The Study
Body Recomposition: Can Trained Individuals Build Muscle and Lose Fat at the Same Time?
This study doesn't prove that lifting weights and eating more protein will make you gain muscle and lose fat at the same time—it just says that in some people who did those things, it happened. It's like saying 'some kids who ate carrots got better at soccer'—it might be true, but we don't know if the carrots caused it.
Analysis score
Maximum 5 for a narrative review.
Where the score came from
Even if you're already strong and fit, you can still get leaner and more muscular if you lift weights, eat lots of protein, and sleep well.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 51 / 100
Quality score
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of cohort studies. They sit above a single cohort study but below a single randomized trial, because the underlying evidence is still observational.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — this means you don’t need to choose between getting stronger or getting leaner; you can do both if you train smart and eat enough protein.
- 2People who lifted weights and ate 2.5–3.4 grams of protein per kg of body weight lost up to 2.4 kg of fat and gained up to 2.9 kg of muscle in 6–10 weeks.
- 3Those who slept less lost more muscle and kept more fat when dieting.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Strength and Conditioning Journal
Year
2020
Authors
Christopher Barakat, Jeremy R. Pearson, Guillermo Escalante, B. Campbell, E. D. Souza
Related Content
Claims (6)
Trained individuals can lose body fat and gain muscle at the same time while consuming fewer calories than they burn.
Resistance-trained individuals who perform progressive strength training and consume at least 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily gain muscle mass and lose fat mass over 6 to 10 weeks.
When overweight adults eat fewer calories and sleep less, they lose less muscle and retain more fat compared to when they sleep enough.
Among people who regularly do strength training, eating 2.5 to 3.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day leads to more fat loss and at least as much muscle gain as eating 1.2 to 2.3 grams per kilogram per day, even when consuming more calories than needed.
Female physique athletes undergo body recomposition during contest preparation more often than male physique athletes, and this difference is linked to smaller reductions in testosterone levels during caloric restriction.
Trained individuals who perform high-volume resistance training (at least 32 sets per muscle group per week) and take whey protein supplements experience larger increases in muscle mass and larger decreases in body fat than those who perform lower-volume training.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.