The Dr. Shannon Show

Body Recomposition Capsule #2: The Timeline

Host: Dr. Shannon Ritchey, PT, DPT
Date: January 2, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of The Dr. Shannon Show dives into the realistic timeline for achieving body recomposition—losing fat while building muscle. Dr. Shannon provides listeners with clear expectations regarding how long visible and measurable changes take, typical monthly progress, plateaus, and her personal journey through multiple cycles of recomposition. The episode is designed to keep listeners committed, informed, and patient while dispelling common fitness myths and highlighting the importance of sustainable progress over quick fixes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage for Body Recomposition

• Definition: Body recomposition is the process of simultaneously losing fat and building muscle.
• Why It Matters: The goal isn’t just aesthetic—improved body composition enhances energy, mood, health, and longevity.
• (01:26) "Building muscle and losing fat at the same time does take time and understanding what benchmarks to look for, even if you're not seeing massive physical changes, can be super helpful." — Dr. Shannon

2. Expected Rates of Change

• Fat Loss:
  • (03:21) "If you are in a small calorie deficit... you can expect about 0.5 to 1 pound of fat loss per week, sometimes maybe a little more and sometimes less or none at all."
  • Daily weight may fluctuate—don’t get obsessed with the scale.
• Muscle Gain:
  • Takes longer than fat loss.
  • (03:48) "Typically about eight to twelve weeks to notice substantial changes in muscle growth."

3. Month-by-Month Breakdown

Month 1: Early Changes & Adjustments

• Implementing training, nutrition, cardio, and recovery strategies.
• Possible fat loss: 2–4 pounds (can vary widely).
• Muscle swelling (not actual muscle gain, but a positive sign).
• Soreness is common but not a reliable indicator of effective workouts.
  • (05:45) "We just don't want to put too much stock into soreness because it's pretty unpredictable."

Month 2: The Toughest Stretch

• Most people consider quitting around this time due to lack of noticeable changes.
• Strength improvements become evident before muscle size increases (neuromuscular adaptation).
  • (07:24) "You will start to see strength increases before you see visible muscle mass differences."
• Motivation may dip; habits aren’t ingrained yet, but consistency remains crucial.
• Visible changes are still minimal; focus on progressing strength.

Month 3: Visible Progress & Habit Formation

• Habits of training and nutrition become more automatic.
• Visible muscle gains may start to appear.
  • (09:36) "Typically by month three, that's when strength training and nutrition become more automatic and it's when you start to see visible muscle growth."
• If no progress yet, check for:
  • Not training close enough to failure
  • Protein intake
  • Recovery habits
• Biggest mistake: Underestimating effort required in training.

Months 4 and Beyond: Steady Progress

• Noticeable and consistent improvements in muscle and overall body composition.
• Plateaus or regressions are normal; adjust habits as needed.
  • (12:24) “It's a hundred percent normal to have plateaus or even regressions in this process.”
• Yearly muscle gain with moderate training (5–9 sets per muscle group per week):
  • (12:59) "You could expect around 5 to 10 pounds of muscle growth after one year."
• Results depend on genetics and starting body composition.

4. Dr. Shannon’s Personal Body Recomp Timelines

First Recomp (Pre-pregnancy, 2022)

• Took two years due to experimenting, healing from diet/exercise mistakes, and learning.
• Transitioned from excessive cardio/dieting to prioritizing lifting and adequate nutrition.
• (16:22) "When I finally got off the hamster wheel of more exercise and less food, my chronic pain went away... it was really sustainable for me. But I think it truly took backing off, healing both physically and mentally, and then focusing on muscle growth and some fat loss at the same time in 2022."

Second Recomp (Post-first pregnancy)

• Started 5–6 months postpartum.
• Over 3–4 months: Lost 8 pounds of fat, gained 4 pounds of muscle.
• Muscle return was faster due to previous muscle memory effect (myonuclei retention).
  • (20:30) "The very first time you build muscle is the hardest time, which is just such good news because it means it's such a high quality investment."

Current Recomp (Post-second pregnancy)

• Five months postpartum, focusing on a goal to build 5 pounds of muscle within the year.
• (21:53) "I highly recommend that you give yourself a full year for this process because it means you're not in a rush, you're not going to do crash diets or crazy workouts..."

Highlighted Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Soreness:
  (05:29) "We don't want to try to get that sore because we have to be in this for the long haul. So if you're so sore that you can't work out for three days, you're missing giving your muscles enough consistent stimulus to grow."
• On Plateaus:
  (12:24) "It's a hundred percent normal to have plateaus or even regressions in this process."
• On Year-long Commitment:
  (21:53) "I highly recommend you give yourself a full year for this process because it means you're not in a rush, you're not going to do crash diets or crazy workouts..."

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–02:19: Episode introduction, context of the series, importance of science-based fitness for health and sustainability
• 02:20–03:47: Definition of body recomposition, why setting a realistic timeline is important
• 03:48–06:20: Expected rate of fat loss, initial changes, muscle swelling and soreness explained
• 06:21–09:35: Month two—strength improvements, persistence tips, motivational challenges
• 09:36–12:29: Month three—visible progress, troubleshooting lack of results, importance of training to failure
• 12:30–14:25: Months four and beyond, muscle gain expectations, yearly projection
• 14:26–23:04: Dr. Shannon’s personal recomposition journeys: details of experiences pre and post-pregnancy, overcoming mistakes, value of patience, phenomenon of muscle memory

Takeaways & Recommendations

• Patient, consistent effort is key—body recomposition is a slow but highly rewarding process.
• First three months are the most challenging due to lack of visible change and habit development; push through for results.
• Soreness and weight fluctuations are unreliable metrics; focus on measurable strength increases and long-term progress.
• Give yourself a year: Sustainable, healthy changes trump fast results and minimize risk of yo-yo dieting and injury.

"Building muscle really will change your life, and EVLO will make this process as easy as possible."
— Dr. Shannon, (24:17)

Next Episode Preview

Tomorrow’s episode covers training to failure—the other crucial aspect of body recomposition alongside nutrition.

Note: For actionable next steps and deeper education, check out the upcoming episodes in this capsule series!