Body Recomposition

Reframe the conversation

I first used the term “body recomposition” during an Exercise Physiology presentation back at uni. We had been assigned case studies of certain athletes and had to build physical preparation programs to help them improve performance for each of their unique situations.

My athlete was a netballer transitioning from a power position (goal attack) to an endurance position (centre). I knew little about netball, so I researched the physiological demands of the position and identified changes in body composition (i.e. reducing muscle mass) that would benefit endurance.

“Weight loss” captured the change because the weight would ultimately be reduced, but it didn’t seem the right term for me due to the association with changing body fat. So instead I termed it body recomposition — something I thought I had created.

The presentation went well and from then on I referred to body recomposition instead of weight loss. Of course, there are times when weight loss is the term I use, particularly before explaining body recomposition to new groups or audiences,

When I started my business in 2014, I discovered that I wasn’t the term’s inventor — it had been around for ages. But I liked the change in terminology and stuck with it.