Burn fat by building muscle: The body recomposition

Let’s face it ladies, many (all!) of us want to burn fat and tone up. A body recomposition isn’t about getting hench, buff or competing in bodybuilding, but more a focus on body definition! So you can make way for that summer body you crave, all while losing weight and gaining a little muscle. A body recomposition is more popular amongst those at the beginning of a new workout regime. Beginners can usually expect fat loss and muscle growth relatively easily when you first start. However, it is typically a little harder to maintain long term. But how do you do a body recomp? And what does it all really mean? Don’t worry, we’re going to cover everything you need to know, including ‘how long does a body recomp take?’, how to lose fat and gain muscle and most importantly here - how you’re going to feel doing it! It’s time to get a sweat on, ladies! Let’s go.

How to do a body recomp

Gain muscle

When we talk about gaining muscle, we’re not saying that this body recomposition will make you hench, or butch - don’t worry! As a rule, here’s how your weight gain should roughly look each week during a body recomposition programme: Beginner: 0.5% body weight each week Intermediate: 0.3% - 0.2% body weight each week Advanced: 0.1% of body weight each week If you’re pretty advanced in the gym already, you’ll spot that the potential muscle gain can soon drop off! But there’s plenty to achieve before this.

Fat loss

While this may depend on your starting weight, here’s a guide to aim for… Clinically obese (over 40% body fat for women) 2% body fat lost each week Overweight (2-40% body fat for women) 1.25% body fat lost each week Average (body fat 24-32% for women) 0.75% body fat lost each week Fit (body fat 14-24% for women) 0.5% body fat lost each week Contest-level (below 14% body fat for women) 0.2 body fat lost each week

Working out your weekly calorie balance

In order to gain muscle, you need to be working in a calorie surplus. In order to lose fat, you need to create a deficit of calories. The real trick here is finding the balance of where you can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time.

But how do you find out the sweet spot to achieve both? Use a simple formula! Start by taking your weight, your body fat % and your training level, using them to calculate how many pounds of fat you can shed each week - along with how many pounds of muscle you can gain. After doing so, work out how many calories you need to cut to lose weight, as well as how many extra you need to consume to gain muscle. Let’s put it this way, ladies, 3800 calories cut sheds 1 pound of fat. And 1600 calories consumed helps to build one pound of muscle. Adding these two together will give you your calorie balance! So you know exactly how much you can consume and cut for the perfect body recomp.

How to gain muscle and lose fat: A Guide

When it comes to carrying out a body recomposition, a common question is: ‘How long does a body recomp take?’ We understand you’re eager for that summer body, ladies!

And here’s how to get fit, tone up and feel great.

Get lifting - relatively heavy - at least 3 times a week

This step can be tailored to your starting physique and fitness - whether you decide to lift relatively heavy or pretty heavy is all down to you! Ensure you’re allowing your muscles time to rest and repair in between workouts, however. Since you’ll be working out in a caloric deficit, your muscles will require a little longer to repair themselves. But! While they’ll need some time to heal, that doesn’t mean you can’t hit them hard during your workouts. Try to work as many muscles as you can during your workout. If you’re new to intense exercise, aim for three days per week, but if you’re feeling a little more advanced, go for four.

Keep an eye on your cardio

When it comes to body recomposition, you need to have a careful approach to mixing cardio with weight training. If you start burning a lot of calories during a cardio workout, you could be eating further into your deficit. It’s all about balance when it comes to how to master a body recomposition. But before you go cutting out cardio entirely, it’s important to note that it is still very good for you! To keep cardio in your body recomp the right way, try follow these three rules:

• Dedicate more time to weights over cardio
• Aim for intense cardio workouts over lengthy sessions
• Do your cardio at a different time to weights

Perfect calorie cycling

Don’t worry, there’s not a spin bike in sight! Calorie cycling actually involves eating more after your workouts - compared to other times. This is because your muscles grow more during this time. Plus, this post-workout window gets smaller the more you train hard! For a great body recomposition, you need to eat in a surplus within the narrow window post-exercise - while maintaining your calorie deficit the rest of the time. If you’re a beginner, this window of opportunity post-workout can last for as long as 24 hours. When you’re a little more advanced, this growth period can sit at around six hours. To get the most out of your body recomposition plan, aim to eat a large healthy meal within this window.

By working out how many calories you can eat each day/each week, you can plan your workouts accordingly with a nutritious meal post-workout. This means you can save those smaller portioned meals for periods of inactivity. As you get more familiar with a body recomp, your weight loss will leave you feeling amazing in your own skin! But it's also important to...

Get plenty of ZZZZs

When it comes to losing weight and gaining muscle during a body recomp, your body is going to need plenty of high quality sleep! This downtime allows your body to repair itself and grow. Without it, your whole body recomp could fall to pieces. Try to switch off from your mobile phone early on in the evening, minimising screen time, as well as heading to bed at a reasonable time each day.

Try Trimtone

Need a little help kick starting your weight loss? A body recomp can take a lot of dedication, and it’s totally understandable to expect quick results! But when you do start to see your body shed those pounds, there's nothing better than feeling incredible in your own body! Let's power up that body confidence! Trimtone 100% natural ingredients work to suppress your appetite, so you can get used to your new calorie deficit with ease. It’s time to kick those hunger pangs to the curb, ladies! Let’s get that summer body you’ve always dreamed of.