Nutrition Guide — Macros, Micros & TDEE

TDEE Calculator

Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure, then set your calorie target for maintenance, deficit, or surplus. Carb cycling day targets are generated automatically.

Age (years)

Sex

Weight

Unit

Height (cm)

Activity Level

Goal

Protein Target

Macro Split Mode

Macronutrient Reference

Click any macronutrient for full profile — calories per gram, primary roles, food sources, and practical notes for fitness goals.

Carb Cycling

Basic three-day carb cycling framework. High days fuel intense training and maximise muscle protein synthesis. Medium days support moderate activity. Low days increase fat oxidation on rest or light training days. Run the TDEE calculator above to generate your personalised numbers.

Carb Cycle Framework — General Principles

Day Type	When to Use	Carbs	Protein	Fats	Key Rules
High Day	Heavy compound training, leg day, most demanding sessions	2–3× medium amount	Same as medium	Trace only (<20g)	Fats from incidental sources only. Prioritise rice, oats, potato, fruit. No added oils or fatty proteins.
Medium Day	Moderate training, upper body, cardio days	Baseline carb amount	Full protein target	Moderate (0.8–1g/kg)	Balanced day. Lean proteins, complex carbs, healthy fats. Most flexible food choices.
Low Day	Rest days, light activity, active recovery	Minimal (0.5–1g/kg)	Full or slightly higher	Higher (1–1.5g/kg)	Low carb drives fat oxidation. Increase fibrous vegetables to maintain volume. Healthy fats keep satiety high.

Why trace fats on high days?

When carbohydrate intake is high, insulin is elevated — dietary fat is preferentially stored in this hormonal environment. Keeping fat minimal on high carb days reduces fat storage risk and keeps total calories in check while maximising glycogen replenishment.

Carb sources matter

On high days prioritise fast-digesting carbs around training (white rice, fruit, potato) and slower sources earlier in the day (oats, sweet potato). On low days keep carbs from fibrous vegetables — they contribute minimal net carbohydrate and maintain micronutrient intake.

Weekly average is what matters

A typical week might be 2 high days, 3 medium, 2 low. The weekly caloric average should align with your goal — deficit for fat loss, surplus for muscle gain. Individual day variation is a tool, not the goal itself.

Protein stays constant

Protein intake should remain at your target across all three day types. Protein's thermic effect (25–30% of calories burned in digestion), satiety, and muscle protein synthesis benefits are consistent regardless of carb or fat intake on that day.

Protein sparing on high days

On high carbohydrate days, carbs act as a protein-sparing nutrient — elevated insulin and glucose availability reduces the body's reliance on amino acids for energy. Some individuals can modestly reduce protein intake on high days (e.g. 1.6–1.8g/kg instead of 2.0g/kg) without compromising MPS, as long as total weekly protein averages remain at target. This is an advanced optional adjustment — not mandatory — that can free up additional calories for carbohydrates on heavy training days.

Micronutrient Reference

RDI values shown for athletic males and females. Athletic populations typically require 20–50% above standard RDI for several key micronutrients due to sweat losses, increased oxidative stress, and higher metabolic demand.

Meal Timing & Nutrient Partitioning

When you eat matters — not as much as what you eat overall, but enough to meaningfully affect training performance, recovery, and body composition when total intake is dialled in.

Protein Quality

Not all protein is equal. DIAAS (Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score) is the current gold standard for protein quality assessment. Leucine content per serving is the primary trigger for muscle protein synthesis.

Glycaemic Index & Insulin Response

Glycaemic Index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood glucose relative to pure glucose (GI 100). Glycaemic Load (GL) accounts for serving size — a more practical measure. Context determines whether high or low GI foods are appropriate.

Fibre Guide

Dietary fibre is one of the most undervalued nutrition variables in fitness. Beyond digestion, fibre directly influences body composition, hormonal health, micronutrient absorption, and training recovery via the gut-inflammation axis.

Hydration & Electrolytes

Performance begins to decline at just 1–2% body weight loss through sweat. Hydration affects strength output, endurance, cognitive function, and nutrient transport.

Hormonal Nutrition

Dietary choices directly regulate the hormonal environment — testosterone, cortisol, insulin, thyroid, and growth hormone are all meaningfully influenced by macronutrient distribution, caloric availability, and specific micronutrients.

Gut Health & Absorption

The gut is where nutrition actually happens. Optimal macronutrient intake means nothing if absorption is compromised. Gut integrity, microbiome diversity, and digestive enzyme activity all influence how effectively you absorb what you eat.

Evidence-Based Supplements

Only supplements with meaningful, replicated evidence in healthy athletic populations. Evidence rating: 5 dots = Tier 1 (consistent strong evidence), 1 dot = limited or mixed evidence.

Nutrition Fundamentals Guide