![\"blog](\"https:\/\/www.ironmaster.com\/blog-assets\/LT_DBs.JPG\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nBody composition encompasses bone, fat and muscle percentage.<\/p>\n
Given there\u2019s not a lot we can do to influence our bone percentage, we\u2019re talking about changing our muscle-to-fat-ratio when referring to body composition changes.<\/p>\n
Most of us are shooting for an increase of the former, and a decrease of the latter over time.<\/p>\n
There are a couple of key pillars to changes in body composition:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Protein<\/li>\n
- Training<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
It is crucial that you consume enough protein where resistance training is concerned.<\/p>\n
This is true whether you\u2019re actively losing fat, aiming to maintain your current weight, or accepting some fat gain whilst you focus on muscle gain.<\/p>\n
Protein\u2019s role is to support muscle protein synthesis, the process by which we repair muscle after exercise – crucial for muscle hypertrophy (muscle gain).<\/p>\n
An intake of\u00a01g protein per lb bodyweight<\/b>\u00a0is a good place to start, though research indicates that anywhere from 0.8 – 1.2g protein per lb bodyweight would be adequate.<\/p>\n
Whilst both protein and total caloric intake are hugely important for body composition changes – too many calories and you\u2019ll not lose fat, too few calories and you\u2019ll not gain weight –\u00a0nutrition\u2019s role in resistance training is permissive<\/i>.<\/p>\n
You cannot gain appreciable muscle over time if your training is not rigorous and consistent.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
Adequate protein intake will help us to\u00a0maximise\u00a0<\/i>training results.<\/p>\n
Adequate total calorie intake will help us to\u00a0maximise\u00a0<\/i>training results.<\/p>\n
Adequate sleep, rest and stress management will help us to\u00a0maximise\u00a0<\/i>training results\u2026<\/p>\n
But ticking all of these boxes won\u2019t matter a bit if your resistance training is not:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Regular<\/li>\n
- Rigorous<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Research indicates that we ideally need to be training each muscle group 1-2 times per week , with 10-20 high-effort working sets per muscle group.<\/p>\n
In practical terms, this might look like a training frequency of 3-5 times per week, allowing for a minimum of 1-2 rest days per week to allow us to adequately recover from exercise.<\/p>\n
So, we can see that the requirements for optimal changes in body composition necessitate regular and consistent efforts.<\/p>\n
You don\u2019t need to be training every day – in fact, this would likely hinder your outcomes in the long run – but you do need to be training consistently, and simultaneously eating to support those efforts.<\/p>\n
We wouldn\u2019t expect consistent improvements in any other area of life if our efforts weren\u2019t consistent.<\/p>\n
We wouldn\u2019t expect to see our savings improving if we were only occasionally, and inconsistently, debiting funds.<\/p>\n
Saving rigorously some of the time won\u2019t amount to much if you abandon those efforts and regress to previous spending habits.<\/p>\n
We wouldn\u2019t expect to become proficient in speaking a new language if we weren\u2019t regularly investing time practicing that skill. Dipping in and out with no real intention or structure may yield some modest improvement, but you\u2019d be leaving a lot of progress on the table.<\/p>\n
Our strategy when pursuing improvements in body composition should be no different.<\/p>\n
In order to achieve appreciable body composition changes, consistency is key.<\/p>\n
About the author Charlotte Tulloch<\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"blog](\"https:\/\/www.ironmaster.com\/blog-assets\/LT_standing.JPG\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nLottie is a UK-based online coach who works with clients all over the world and is passionate about sharing evidence-based content with the view to making the fitness space less of a minefield. Lottie specialises in strength training, improving body composition, and cultivating a balanced approach to exercise and nutrition.<\/p>\n