Body Recomposition Basics
The no-fluff guide to losing fat, building muscle, and understanding why the scale isn't the point. Drop your details for instant access.
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What It Is, How to Do It, and Why the Scale Isn't the Point
A no-fluff guide for women who want to look and feel strong.
What Is Body Recomposition?
In the simplest terms: losing fat while building (or maintaining) muscle at the same time.
It's a shift away from chasing a smaller number and toward changing what your body is actually made of. Instead of just "weighing less," you're trading soft weight for lean, strong weight, reshaping your body from the inside out.
Here's the part that trips most women up: because you're losing fat and adding muscle, the scale might barely move, or it might even go up, while your body is visibly changing. Smaller waist, firmer arms, clothes fitting better⦠but the same number staring back at you.
The goal isn't weight loss. It's body composition. Once you understand that, you stop panicking at the scale and start measuring the things that actually matter.
How to Actually Do It
Recomp isn't complicated. It stands on three pillars. Nail these consistently and your body has no choice but to change.
Strength Training
Building muscle is the engine of recomposition. Lift weights progressively, adding reps, sets, or load over time, so your muscles have a reason to grow. Two to three focused, structured sessions will do more for your body than five random workouts.
The EngineAdequate Protein
Muscle needs fuel to repair and grow. Protein is non-negotiable. Hit your daily target every single day and your hard work in the gym actually sticks.
The FuelA Slight Calorie Deficit
To lose fat you need a deficit, but keep it slight, not aggressive. Cut too hard and you'll tank your energy and the muscle you're working to build. Patient beats extreme.
The BalanceWhy the Scale Lies
Muscle is denser than fat. It takes up far less space pound for pound. So you can drop two clothing sizes and gain five pounds at the same time.
The bathroom scale only knows one thing: your total weight. It can't tell muscle from fat, water, or what you ate last night. Trust it as your only measure of progress and it will lie to you, and talk you out of a plan that's actually working.
Track these instead: your non-scale victories
Take progress photos every few weeks, notice how your clothes fit, and pay attention to how you feel. Those tell the real story, not the number under your feet.
Macros: Your Secret Weapon
Calories tell you how much you're eating. Macros tell you what you're eating, and for recomp, that distinction changes everything.
Builds and protects muscle. The single most important macro for recomp. Prioritise it at every meal.
Fuel your training and recovery. They power the hard sessions that drive change.
Supports hormones, mood, and overall health. Essential, just kept in balance.
Aim for 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight (or your goal weight), and lean toward the higher end. It's the single biggest lever for holding muscle while you lose fat.
Find your numbers in 2 minutes
Not sure where your protein, carbs, and fat should land? My free macro calculator does the math for you, built for women aiming for recomp.
Calculate My Macros βReady to stop guessing and start seeing results?
Body recomposition is 100% possible, but it works best with a plan built for your body, your schedule, and your life. That's exactly what I do.
Apply to Work With Sarah βAbout Sarah
Sarah McFadyen
Sarah is a fitness and lifestyle coach with 10+ years of experience helping busy women build strength, ditch the diet cycle, and finally feel at home in their bodies, with zero guesswork and step-by-step support every week.
