Body recomposition is one of the most contested concepts in physique development — and one of the most misunderstood.
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 the research over the past several years has made it increasingly clear that this framing is an oversimplification of how energy balance actually translates to body composition. And there are specific levers that, when pulled correctly together, can drive recomp outcomes in trained individuals who’ve spent years thinking it wasn’t possible for them.
On this week’s episode of the CHASING CLARITY HEALTH & FITNESS PODCAST, I’m following up on my recent conversation with Dr. Eric Helms with a solo deep-dive into the two topics we didn’t get to cover — the most recent body recomp research published this year, and the three primary levers I pull with my clients to actually drive recomp outcomes in the real world.
This episode is for:
Trained lifters who’ve been told recomp is no longer on the table
Coaches who want a clear framework for programming recomp phases
Anyone stuck between cutting and bulking and ready to try a different approach
Listeners who heard the Helms episode and want the practical playbook
HERE’S WHAT WE COVER:
A FOUNDATIONAL RECAP OF WHAT BODY RECOMP IS & THE 3 FORMS IT CAN TAKE
A DEEP DIVE INTO THE LATEST RECOMP STUDY BY VARGAS-MOLINA ET AL. 2025
LEVER 1: DEFICIT SIZE & WHY SMALLER DEFICITS BEAT AGGRESSIVE ONES FOR RECOMP
LEVER 2: PROTEIN INTAKE & THE TIERED APPROACH I USE BASED ON BODY FAT LEVEL
LEVER 3: TRAINING DOSE & THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WORKING OUT VS. TRAINING
WHY MOST LIFTERS HAVE NEVER TRULY TRAINED CLOSE ENOUGH TO FAILURE TO DRIVE RECOMP
HOW TO PULL ALL THREE LEVERS IN ALIGNMENT TO MAKE RECOMP HAPPEN
This is the practical follow-up to the Helms conversation — the actionable playbook for anyone who wants to take their recomp efforts seriously.
If you’ve been spinning your wheels between cutting and bulking without making the progress you want, this episode will give you the clarity you’ve been missing.
