01
Are You Eligible?
Eligibility Gate — both must be true
Body Fat
>15% (M) / >25% (F)
Training Status
Novice or Returning
Experienced trainees below these body fat thresholds should pursue dedicated surplus or deficit phases instead.
02
The Protocol
Calories
100-300 kcal below maintenance
Small deficit — aggressive cuts prevent recomposition
Protein
2.0-2.4 g/kg bodyweight
Elevated to support MPS during deficit. Non-negotiable.
Fat
0.8-1.0 g/kg bodyweight
Minimum floor for hormonal health
Carbs
Remaining calories
Concentrate around training windows
Training
3-5 days/week resistance
Sufficient volume for MPS stimulus — progressive overload
Expected Rate
0.3-0.5% body weight / week
Waist measurement and visual changes more useful than scale
03
8-12 Week Checkpoint
Assess every 8-12 weeks
▶ Continue Recomp
Body weight stable, waist decreasing, performance stable or increasing. The conditions for recomposition still exist. Stay the course and reassess in another 8-12 weeks.
▶ Switch to Dedicated Phase
No change in any metric for 4 consecutive weeks. Transition to a surplus (muscle gain) or deficit (fat loss) phase. The recomp window has closed — progress requires a targeted approach.