Is it possible to build and burn at the same time? Yes… with the right approach! Here’s what to do, what to take, and how to maximize your success.
Look around online, and you’ll find plenty of people arguing about whether it’s possible to lose fat and build muscle at the same time – a process known as “body recomposition.” Some commenters will say that recomposition is impossible, and that you should focus on dedicated “bulking” and “cutting” cycles. But plenty of others, including numerous academic researchers, say it is possible. So who’s right? Both of them! It’s possible to build and burn in distinct phases, but it’s also possible to do it simultaneously. But make no mistake: a successful recomp has its own set of rules! Here’s what the most respected experts recommend for building muscle while burning fat:
The Rules of Recomposition
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Eat enough: Most experts agree that recomposition is best done while eating at maintenance calories – in other words, where you’re consuming at least the same amount of calories that you burn each day. It’s a lot harder to do in a caloric deficit!
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Strength train at least 3 times per week: Lifting weights is essential for building muscle, but it also helps you hold onto muscle tissue when you’re losing fat
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Be patient: Recomposition is a process of months. Don’t try to rush it, or it’ll simply become another diet.
But those rules are just the start of the story. Once you have that foundation in place, here are two big ways to get the most out of your body recomposition.
Prioritize Muscle-Preserving Supplements
The standard way of dieting – i.e., eating as few calories as you can get away with – has a big downside. It puts you at serious risk of muscle loss, which can reduce both the strength and shapeliness of your physique. You deserve better for your hard work in the gym!
Several supplements have also been shown to help preserve muscle and contribute to recomposition. Here are two of the major ones:
Creatine: Once per day, take 5g of creatine monohydrate from either creatine powder or from creatine gummies. As explained in the blog Creatine Gummies vs. Powder: What’s the Difference?, both types of supplements are equally effective. Creatine helps hydrate muscle cells and protect against muscle loss, while also boosting performance in your training and recovery afterward.
BCAAs: Throughout the day, sip on drinks containing the three branched-chain amino acids of leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These nutrients stimulate muscle-protein synthesis, the process by which your body repairs and grows muscle. Especially if you struggle to get enough protein (who doesn’t?), they can help prevent catabolism when you’re at or near maintenance calories.
The only catch: Many commercial BCAAs are made of ingredients you probably don’t want to take, like human hair, duck feathers, and (ugh) pig fur! That’s why we recommend taking a vegan BCAA blend like Steel Fuel Vegan BCAAs.
Use Topicals on “Visual Impact” areas
Here’s a little secret that physique athletes know, and you should, too: Certain parts of the body stand out more than others. And adding little extra muscle definition or eliminating visual imperfections like cellulite or stretch marks can help your entire physique shine a little more brightly.
Perhaps the two biggest “visual impact” areas are the abs and upper legs (including the quads, hamstrings, and the tie-in to the glutes). SteelFit created its two flagship topicals, Abs of Steel Fat-Burning Cream and Buns of Steel Cellulite Removal Cream, with these two areas in mind.
CoAxel®, the active ingredient in Abs of Steel has been shown in clinical studies to reduce skin thickness and release 50% more subcutaneous fat, two key components of increasing muscle definition. And Buns of Steel’s active ingredients Intenslim® and regestril have been shown to block fat accumulation and reduce the size and color of stretch marks. In other words, there’s a good reason these topicals are longtime favorites of physique competitors preparing for the stage!
But here’s the key: to really see (and keep) results in these areas, you can’t wait until the last minute to start! In the studies showing the greatest effects with the active ingredients in these topical creams, subjects applied them twice a day for at least 4 weeks. Consider that the minimum!
Muscle Definition Schedule for Recomposition:
Twice each day:
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Apply Abs of Steel to abdomen
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Apply Buns of Steel to lower body
