• Body recomposition, also referred to as simultaneous fat loss and muscle gain, can be challenging.

• A high-protein diet with a modest calorie deficit, strength training, and adequate rest are essential.

• According to specialists who spoke with Insider, body recomposition is simpler to achieve if you're new to resistance training.

In order to achieve what is known as body recomposition, personal trainers have deconstructed what it takes to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time.

In general, a person needs to eat fewer calories than they expend in order to lose fat, which is known as being in a calorie deficit, whereas gaining muscle calls for a surplus of calories.

However, according to Nick Shaw, a personal trainer and the creator of RP Strength, the official nutrition coaching platform of the Cross Fit Games, there are some situations when body recomposition is simpler to achieve:

If you have adjusted your diet for the first time to meet the recommended calorie and protein targets, if you are new to strength training, if you are returning to strength training after a break, or

According to Shaw, body recomposition is "not the norm" because it's difficult to attain.

According to Dr. Mike Molloy, the founder of M2 Performance Nutrition, some people may find it harder owing to potential obstacles including their genetics, socioeconomic situation, or mental health. However, anyone can theoretically gain muscle and lose fat.

You should focus on the following, according to personal trainers, to offer yourself the best chance of achieving body recomposition.

Eat a lot of protein.

According to study, eating a high-protein diet while in a small caloric deficit will give you the best chance of maintaining, or even growing, muscle while losing fat. But be careful not to cut your calories too drastically, advised Emily Servante, a certified personal trainer at Ultimate Performance Personal Training, to Insider earlier.

In a small study published in 2016, researchers discovered that men who consumed more protein while engaging in resistance training and high-intensity interval training lost more fat and increased their lean body mass, which is everything other than fat. 

Those who ingested more protein during resistance training shed more fat and gained more muscle than those who consumed less protein, according to a smaller 2018 research of women.

Protein keeps you feeling full and aids in the recovery of your muscles after exercise. In addition, it has a higher thermic effect than fats and carbohydrates, requiring the body to expend more energy during digestion.

According to a meta-analysis published on September 4 in Sports Medicine Open, eating at least 0.7 grams per pound of bodyweight each day is sufficient to maximize strength gains, Insider's Gabby Lands verk previously reported.

Strength-train

For body recomposition, resistance training is essential.

When trying to recomp, "the majority of individuals completely concentrate on the weight loss part," Molloy noted. However, I contend that the majority of people should invest at least as much time and effort in gaining muscle mass.

Cardio is not necessary for fat loss, according to Molloy, even if it has many advantages for general health and all forms of exercise burn calories.

According to a 2015 meta-analysis, people who are overweight and strength train shed more fat than those who do cardio.

A different study from 2021 found that people who primarily engaged in strength training were less likely to gain weight than those who primarily engaged in cardio.

Strength training, according to Molloy, makes the body burn more calories even when not exercising.

The advice from Shaw is to work out "like a bodybuilder."

In the gym, he advised making sure to workout with bigger volumes—enough reps, sets, and weight. Shaw recommends performing each exercise in sets of 8–12 repetitions using weights that are difficult.

Apply progressive overload, which involves gradually raising the reps or weights, to keep pushing yourself and promote muscle growth, he advised.

Rest well and control your stress

In addition to a healthy diet and strength exercise,

I advised getting eight hours of sleep each night and managing stress.

According to a 2004 study, having two nights with less than six hours of sleep might increase hunger by 25% and desires for foods high in calories by 33%. This is because, according to the study's findings, ghrelin—also known as the "hunger hormone"—increases when a person is sleep deprived.

Be Consistent

It takes time for the body to recompose, thus patience is needed, according to the specialists.

In contrast to hard-core crash diets, which are frequently used to lose weight, gaining muscle is a famously lengthy process, and recomping is no different, according to Carpenter.

According to Shaw, experienced gym users may see superior long-term outcomes by dedicating specific stages to muscle growth or fat removal.

The greatest way to reduce fat is to eat less, and the best way to grow muscle is to eat more, he explained, so trying to do both can be counterproductive.

Additionally, since genetics play a major role in which body areas you lose fat from, there is no way to select them.

People frequently have trouble-some regions that, despite weight training, will take the longest to reduce fat from, according to Shaw. "The best course of action is to simply gradually get slimmer and that stubborn fat will finally drop off."