The Complete Body Recomposition Diet Guide

The body recomposition diet is not a fad — it's a strategic eating approach calibrated to two goals at once: losing fat and building muscle simultaneously. Unlike extreme diets that sacrifice one for the other, the recomposition diet uses precise nutrition principles to drive both processes in parallel.

What Makes the Recomposition Diet Different

Traditional diets fall into two camps: restriction-focused (low calorie, low fat, low carb) or performance-focused (high calorie, high carb for athletes). The recomposition diet occupies the middle ground.

Key characteristics:

• Moderate calorie deficit (not aggressive): 200–400 below maintenance
• Very high protein: 0.8–1.1g per pound of bodyweight
• Cyclical carbohydrates: higher on training days, lower on rest days
• Consistent meal timing: meals anchored around training

Calculating Your Recomposition Diet Targets

Step 1: Find your TDEE Multiply bodyweight (lbs) by an activity multiplier:

• Sedentary: ×14
• Light activity (2–3x/week): ×15.5
• Moderate (4–5x/week): ×17
• High (6–7x/week): ×19

Step 2: Set your deficit Subtract 300 calories from your TDEE for your daily target.

Step 3: Set macros

• Protein: 1g per pound of bodyweight
• Fat: 30% of total calories
• Carbohydrates: remaining calories

Example for a 170-lb moderately active person:

• TDEE: ~2,890 calories
• Recomp target: ~2,590 calories
• Protein: 170g (680 calories)
• Fat: 86g (777 calories)
• Carbs: 283g (1,133 calories)

The Best Foods for a Recomposition Diet

Protein Sources (prioritize these)

• Chicken breast, turkey breast
• Salmon, tuna, tilapia, cod
• Eggs and egg whites
• Greek yogurt (plain, full fat or low fat)
• Cottage cheese
• Lean ground beef (90%+ lean)
• Legumes: lentils, chickpeas, black beans (also count as carbs)
• Tofu, tempeh, edamame (plant-based)

Complex Carbohydrates (fuel training)

• Oatmeal and rolled oats
• Brown rice, basmati rice
• Sweet potato, regular potato (with skin)
• Quinoa
• Whole grain bread and wraps
• Fruit: banana, apple, berries, orange
• Vegetables: all are fair game, unlimited

Healthy Fats (support hormones)

• Avocado (1/2 = ~12g fat)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Mixed nuts (portion-controlled)
• Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel)
• Eggs (yolk)
• Nut butters (natural, no sugar added)

Foods to Minimize

You don't need to eliminate anything, but limit:

• Alcohol: suppresses muscle protein synthesis, adds empty calories
• Ultra-processed foods: easy to overeat, low in protein and micronutrients
• Liquid calories (juices, sodas, sweetened coffee drinks): don't fill you up
• Fried foods: calorie-dense, usually low protein

Meal Timing for Body Recomposition

Timing doesn't override total daily intake, but it helps optimize performance and recovery:

Training day approach:

• Breakfast: moderate protein + carbs
• Pre-workout (1–2 hours before): protein + fast carbs
• Post-workout (within 60–90 min): protein + carbs
• Dinner: protein + vegetables + moderate carbs
• Before bed: casein protein or cottage cheese (slow-digesting)

Rest day approach:

• Reduce carbs by 50–75g
• Keep protein the same
• Increase fat slightly to compensate

Sample Day of Eating (2,500 Calories)

Meal 1 (7am): 3 eggs + 1 cup oatmeal + 1 cup blueberries (580 cal, 35g protein)

Meal 2 / Pre-Workout (12pm): 6 oz chicken breast + 1 cup brown rice + salad (520 cal, 45g protein)

Post-Workout Snack (3pm): Protein shake + banana (280 cal, 30g protein)

Meal 3 / Dinner (6pm): 6 oz salmon + sweet potato + broccoli (550 cal, 42g protein)

Evening Snack (9pm): 1 cup cottage cheese + handful walnuts (340 cal, 28g protein)

Total: ~2,270 cal, 180g protein — close to target (adjust portions to hit exact numbers)

Check out our nutrition page for the different meal plan styles available, and see our guide on how to track macros for recomposition for practical macro tracking tips.

The BodyRecomp app builds your entire meal plan automatically based on your TDEE, preferred eating style, and goal — so you don't have to calculate any of this yourself.

Ready to start your body recomposition journey? Download BodyRecomp — the app that gives you personalized workouts and meal plans built around your exact goals.