-all. But if your goals include toning up, losing fat, building lean muscle, and increasing muscle definition, body recomposition may be right for you — and the benefits go beyond physique. Body recomposition is a safe and effective way to improve overall health and performance and help reduce the risk of chronic diseases, especially for those who are overweight.
If you’re working to build muscle and lose fat, remember the two most important factors: patience and consistency. You may not see results overnight, but with a regular workout routine and a nutrient-dense diet, the results — being leaner, stronger, and healthier — will be worth it.
How to do body recomposition: More strength training tips
Our team of expert Coaches is here to help you reach your personal fitness goals and feel your best. Work with an Anytime Fitness Coach to get customized fitness, nutrition, and recovery recommendations just for you.
