Everything to Know About Body Recomposition: Workouts, Fat Loss, & More

Think it's impossible to burn fat and build muscle at the same time? Think again.

We break down the fundamentals of body recomposition to help you do exactly that.

Key Takeaways

• Body recomposition means burning fat and building muscle simultaneously.
• You generally need to follow a slight calorie deficit.
• Experts generally recommend a high-protein diet based on nutrient-dense whole foods.
• Body recomposition workout plans usually incorporate a mix of cardio and resistance training.
• Professionally designed workout plans can be a great way to achieve body recomposition.

See More: A Step-by-Step Guide to Putting on a Waist Trainer

All About Body Recomposition

Carriejune, founder of Minibeast, says:

"Body recomposition is the process of building muscle and losing fat at the same time. It can be trickier than doing either thing alone, but can produce better results."

All too often, it can seem like losing weight and building muscle are mutually exclusive goals. You might hear people claim you can't build muscle on a calorie deficit, or lose body fat while simultaneously building muscle.

None of that is true.

In fact, it's entirely possible to build muscle and lose fat at the same time. The process is called body recomposition.

Body recomposition can be tricky. You need to pay close attention to your nutrition and exercise routine.

We'll break down everything you need to know, from protein intake to fat-burning supplements to fully fleshed-out body recomp workout plans.

What Is Body Recomposition?

How many times have you heard people say they want to lose weight? Perhaps you've wanted to lose weight yourself.

When people say they want to lose weight, they usually mean lose fat. It's important to make that distinction. After all, body weight includes things like muscle mass, which you probably don't want to lose.

That's where body composition comes in. We can break down body weight into two general categories: fat mass, which is self-explanatory, and fat-free mass, which includes things like muscle, bone, and even water.

Body composition is often measured using body fat percentage. That's usually more accurate than body mass index, or BMI.

Building Muscle and Losing Fat

If body composition is the balance between fat and fat-free mass, body recomposition is the process of adjusting that balance.

As you might already be able to see, you can adjust the balance in two ways: building muscle tissue and burning body fat.

Potential Benefits of Body Recomposition

Traditionally, fitness programs often utilized distinct phases, called cutting and bulking.

During the bulking phase, you followed a caloric surplus to pack on weight and build muscle. Then you'd enter a caloric deficit to try to cut some of the body fat put on during bulking while retaining the muscle.

The problem is that these cycles can be both mentally and physically taxing.

Body recomposition skips these alternating cycles.

The first potential benefit is aesthetics. By losing fat and gaining muscle simultaneously, you can work toward two common goals at the same time. You may produce better changes in physique than you would with just weight loss or muscle growth alone.

Beyond that, the benefits to physical fitness and mental health are extensive. Body recomposition can enhance your metabolism, cardiovascular health, functional strength, and more. When done right, it's a fantastic way to support your overall health.

Bonus: How To Lose Upper Body Fat According To Experts

Nutrition to Gain Muscle and Burn Body Fat

So how do you do body recomposition right?

You might think that the most important part of body recomposition is exercise. That is important, of course. But the key is actually nutrition.

As Minibeast founder Carriejune says, "Diet is nearly 70% of our results."

To achieve body recomposition, you generally need to stick to a slight calorie deficit. That means consuming slightly fewer calories than you burn.

You don't want to go too extreme. Do that, and you'll lack the energy and potentially the nutrients needed to work out and build muscle. You might lose fat, but you'll likely lose muscle mass, too.

You also want to avoid a surplus. Do that, and you might put on muscle but will likely struggle to lose much fat.

Diet

Because the calorie goals of body recomposition are often quite narrow, it's really important to focus on nutrient-dense foods. You need to be able to fuel intense exercise without adding too much to your calorie intake.

A healthy, balanced diet is absolutely crucial. Aim for a whole foods diet, prioritizing fruits, vegetables, healthy fats (like olive oil and avocados), fiber, and complex carbohydrates. Try to minimize ultra-processed foods or products with excessive additives, including added sugar.

Protein Intake

You may have noticed we missed one crucial component of your diet: protein.

Your protein intake can make or break your body recomposition plan. Your body needs protein for muscle hypertrophy, the process of building new muscle tissue. Without enough protein, no amount of resistance training will produce the muscle gains you likely want to see.

For that reason, most experts recommend following a high-protein diet to support body recomposition. Guidelines usually range from 1.6 to 2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.7 to 1 g of protein per pound of body weight.

Some people go even higher, aiming for as much as 3.4 g of protein per kilogram of body weight.

Eating enough protein helps your body preserve and build muscle mass, even during a calorie deficit.

You don't need to eat all your protein at once. In fact, it's better to spread your protein intake out throughout the day.

A high-quality protein powder can help you hit these high protein goals. Look for one made with protein isolate to maximize the amount of protein you get per calorie.

Fat-Burning Supplements

Certain compounds are used to support and enhance fat loss. They're called thermogenic fat burners.

Thermogenic compounds work by essentially enhancing your metabolism, increasing the number of calories you burn while at rest. Other fat-burning compounds support your body's natural fat oxidation, or fat-burning, processes.

Research suggests that thermogenic compounds like caffeine and capsaicin can enhance resting energy expenditure and support fat loss.

One pre-clinical study looked at Lyzme 5, a supplement designed to target stored fat. After six weeks, participants lost body fat and reported having "more energy" than before.

Minibeast's Shreds 2.0 includes caffeine and Lyzme 5, plus other potent ingredients like raspberry ketones to enhance caloric burn and fat oxidation.

If you'd prefer something caffeine-free, try Overnight Shredzzz Extreme. It blends Lyzme 5 with sleep-supporting compounds.

Exercise Routine

Proper nutrition might be the most important thing, but no amount of protein can produce body recomposition results without being paired with a solid exercise routine.

Types of Workouts

Experts generally recommend combining two kinds of workouts.

The first is resistance training, or strength training. Most people try to get a strength training workout in at least twice per week. If you're a resistance-trained individual, you might find more workouts produce faster results.

Many strength training workouts are centered on compound lifts, like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. These recruit multiple muscle groups at once. That makes them more efficient than isolation exercises like bicep curls.

For each exercise, experts usually recommend aiming for 6-12 repetitions. That's the sweet spot for muscle hypertrophy.

The key, though, is training close to failure. You want to push yourself until you feel like you're a couple of reps away from failure, while still maintaining good form.

The second kind of workout is cardiovascular exercise. Try to choose something you actually enjoy. That'll help you stick to your fitness program, even on days when you just feel like staying in bed.

High-intensity interval training is a popular choice for people aiming for body recomposition. HIIT workouts are particularly efficient. They can burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time.

Recovery

You might put in the work during your workout, but the actual work of building muscle comes afterward, during recovery.

Rest and recovery are therefore non-negotiable. That includes sleep, which is when your body repairs muscle fibers, regulates critical hormones, and more. It also means taking rest days, where you avoid intense workouts and focus on rest or active recovery exercises like yoga.

Proper recovery and sleep support both muscle growth and fat loss.

Tracking Progress

It's important to track your progress.

Part of that tracking involves your workouts. As your muscles adapt, you need to continually increase the challenge so they keep growing. That principle is called progressive overload, and it's essential for muscle growth.

The most common way to achieve progressive overload is by increasing the weights you use during strength training. You can also increase the number of reps or decrease the rest time between sets.

Keeping a record of what you lift helps you stay on track. It can be a great way to identify areas you need to focus on. And it can be a fantastic source of inspiration if you're feeling stuck. The progress you've made is all right there, written down.

You should also consider keeping track of your body composition to ensure you're on the right path. Try to track more than your scale weight if possible, as that doesn't actually reflect changes to your body composition.

Instead, try to track a different metric, like body fat percentage. Progress photos can also be a valuable tool.

Body Recomposition Workout Plans

Body recomposition is possible, but it can be tricky.

If you aren't sure where to start, or your attempts aren't producing the results you want, try a professionally designed workout plan.

For example, Minibeast's 8-Week Workout Challenge is designed to help you build muscle and lose fat.

You get access to multiple full workout programs, customized calories and macros, a 24/7 private support group, example meal plans, demonstration videos, and much more.

That's why tens of thousands of people have used it to smash their fitness goals.

Alternatively, you might be focused on one particular muscle group. For example, you might want to build a bigger lower body while leaning out.

There are targeted workout plans for exactly that. Minibeast's Muscle Booty & Legs is designed to help you gain a big booty and legs while still losing fat. You get eight weeks of workouts, tailored meal plans, example diets, supplement discounts, and personal tips from Carriejune.

Conclusion

Body recomposition is the process of losing fat and building muscle simultaneously.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Body Recomposition Safe?

Body recomposition is safe, as long as you follow best practices. Those usually include a healthy, balanced diet with a slight calorie deficit and regular exercise.

How Long Does Body Recomposition Take?

Body recomposition usually takes at least a few months to produce significant results. Beginners and people with higher body fat levels often see better results, at least at first. Consistency and patience are key.

How Do You Do Body Recomposition?

To achieve body recomposition results, you need to maintain a slight calorie deficit, eat a healthy diet high in protein, and follow an intentional workout program incorporating resistance training and cardio.

Keep Reading: Weightlifting Straps: When, Why & How to Use Them

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