Many people find themselves struggling to lose weight and build muscle.
Achieving each goal is challenging, but it’s even more difficult when you’re trying to accomplish them both at the same time (body recomposition). The good news is, it’s possible!
With the right strategies and diet, such as finding the perfect balance between carbohydrate and protein intake, you can work toward both goals in a healthy, sustainable way.
Below, we look at how to create meals to help your body recomp and achieve the toned body you’re aiming for.
The answer is a resounding yes! You can lose fat and gain muscle simultaneously, but it takes time and demands a lot of dedication.
Most people can recomp. However, a few factors will determine what your recomposition looks like.
For instance, if you start with a higher body fat percentage, your muscle gains may be less noticeable, but as you reduce body fat, you’ll gradually see more definition.
So, how long will it take to see results? You’ll see some changes within 6 weeks; they become more noticeable within 12 weeks. At 6 months, you might notice a firmer look or that your clothes fit differently because your overall body composition is shifting.
To cut fat, you must be at a caloric deficit. But, if you purely focus on a deficit without considering the nutrients you eat, you may lose fat and muscle mass. With body recomposition, you want to preserve muscle mass. So, a low-calorie diet on its own doesn’t cut it; consuming too few calories won’t help you build muscles. In fact, it could lead to muscle loss.
However, this isn’t always the case. Some people completely new to strength training will get some “newbie gains” even when they’re on a deficit. But, it’s generally advisable to maintain a minor caloric surplus for optimal bodybuilding.
Beyond nutrition, you also have to set time aside for recovery to achieve your goal. Your muscle fibers tear during training, which may sound bad, but they grow bigger during recovery.
When you eat fewer calories than your body uses, it starts burning the stored energy in your fat cells and muscles, leading to weight loss.
But, you need to tread lightly. Severely restricting your diet can be a quick way to shed some weight, but the likelihood of a rebound is much higher. So, consider eating healthier overall and building better habits for a slow and steady change.
Here are some simple things to focus on first:
If you nail these changes down, you can move on to more advanced dietary changes.
Something else worth noting is the role of metabolism in weight loss. Metabolism is how quickly your body converts calories from food into energy for functions such as breathing, repairing cells, circulating blood, and exercising. When you have a fast metabolism, your body easily burns calories during rest and activity. On the other hand, a slow metabolism means your body burns fewer calories and stores excess energy.
How fast your body burns calories depends in part on predisposing factors, such as age, physical activity level, genetics, and calorie intake. For instance, low caloric intake reduces metabolism. When your calorie intake is too low, your body senses that you’re starving and slows down your metabolic rate to conserve energy.
Muscles are made up of proteins that break down during intense exercise to generate force to overturn the stress placed on them. The body responds by rebuilding them with more protein, leading to muscle gain — what is also known as muscle hypertrophy. With adequate nutrition and proper sleep, your body will have essential building blocks and enough recovery time to increase muscle mass.
A caloric surplus is crucial in gaining muscles, and here’s why. First, your body needs extra energy to repair the tears in your muscles caused by strength training. With inadequate calories, your body may struggle to synthesize new proteins, limiting muscle growth. Also, when you consume fewer calories than you burn, your body might break down muscle tissue to continue functioning.
Ensure your diet has enough protein to stimulate muscle gain. But that doesn’t mean you need to go overboard. You don’t have to rush out and buy whey protein supplements right away. Start with getting most of your protein from legumes (beans, soy, and peas have tons of great protein!), lean meats, and poultry such as chicken breast — we often recommend poultry over red meat.
Be wary of consuming too much protein, as it could adversely affect your metabolism and cause serious health issues — various studies have linked certain proteins to cancer growth. Aim for a minimum of 0.4 grams per pound of body weight and a maximum of 0.7 grams of protein per pound of body weight (or 1.5 grams per kilogram). You really don’t need more than that, no matter what you might hear online.
If you’re over 55, you might want to bump that up to around 0.8 grams per pound. Some folks suggest 1 gram per pound, but that’s honestly more than you need.
Before you jump on a high-protein diet (or any diet plan), it’s good to lay the groundwork for success. Understanding your body's energy requirements and how to balance your nutrition improves your chances of hitting your fitness goals. Let’s break down what you need to know:
TDEE helps you answer the question, “How many calories should I eat?” It is the number of calories you burn in a day, considering everything from sleep and exercise to digestion.
Calculating TDEE involves many formulas, including the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, but you can save yourself the hassle with an online TDEE calculator. The calculator does the math for you based on details such as:
These factors influence how many calories you burn. For instance, if you work out several days a week, you may have a higher TDEE than someone who’s less active.
Use your TDEE to set realistic caloric goals. You can lose 1-2 pounds a week by consuming 500 to 1,000 calories less than your daily intake. However, if you’re inactive, you need at least 30 minutes of physical activity and a calorie reduction of at least 500 to lose a pound in a week.
Those aiming for muscle gain should consume more calories than their TDEE. A modest surplus of 100-400 calories a day will help you gain muscles without excessive fat gain.
For a body recomposition, you will want to eat just slightly (100-200 calories per day) below your TDEE. If you have a very high body fat percentage then you could use a slightly higher deficit and still see great recomposition results.
However, you need to be careful when it comes to setting caloric goals, as it is easy to fall prey to calorie counting. Unfortunately, counting your calorie intake can lead to a vicious cycle of restriction and obsession, taking away the fun from your fitness journey. Even when it doesn’t become obsessive, it can become tedious and you might just stop doing it because it’s boring!
Here are some practical tips to create a modest caloric deficit or surplus:
Macros (macronutrients) are the three main categories of the food you eat: carbohydrates, protein, and fats. They all play a role in weight loss and muscle building.
What’s the ideal balance of macros? The general breakdown is 45-65% carbohydrates, 20-35% fats, and 10-35% protein, but it can differ depending on your needs. Consider using an online macro calculator to determine the right proportions for you.
Now that you’ve determined your TDEE, figured out your macronutrient ratios, and set your caloric goals, it’s time to craft a diet that aligns with your fitness ambitions.
Here’s how:
A measurable goal enables you to track your progress and assess whether you’re moving in the right direction. If you aim to lose weight, determine how many pounds you wish to shed, when, and what to do. Such a goal looks like “Lose 5% of my current weight in 3 months.”
Do these to track your progress and stay motivated:
Eat a balanced diet with a variety of foods. Try to eat brown rice, legumes, whole grains, lean meats, healthy fats (nuts, avocados, salmon, extra virgin olive oil), and a lot of veggies and fruits. The good news is that most veggies are low in calories.
Mixing up your whole foods is a great way to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need.
Eat your meals and snacks throughout the day to prevent overeating, avoid midday crashes, and increase your metabolism. But you don’t need to obsess over the timing of snacking — as long as you get your intended macros in at some point during the day, you’re good.
While eating a pre-workout or post-workout snack can boost your energy levels, you shouldn’t worry about scarfing them down during a training session if you’ve already eaten. Odds are, you’ll still be pretty energetic even without them.
For most people, eating three regular meals can help maintain constant energy levels. Make sure your meals are a mix of healthy (unsaturated) fats, protein, carbs, and plenty of fiber.
If you want to maintain your body recomposition, stick to a diet plan. Here are some recommendations to help you:
Note that sometimes you’ll need to adjust your diet based on how your body responds — whether it’s fatigue, hunger, changes in energy levels, or weight fluctuations. Flexibility makes your diet more sustainable since it doesn’t feel restrictive or overwhelming.
Regular monitoring lets you know if you’re making progress. Monitor your fat loss and muscle gain by:
If you’re gaining weight and body fat percentage over a week, you should make small tweaks. If you notice this trend for two weeks, it’s time for big changes.
Restrictive diets and drastic dietary changes aren’t sustainable for body recomposition. They could lead to faster results, but the consequences are never worth it. The healthier your diet, the more likely you are to achieve and maintain your fitness objectives.
Determine your nutritional needs using your TDEE, create a diet plan, stay consistent, monitor progress, and adjust accordingly.
Trainwell can help you by creating an individualized training routine to supplement your new eating habits. Our personal trainers offer 1-on-1 guidance, ensuring everything you do in your fitness journey is geared toward helping you achieve your fitness or wellness goal.
Looking to lose weight while simultaneously building muscle? Get a free 14-day trial with trainwell today!
