Recomposition: Can You Lose Fat and Gain Muscle at Once?

For some people, yes — and it might be exactly the goal you want.

Conventional wisdom says you must bulk to gain muscle and cut to lose fat. But many people can do both at once — body recomposition — under the right conditions.

Who recomps best

• •Beginners in their first year of training
• •People returning after a long break (muscle memory)
• •Those carrying higher body fat with plenty to lose
• •Anyone newly dialling in protein and progressive training

How to set it up

Eat at or just slightly below maintenance, push protein high (around 2g/kg), and train with progressive overload. Fat comes off slowly while muscle builds — the scale may barely move while your mirror and measurements change a lot.

Be patient with the scale

Because you're gaining muscle as you lose fat, weight loss looks slow. Judge recomp by photos, measurements and strength, not the scale alone. PRIME's prime (recomp) goal sets a near-maintenance calorie target and high protein for exactly this.