Whether you’re aiming for a leaner physique, increasing muscle tone, or simply enhancing your fitness, understanding the science behind body composition is key to making lasting changes.
Whatever your body composition goals, the following core principles apply:
- Firstly, you need to establish what your goals are, and then you can focus on the ‘when’ and the ‘how’. Unique strategies are required for each goal and it does not always make sense to combine different goals at a particular time. You need to prioritise your goals…
- To increase lean muscle mass demands more energy and protein, whereas a decrease in body fat levels requires a reduction in both energy and protein intakes. Decreasing body fat levels should be restricted to off-season training and is best avoided during in-season.
- Strive towards an annual weight management plan taking into account your full calendar of competitive events, training programmes and holidays, remembering to cut back on total energy intake where required to avoid unnecessary weight gain.
How to Know if You’re Meeting Your goals
Regular monitoring of your body mass, percentage muscle mass and body fat is needed to see if you are meeting your goals. It is also useful to keep a food diary to monitor your diet. Note that your diet may need to be adjusted as your body composition changes.
For example, as your body mass and muscle mass increase, you will need to increase your energy and macronutrient intake to maintain this higher mass. Similarly, losing fat mass is a shifting target, requiring ongoing dietary and exercise adjustments.
Ensure that your dietary choices support your training program, and both are aligned towards achieving your training goals. Address both your total energy (kilojoule) intake and diet composition (the quality and quantity of carbohydrate/proteins/fat l, Fluid can be manipulated to suit your goals.
Avoid trends and short cuts. Just because there’s a lot of social and media hype about a particular diet, weight loss or weight gain method, does not mean it’s appropriate for you. Fad diets, rapid weight loss and weight cycling (yo-yo dieting) will reduce your strength and performance.
A reasonable goal for fat loss is 0.25-0.5 kg/week of body fat. The temptation to use supplements and/or drugs for weight or fat loss is strongly discouraged as they may be unsafe and/or may contain banned substances.
Realistic expectations for weight gain are 0.25-0.50 kg increase in body mass per week. If rates are higher, this is likely to include an increase in body fat stores that may have to be reduced at a later stage.
Body Composition Goals to Loose Fat/ Weight Loss + Maintain Muscle
Coaching Notes
- Include nutrient-rich protein and carbs in all meals. Protein is satiating and will keep you feeling fuller for longer.
- Control portion sizes and learn to measure food quantity. Increase volume of meals by adding salad and vegetables.
- Choose high fibre food through whole grains and whole wheat options.
- Prioritise healthy fats. Avoid saturated fats.
- Avoid wasting calories on liquids. Instead of juice, eat fruit. Drink water when thirsty (aiming for approx 2.5-3.5L per day)
- Limit alcohol consumption. Actually try to be disciplined for a 4-8 week period and see the difference it makes.
- Understand that you might feel a bit hungry to begin. Use this as motivation that you moving towards your goal.
Body Composition Goals to Maintain / Increase Muscle Mass
Coaching Notes
- Include nutrient-rich protein and carbs in all meals.
- Increase the number of meals and snacks. Making use of energy rich foods like iso sport drinks, fruit juices, smoothies, bars, dried fruits, biltong, etc.
- Larger portion sizes. Still measure and track food to ensure surplus isn’t too high – we don’t want to compound body fat.
- If you struggle with appetite, choose lower fibre, lower filling options.
- Prioritise healthy fats. Avoid saturated fats.
- Utilise liquid calories for easy calorie consumption.
- Limit alcohol consumption. Actually try to be disciplined for a 4-8 week period and see the difference it makes.
- Track intake of calories and protein (this can be done in our fitness app).
Remember, the more you track, the less you leave up to chance!
How We Can Help Your Training and Nutrition
If you’re looking for expert guidance to take your fitness journey to the next level, you’re in right place. Discover our range of online fitness memberships and fat loss programs here.
Written by Sam Warburton., CO-founded by rugby legend Sam Warburton OBE, offering expertly crafted programmes that instil an athlete’s mindset.
And for more tips and insights from our knowledgeable team, check out our health & fitness advice page, covering topics like ‘Personal Trainer Vs Fitness App‘, ‘The 5 Best Strength Training Exercises‘ and ‘How Much Protein Do You Need to Build Muscle‘.