Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure is the number every diet actually rests on. Enter your stats and get a clear read on your TDEE — no guessing required.
Body recomposition means building muscle and losing fat at the same time — you train with progressive overload and eat close to your maintenance calories with enough protein. It's slower than doing either goal on its own, but it works well if you're newer to lifting, coming back after time off, or carrying some extra body fat your body can draw on while it builds new muscle.
A bulk means deliberately eating above maintenance to maximize how fast you build muscle, accepting some fat gain along the way. It tends to work best for people who are already lean and experienced with training — muscle has a real ceiling on how fast it can grow, so a bigger surplus beyond roughly 10–15% over maintenance mostly adds fat, not muscle.
No fads or fear-mongering, just what the research actually says.
As much as Big Protein™ would like you to believe you need 150 grams a day to stop your muscles and bones from disintegrating, the research does not support it. Studies suggest that protein intake above 1.6g/kg of body weight provides little to no additional muscle-building benefit. For maintaining muscle while eating in a calorie deficit, around 1.2g/kg is the recommended target — that's the calculation reflected in our macro calculator. See the study.
Fiber aids digestion, keeps you full for longer, and feeds the healthy bacteria in your gut that support your immune system. With colorectal cancer rates climbing among younger adults in recent years, getting enough fiber has never mattered more.
Carbs are your body's main fuel source. They support brain function, protect your muscle tissue, and power your organs. Whole grains, beans, rice, and potatoes are a great part of a healthy diet — in moderation.
Fat gets blamed for a lot, but your body genuinely needs it. It's the raw material for hormone production — testosterone in men, estrogen in women — and both hormones affect your energy, mood, and ability to maintain muscle. Fat also carries the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) through your body and makes up a large share of your brain tissue. Go too low for too long, and it's often your hormones that quietly take the hit, in both men and women.