Body Recomp Calculator - Build Muscle & Lose Fat Simultaneously | CalcFFMI

Body Recomp Calculator

Calculate optimal calories and macros to build muscle while losing fat

Calculate Your Body Recomp Macros

Your Body Recomp Plan

What is Body Recomposition?

Body recomposition, often called "recomping," is the process of simultaneously building muscle while losing fat. Unlike traditional bulking and cutting cycles that focus on one goal at a time, body recomposition aims to improve body composition by targeting both objectives concurrently. This approach creates a leaner, more muscular physique without the significant weight fluctuations associated with bulk-cut cycles.

The strategy involves precise calorie and macronutrient manipulation combined with strategic resistance training. You eat slightly below maintenance on rest days to promote fat loss, then at or slightly above maintenance on training days to fuel workouts and support muscle growth. This cycling approach capitalizes on nutrient timing and training stimulus to optimize both fat oxidation and protein synthesis.

💡 Is Body Recomp Right for You?

Body recomposition works best for beginners with less than 2 years of training, individuals carrying excess body fat (over 15% for men, 25% for women), people returning from training breaks, or those using suboptimal programs who can rapidly improve. Advanced lifters with low body fat often see better results from traditional bulk-cut cycles.

How the Calculator Works

Our body recomposition calculator uses evidence-based formulas to determine your optimal calorie and macronutrient targets for both training and rest days.

Step 1: Calculate Baseline Metabolism

The calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to determine your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)—the calories you burn at complete rest. This formula accounts for age, gender, weight, and height to provide an accurate baseline. If you provide body fat percentage, the calculator uses lean body mass for even more precise estimates.

Step 2: Determine Maintenance Calories

Your BMR is multiplied by an activity factor based on your training frequency to estimate Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). Body recomposition uses TDEE as the foundation for calorie cycling between training and rest days rather than maintaining a constant deficit or surplus.

Step 3: Adjust for Training and Rest Days

Training days receive a slight calorie boost (5-15% above maintenance) to fuel workouts and recovery. Rest days feature a moderate deficit (10-20% below maintenance) to promote fat loss while preventing muscle catabolism. The specific adjustments depend on your selected recomp goal—more fat loss, more muscle gain, or balanced.

Step 4: Calculate Macronutrient Targets

Protein remains constant at 1g per pound of bodyweight (or lean body mass if known) regardless of day type—this is non-negotiable for muscle preservation and growth. Fat intake is set at 25-30% of calories on both day types. Carbohydrates fill remaining calories, with significantly more carbs on training days to fuel performance and less on rest days to enhance fat oxidation.

⚠️ Realistic Expectations

Body recomposition is slower than dedicated bulk or cut phases. Expect to gain 0.5-1 lb of muscle monthly while losing 0.5-1 lb of fat monthly. Progress takes 3-6 months to become visually obvious. This is an advanced strategy requiring precise tracking, consistency, and patience. If you want faster results, consider traditional bulk-cut cycles instead.

Training Requirements for Body Recomp

Successful body recomposition absolutely requires proper resistance training—nutrition alone won't produce results.

Minimum Training Standards

  • Frequency: Train 3-5 days per week with resistance training, not cardio-focused workouts
  • Volume: 10-20 sets per major muscle group weekly, distributed across sessions
  • Intensity: Most sets should be within 2-3 reps of muscular failure with proper form
  • Progressive Overload: Consistently add reps, weight, or sets over time—stagnant training yields stagnant results
  • Exercise Selection: Prioritize compound movements (squats, deadlifts, bench press, rows, overhead press) for 70-80% of training volume

Cardio Considerations

Excessive cardio can interfere with recovery and muscle growth during body recomposition. Limit steady-state cardio to 2-3 sessions of 20-30 minutes weekly, or use 1-2 HIIT sessions of 10-15 minutes. Walking (8,000-12,000 steps daily) provides excellent low-intensity activity that supports fat loss without compromising recovery.

Implementing Your Body Recomp Plan

Follow these guidelines to maximize results from your calculated macros.

Tracking and Consistency

Body recomposition requires precise tracking—you can't estimate portions or "wing it" with meals. Use a food scale to measure portions and a tracking app to log everything you eat. Hit macro targets within 5g for protein, 10g for carbs, and 5g for fats daily. Inconsistency undermines the entire strategy.

Meal Timing Strategies

While total daily macros matter most, strategic meal timing can optimize results. Consume 25-35g protein within 2 hours post-workout to maximize muscle protein synthesis. Front-load carbohydrates around training—have 30-50g carbs 2-3 hours pre-workout and another 50-75g post-workout. Distribute remaining protein and carbs across 3-5 meals throughout the day.

Monitoring Progress

Bodyweight alone doesn't reflect body recomposition progress since you're simultaneously gaining muscle and losing fat. Track multiple metrics every 2-4 weeks:

  • Weekly average bodyweight (weight may stay stable or fluctuate minimally)
  • Progress photos from consistent angles and lighting (most reliable indicator)
  • Body measurements (waist, chest, arms, thighs)
  • Performance metrics (increasing reps or weight on key lifts)
  • How clothes fit (best qualitative measure)

When to Adjust Macros

Re-evaluate your plan every 4-6 weeks. If you're losing fat but not gaining strength, increase training day calories by 100-200. If you're gaining strength but not losing fat, decrease rest day calories by 100-200. If you're making no progress on either front, your tracking is likely inaccurate—audit your logging carefully before adjusting macros.

Who Should NOT Do Body Recomp

Body recomposition isn't optimal for everyone despite its appeal.

Advanced Lifters with Low Body Fat

If you're already lean (under 12% body fat for men, under 22% for women) with 3+ years of consistent training, body recomposition will be frustratingly slow. You'll see better results from dedicated bulk phases (gaining 0.5-1 lb weekly) followed by cut phases (losing 1-2 lbs weekly).

Individuals Seeking Rapid Changes

Body recomposition is the slowest approach to improving physique—monthly changes are subtle and visually significant progress takes 4-6+ months. If you need faster results for an event or competition, traditional bulk-cut cycles provide more dramatic transformations in shorter timeframes.

Those Struggling with Dietary Adherence

The precision required for body recomposition—different macros on training vs. rest days, consistent tracking, meal timing—makes it more complex than straightforward bulking or cutting. If you find macro tracking overwhelming or can't maintain consistency, simpler approaches will yield better results.

Body Recomp Key Facts

What to expect from body recomposition

0.5-1
Pounds Muscle Gain Monthly
0.5-1
Pounds Fat Loss Monthly
3-6
Months for Visual Results
1g
Protein Per Pound Daily

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about body recomposition

Can I really build muscle and lose fat at the same time?
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Yes, body recomposition is possible, especially for beginners, people returning from training breaks, individuals with higher body fat percentages, and those who were using suboptimal training programs. However, it's slower than dedicated bulk or cut phases. Advanced lifters with low body fat will find simultaneous muscle gain and fat loss extremely difficult and slow. The process requires precise nutrition, progressive resistance training, and patience—expect monthly changes rather than weekly transformations.
How long does body recomposition take?
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Visually noticeable body recomposition typically takes 3-6 months of consistent training and nutrition. You might gain 0.5-1 lb of muscle and lose 0.5-1 lb of fat monthly—subtle changes that accumulate over time. This is significantly slower than traditional bulk-cut cycles but avoids the weight fluctuations and aggressive cutting phases. Body weight may not change much initially, making progress photos and measurements more reliable than the scale for tracking results.
Do I need different macros for training and rest days?
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Yes, cycling calories and carbs between training and rest days is fundamental to body recomposition. Training days include slightly more calories (5-15% above maintenance) and significantly more carbs to fuel workouts and support recovery. Rest days feature a moderate deficit (10-20% below maintenance) with fewer carbs to promote fat oxidation. Protein remains constant at 1g per pound regardless of day type. This cycling approach allows you to support muscle growth around training while creating fat loss conditions on rest days.
Should I do more cardio for body recomp?
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No, excessive cardio can actually hinder body recomposition by interfering with recovery and muscle growth. Resistance training is non-negotiable and should comprise 80-90% of your formal exercise. Limit traditional cardio to 2-3 moderate sessions of 20-30 minutes weekly or 1-2 HIIT sessions of 10-15 minutes. Instead, focus on daily walking (8,000-12,000 steps) for low-intensity fat-burning activity that doesn't compromise recovery. Remember: you're trying to build muscle, which requires prioritizing strength training and recovery.
Why isn't the scale moving during body recomp?
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This is normal and expected during successful body recomposition. When you're simultaneously gaining muscle and losing fat at similar rates, total body weight remains relatively stable. A person might gain 2 lbs of muscle and lose 2 lbs of fat over 8 weeks—excellent progress with zero scale movement. This is why body recomposition requires alternative progress metrics: progress photos, body measurements, how clothes fit, and performance improvements in the gym. The scale is the least useful metric for tracking recomp success.
Can I do body recomp while cutting or bulking?
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Body recomposition is a distinct strategy from cutting or bulking—you can't combine them. Cutting involves sustained caloric deficits to prioritize fat loss, accepting some muscle loss. Bulking involves sustained caloric surpluses to prioritize muscle gain, accepting some fat gain. Body recomposition cycles calories to pursue both goals simultaneously, which is why it's slower than either dedicated approach. If you want faster fat loss, commit to a cut. If you want faster muscle gain, commit to a bulk. Body recomp is the compromise option.
What body fat percentage is ideal for body recomp?
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Body recomposition works best at moderate body fat levels: 15-25% for men, 25-35% for women. At these ranges, you have sufficient fat stores to lose while possessing the hormonal environment to build muscle. Very lean individuals (under 12% men, under 22% women) will struggle to make progress with body recomp—they're better served by dedicated bulk-cut cycles. Very high body fat individuals (over 30% men, over 40% women) often see better results from a straight cut first to improve insulin sensitivity before attempting recomp.
How much protein do I need for body recomp?
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Maintain protein at 1g per pound of bodyweight (or 1g per pound of lean body mass if you know it) regardless of training or rest day. This higher protein intake is non-negotiable for body recomposition—it supports muscle protein synthesis for growth while providing satiety and helping preserve muscle during the caloric deficit on rest days. Don't reduce protein to "make room" for more carbs or fats. If anything, err on the high side (1.1-1.2g per pound) to maximize muscle retention and growth.