Body recomposition: Can you lose fat and gain muscle?

Published: December 24, 2021

Cardio is for weight loss and weights are for muscle gain – at least that’s what we are taught to believe. It certainly feels like you need to choose one over the other and focus on just one of these goals. But what happens if you want to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time? Believe it or not, you won’t have to hope for divine intervention or for a magic formula that will show you the right way. You’ll just have to hire a cheap personal trainer Dubai loves, invest some of your time, and the results won’t be far behind.

What is body recomposition?

If we had to choose one desire our clients come to us with, it would be the desire to get toned and nicely shaped. What those clients are referring to is body recomposition – the desire to have more muscle mass that also makes you look slimmer. After all, isn’t that one of the main reasons why people hire an affordable personal trainer Dubai recommends? Besides, we are sure that the same wish has been a part of your New Year’s resolutions more than once. You’ve probably started off the year with high hopes, only to be disappointed a few weeks later.

So what is it that makes complete body recomposition such a challenging process? Well, we all know that losing weight requires you to be in a caloric deficit. Likewise, we know that building muscle requires a caloric surplus. Once you put the two together, you realize where the real problem lies. But before you give up on your fitness journey, we’d like to give you some hope. We here at Dubai PT know that losing fat and gaining muscle is a realistic goal, albeit a very difficult and time-consuming one. It might feel difficult to invest so much time into your fitness journey, but it will be more than worth it after you see the great results.

Guidelines to follow in order to lose fat and gain muscle

The real problem with body recomposition lies in the fact that there isn’t a specific formula for success. You know that, if you want to lose weight, you are supposed to sweat it out on the treadmill, during Zumba classes in Dubai, or through another cardio activity of your preference. Likewise, if you want to increase your muscle mass, you are supposed to lift weights, incorporate progressive overload, and eat a lot of food. Unfortunately, the same formula cannot be applied to body recomposition. But the good news is that there are a few guidelines to follow if you are trying to reshape your body. Living by them day in, day out will ensure that you manage to obtain your dream physique after all. Thus, always keep the following rules on your mind:

• You will have to indulge in moderate cardiovascular activity for fat loss. Pay attention to the word moderate – you are definitely not supposed to spend hours on the treadmill (unless you want to, of course).
• It’s going to be crucial for you to incorporate strength training into your routine. Start small and work your way up to heavier weights.
• Turn to a slight caloric deficit (approximately 200 calories less than your maintenance calories). Don’t try to cut down too much, or you won’t be able to build muscles.
• Protein is the name of the game – consume protein with every meal. Protein is the building block of muscles, which is why this macronutrient is of special importance.

Make no mistake – nobody expects you to be perfect 24/7. Don’t feel guilty over eating a bit more than planned or even allowing yourself one day of binge eating every once in a while. A depraved body isn’t a happy body, which is why moderation is the key to long-term results.

You won’t be faced with overnight success

While complete body recomposition is completely attainable, it’s definitely not a short-term project. Unlike many fad diets, body recomposition doesn’t provide overnight success. In fact, it’s very much a possibility that you won’t see any significant results a few months into the journey. But what you need to keep in mind at all times is the fact that you are trying to do two things at once. Healthy weight loss and muscle gain both take quite a lot of time on their own. So once you put them together, you get a long-term project.

It’s impossible to predict how long it will take you to reach sustainable and impressive results. This depends on a few different variables – your genetics among them. Likewise, you are also probably going to see faster results if working with a yoga instructor Dubai respects while going to the gym. Every additional activity will help you get in shape faster.

What happens after you manage to lose fat and gain muscle?

Once you do reach the finish line and you are happy with the way you look, you’ll have to work on maintenance. That means that you’ll have to remain as physically active as possible, and you’ll have to keep your strength up. The good news is that, at this point, the caloric deficit will be able to become a thing of the past. At this point, it’s recommendable to keep eating at the maintenance level.

When you manage to successfully lose fat and gain muscle, you’ll be able to focus on new goals. Who knows what you might decide to do next? You could decide to work with a personal karate instructor in Dubai in order to increase your muscle mass. Or you could decide to start training for your first marathon. The confidence boost that you’ll get will simply be amazing, so you’ll be able to reach new goals faster.