Fitness

Body Composition Fundamentals

Understand Your Body Composition — and Actually Change It

12 lessons4 modules9h 0m durationbeginner level

Instructor: StretchLearn Faculty

About this course

Body composition — the ratio of fat mass to lean mass — is a far more meaningful health marker than bodyweight alone. This course unpacks the physiology behind fat tissue and muscle, walks you through validated measurement methods from DEXA to skinfold calipers, and explains exactly how resistance training, protein intake, and energy balance interact to shift that ratio. You will leave with a personalised assessment baseline, a sustainable change protocol, and the critical thinking tools to evaluate bold claims from the diet and supplement industry.

Curriculum

Module 1: What Body Composition Actually Means3 lessons

Fat Mass, Lean Mass, and Why Weight LiesPreview45m
Visceral Fat vs. Subcutaneous Fat — The Hidden Risk🔒45m
Setting a Realistic Baseline — Before You Change Anything🔒45m

Module 2: Measuring Body Composition — Tools, Accuracy, and Tradeoffs3 lessons

DEXA and Hydrostatic Weighing — The Reference Methods🔒45m
Skinfold Calipers and BIA — Accessible Everyday Methods🔒45m
Interpreting Your Data — Trends, Not Snapshots🔒45m

Module 3: The Science of Changing Body Composition3 lessons

Energy Balance — The Foundational Lever🔒45m
Protein — The Most Important Macronutrient for Body Composition🔒45m
Resistance Training for Body Composition — The Non-Negotiable Stimulus🔒45m

Module 4: Navigating Diet Culture and Building a Sustainable Protocol3 lessons

Reading Evidence — How to Evaluate Body-Composition Claims🔒45m
Diet Culture, Weight Stigma, and a Health-First Framework🔒45m
Building Your 12-Week Body-Composition Protocol🔒45m