As a bodybuilder, do you have to bulk and cut, or can you do it all in one: build muscle and lose fat at the same time, aka body recomposition?

WHAT EXACTLY BODY RECOMPOSITION IS

In bodybuilding jargon, body recomposition means increasing muscle mass and at the same time reducing fat mass. This gives you more lean muscle mass, regardless of how your body weight changes. And that is in fact the main goal of the vast majority of men in the gym: to create muscle definition, or to get toned.

Now you can also achieve the latter by bulking and cutting. In the bulk you eat in a (small) calorie surplus with which you facilitate muscle building. Because there is always some fat mass added during a period of surplus, you then start cutting: burning fat mass, while trying to maintain the muscle mass you have built up. That means that you have to take two steps, while with body recomposition you do everything in one go. Moreover, bulking and cutting often go wrong: too much fat mass is added in the bulk and muscle mass is lost in the cut.

So body recomposition is the ideal scenario. But many coaches still believe that this scenario is only feasible for specific groups, such as beginners, overweight people and steroids users. Is that so? Can’t you also achieve body recomposition as a more experienced natural bodybuilder? That is the central question in this article.

THE FIRST LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS

The principle of bulking and cutting is basically based on the assumption that muscle gain and fat loss are two completely opposite goals that are physically incompatible. The first law of thermodynamics is usually invoked for this: no energy can be created from nothing and no energy is ever lost ^[ i ] .

The argument then runs as follows:

1. To build muscle, you need to store energy. To lose fat, you have to burn energy.
2. When you have an energy surplus, your body stores energy. When you have a deficiency, your body loses energy.
3. That is why you need an energy surplus for muscle growth and an energy deficit for fat loss.

The first two points are correct: to create new mass, be it fat or muscle mass, you need energy. You cannot make something out of nothing, as the first law of thermodynamics dictates.

The third point, however, is only partially true. For fat loss you do indeed, undeniably, need an energy deficit ^[ ii ] . But muscle growth does not necessarily require an energy surplus. To understand that, you first need to understand how our body divides the nutrients we ingest into different tasks: nutrient partitioning.

NUTRIENT PARTIONING

With nutrient partitioning (or nutrient partitioning, also called calorie partitioning), it is determined where the energy from your food goes: it can be used as fuel, stored as fat or absorbed by muscle tissue for muscle building.

How your body distributes its energy among those three different targets depends on several factors.

In the first place of your energy balance. For example, with a negative balance, i.e. an energy deficit, logically no energy will be stored as fat.
Second to the distribution of macronutrients in your diet: proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

In a calorie surplus, the body prefers to store fats as body fat. Carbohydrates are first and foremost used as fuel (glucose), but in the event of a surplus, they are also stored as fat.

Proteins have another role. Although proteins contain the same number of calories per gram as carbohydrates, the body is not efficient at converting them into glucose. It only does this if there is no other energy source available. Protein is the most difficult macronutrient to store as fat ^[ iii ] . Proteins are much more important as a supplier of amino acids, which in turn serve as building blocks for the protein in your body cells. Protein is therefore indispensable for the construction of tissues, including muscle tissues. Without proteins, therefore, no muscle building, no matter how many calories you eat.

There are other factors that influence nutrient partitioning. Hormones, for example. Testosterone promotes nutrient distribution in favor of muscles, while the ‘stress hormone’ cortisol has the opposite effect. A high cortisol level can even lead to muscle breakdown and more fat storage. The hormone insulin and sensitivity to it also play a role, as do genetics and unexplained factors.

So you can never fully control nutrient partitioning. And supplements that would improve nutrient partitioning (in favor of muscle growth) have never been proven to work.

NUTRIENT PARTITIONING AND MUSCLE GROWTH

Muscle building not only requires proteins (amino acids), but also water and energy (glycogen and triglycerides) ^{[ i ][ iv ]} .

Protein

Proteins are the building blocks of your muscles. They contain chains of amino acids. Your body breaks these chains down into individual amino acids, which in turn serve as building blocks for the protein in your body cells. Compare it to a child who breaks down a LEGO building and builds something else with the same bricks. About 70% of the amino acids from the proteins in your food end up in your cells. These cells together form tissues, such as muscle tissue, but also organs such as your heart and lungs. In addition to a (muscle) building function, proteins also play a role in numerous hormonal and other processes.

The production of muscle protein from amino acids is also called muscle protein synthesis . Muscle growth requires a positive balance of muscle protein synthesis. That is, the production of muscle protein must be greater than its breakdown. You achieve that positive balance by taking in sufficient proteins, in combination with effective strength training. In the absence of sufficient amino acids, muscle growth cannot take place. In addition, the timing of protein intake, its distribution over the day and the quality of protein sources can also contribute to stimulating protein synthesis and inhibiting muscle breakdown. And perhaps unnecessarily, sufficient sleep is also important here.

Instead of protein balance or muscle protein synthesis balance, people sometimes speak of nitrogen balance. The nitrogen balance is the ratio of the amount of nitrogen absorbed and excreted during a certain period of time. Nitrogen is an important component of proteins. When more nitrogen enters the body through food than leaves through sweat, urine or faeces, we speak of a positive nitrogen balance.

Now as a bodybuilder you don’t have to have your nitrogen balance measured. If you keep track of how much protein you almost eat in a day, for example with a calorie app, you know enough. For bodybuilders, they should take in about 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kg of body weight daily . In case of a calorie deficit, it is better to take a little more (1.8-2.7 g/kg/d).

Energy

Energy is needed in order to be able to build a house with the building blocks, i.e. the proteins, i.e. the muscle. Your body gets that energy from the food you eat and – if necessary – from the energy stored in the fat tissue.

In short, through nutrient partitioning, our body sends nutrients independently of each other to fat cells and muscle cells. With sufficient growth incentives through your strength training, your body sees the need to reserve energy for building muscles. If necessary, it can rely on existing energy in the fat cells. As a result, it is, at least in theory, also possible to achieve muscle growth in the event of an energy deficit. Logically, this is more difficult if you are very slim and therefore have few fat reserves. It also becomes more difficult as you are more experienced as a strength athlete and the training therefore produces less anabolic stimulus.

BODY RECOMPOSITION: THE PRACTICE

In theory, it is therefore indeed possible to build muscle mass in the event of an energy deficit and thus lose fat at the same time. But how easy is that in practice for a natural bodybuilder? That question is still a matter of debate.

TYPICAL RECYCLERS

Most evidence-based coaches agree on one thing: body recomposition is perfectly possible if you are a beginner or returner, and/or if you are (much) overweight.

For an absolute beginner, the growth stimuli from training are completely new to the body and are therefore so powerful that relatively little energy is required to facilitate muscle growth ^[ v ] . As a result, even with an energy deficit, you can build up muscles relatively easily, something that has even been shown in men and women aged sixty ^[ vi ] .

Even if you have not trained for a long time and start training again, you probably need less ‘back-up’ from food – on the one hand because the growth stimulus is relatively new, on the other hand because your body can make use of the phenomenon of muscle memory. Even then, body recomposition is a real possibility, which you may have experienced yourself after resuming your training after the corona period.

People who have been training for quite some time, but never on the basis of a solid training program and/or diet (the so-called slackers) can also achieve body recomposition as soon as they do start with a serious program.

Finally, people who are overweight (fat percentage >25%) can also recover more easily, as research has shown ^[ vii ] . This regardless of their training status, as their fat reserves can provide enough energy for muscle building.

EXPERIENCED BODYBUILDERS

But how realistic is body recompostion for more experienced natural bodybuilders? So, for example, if you have been training consistently for one or two years?

Many coaches preach that body recompositon is then usually a utopia, unless you already have angelic patience. However, a new scientific review by Barakat et al., which is freely available, paints a more nuanced picture. The scientific literature does indeed contain convincing examples of body recompostion in more experienced strength athletes ^[ viii ] .

After analyzing a dozen studies of body recomposition in trained individuals (most with at least one year of training experience), the scientists involved conclude:

Despite the common belief that building muscle and losing fat at the same time is only plausible in novice/obese individuals, the literature provided supports that trained individuals can also experience body recomposition. Individuals’ training status, the exercise interventions, and their baseline body composition can influence the magnitude of muscle gained and fat lost.^[viii]

The fact that muscle building with an energy deficit is possible, even with more experienced bodybuilders, does not mean that it is the most efficient method to change your body composition. Menno Henselmans in an interview about this with Men’s Health:

In a negative energy balance, your body is less inclined to build muscle mass. We see this in research, for example, in the increased activation of catabolic reactions and reduced activation of anabolic reactions. This leads to less protein synthesis in your muscles. ^[ x ]

According to the coach, recomping as an advanced person is therefore difficult to achieve, if not impossible:

If you are advanced, it becomes almost impossible at a certain point: everything must be perfectly adjusted to your body in order to be able to build new muscle mass. ^[ x ]

And everyday life doesn’t always allow for perfection: stress, a bad night’s sleep, a sin with food, a lack of time to train, … One such factor can be enough to shatter a recomping dream.

Henselmans says:

As you get more advanced, you will benefit more from bulking to get bigger. ^[ x ]

Coach Mike Israetel thinks that body recomposition at a fat percentage of 10% or lower (in women 15% or lower) is simply impossible, because your body will no longer give up an ounce of fat to facilitate muscle growth ^[ xi ] . If you are advanced with a low fat percentage, you can completely forget about recomping.

His colleague coach and author Eric Trexler comes to the same conclusion following another recent meta-analysis:

Simultaneous fat loss and muscle gain is indeed possible, although it becomes less feasible as an individual’s body-fat level decreases and training status increases.^[xii]

So from a certain point it pays off to bulk and cut instead of recomp. Exactly where that point lies depends on many personal factors. According to Baraket, successful recompensation also depends on:

• a well-thought-out training program according to the principle of progressive overload, with a minimum of three training sessions per week;
• tracking and adequately anticipating progression and recovery;
• a high protein intake, possibly with the help of protein supplements, whereby timing and distribution of intake is also important (immediately after training, for example)*;
• optimizing sleep, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

CONCLUSION

Roughly speaking, we can now say:

• beginners: suitable for body recomposition;
• intermediate: may be suitable for body recomposition, if conditions are met;
• (very) advanced: not suitable for body recomposition, therefore bulking/cutting;
• slackers: suitable for body recomposition;
• persons with a high fat percentage: suitable for body recomposition.

What will your action plan be? Fortunately, several routes lead to your goal. Eric Trexler on that:

Fortunately, there are no wrong choices, and fitness is a lifelong journey, so you’ll have plenty of time to achieve a wide range of body composition goals in whatever order you see fit.^[xvi]

WHICH DIET?

Okay, you decide to recomp. What should your diet look like then? According to Eric Texler there are two points to watch out for ^[ xvii ] .

1. CALORIES

Your calorie intake should be low enough to cause fat loss and high enough to facilitate muscle growth. Research suggests that this should not exceed an energy deficit of 500 kcal ^[ xiv ] . Coach Jermey Ethier recommends a deficit of 5-20% of maintenance level, which equates to 100-500 kcal below maintenance for most individuals ^[ ix ] . The use of a  calorie app is indispensable here.

2. PROTEINS

Whether you bulk, cut or recomp, your protein intake should always be high. In bulk, the rule is 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. According to Eric Texler you can also use it in the recomp.

You have to take into account that this 1.6 g/kg/d is based on a research population of young people with an average body composition. If you are at the ends of the average body fat percentage, it can pay off to use 2 to 2.75 grams per kilogram  of lean  mass as a rule. The disadvantage is that you then have to know your fat percentage fairly faithfully, which is not so easy to measure. More about that in this article.

Spread your protein intake over four to five meals a day, that is, meals of 20-40 grams of protein with a few hours in between. This way you ensure that muscle protein synthesis remains elevated throughout the day ^[ xv ] . Plan your training between meals to ensure that your body is getting enough protein for recovery and building muscle mass. More about spreading and timing of proteins in this article. Experts also recommend having a portion of protein before going to sleep.

CONCLUSION AND ADVICE

Body recomposition means building muscle and losing fat at the same time: the holy grail of bodybuilding. Something that is perfectly possible from a physiological point of view, because the body can reserve energy for muscle growth via nutrient partitioning – even if there is a calorie deficit in food intake and therefore a negative energy balance.

In theory, anyone can achieve body recompostion, but in practice it mostly works

• in beginners;
• for intermediates, provided that strict conditions are met;
• at slackers;
• after a period of detraining;
• in people who are (much) overweight;
• in people who take steroids.

But research shows that intermediates (natural bodybuilders with one to two years of training experience), also known as intermediates, can ‘recomp’. However, more than beginners, they need to optimize their training, nutrition and rest.

If you’re advanced (or “advanced”), you’re relatively close to your natural muscle growth potential, which makes building muscle difficult. In that case, body recompostion is usually no longer feasible, especially if you also have a low fat percentage. The method of bulking and cutting is then much more efficient. In short, we can state:

Bulking and cutting is and remains a proven method for those who already have some training experience and want to build muscle mass quickly. You do have to make sure that you bulk as (c)lean as possible, in other words a calorie surplus of no more than 10-20% of your maintenance level. And to successfully cut (with so little loss of muscle mass) you will have to program your nutrition and training in a specific way.

STEP-BY-STEP PLAN FOR BODY RECOMPOSITION

Finally, a bit of practicality: how exactly should we approach body recomposition? A roadmap.

STEP 1: DETERMINE WHETHER BODY RECOMPOSTION IS FEASIBLE/SUITABLE FOR YOU

Are you a beginner, ‘slacker’ or returner and/or are you very overweight? Then body recompostion is feasible and probably preferable to bulking/cutting;

Are you an intermediate with a fairly high fat percentage? Then body recomposition is worth trying, unless you experienced muscle building very slowly in your last bulk (assuming your training, nutrition and rest were in order). In the latter case, you will probably get results much faster with a well-executed bulk and cut.

Are you an advanced bodybuilder and still want to build some muscle mass? Then you benefit from bulking and cutting, since muscle growth is difficult enough with an energy surplus – let alone with an energy deficit. Usually body recomposition is simply impossible at this stage: you will hardly build any muscle mass with it. If your fat percentage is around 10% or lower (for women 15%), you can write body recomposition completely on your flat stomach.

In general, the more training experience you have and the slimmer you are, the more difficult it is to achieve body recomposition.

STEP 2: CREATE A SMALL ENERGY DEFICIT

Follow a light calorie-restricted diet, going no more than 10-20% below your maintenance level. If your maintenance is 2200 kcal, you subtract a maximum of ~500 kcal.

You determine the exact size of your energy deficit (partly) based on your fat percentage: people with a high fat percentage (>25%) are more likely to aim for 20% or even more. If you are already on the ‘dry’ side (<15%), go for an energy deficit of 5-15%. In practice, this only amounts to a few hundred calories, which is why you will have to keep track of your food consumption fairly minutely by means of a calorie app.

STEP 3: MAINTAIN A HIGH PROTEIN INTAKE

Eat at least as much protein as in the bulk: 1.6-2.2 g/kg/d. With a low fat percentage you eat more towards 2.2 g/kg/d.

Also pay attention to the timing and spread of your protein intake. Always take your proteins in portions of 20-40 grams, with three to four hours in between. Make sure that your body has protein immediately after training and preferably also during the night’s sleep.

STEP 4: MAKE PROGRESS IN THE GYM

Follow a well-thought-out training program with sufficient volume and intensity (but don’t train too much to muscle failure), and divide your sets over the week in a smart way (training frequency). And make sure you’re making progress: progressive overload. After all, that’s the key to muscle growth, whether in a bulk or a recomp.

STEP 5 (OPTIONAL): DO CALORIE CYCLING

Use a greater energy deficit on rest days (for example 600 kcal) than on training days (for example 200 kcal). Keep in mind that you use more energy on training days and that your calorie level must therefore be higher on those days.

SUMMARIZED

1. You don’t necessarily have to bulk and cut to get muscle definition. After all, you are able to build muscle and lose fat at the same time: body recomposition. This is because your body can extract energy for muscle growth from existing fat reserves. In addition, the growth stimulus from training can be so great that less ‘back-up’ from food is needed. Beginners and returners benefit from this.

2. Building muscle in an energy deficit is much more difficult compared to an energy surplus: increased activation of catabolic reactions and decreased activation of anabolic reactions make it less easy to increase muscle protein synthesis.

3. In practice, body recomposition is therefore especially feasible if the physiological conditions are extremely favourable, namely: if you are a beginner, if you have not trained for a long time, if you have never trained properly and/or if you are overweight. Body recomposition is then usually preferred to bulking and cutting.

4. Still, research suggests that people with some training experience (semi-advanced) can also achieve body recomposition. The extent to which this is possible depends on several factors, in particular: training program, nutrition, sleep, hormone levels, physique and muscle growth potential. Bulking and cutting may be more efficient, but that depends on personal circumstances and preference.

5. For (far) advanced natural bodybuilders, body recomposting does not seem to be an efficient method and is usually even impossible, especially if the body fat percentage is low (≤ 10% in men, ≤ 15% in women). Bulking and cutting is then usually much more efficient.

6. A successful recomp rests on a number of pillars: a relatively small energy deficit (5-20% of the maintenance level), a high protein intake (1.6-2.2 g/kg/d), sufficient sleep and a decent training program according to the principle of progressive overload. Optional is calorie cycling, which ensures that you have more calories to spend on training days.

This article was originally published June 22, 2018, revised August 25, 2020, and last updated December 23, 2022.

REFERENCES

• ^[i] https://mennohenselmans.com/gain-muscle-and-lose-fat-at-the-same-time/
• ^[ii] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18025815
• ^[iii] https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/the-5-laws-of-metabolism
• ^[iv] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28806275
• ^[ v ] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9309627/
• ^[ vi ] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8002507
• ^[vii] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10838463/
• ^[viii] https://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/Abstract/9000/Body_Recomposition__Can_Trained_Individuals_Build.99238.aspx
• ^[ix] https://youtu.be/rkv1fpWLy0Q?t=196
• ^[x] https://www.menshealth.com/nl/fitness/a33975145/spiergroei-en-vetverlies/
• ^[xi] https://youtu.be/Jy3lXUBK86c?t=324
• ^[xii] https://www.strongerbyscience.com/muscle-caloric-deficit/
• ^[xiii] https://youtu.be/rkv1fpWLy0Q?t=196
• ^[xiv] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34623696/
• ^[xv] https://youtu.be/rkv1fpWLy0Q?t=398
• ^[xvi] https://macrofactorapp.com/recomposition/
• ^[xvii] https://youtu.be/BvTdUYWryCk