Nutrition Basics
Body recomposition: building muscle and losing fat at once
Losing fat and building muscle simultaneously is possible — but it's slower than doing either one at a time, and works best for specific people.
Who it works best for
- Beginners to resistance training — new lifters can often build muscle and lose fat at the same time, a rare window that shrinks with training experience
- People returning after a break — "muscle memory" allows relatively fast muscle regain even in a calorie deficit
- People with more body fat to lose — extra stored energy (fat) can help offset the calorie cost of building new muscle
Setting macros for recomposition
Calories are typically set at or very close to maintenance (TDEE), rather than a clear deficit or surplus. Protein is kept high — similar to a cutting phase, around 1.8–2.2 g/kg — since it's doing double duty: supporting muscle growth and protecting existing muscle. Progress is usually slower and harder to see on the scale than a dedicated cut or bulk, so tracking measurements or photos matters more than the number on the scale.
Keep reading: Macros for building muscle · Macros for fat loss · Cutting vs. bulking vs. maintenance