STEADFAST TRAINING GLOSSARY
Definition
Body recomposition means changing the body’s proportions of fat and lean tissue, commonly by losing fat while gaining muscle over time.
What it means
Scale weight alone cannot show these changes. Lean mass measurements also include water and other tissues, so a change in a scan is not automatically new muscle. Training history, food intake and measurement error affect interpretation.
A practical example
A person may have a smaller waist and improved lifting performance while body weight changes little. Those observations suggest useful progress but do not precisely measure muscle gain.
Putting it into practice
Use consistent measurements over time alongside training records. Resistance training, adequate nutrition and recovery support the process. Studies show simultaneous fat loss and lean mass gain can occur, but results are not guaranteed and trial protocols should not become generic prescriptions.
Related terms
Body Composition · Protein · Muscle Hypertrophy
Explore further
Body Recomposition After 40: How to Lose Fat and Build Muscle at the Same Time
Browse the glossary · Walking, strength and mobility after 40
Source
Longland and colleagues: Diet, exercise and body composition trial