Losing fat while building muscle—often called body recomposition—is one of the most sought-after fitness goals. But is it truly possible and what does it take? The answer depends on several factors, including your training experience, body composition, and nutrition strategy. Oftentimes, people that want to lose weight and/or fat, take a deficit approach to their nutrition. In this week’s Nutrition Nook article, we take a look at how you can achieve body recomposition, in a deficit or not.
For some individuals, losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time is achievable. Research, including a 2019 study by Slater et al., suggests that two groups are most likely to see these dual benefits:
1️⃣ Beginner Trainees – If you’re new to resistance training, your body is highly responsive to muscle-building stimuli. Even in a slight calorie deficit, your muscles can adapt and grow.
2️⃣ Overweight or Obese Individuals – Those with a higher body fat percentage have an ample energy reserve that can be utilized for muscle growth while losing fat, especially with proper resistance training and protein intake.
If you’ve been lifting consistently for several years and already maintain a relatively lean physique, body recomposition becomes much harder. Building muscle requires an energy surplus, while fat loss requires a calorie deficit—two opposing conditions. While some advanced athletes may see minor recomposition with strategic dieting and training, dramatic 8-week transformations are unlikely.
In the 2019 study by Slater et al., researchers analyzed whether a caloric surplus is necessary for maximizing hypertrophy. They concluded that while muscle growth in a deficit is possible, it’s far more common in beginners or those with higher body fat percentages. Advanced lifters looking for significant muscle gain generally require a controlled caloric surplus.
💡 For Beginners & Overweight Individuals:
💡 For Experienced Lifters Seeking Gains:
If you want a one-time macronutrient breakdown for this goal, reach out to our nutrition team here.
While losing fat and building muscle at the same time is possible, it’s context-dependent. If you’re a beginner or carrying extra body fat, recomposition is more likely. But for advanced trainees, it’s generally more effective to focus on either muscle gain or fat loss in distinct phases.
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