Body Recomposition + Expectations: How much control do we have over muscles changing the body?
Body recomposition is the process of simultaneously losing body fat and gaining muscle. It’s also known as “recomping” or “gaining muscle while losing fat.” Compared to traditional weight loss - which focuses on reducing the number on the scale - body recomposition is focused on improving the ratio of fat to lean muscle tissue.
When anyone starts to strength train consistently the improvements are pretty quick: improved balance, stabilized mood, improved posture, better sleep, more energy, reduced anxiety, increased self-esteem, enhanced cognitive function and improved stress management to name a few. For most people, the internal changes develop before physical and visible changes to the body. The lag can be confusing, and why many decide to quit; it’s hard to understand why they can do more push-ups, bench press heavier and yet the body looks the “same and not stronger”?
Muscle is one part of the equation. Body composition is not just based on how much muscle you carry or build, but includes how your body utilizes energy around it, through your appetite, blood sugar balance (insulin), cortisol, sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone), inflammation, recovery, hydration/water and fat storage signaling.
HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT BODY RECOMPOSITION?
Understand that muscles are metabolically active which means that when you have more, your body uses more energy (burns more calories) even when you are resting. The reward does not happen over-night and it does not create dramatic fat loss on its own. A common side effect of increased training is increased hunger. But if during your training you consume even slightly more than what your energy requirements actually are, fat loss can stall even as muscle is being built.
How efficiently the body processes glucose/sugar will influence whether incoming calories/energy is used for immediate fuel, stored as glycogen or moved towards fat storage. A smooth system that is functioning properly tends to utilize nutrients efficiently. When we are less balanced, the fat storage pathways become more dominant.
This is not to say these two examples are “problems”, but rather a demonstration of how science can empower you, shed light on why recomposition can take time, even when you are diligently training and getting physically stronger.
ANOTHER LENS ON BODY RECOMPOSITION
Instead of viewing body recomposition as a mechanical “build muscle and fat will automatically follow,” it’s more accurate to think of it as a holistic and coordinated system of a happy body:
One part is Muscular: Strength, training capacity, and lean tissue development
The other is Metabolic: Appetite, glucose handling, nutrient partitioning and absorption and hormone function
When your body and mental health is supported it is more likely to respond in a way that reflects the effort being put in.