Introduction
This no-nonsense guide will outline the essentials of body recomposition in simple terms, providing a clear plan to follow day by day. We’ll cover the key areas to address, along with actionable steps to achieve your body recomposition goals.
Key Areas to Address
1. Nutrition 🥑 🍗
a. Calculate your calorie needs: Determine your maintenance calorie level by using an online calculator or formula as this will help you know how many calories to consume to maintain your current weight.
b. Set a calorie target: For body recomposition, aim for a slight calorie surplus in proteins to gain muscle, and a slight deficit in carbs and fats to lose fat. Adjust your intake by 200-300 calories below maintenance.
c. Track your macros: Focus on a balanced macronutrient ratio, prioritizing protein intake. A general guideline is 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% fat, so for body recomposition – remove fast carbs, lower the carbs and fats, and increase the proteins for periods of time.
2. Resistance Training 🏋🏻
a. Establish a routine: Create a resistance training routine that targets all major muscle groups. A basic plan could consist of a 3-4 day split, alternating between upper and lower body workouts.
b. Focus on compound exercises: Prioritize compound movements, such as squats, deadlifts, bench press, and pull-ups, to target multiple muscle groups and promote overall muscle growth.
c. Progressively overload: Gradually increase the intensity of your workouts by adding weight, reps, or sets to continue challenging your muscles and promoting growth.
3. Cardiovascular Exercise 🏃🏽
a. Incorporate cardio: Include cardio in your routine, but keep it moderate to avoid interfering with muscle growth. Aim for 2-3 sessions per week, focusing on low-intensity steady-state (LISS) or high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
b. Monitor the impact on recovery: If you notice a decline in resistance training performance, consider reducing the intensity or duration of your cardio sessions to ensure adequate recovery.
4. Rest and Recovery 🛌
a. Prioritize sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night to support muscle recovery and overall health.
b. Listen to your body: Schedule rest days and adjust your training intensity if you experience symptoms of overtraining, such as decreased performance, persistent fatigue, or reduced motivation.
The above is your whole game plan.
This is what you should come back to again and again. You have my permission to copy and paste it into whatever you need to enable reminders for yourself. Use Monday, Keep, Notion, or whatever floats your boat. Just don’t forget that it is as “simple as that” to change your life for good. Now stop reading and go get started!
If you need more help, here are two really comprehensive guides:
If you need an (highly optional) example of a day-to-day plan, you’ll find a good example below 👇
Day-by-Day Plan
Monday
- Resistance training: Upper body workout
- Nutrition: Track calorie and macro intake
- Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours
Tuesday
- Cardio: 30 minutes LISS or 20 minutes HIIT
- Nutrition: Track calorie and macro intake
- Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours
Wednesday
- Resistance training: Lower body workout
- Nutrition: Track calorie and macro intake
- Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours
Thursday
- Cardio: 30 minutes LISS or 20 minutes HIIT
- Nutrition: Track calorie and macro intake
- Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours
Friday
- Resistance training: Upper body workout
- Nutrition: Track calorie and macro intake
- Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours
Saturday
- Cardio: Optional 30 minutes LISS or 20 minutes HIIT
- Nutrition: Track calorie and macro intake
- Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours
Sunday
- Rest day
- Nutrition: Track calorie and macro intake
- Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours
This zero-bullshit guide to body recomposition hopefully provided a straightforward plan to help you achieve your goals. By addressing the key areas of nutrition, resistance training, cardiovascular exercise, and rest and recovery, you can effectively work towards improving your body composition. Now please stop reading and go get started!
Additional Tips for Success
1. Consistency
Staying consistent with your training and nutrition plan is essential for long-term success. Aim to stick to your routine as closely as possible, making adjustments as needed to maintain progress.
2. Monitor Progress
Regularly track your progress by taking body measurements, tracking your workouts, and monitoring changes in strength and endurance. This will help you stay motivated and make necessary adjustments to your plan.
3. Stay Patient
Body recomposition takes time and effort. Be patient with the process and remember that slow, steady progress is better than quick, unsustainable changes.
4. Seek Support
Surround yourself with like-minded individuals or join a community to share experiences, seek advice, and stay accountable. Support from friends, family, or online communities can make a significant difference in your motivation and long-term success.
5. Stay Flexible
Adapt your plan as needed based on your progress, goals, and lifestyle. If you find that a particular aspect of your routine isn’t working, be open to trying new strategies or making adjustments to better suit your needs.
By following this zero-bullshit guide to body recomposition and addressing the key areas outlined, you can effectively transform your physique and improve your overall health and fitness. Stay consistent, patient, and flexible in your approach, and remember that the journey towards your goals is just as important as the destination.
It’s not brain surgery
Just start eating better, workout more, start sleeping better and do it for long enough and you will see results. And when you get serious, use the guide above to help you remember what is important. This will take you to a fitter you. Now stop procrastinating and start your journey already 🗺️
Misc
Linus Öhman is a strategic designer and personal development expert, known for his innovative “3 Circles” method, which focuses on balancing physical, mental, and financial health.
By promoting a holistic approach to personal growth, Linus empowers individuals to overcome obstacles and achieve a fulfilling life through informed decision-making and effective strategies.
His mission is to bring harmony to people’s lives by improving each of the three circles, ultimately fostering a well-rounded existence.