Body Recomposition Calculator
The Healthy Eater body recomp calculator generates the ideal calorie and macro amounts for simultaneously burning fat and adding muscle.
What is body recomposition?
Body recomposition is the process of improving your body composition by increasing muscle mass and decreasing fat simultaneously.
Favorable body composition has many health benefits and improves athletic performance.
There is ample research-backed evidence showing it is entirely achievable. However, it requires a commitment to weight training and a nutrition plan.
How to do a body recomposition
Step 1: Enter your details into the calculator
If you know your body fat percentage (calculate here), choose Lean Mass Formula and input your percentage.
The lean mass method yields better results than weight and height alone.
Step 2: Choose your recomposition goal
- If you choose More Fat Loss, there will be less muscle gain.
- If you choose More Muscle Gain, there will be more muscle gain, but probably some fat gain.
- If you choose Even – it’s a compromise between the two.
Step 3: Take note of your calories and macros
The calculator will recommend your daily calorie and macro amounts. If you’re new to macros, you’ll need to get up to speed.
You will be told how much carb, protein, and fat you must eat daily. You can adjust this to show per meal to help you get an idea.
It’s best to eat more on workout days (the increased carbs fuel your workouts) and less on non-workout days. Protein remains relatively constant throughout – muscle recovery can happen anytime.
Step 4: Stick to a consistent workout routine.
Consistent workouts are not optional for body recomposition.
Your workouts must be resistance-based, not cardio-based. Do weight-bearing exercises rather than running or walking.
As a basis, we recommend this:
- Have three weight training sessions per week.
- Minimum of 30 minutes per session.
- Focus on compound movements.
For example, squats, deadlifts, pull-ups (or lat pull-downs) – rather than bicep curls, etc. - Rest only 30-60 seconds between sets (i.e., leave your phone at home).
- Three sets per exercise, 8-15 reps per set.
Step 5: Track your macros
For the maximum chance of success, you will want to track your macros.
This can be tricky.
If you’ve got the budget, use Factor Meals, which has consistent 500-550 calorie meals. These can form the basis of daily meals, and you can then add in protein shakes to meet the required calorie amount.
Step 6: Get enough sleep
It might seem odd, but let’s quote the research:
Sleep deprivation […] seems to create an “anti” body recomposition environment, where building muscle mass and losing FM [fat mass] would be less likely.
Step 7: Measure results
Rather than using basic scales, use an advanced scale system like Renpho. This gives far more precise body recomp metrics.
How long does it take to recompose your body?
We recommend a minimum of 8 weeks.
Take measurements (fat skinfold tests, photos, etc.) weekly. You can weigh yourself – but that won’t tell you anything about your body composition.
Depending on your results, you will want to adjust your settings.
If you need help, Coach Ted has helped hundreds achieve their goals.
How much protein should I choose?
- The default option (high) is best.
- Maximum is only for those doing longer, more intense weight-lifting workouts.
- Plant-based protein is set lower: It’s challenging to meet the protein macro without carbs and fats getting too high. If you are vegetarian or vegan and okay with 1-2 protein shakes daily, use the default option.
If I do extra workouts, do I need to account for the calories?
You can account for the extra calories if you do over three weight training sessions a week.
- Track your extra calories over a week.
- Be conservative (i.e., don’t overestimate).
- Enter them into the “Additional Weekly Calories.”
The additional energy expenditure will be allocated to the overall weekly algorithm.
If you need help, use the calorie burn calculator. Remember you are looking for extra calories expended over a week.
How many calories should I eat a day for a body recomposition?
There is no one-size-fits-all here. Calories and macros for body recomposition are highly individualized.
Your biological sex, height, weight, and activity level will predict your daily energy expenditure. By making minor adjustments to this, you can begin the process of gaining muscle while losing fat mass.
The technical bits – how to calculate calories for body recomp
- Apply the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to calculate your basal metabolic rate.
- If you know your body fat percentage, use the Katch-Mcardle formula.
- Multiply BMR by 1.2 to get your maintenance calories.
- Adjust the calorie amount for training days based on the goal:
+20 % for more muscle gain and +10% for more fat loss. - Adjust calorie amount for rest days based on the goal:
-5% for more muscle gain, -15% for more fat loss. - Calculate protein amount
The default is 0.95 grams protein/lb (~2 g / kg) of body weight. Plant-based is 0.65 g/lb. - Calculate the fat amount.
Calculate fat at 30% of daily calories. - Calculate the carb amount.
All remaining calories are allocated to carbs.
Yes 🤓. That’s why we made a calculator.
Is this the same as the macro calculator?
No, there are many differences.
The standard macro calculator is aimed at people wanting to lose weight, and exercise is optional.
There are differences in both the calorie calculation step and the macro calculation step.
How much cardio for a body recomposition?
The traditional bodybuilding method involves a ‘bulk’ phase (lots of calories + heavy weights), followed by a ‘cutting’ phase (reduced calories + lots of cardio).
Body recomposition is a different process. Cardio alone (such as steady-state running or walking for 20 mins+) won’t increase muscle mass.
You should keep cardio to a minimum. However, it’s good for the heart and mental health, so don’t give up going for bike rides or walks if this is your thing.
It’s a good idea to account for the extra energy expenditure from cardio.
If you burn a lot of calories through cardio, you will not achieve the desired body recomp results. You are not doing a body recomposition!
Help! I’m not getting the desired results
- “I’m gaining some muscle but not losing fat“
Adjust calories down lower. - If your goal is Even, change it to More Fat Loss.
- Are you eating more on workout days? And less on non-workout days?
Sources
- Barakat, C., Pearson, J., Escalante, G., Campbell, B., & De Souza, E. O. (2020). Body recomposition: can trained individuals build muscle and lose fat at the same time?. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 42(5), 7-21. (full text)
- Ribeiro, A. S., Pereira, L. C., Schoenfeld, B. J., Nunes, J. P., Kassiano, W., Nabuco, H. C., ... & Cyrino, E. S. (2022). Moderate and Higher Protein Intakes Promote Superior Body Recomposition in Older Women Performing Resistance Training. Medicine and science in sports and exercise.Link
404 Comments
Hi there! I’m a 35-year-old female, 5’4, 245 pounds and for some reason this has been the hardest year of my life to lose weight. In the past I’ve lost weight with no problem doing both strength training and cardio but now it’s like the scale doesn’t move at all, except to increase.
I have focused on doing mainly strength training in the spring of this year and I didn’t lose any weight now I’m back again in fall of this year and I feel like my body is shedding water weight a little bit from what I can see in the mirror as well as how I feel, but the scale has increased again.
I have focused on eating a balanced diet, including protein, doing 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of strength alternating days, 3-5 days a week depending on the week and I don’t understand why it’s so difficult I have a pretty good amount of muscle mass that I’ve built already but my back, arms and my midsection is where I hold most of my fat losing this weight is top priority for me, but I do want to continue to build up my shape. I do have more of an hourglass figure.
But my psychology and constantly seeing this scale do nothing is discouraging me if I at least saw a 1-2 pound decrease I could at least still have hope.
What do I do? what number of calories and macro do I really need to consume a day from what I’m seeing on the calculator that looks like that will have me gaining more weight than ever. I typically range between 1300-1600 calories per day. I don’t understand why things are so complicated. Thank you ❤️
Hi Arielle, It seems like at 1300-1600 calories given the exercise you do you should be losing weight. If you aren’t there are two things to consider. 1. You may have some hormonal issues at play involving Thyroid function. If thyroid function is off, this can make losing fat extremely difficult. 2. It you have been under eating for an extended period of time this can slow the metabolism, but since you have been on and off focusing on this over the year it doesn’t seem like the case. I’d recommend getting into see you doctor for some testing. Alternatively I believe there are some online services that can do the some basic thyroid function tests for you.
Help. I am 5’10”, 16, 148.4 lbs. Ngl I want to put on more muscle but I’m at a 15.6 BMI (I gained .2%). I train 6 days a week at eat 2215 cal and 1734 on rest days. I keep losing weight but my BF stalled for a while, I lost .4%, and now I gained .2. I don’t want to lose any more weight but I want to drop down to a 10% bf.
Hey Lucas, Since your 16 in in a growth period, you really should be eating a little more. Focus more on building lean muscle. Use our calculator here https://healthyeater.com/flexible-dieting-calculator
eat at maintenance on rest days and set your workout days to “gain 10%”. You can do smaller cuts in the future but things should stay pretty lean.
Okay. What should I select for activity level? Like I said I weight train somewhere between an hour to 1hr 15 6 days a week.
Use “moderate activity for your training days.
Okay. And this will also help with the fat loss right?
Okay. And this will also help me with dropping the extra fat?
Okay. Even if I eat that much will I lose any fat?
Hi Lucas! no, these would be designed to help with building lean muscle which in time will increase your metabolism and make you leaner. But since you’re a bit underweight for your height and you’re growing, I wouldn’t recommend a calorie deficit for you.
Also I’m sorry all those comments are there bc my phone didn’t save the comments so I had to retype but ig it js sent them all
I burn about 3300-3500 calories a day with my 4 weight training sessions and being a mailman walking 10-12 miles 6 days a week but it won’t let me add that many additional calories?
Hi Leon, I would guess that you’re overestimating how many calories your body actually burns a day. Steps for activity especially walking is greatly overestimated on tracking apps. How long in your weight training session on a given day?
My weight training sessions are an hour long. So how many calories do you think I’m burning walking 12 miles and 28000 steps a day? I’m 5’9 172lbs
I don’t know your exact age but with your steps your probably burning 500-600 and your strength training is around 350-400 so on a given day you’d be at 850-1000 active calories if you do both on the same day.
Hi, just wanted to check. I’m starting my body recomp journey and I’m working a lightly active job 3-4 days a week.
On the days that I’m working but not exercising, should I add more calories to my total? (1798 Cal according to the calculator)
Likewise, should I add more calories to my total on the days that I’m working and exercising? (2272 Cal according to the calculator)
Thank you!
Hi Bob, What does the job entail activity-wise?
Hi Ted, it is a nursing aide job in a hospital ward. I did not count steps yet but I estimate there to be at least 2-3 hours of walking around daily from attending to patient needs. There is also occasionally minor physical work due to restocking and racking of disposable items.
Thanks Bob, Casual steps like that burn very little energy and the sedentary factor already has some of that built in. I’d recommend adding in an additional 150 calories on days you work. That puts you at about 1950 on those days.
Thank you very much Ted. You’ve been a huge help.
My pleasure! All the best with nailing those goals.