Many of us dream of transforming our bodies by dropping fat while building muscle simultaneously. This fitness goal, known as body recomposition, is actually achievable with the right approach. Kelly Matthews, a fitness trainer with over 1 million Instagram followers, recommends a simple routine of three weekly workouts for beginners looking to transform their physiques. Her expert strategy combines strength training, cardio, and proper nutrition to help you achieve the body composition you've always wanted. Let's break down exactly what you need to do.
Understanding What Your Body Can Do
Body recomposition means losing fat and gaining muscle simultaneously. "Many people believe you have to choose one or the other, but that's not entirely true," Kelly says in her post. The process is particularly effective for beginners who can see dramatic results with just three key workouts per week. Kelly emphasizes that understanding your starting point is crucial for setting realistic expectations, especially since those new to strength training have the greatest potential to transform their bodies quickly.
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Workout 1: Strength Training (2-3 Sessions Weekly)
The foundation of your three-workout plan is consistent strength training. "You need to get into the gym about two to three times per week and get on a strength training program," Kelly advises. Focus on progressive overload—gradually increasing weights and volume over time. "That's how you know you're progressing. That's how you know you're making the adaptations that are going to make you stronger and help you build more muscle," Kelly explains. This workout is your primary muscle-building stimulus and should be your top priority.
Workout 2: Low-Intensity Cardio (1-2 Sessions Weekly)
The second crucial workout in your weekly routine is cardio. "Start with once to twice per week. You could do your lift and your cardio in the same day, but start with low intensity, steady state cardio," Kelly suggests. Options like walking, incline treadmill sessions, or easy bike rides are perfect starting points. "It's going to increase your overall activity, it's going to start building your aerobic base, and it's just going to be a good way for you to contribute to your calorie deficit," Kelly explains. This workout component helps create the energy deficit needed for fat loss.
Workout 3: Recovery Sessions (As Needed)
Your third weekly "workout" is actually active recovery. "You need to make sure that you're prioritizing sleep and recovery and paying attention to those cues," Kelly emphasizes. This might include light stretching, foam rolling, or gentle movement on your off days. Rest is when your body actually builds muscle and without adequate recovery, even the best training program will yield suboptimal results. "For beginners, if you do all of those things, I promise you, you will see progress," Kelly assures.
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Creating a slight calorie deficit is necessary to support your three weekly workouts. "In order for us to lose body fat, we need to be taking in less calories than we are expending throughout the day," Kelly explains. She recommends tracking your food intake initially to establish a baseline. "Protein is going to be the most important macronutrient for gaining and maintaining as much muscle mass as possible," Kelly stresses, recommending "one gram of protein per pound of body weight per day." This nutritional approach complements your workout routine and accelerates body transformation.
Why Your Experience Level Matters
Beginners to strength training have the greatest potential for success with the three-workout approach. "If you're new to the gym, you've probably heard of newbie gains. And if you're someone that has a fair amount of weight to lose and you haven't done a lot of work in the gym, you're going to find it much easier to gain muscle and lose body fat at the same time," Kelly explains. Those returning after a long break can also experience significant results. "Even though you're technically not new to the gym, you may have lost a lot of what you gained initially in the gym," Kelly notes, meaning you can still experience rapid recomposition effects.
When You'll Actually See Results
Results take time, even with an effective three-workout plan. "If you are brand new to the gym, if you do all of those things, I promise you, you will see progress," Kelly assures. For more experienced trainees, patience becomes even more important. "If you're comfortable waiting a longer time for the body recomposition process to work, you can absolutely do that. You're just going to see progress probably over years versus months," Kelly cautions. This realistic approach helps prevent frustration and program-hopping that sabotages long-term success.
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Cultural pressures often make gaining any fat—even temporarily—difficult to accept. "For women, it's often really difficult to swallow the pill of actually gaining some body fat," Kelly observes. She acknowledges that if someone isn't willing to accept some fat gain during a muscle-building phase, staying closer to maintenance calories might be psychologically easier, though progress will be slower. "You just have to be honest with yourself about whether you actually really want that goal or not," Kelly advises, emphasizing that recognizing your true priorities is essential for choosing the right approach.
Why You Need Your Own Unique Plan
While these three weekly workouts provide an excellent framework, remember to personalize your approach. "What I eat is not what you need to eat. The way that I train is not necessarily the way that you need to train," Kelly reminds us. Individual factors like genetics, lifestyle, preferences, and goals all influence the optimal approach. "The way that your body reacts to something is going to be totally different than the way my body reacts to something," Kelly explains, encouraging everyone to use this information as a starting point but to customize based on individual circumstances.
How to Track Your Progress Without Obsessing
With your three-workout plan in action, tracking progress becomes important. The scale alone doesn't tell the full story of body recomposition. You might be losing fat and gaining muscle without seeing dramatic changes in your weight. Consider tracking through multiple metrics including measurements, progress photos, strength gains, and how your clothes fit. These indicators often provide a more complete picture of success than body weight alone. As Kelly emphasizes, "My goal is always to provide as much education for you guys as possible and help you make informed decisions about your own fitness and nutrition journeys." And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss12-3-30 Walking Method: 20 Proven Tips to Lose Weight Faster.