What is body recomposition (recomp)?

Body recomposition is the goal of reducing fat mass while building or maintaining muscle. It often requires consistent resistance training, adequate protein, and a calorie strategy that is not too aggressive.

Can you lose fat and gain muscle at the same time?

It can happen, especially for beginners, people returning to training, or those with higher body fat. This calculator provides estimates for planning, not a guarantee.

Should I be in a calorie deficit for recomp?

Often a small deficit or near-maintenance works better than a large deficit, because training performance and recovery matter. This tool uses a conservative approach and shows a range.

How fast should recomp progress be?

Recomp is usually slower than a dedicated bulk or cut. Scale weight may change slowly or not at all. Use multiple signals: measurements, photos, strength, and consistency.

Lose Fat + Gain Muscle Calculator (Recomp)

About This Calculator

Recomposition (often called "recomp") means trying to lose fat while building or keeping muscle at the same time. It is not a simple bulk or cut. You typically need enough protein, consistent training, and a calorie target that is not too aggressive. This free calculator gives you a practical starting point: estimated maintenance calories, a recomp calorie target range, a daily protein target, and a realistic weekly pace range. This is educational only, not medical advice. Results depend on training quality, sleep, stress, and how accurate your inputs are, so treat this as a planning baseline, not a guarantee.

Maintenance calories estimate plus a recomp calorie target range
Protein target scaled to training frequency
Weekly pace range from simple energy math (with a recomp caveat)
Warnings if your setup makes recomp unlikely
Practical next steps you can execute immediately

Safety note

Educational calculator only. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have symptoms, take medications, are pregnant, or have medical conditions, review results with a licensed clinician or registered dietitian before acting on them.

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How It Works

We estimate maintenance calories: We use Mifflin-St Jeor for BMR and adjust it with your daily activity and lifting frequency to estimate maintenance (TDEE).
We set a conservative recomp target: Recomp usually works better with a small deficit or near-maintenance rather than an aggressive cut. We show a range instead of a single fake-precise number.
We set protein to support training: Protein is scaled by body weight and training frequency as a practical baseline. If the deficit is larger, protein is slightly higher.
We give a realistic pace range: Weekly pace is an estimate from calorie math. In recomp, the scale can stay stable while measurements and performance improve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Disclaimer: Educational estimate only. Not medical advice. Results vary and depend on training, sleep, and consistency.

Read full disclaimer

This tool provides estimated calorie and protein targets for educational purposes only. It does not provide medical advice, diagnose conditions, or guarantee outcomes. Energy needs and body composition changes vary by individual, training quality, sleep, stress, and many other factors. If you have medical concerns or need individualized guidance, consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Recomp is execution, not math. This calculator gives a calorie and protein baseline. BeyondCal helps you execute by tracking protein plus micronutrients and electrolytes, so your nutrition supports training and recovery beyond just calories.

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