E. 81 Can You Really Recomp? The Truth About Building Muscle and Losing Fat at the Same Time

In this episode, I break down the truth about body recomposition—that elusive idea that you can build muscle and lose fat at the same time. While it's possible under very specific circumstances, most people are chasing an outcome that isn’t as realistic as social media makes it seem.

I cover who body recomp can work for, why it’s so appealing, and the four types of individuals I’ve actually seen pull it off successfully. I also dive into why segmented phases of building and cutting are almost always more productive, and why most people just end up spinning their wheels when they try to do both at once.

If you're someone chasing body change, confused about whether to bulk or cut, or stuck in maintenance wondering why nothing is happening—this episode is for you.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 02:55] - Intro: What is body recomposition, and why it’s so appealing

- [02:55 – 03:56] - The opposing physiological requirements of fat loss vs. building

- [03:56 – 05:04] - Instagram headlines vs. real-world outcomes

- [05:04 – 06:15] - What it actually takes to maximize muscle growth

- [06:15 – 10:05] - Who can build muscle while minimizing fat gain: 4 real examples

- [10:05 – 11:19] - The impact of being new to lifting (and what doesn’t count as new)

- [11:19 – 14:21] - Lifting incorrectly before: how smarter training unlocks growth

- [14:21 – 15:30] - Making a massive lifestyle shift—can this trigger recomposition?

- [15:30 – 17:11] - The “I built muscle in prep” myth and hormone status context

- [17:11 – 20:36] - Recomp illusions: muscle outpacing fat gain, or scale illusions

- [20:36 – 22:16] - Why dedicated build/cut phases are more effective for most people

- [22:16 – 23:47] - People who shouldn’t try to recomp: desperate dieters & inconsistency

- [23:47 – 24:21] - Hormonal dysregulation and why it kills recomposition goals

- [24:21 – 26:34] - Dramatic change seekers: why recomp won’t work for you

- [26:34 – 27:33] - How deep should you go in a cut? Realistic fat loss thresholds

- [27:33 – 29:35] - How to actually approach a recomp (if you’re going to try)

- [29:35 – 31:41] - Common questions: “Can I drop a little fat and gain a little muscle?”

- [31:41 – 32:52] - Social media claims: “I lost 20 lbs and gained 10 lbs muscle!”

- [32:52 – 34:14] - Micro bulks and micro cuts: do they work long term?

- [34:14 – 35:12] - Final thoughts: why most people are better off picking a lane

- [35:12 – 37:11] - What to expect if you do try to recomp: realistic pace & trade-offs

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