Body recomposition — the process of building muscle and losing fat simultaneously — is one of the most contested concepts in the entire fitness industry.
The traditional dogma says you have to pick a lane. You’re either bulking or you’re cutting. You can’t gain muscle in a deficit. And once you’re past the beginner stage, recomp isn’t on the table.
But that framing is built on an oversimplification of how energy balance actually translates to body composition. And the research over the last several years has made that increasingly clear.
On this week’s episode of the CHASING CLARITY HEALTH & FITNESS PODCAST, I sat down with Dr. Eric Helms — competitive natural pro bodybuilder, founder of the MASS Research Review, co-author of the Muscle and Strength Pyramids, and one of the most respected researchers in the evidence-based community — to break down the science, the physiology, and the real-world coaching application of body recomposition.
This episode is for:
Trained lifters who’ve been told recomp is no longer on the table
Female clients who’ve been spinning their wheels with cardio and over-restriction
Coaches who want to understand the research backing the recomp conversation
Anyone tired of toggling between bulking and cutting without making real progress
HERE’S WHAT WE COVER:
THE THREE FORMS OF BODY RECOMPOSITION & WHY MOST PEOPLE DEFINE IT TOO NARROWLY
WHY THE “YOU MUST BE IN A SURPLUS TO GROW MUSCLE” DOGMA IS AN OVERSIMPLIFICATION
FAT LOSS AS AN ENERGY-DEPENDENT PROCESS VS. MUSCLE GAIN AS A SIGNALING-DEPENDENT PROCESS
WHY TRAINED LIFTERS CAN STILL RECOMP
️ THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRAINING AGE AND TRAINING ADVANCEMENT
HOW PRE-SHOW BODYBUILDERS EATING UP INTO A SHOW CAN PRODUCE DRAMATIC RECOMP OUTCOMES
WHY WOMEN MAY ACTUALLY HAVE A PHYSIOLOGICAL ADVANTAGE OVER MEN WHEN IT COMES TO RECOMPOSITION
WHAT ENHANCED ATHLETES TELL US ABOUT THE NATURAL LIFTER’S PHYSIOLOGICAL CEILING
THE MINDSET PIECE THAT DETERMINES WHETHER EVERY OTHER VARIABLE ACTUALLY WORKS
This is one of the most thorough conversations on body recomposition we’ve done on the show bridging cutting-edge research with real-world coaching application.
If you’ve been stuck spinning your wheels, this episode will bring the clarity you’ve been missing.
WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME:
Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/
For Info on Brandon’s Coaching Services: https://form.jotform.com/bdacruzfitness/coachinginquiry
Email: Bdacruzfitness@gmail.com
My Reading Recommendations:
THE MUSCLE & STRENGTH PYRAMIDS
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