A Review of Strategies for Achieving Simultaneous Muscle Mass Gain, Maintenance, or Minimal Loss During Fat Reduction: Insights from the Last 5 Years
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2025.79.59391Keywords
body composition, Muscle mass, weight loss, ketogenic diet, training., HIIT, nutrient compositionAbstract
Introduction
Body recomposition, defined as the simultaneous reduction of fat mass and the gain or maintenance of muscle mass, is considered a metabolic challenge due to the opposing processes of catabolism and anabolism. Traditionally, it has been thought that these two goals are difficult to reconcile. However, new analyses suggest that with the application of appropriate dietary and training strategies, achieving recomposition is possible.
Materials and Methods
The work used the rapid review method. This review integrates findings from studies published between 2019 and 2024, sourced from the PubMed platform, which consists of multiple databases. Keywords used included “body recomposition,” “muscle gain,” “fat loss,” “high-protein diet,” and “resistance training.”
Results
Studies consistently show that certain strategies can support the maintenance or even increase of muscle mass during caloric restriction and fat loss.
Conclusions
Through a strategic combination of dietary and training interventions, significant improvements in muscle and fat tissue can be achieved. These findings provide practical guidance for clinical and athletic applications, though further analyses are necessary to refine protocols for specific clinical groups.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Volha Babrova, Weronika Wallach, Julia Twardowska, Solomiia Zhyvan, Iryna Segina, Jakub Wańcowiat, Monika Kołodziejczyk, Paulina Należna, Klaudia Brodowska, Natalia Matysek

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