Build muscle, lose fat
Body Recomposition Calculator
This body recomposition calculator gives you maintenance calories, training-day and rest-day targets for calorie cycling, your macros, and an honest verdict on how realistic recomp is for you, because it works far better for some people than others.
Your recomp plan
Body recomposition plan
Maintenance calories
2,710kcal/day
- Training day
- 2,982 kcal
- +10% to fuel muscle
- Rest day
- 2,439 kcal
- −10% to nudge fat loss
Daily macros
- Protein
- 176 g
- 703 kcal · 26%
- Carbs
- 340 g
- 1,361 kcal · 50%
- Fat
- 72 g
- 647 kcal · 24%
Realistic for you. Beginners (and people returning after a break) can build muscle and lose fat at the same time. Eat around maintenance, train hard, and keep protein high. Over a 12-week block, expect your scale weight to stay roughly stable while body composition shifts. Track photos and strength, not just the scale.
How body recomposition works
Body recomposition means losing fat and building muscle at the same time, so the number on the scale can barely move while you look leaner and get stronger. It happens around maintenance calories, not in a steep deficit or surplus, driven by two things: enough protein to build muscle, and resistance training to signal your body to keep and grow it.
Because you are asking your body to do two opposing jobs at once, recomp is slower than a focused bulk or cut. The honest way to judge progress is over months, using photos, strength in the gym and how clothes fit, not week-to-week scale weight.
Is body recomposition realistic for you?
Recomp is not equally realistic for everyone. The tool above gives you a verdict based on your inputs; here is the broad picture:
| Who you are | Recomp verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner (under 1 yr lifting) | Realistic | Fast newbie gains while losing fat |
| Returning after a long break | Realistic | Muscle memory rebuilds quickly |
| Higher body fat (any level) | Realistic | Plenty of stored energy to fuel muscle |
| Intermediate (1–3 yrs) | Moderate | Works, but slower than a focused phase |
| Lean, advanced (3+ yrs) | Challenging | Separate bulk/cut phases usually beat it |
How to eat for recomp: calorie cycling
Many people recomp using calorie cycling: eat a little more on training days to fuel muscle, a little less on rest days to nudge fat loss, so the weekly average lands near maintenance. Protein stays high every day. The tool shows your exact training-day and rest-day numbers; the table below is the pattern.
| Day type | Calories | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Training day | ≈ +10% over maintenance | Extra carbs to fuel and build muscle |
| Rest day | ≈ −10% under maintenance | Slight deficit to nudge fat loss |
| Weekly average | ≈ maintenance | Weight stays stable; composition shifts |
| Protein (every day) | 1.6–2.2 g per kg | Protects and builds muscle |
Training day vs rest day: calories and macros
Here is that pattern as real numbers. Protein and fat stay steady every day while carbohydrates rise on training days and fall on rest days, so the extra energy lands where it fuels your workout and the weekly average stays near maintenance. The tool above builds the same breakdown from your own stats.
| Day type | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Training day | 3,035 kcal | 176 g | 421 g | 72 g |
| Rest day | 2,483 kcal | 176 g | 283 g | 72 g |
| Weekly average (≈ maintenance) | 2,759 kcal | 176 g | 352 g | 72 g |
Based on a 30-year-old man, 180 cm, 80 kg, training moderately; the tool computes yours.
Can you build muscle and lose fat at the same time?
Yes, but not equally for everyone. Recomp is most effective for beginners, people returning after a long break, and anyone carrying higher body fat, because their bodies can draw energy from fat stores to build muscle. Lean, experienced lifters can still recomp, but progress is slow, so a focused bulk or cut phase usually wins. The two non-negotiables are enough protein and consistent resistance training. Once you know your numbers, the protein intake calculator sets your daily target.
Recomp vs cut vs bulk: which should you choose?
Choose a recomp when you are within reach of your goal and happy with slow, steady change; choose a cut when you want visible fat loss soon, and a bulk when building muscle is the priority and you accept a little fat gain. A recomp keeps your weight near maintenance, a cut runs a deficit, and a bulk runs a surplus. If a deficit suits you better, the calorie deficit calculator maps out a realistic timeline; if you would rather add size, the clean bulk calculator sets your surplus and macros.
How do you track body recomposition?
Because the scale barely moves, scale weight alone will mislead you. Track recomposition with monthly progress photos, a tape measure at the waist and arms, your strength on the main lifts, and how your clothes fit, rather than day-to-day weight. Over a typical 12-week block, expect weight to stay roughly stable while composition shifts: that is success, not a stall. To watch the fat side directly, the body fat percentage calculator gives you a number to follow over time.
Can women and people over 40 do a recomp?
Yes: women and people over 40 recompose using the same protein and training principles, just often at a slightly slower pace. Hormonal changes and recovery matter more with age, so prioritise sleep, protein and progressive resistance training. The calculator already adapts the numbers to your sex, age and body fat, so the targets are yours, not a generic template. To split those calories into daily macros, use the macro calculator.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
What is body recomposition?
Body recomposition means losing fat and building muscle at the same time, so your weight may stay similar while your body looks leaner and stronger. It works best around maintenance calories rather than a steep deficit or surplus.
Is body recomposition realistic for me?
It is most realistic for beginners, people returning after a break, and anyone carrying higher body fat. It gets slower and harder for lean, advanced lifters, who usually progress faster by alternating dedicated bulk and cut phases. This calculator gives you an honest verdict based on your inputs.
How should I eat for recomp?
Eat around maintenance calories with high protein (about 1.6–2.2 g per kg). Many people use calorie cycling: a small surplus on training days to fuel muscle, and a small deficit on rest days to nudge fat loss. This tool can show you both day types.
What is calorie cycling?
Calorie cycling means varying your intake across the week instead of eating the same every day. For recomp, that typically looks like roughly +10% on training days and −10% on rest days, averaging out near maintenance.
How long does body recomposition take?
Recomp is slower than a focused bulk or cut because you are doing two things at once. Expect to judge progress over months, not weeks. Photos, strength in the gym, and how clothes fit are better signals than scale weight.
Do I need to lift weights to recomp?
Yes. Resistance training is the signal that tells your body to build or keep muscle while you lose fat. Without it, eating at maintenance will not drive meaningful muscle gain.
Why does my weight barely change during recomp?
That is expected and often a good sign: you are replacing fat with a similar weight of muscle. Track measurements, progress photos, and strength rather than relying on the scale alone.
Can you recomp while losing weight on the scale?
Yes. If you are carrying higher body fat or returning to training, you can lose fat while building a little muscle, so the scale drifts down while you look leaner. The muscle gain is usually slower than the fat loss, so expect a gentle downward trend rather than a stable weight. Track photos and measurements alongside the scale.
How do you do a body recomposition as a woman?
The approach is the same as for men: eat around maintenance calories, keep protein high (about 1.6–2.2 g per kg), and do progressive resistance training. Building muscle is slow and mostly adds shape and strength rather than bulk. Set your sex above so the calculator uses the right BMR equation for you.
Does body recomposition work over 40?
Yes, though it tends to be a little slower because muscle is built and kept less easily with age. The fundamentals matter even more after 40: enough protein, consistent resistance training, and decent sleep and recovery. Patience and steady habits usually beat aggressive dieting here.
Is this medical or nutritional advice?
No. This is general information and education only, not medical or nutritional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making significant changes to your diet or training.
Evidence
Sources & references
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. (1990). A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure · The BMR equation used for your maintenance calories.
- Barakat C, et al. (2020). Body Recomposition: can trained individuals build muscle and lose fat at the same time? Strength & Conditioning Journal 42(5):7-21. · Review of who can recomp and under what conditions.
- Longland TM, et al. (2016). Higher protein during an energy deficit with intense exercise promotes greater lean mass gain and fat mass loss · Am J Clin Nutr randomized trial: direct evidence that recomposition (build muscle, lose fat) is possible with high protein and hard training.
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