Learn about:
- Setting your Macro Targets using Macro Ratios
- Setting your Macro Targets using Fixed Targets
- Setting your Macro Targets using Keto Calculator
- Options to Track Carbohydrates
- Setting your Energy Target
- Adding Expenditure Above Baseline
- How to Restore Default Settings
Your macronutrient targets by default are set to a ratio that fit within the acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges recommended in the Dietary Reference Intakes. However, you can choose to customize your macronutrient targets.
There are three different approaches to customizing your macronutrient settings with Cronometer: Macro Ratios, Fixed Targets, and Keto Calculator.
To customize your macronutrient targets:
- Go to the More tab > Targets > Macro & Energy Targets
- Select macros using > Choose one of the three options (Ratios, Fixed, or Keto).
Macro Ratios
The Macro Ratios setting calculates your macronutrient targets by dividing your energy target between protein, carbs and fat to achieve the ratio of macros you've entered. Any time your energy target changes, your macro targets will update automatically to keep your ratio of protein:carbs:fat.
Learn more about Macro Ratios here.
Fixed Targets
If you choose this setting your macronutrient targets remain the same each day. By default, this setting uses the recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) from the Dietary Reference Intakes for macronutrients. You can customize your targets manually to set fixed gram amounts for each macronutrient by entering the values in the boxes.
Learn more about Fixed Macro Targets here.
Keto Calculator
Choosing a Ketogenic target is a special dynamic macronutrient target setting. Instead of targeting specific ratios, Cronometer dynamically calculates a maximum protein target based on your lean body mass, a maximum carbohydrate target, and sets the remainder of your calorie allowance to fats.
Learn more about Keto Settings here.
Tracking Carbohydrates
For each macronutrient setting option, you can also decide if you want to track carbohydrates as total carbs or net carbs. To do this:
- Go to More > Targets > Macro & Energy Targets
- Tap on Show Advanced Settings
- Scroll down to Carbohydrate Settings
- Track Carbohydrates as > Select Net Carbs or Total Carbs
By default we use: Net Carbs = Total Carbs - Fiber - Sugar Alcohols
Learn more about Carb settings here.
Energy Target
By default, your Energy Target is calculated from your Weight Goal.
To adjust your Weight Goal, tap on 'Weight Goal' or go to More > Targets > Weight Goal.
If you would prefer to set your own custom fixed energy target, you can do so here. This will deactivate your Weight Goal.
To set a Custom Energy Target:
- Go to More > Targets > Macro & Energy Targets
- Tap on Show Advanced Settings
- Toggle ON Custom Energy Target
- Enter your desired Energy Target in the text box
Add Expenditure Above Baseline
In Advanced Settings you also have the option to toggle ON/OFF Add Expenditure Above Baseline to Energy Target. This setting adds any energy burned above baseline to your daily Energy Target.
For example, let's say you've set a Weight Goal (to Maintain Weight). At the beginning of the day:
- BMR = 1394 kcal
- Baseline Activity = 279 kcal
- Total Burned = 1673 kcal
If you have exercised (either logged exercise or imported general activity from a device), this will adjust your Burned calories.
For example, if you did 60 minutes of road biking (equaling 500 kcal):
- BMR = 1394
- Adjusted Baseline Activity = 262*
- Exercise = 500
- Total Burned = 2156 kcal
*Note that the Baseline Activity has been adjusted to account for time spent exercising. Learn more here.
Now your Energy Target is:
Energy Target = Baseline Target (1673) + Expenditure Above Baseline (483) - Consumed (0) = 2155 kcal.
Here's how we calculate Expenditure Above Baseline:
- Baseline Activity = 279 kcal
- Exercise + Adjusted Baseline Activity = 762 kcal
- Expenditure Above Baseline = 762 - 279 = 483 kcal
This ensures that your baseline energy target is static until you exercise above and beyond your baseline for the day. Therefore if you toggle OFF Add Expenditure Above Baseline to Energy Target, your energy target will be the same as your baseline.
By default, Add Expenditure Above Baseline to Energy Target is toggled ON if you have set a Weight Goal and toggled OFF if you have set a Custom Energy Target. However, you can adjust these however you'd like!
Restore Default Settings
If you'd like to revert back to Cronometer's default macronutrient settings:
- Go to More > Targets > Macro & Energy Targets
- Tap the menu in the top right corner > Restore Defaults
Learn how to set Macro and Energy Targets on the web