Being in an energy deficit can slightly decrease BMR over time through a process called metabolic adaptation. This is a natural adjustment where your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. It is not “metabolic damage” and is fully reversible, but it’s important to account for in calculations so targets aren’t overestimated.

If this option is selected, the calculated BMR is reduced by 5%.

Daily calorie and protein recommendations are based on lean body mass (fat-free mass, which includes metabolically active tissue) rather than total body weight. To determine lean body mass, we first need to estimate body fat percentage.

It doesn’t need to be perfect — a rough estimate is enough to make targets more accurate. You can use the reference pictures provided if you need help estimating.

The more active you are, the more calories you burn. To give more accurate results, activity is split into two parts:

• Exercise activity (strength training)
• Non-exercise activity (NEAT), measured by daily or weekly step counts.

Someone who trains hard for an hour but stays inactive the rest of the day will burn fewer calories than someone who trains and also maintains a high step count.

Choose the option that best reflects your lifestyle without overthinking it:

• Sedentary (<5,000 steps): Very little daily movement, desk job, mostly sitting.
• Mostly Sedentary + Strength Training: Same as above, plus lifting 3–6 days per week.
• Lightly Active (5,000–10,000 steps) + Strength Training: Regular lifting plus some daily movement or occasional extra exercise.
• Active (10,000–15,000 steps) + Strength Training: High daily activity plus lifting, and additional exercise several times per week.
• Highly Active (15,000+ steps) + Strength Training: Physically demanding job or intense exercise most days, plus lifting.

Cutting (Fat Loss)

“Cutting” means focusing on fat loss while maintaining existing muscle. This requires a calorie deficit, so overall weight will decrease. In an ideal cut, muscle mass is preserved as fat is lost. Some people can gain muscle while cutting, but this becomes harder the leaner you get, the more training experience you have, and the deeper your deficit is. Beginners and those with higher body fat are more likely to gain muscle during a cut.

Bulking (Muscle Gain)

“Bulking” is aimed at gradual muscle growth while limiting unnecessary fat gain. A common mistake is either pushing weight gain too quickly and adding too much fat, or being overly cautious about any fat gain and holding back growth. On average, weight gained is roughly 50% muscle and 50% fat, though this varies by genetics. Bulking requires patience — usually at least 6 months of focused effort. Less experienced lifters typically gain muscle faster.

Recomposition (Maintenance)

“Recomp” refers to losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time, usually by maintaining calorie intake around maintenance level. Weight tends to stay stable while body composition improves. This is most realistic for beginners or people returning after a long break. It’s not recommended for anyone underweight (who should bulk) or overweight (who should cut). The ability to recomp decreases with training experience, so it’s best suited for those still early in their training journey.

This setting determines how aggressive your calorie deficit will be.

A higher percentage means faster weight loss but comes with a greater risk of muscle loss and metabolic adaptation.

For most people, 0.5–0.75% of body weight lost per week is the sweet spot for preserving muscle while reducing fat.

Heavier individuals can usually sustain larger deficits. If you’ve struggled with maintaining fat loss in the past, choose a slower pace; if time is limited and you need results quickly, you can go faster.

Training age helps determine realistic progress rates:

• Beginner (1.5–2%): Very little or no training history.
• Novice (1–1.5%): Able to increase reps or weights in most exercises almost every session. This stage can last from 6 months to several years depending on consistency and progression.
• Intermediate (0.5–1%): Progress slows — increases happen weekly in higher rep ranges (10–20), and monthly in lower rep ranges. Typically reached after 4–5 years of consistent training.
• Advanced (≤0.5%): Gains are small and gradual, with occasional improvements in strength or reps. Progress slows significantly as you approach your natural potential.