Tipping the Scales of Body Recomposition With an Energy Surplus, High Protein Intake, and Resistance Training: A Narrative Review

The goals of increasing muscle mass or losing weight tend to use opposing nutrition strategies—hypercaloric intake for the former and hypocaloric intake for the latter—but it remains unclear whether a strategy exists to achieve both goals simultaneously, that is, body recomposition. The aim of this review was to determine whether the literature supports body recomposition, particularly regarding energy balance and protein intake to support resistance training outcomes. Body recomposition was observed in several studies; however, strategies were mixed, results were inconsistent, and populations varied widely regarding age, sex, body composition, health status, and training history. A caloric surplus appears essential, whereas a deficit, although effective at reducing body weight and fat mass, tends to result in a loss of fat-free mass. Maintaining high protein intake (≥1.6 g/kg/d) in support of resistance training was often found to be crucial for achieving body recomposition; however, evidence regarding meal distribution, macronutrient distribution, and total energy intake is equivocal. (See the Video Abstract, Supplemental Digital Content 1, for more insights from this review.)