Body recomposition, an often-misunderstood concept, encapsulates the art of simultaneously shedding fat while sculpting lean muscle mass. It is a holy grail that fitness enthusiasts and body builders chase.
“The concept of body recomposition is that you shred body fat while trying to gain or preserve muscle mass,” says Dr Kumardev Arvind Rajamanya, head of the department and lead consultant of orthopedics, Aster Whitefield Hospital, Bangalore.
The allure is undeniable; a transformative process that promises not just weight loss, but a reshaping of the physical form. However, the path to body recomposition is no leisurely stroll. It demands dedication, a nuanced understanding of nutrition, and a strategic approach to exercise. However, body recomposition may not be fit for everyone.
“There is a composition of fat and muscle in the body which differs for men and women, trained and untrained also,” says Dr Anitha Deveraj Aradhya, director of aarogyavridhi, Bangalore. “Women tend to have a higher fat percentage than men. In men it ranges from 8% to 19%, for women from 15% to 29%”. Men also tend to have a higher muscle percentage than women.”
It’s not a one-size-fits-all journey, but rather a tailored pursuit that demands, among many things, introspection into goals, and priorities.
Science behind body recomposition
The science behind body recomposition revolves around manipulating two fundamental components of body composition: fat mass and lean body mass.
“When a person decides to attain their ideal weight and a certain amount of fat and muscle percentage on their body, they must work for it. Here they must ‘reconstruct’ the percentage of fat and muscle in the body,” says Dr Aradhya.
This intricate process requires a simultaneous focus on calorie intake, macronutrient distribution, and resistance training. Body recomposition challenges the conventional belief that muscle gain and fat loss are mutually exclusive.
“When you are working on fat and muscle, these are two opposite compositions, in the sense, if you are working on reducing fat percentage there will be an effect on the muscle percentage as well,” says Dr Aradhya.
Moreover, the hormonal milieu, including factors like insulin sensitivity and cortisol levels, comes into play too.
Who can benefit from body recomposition?
Those who have moderate fat to lose: Body recomposition is effective when there’s a moderate amount of fat to lose while concurrently aiming to build or preserve muscle mass.
“People who are very lean can find it difficult to follow body recomposition, but in general, anyone can work on body recomposition, whether you are overweight or at an ideal weight or extremely lean, there are different approaches for each type and the program must be personalized,” says Dr Aradhya.
Beginners to trained individuals: Although, trained individuals also have a propensity to experience body recomposition, a research article published in the Strength and Conditioning Journal found that despite the common belief that building muscle and losing fat at the same time is only plausible in novice/obese individuals, trained individuals can also experience body recomposition.
“Anyone can pursue body composition, but what we need to understand is that a person who is new to fitness will have significant improvement in body recomposition, compared to a person who has been a regular athlete as their body will already be toned,” says Dr Rajamanya.
The person’s training status, exercise interventions, and baseline body composition can influence the magnitude of muscle gain and fat loss. Resistance training coupled with dietary strategies has been shown to augment this process. In addition, there seem to be confounding non-training/nutrition variables such as sleep, hormones, and metabolism that can significantly influence these adaptations.
For long-term sustainability: Body recomposition requires patience and consistency. It suits those who prefer a sustainable approach over aggressive, short-term strategies. “If a person has to lose weight, you have to concentrate on the decrease of the fat in your body, more than weight loss you must focus on fat loss, while losing fat, one must follow a calorie deficit, When the body is concentrating on fat lose, there will be a slight decrease in muscle percentage, and you should preserve muscle,” says Dr Aradhya.
Understand the complexity: People who appreciate the complexity of body recomposition and are willing to educate themselves on nutrition, resistance training, and recovery strategies are better equipped for the journey.
How to start body recomposition
Set clear goals: Define your specific goals for body recomposition. Clarity is key. “You must calculate what you want to achieve, you can do this by opting for a higher end weighing machine that can tell you your muscle mass, fat percentage, water content, etc, by setting a baseline, you must calculate what the desired muscle gain or fat loss is,” says Dr Aradhya.
Calorie intake: Calculate your daily calorie needs, aiming for a slight calorie deficit for fat loss. “Fat loss and muscle gain are all about calories, you have to be careful about what you are putting inside your body, think about the source of carbs, protein, and fats you are giving your body,” says Dr Aradhya.
Macronutrient balance: Prioritize protein intake to support muscle preservation and growth. Adjust carbohydrates and fats based on personal preferences and energy demands. “You need to improve your intake of protein while focusing on strength training activities,” says Dr Rajamanya.
Resistance training: Engage in a structured resistance training program, emphasizing compound exercises. “For muscle mass, you need to have a certain kind of resistance training where you have to challenge yourself through progressive overload, metabolic stress among other things consistently,” says Dr Aradhya.
Adequate recovery: “One of the most important things is to close your eyes and go to sleep for at least 7 to 8 hours to allow your body to recover,” says Dr Aradhya. Overtraining can impede progress, so listen to your body.
Regular assessments: Periodically reassess your goals, adjust your calorie intake and workout routine accordingly. “One of the common mistakes, people make is weighing themselves every day, and every day there will be fluctuations in the weight, it is hard to tell whether it is a change in fat, muscle, or water in a regular weighing machine, an option for this is to opt for a higher-end weighing machine which can give you an analysis of fat, muscle, and water in your body,” says Dr Aradhya.
Use these metrics to adapt your plan to your current needs.
Seek professional guidance: There are many resources one can turn towards to understand themselves and gain clarity about their goals. Fitness experts and nutritionists can help you create a personalized plan tailored to your specific needs and goals.
Takeaways
- Body recomposition is when you shred body fat while trying to gain or preserve muscle mass.
- It doesn’t matter if you are lean, overweight, or underweight, anyone can follow body recomposition, but the approach needs to be personalized.
- Setting clear goals, managing your nutrition, and focusing on resistance training consistently can help you achieve the body composition you desire
