Most advice tells you to pick one: bulk or cut. Gain muscle or lose fat. You can't do both at the same time.
That's not entirely true.
Body recomposition is the process of building muscle and losing fat simultaneously. It's real, it's backed by research, and for certain people it works remarkably well. But it's slower and more nuanced than a straightforward bulk or cut, and not everyone is equally suited for it.
This guide covers who can actually recomp, how the science works, a complete 4-day body recomp workout plan, and a practical nutrition framework to support the process.
TL;DR
Body recomposition means building muscle while losing fat at the same time. It works best for beginners, returning lifters, and overweight individuals.
Eat at roughly maintenance calories (or a slight deficit), hit 0.8-1.2g protein per pound of bodyweight, and train with a structured upper/lower split 4 days per week.
Recomp is slower than dedicated bulking and cutting cycles. Expect visible changes over 3-6 months, not weeks. Track progress with photos, measurements, and strength gains rather than the scale.
What Is Body Recomposition?
Body recomposition (often called "body recomp") is changing your body composition by simultaneously gaining lean muscle mass and reducing body fat percentage.
Unlike a traditional bulk where you eat in a surplus to build muscle (and accept some fat gain), or a cut where you eat in a deficit to lose fat (and try not to lose muscle), recomp aims to do both at once.
The result? Your scale weight might barely change. But your body looks and performs completely differently. Clothes fit better, lifts go up, and you look leaner without having to go through the uncomfortable extremes of bulking and cutting.
The catch is that recomp requires patience. You're essentially asking your body to run two opposing processes at the same time. It works, but it's not the fastest path to either goal individually. If you want to understand how muscle growth works at the cellular level, that context helps explain why recomp demands a more precise approach.
Who Can Recomp Successfully?
Body recomposition doesn't work equally well for everyone. Your training history, body fat percentage, and current fitness level determine how effective it will be.
Beginners
If you've never lifted weights consistently, you're in the best position to recomp. Your muscles are hypersensitive to the training stimulus. Even a modest program will trigger significant adaptation.
Beginners can build muscle in a calorie deficit, at maintenance, or in a small surplus. The "newbie gains" window is real, and it's the single best opportunity for body recomposition. If you're just starting out, a personalized workout plan built around compound movements is the fastest way to take advantage of this period.
Returning Lifters
If you used to train but took months or years off, you have a significant advantage: muscle memory.
Your muscles retain nuclei from previous training. When you return to lifting, those nuclei help you rebuild lost muscle faster than someone building it for the first time. This means you can regain muscle while losing fat relatively easily, sometimes for 6-12 months after returning.
Overweight Individuals
If you carry significant body fat (roughly 25%+ for men or 35%+ for women), your body has abundant energy stored as fat. That stored energy can fuel muscle growth even when you're eating below maintenance.
The higher your body fat percentage, the more aggressively you can diet while still building muscle. Your body is happy to tap into fat stores to supply the energy that muscle protein synthesis needs.
Who will struggle with recomp?
Lean, experienced lifters. If you're already at 12-15% body fat with several years of consistent training, your body has less fat to draw from and less "easy" muscle to gain. At that point, dedicated bulk and cut cycles are more efficient.
The Science Behind Recomposition
Body recomp isn't magic. It relies on three specific mechanisms working together.
Calorie Balance for Recomp
The traditional view is simple: surplus builds muscle, deficit loses fat. But research shows this is an oversimplification.
Your body doesn't operate in a single metabolic state all day. It cycles between anabolic (building) and catabolic (breaking down) phases throughout the day based on meals, activity, and recovery.
For recomp, the sweet spot is eating at roughly maintenance calories or in a very small deficit (100-300 calories below maintenance).
At maintenance, your body has enough energy to support muscle protein synthesis after training while still being able to oxidize stored fat during rest and low-intensity activity. A slight deficit tilts the balance toward fat loss without starving the muscle-building process.
Aggressive deficits kill recomp. If you slash calories by 500-1000 per day, your body prioritizes survival over muscle growth. That's fine for a pure cut, but it defeats the purpose of recomp.
Protein Requirements
Protein is the single most important nutrient for body recomposition. It's non-negotiable.
Target 0.8-1.2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. If you weigh 180 pounds, that's 144-216 grams daily.
Why so high? During recomp, protein serves double duty:
- Muscle protein synthesis: Provides the building blocks for new muscle tissue after resistance training.
- Muscle preservation: Prevents muscle breakdown during the mild calorie restriction that drives fat loss.
- Satiety: Keeps you full, making it easier to eat at or slightly below maintenance without feeling deprived.
Distribute protein across 3-5 meals throughout the day. Each meal should contain at least 25-40 grams of protein to maximize the muscle protein synthesis response.
Training Stimulus
Without a strong training stimulus, your body has no reason to build muscle. Calories and protein provide the raw materials. Training provides the signal.
For recomp, your training needs to check three boxes:
- Progressive overload: You must get stronger over time. More weight, more reps, or more sets. This signals your body that it needs more muscle.
- Sufficient volume: Research suggests 10-20 hard sets per muscle group per week for muscle growth. Too little and the stimulus isn't enough. Too much and recovery becomes impossible at maintenance calories.
- Compound movements: Exercises that work multiple muscle groups simultaneously give you the most stimulus for the least fatigue. Squats, presses, rows, and deadlifts should be the foundation.
A well-structured workout split ensures you're hitting each muscle group with enough frequency and volume to drive adaptation.
Body Recomp Workout Plan (4 Days)
This 4-day upper/lower split is designed specifically for body recomposition. It combines two strength-focused days with two hypertrophy-focused days to maximize both muscle growth and strength gains.
How to use this plan:
- Train 4 days per week with at least one rest day between upper and lower sessions where possible
- Suggested schedule: Monday (Upper Strength), Tuesday (Lower Strength), Thursday (Upper Hypertrophy), Friday (Lower Hypertrophy)
- Progress by adding reps within the given range, then increase weight when you hit the top of the range on all sets
- Rest days should include light activity like walking (8,000-10,000 steps supports fat loss without hurting recovery)
Day 1 Upper Strength
Focus on heavy compound lifts with lower reps and longer rest. This drives strength gains and provides a powerful muscle-building stimulus.
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | 4 x 4-6 | 3 min |
| Barbell Bent Over Row | 4 x 4-6 | 3 min |
| Military Press | 3 x 6-8 | 2-3 min |
| Pull-Up | 3 x 6-8 | 2-3 min |
| Barbell Close-Grip Bench Press | 3 x 6-8 | 2 min |
| Barbell Curl | 3 x 6-8 | 2 min |
Session time: Approximately 60-70 minutes.
Day 2 Lower Strength
Heavy lower body work targeting quads, hamstrings, and glutes with compound movements. These are the exercises that move the most weight and recruit the most total muscle mass.
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Squat | 4 x 4-6 | 3 min |
| Barbell Romanian Deadlift | 4 x 6-8 | 3 min |
| Leg Press | 3 x 6-8 | 2-3 min |
| Lying Leg Curl | 3 x 8-10 | 2 min |
| Standing Calf Raise | 4 x 8-10 | 90s |
Session time: Approximately 55-65 minutes.
Day 3 Upper Hypertrophy
Moderate weight, higher reps, and shorter rest periods. This creates metabolic stress and mechanical tension that drive muscle growth through a different pathway than the strength days.
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Bench Press | 4 x 8-12 | 2 min |
| Cable Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown | 4 x 8-12 | 2 min |
| Dumbbell Standing Overhead Press | 3 x 10-12 | 90s |
| Cable Seated Row | 3 x 10-12 | 90s |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 x 12-15 | 60s |
| Cable Triceps Pushdown | 3 x 10-12 | 60s |
Session time: Approximately 55-65 minutes.
Day 4 Lower Hypertrophy
Higher rep ranges for the lower body with a mix of bilateral and unilateral exercises. This provides a different stimulus than the strength day and addresses any imbalances.
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Hip Thrust | 4 x 8-12 | 2 min |
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 x 10-12 per leg | 90s |
| Leg Extension | 3 x 12-15 | 90s |
| Lying Leg Curl | 3 x 10-12 | 90s |
| Barbell Deadlift | 3 x 6-8 | 2-3 min |
| Standing Calf Raise | 4 x 12-15 | 60s |
Session time: Approximately 55-65 minutes.
Weekly volume per muscle group (approximate):
- Chest: 11 sets
- Back: 14 sets
- Shoulders: 9 sets (plus indirect work from presses and rows)
- Quads: 13 sets
- Hamstrings: 13 sets
- Glutes: 14 sets (direct and indirect)
- Arms: 6 direct sets (plus significant indirect work)
- Calves: 8 sets
This sits right in the sweet spot for muscle growth while being recoverable at maintenance calories. If you need help structuring something different, the free workout planner can generate a custom plan based on your goals and available equipment.
Nutrition Framework for Recomp
Training provides the stimulus. Nutrition provides the environment. Here's how to eat for body recomposition without overcomplicating it.
Step 1: Find your maintenance calories.
Multiply your bodyweight in pounds by 14-16. Active people use the higher end, sedentary people use the lower end. A 180-pound person with moderate activity would start around 2,520-2,880 calories per day.
Track your weight for 2 weeks at this intake. If your weight is stable (within 1-2 pounds), you've found maintenance.
Step 2: Set your protein target.
0.8-1.2 grams per pound of bodyweight. This is the single most important number. Hit it daily.
Step 3: Set your fat floor.
Don't go below 0.3 grams of fat per pound of bodyweight. Fat is essential for hormone production, including testosterone, which supports muscle growth. For a 180-pound person, that's a minimum of 54 grams of fat per day.
Step 4: Fill remaining calories with carbs.
Carbohydrates fuel your training. After hitting protein and fat minimums, allocate remaining calories to carbs. Prioritize carbs around your training sessions for energy and recovery.
Step 5: Choose your approach.
You have two main options for calorie management during recomp:
- Eat at maintenance every day. Simplest approach. Works well for beginners and returning lifters. Your body handles the partitioning.
- Calorie cycling. Eat slightly above maintenance on training days (100-200 surplus) and slightly below on rest days (200-300 deficit). Weekly average lands near maintenance. This may slightly optimize nutrient partitioning, but the difference is small.
What to prioritize:
- Protein first, always
- Whole foods for most meals (lean meats, eggs, dairy, grains, fruits, vegetables)
- Sleep 7-9 hours per night (sleep is when most muscle repair happens)
- Stay hydrated (dehydration impairs both performance and recovery)
Don't make this more complicated than it needs to be. Hit your protein target, eat roughly the right number of calories, train hard, and sleep well. That covers 90% of the recomp equation.
How Long Does Recomposition Take?
This is where honesty matters. Recomp is not fast.
Beginners may see noticeable changes in 8-12 weeks. New lifters respond so strongly to training that body composition shifts quickly even at maintenance calories.
Returning lifters can expect visible results in 8-16 weeks, depending on how much muscle they previously had and how long they've been away.
Overweight individuals often see the fastest visual changes because fat loss is more noticeable when starting from a higher body fat percentage. Expect 12-16 weeks for clear results.
Intermediate lifters with moderate body fat? This is the slow lane. Think 4-6 months for meaningful changes, and even then they may be subtle.
How to track progress when the scale doesn't move:
The scale is almost useless for recomp. You might gain 5 pounds of muscle and lose 5 pounds of fat and weigh exactly the same.
Instead, track:
- Progress photos: Take front, side, and back photos every 2-4 weeks in the same lighting and clothing. This is the most reliable visual indicator.
- Strength gains: If your lifts are going up, you're building muscle. Period.
- Body measurements: Waist, hips, chest, arms, and thighs. Waist going down while arms go up is recomp in action.
- How clothes fit: Your favorite jeans will tell you more than your bathroom scale.
Comparing body recomp to the traditional approach of bulking and cutting: a bulk/cut cycle can achieve similar total change in less time, but involves periods of looking and feeling worse (gaining fat during a bulk, losing strength during a cut). Recomp is slower but more comfortable. Pick the approach that matches your patience and lifestyle.
Recomp Mistakes to Avoid
Eating too little. The most common mistake. Aggressive calorie deficits shut down muscle growth. If you're eating 1,200 calories and wondering why you're not building muscle, that's your answer. Recomp needs fuel.
Not training hard enough. Walking on a treadmill and doing a few light sets isn't recomp training. You need to be pushing for progressive overload with compound movements. The workout plan above is designed for this.
Ignoring protein. You can get away with lower protein on a bulk when calories are abundant. During recomp, every gram matters. Missing your protein target regularly will stall muscle growth.
Obsessing over the scale. If you weigh yourself daily and panic when the number doesn't change, recomp will drive you crazy. Your weight is supposed to stay roughly stable. Trust the process and track other metrics.
Expecting bulk-speed muscle gain. You will not gain muscle as fast during recomp as you would on a proper calorie surplus. Accept this trade-off. You're also not gaining fat, which is the whole point.
Skipping sleep. Muscle repair happens primarily during deep sleep. Growth hormone release peaks during sleep. If you're getting 5 hours per night, your body doesn't have the recovery window it needs. No amount of perfect training and nutrition compensates for chronic sleep deprivation.
Too much cardio. Some cardio supports recomp (especially walking and low-intensity work that burns calories without taxing recovery). Too much high-intensity cardio competes with your lifting recovery and can tip you into too large a deficit. Read more about balancing weights and cardio for fat loss.
Changing the plan every two weeks. Recomp requires consistency over months. If you switch programs every time progress feels slow, you'll never accumulate enough training stimulus to see results. Commit to the plan for at least 12 weeks.
FAQ
Does body recomposition work for advanced lifters?
It can, but it's significantly slower. Advanced lifters are closer to their genetic ceiling for muscle growth and typically carry less excess body fat. The closer you are to both limits, the harder it is to move in both directions simultaneously. Advanced lifters generally see better results with dedicated bulk and cut phases lasting 8-16 weeks each.
How much protein do I actually need for recomp?
Aim for 0.8-1.2 grams per pound of bodyweight daily. If you have a high body fat percentage, use your lean body mass estimate instead (or target roughly 1 gram per pound of your goal bodyweight). More isn't harmful, but research shows diminishing returns above 1.2 grams per pound for most people.
Should I do cardio during body recomposition?
Yes, but keep it strategic. Walking 8,000-10,000 steps per day is the single best cardio approach for recomp. It burns meaningful calories without impacting recovery. Add 1-2 sessions of moderate-intensity cardio (cycling, swimming, incline walking) per week if you want extra calorie burn. Limit high-intensity cardio (sprints, HIIT) to 1-2 short sessions per week maximum, and only if your recovery supports it.
Can I recomp without tracking calories?
Technically yes, but it's harder. Recomp works within a narrow calorie window. Eating too much leads to fat gain, eating too little blocks muscle growth. If you don't want to count calories precisely, at minimum track your protein intake and monitor your weight trend weekly. If weight is stable and lifts are going up, you're probably in the right zone.
Is body recomp faster than bulk and cut cycles?
No. A dedicated bulk followed by a cut will typically produce more total muscle gain and fat loss in the same timeframe. The advantage of recomp is that you avoid the extremes: you never get significantly fatter, you never feel starved, and you maintain a relatively stable physique year-round. It's a lifestyle approach rather than a performance-optimized approach.
What if the scale goes up during recomp?
Don't panic. Small fluctuations (1-3 pounds) are water weight, glycogen, food volume, and hormonal changes. Look at weekly averages, not daily weigh-ins. If your weekly average is trending up over 3-4 weeks, reduce daily intake by 100-200 calories. If it's stable or slowly decreasing while your strength is increasing, your recomp is working.
Plan Your Recomp
Body recomposition is a viable strategy for the right person. If you're a beginner, returning to the gym, or carrying extra body fat, you're in a strong position to build muscle and lose fat at the same time.
The formula isn't complicated: train with progressive overload 4 days per week, eat enough protein, keep calories near maintenance, sleep well, and be patient.
Ready to start?
- Use the free workout planner to generate a body recomp workout plan tailored to your schedule, equipment, and experience level.
- Browse the exercise library for video demonstrations and technique cues on every movement in the plan above.
- Explore pre-built workout routines if you want a structured program ready to go.
- Download the LoadMuscle app to track your workouts, log your progress, and follow your recomp plan from your phone.
Stop debating whether to bulk or cut. If you fit the profile, start recomping today. The best results come from consistency over months, not perfect decisions in the first week.