Set Calories & Macros

Forged gives you the calorie and macro targets. Plug them into MFP so the diary shows your daily goal and remaining totals.

• App menu… Goals… edit Calorie, Carbs, Protein, Fat.
• Free version sets macros by percent. (Use expert mode on my Macro Calculator to set these) or get as close as possible to your grams. Perfect is not required.
• Premium lets you set exact grams and different goals on different days. Not needed to start.
• Name your meals to match your day flow if you want: Breakfast, Pre-Workout, Post-Workout, Dinner, etc.

Log Food Like A Pro

Most of your time will be here. Simple reps win.

• Search for the food. Choose verified entries when available.
• Barcode scanner for packaged foods. Fast and accurate.
• Serving size: switch units to grams when possible for accuracy. Enter weight from your scale.
• Portion edits: tap the serving size to change units… or enter 0.5, 1.5, 2.25 etc.
• Recent/Frequent tabs speed up repeat logging.
• Copy yesterday: duplicate a whole meal from a previous day and tweak it.
• Multi-add: add several search results at once to a meal.
• Quick Add: use only when you know the exact macro totals for a food that is not in the database.

Meals, Recipes, Batch Tricks

• Save as Meal: take any combo you eat a lot… save it once… log it in two taps forever.
• Recipe Importer: paste a URL or ingredients list… adjust servings… fix any weird entries… save.
• Leftovers math: weigh your cooked batch pot… subtract the empty pot weight… divide by portions… log by grams.
• Custom Foods: create a food with the exact label when the database is off.
• Restaurant items: search brand or chain name. Choose entries with full macro info. When in doubt… overestimate oils and sauces.

Exercise… What To Ignore

MFP will try to add calories for workouts. For Forged clients, ignore that. Do not eat back exercise calories. Use MFP for nutrition only… track training in your program.

• If you see calories jump after a workout, do not chase them with more food.
• Connected devices can push exercise into MFP. See the next section for safe sync settings.

Syncing Devices

Apple Health, Google Fit and many wearables can sync steps and workouts. That is convenient… but it can also inflate calories.

• Connect your device only if you want step and workout logs in one place.
• Turn off options that change your calorie target from steps or workouts. We keep calories fixed to your Forged plan.
• If using a smartwatch, keep heart rate and steps for awareness… not to earn more food.

If your diary keeps adjusting calories after you connect a device, disconnect it or disable calorie adjustments. Simpler is better.

Progress, Reports, Weekly Review

• Weigh ins: 3 to 4 times per week. Watch the trend… not the daily noise.
• Macro view: check protein daily. Hitting protein drives recovery and appetite control.
• Complete Diary: tap Complete Entry at day end. The 5 week projection is a motivation estimate only.
• Weekly review: look for patterns… low protein… weekends off target… under logging oils… missing snacks. Fix one thing at a time.

Common Mistakes

• Eating back exercise calories… keep calories fixed to plan.
• Not weighing foods you can weigh. Use grams for cooked meats, rice, oats, nut butters, oils.
• Wrong database entries… prefer verified entries or create a custom food from the label.
• Weekend amnesia… log weekends. Tighten up alcohol and sauces which can hide calories fast.
• All or nothing mindset… imperfect entries count. Keep the streak alive.

FAQ

Should I track fiber, sugar, or net carbs?

Start with calories and macros. If you like extra detail, track fiber as a habit marker. Net carbs views are a Premium option… not required for results.

Do I need to log vitamins or zero calorie drinks?

No. Keep logging focused on energy and macros. Water can be logged if it helps you drink more.

What if my macros don’t match the Forged target exactly?

Hit protein… then land the day within about 50 to 100 calories of your goal. Small swings are fine when you are consistent across the week.

How do I handle meals out?

Search the restaurant, choose the closest entry with full macros, bias high on oils and dressings, and keep protein center plate.

7 Day Starter Plan

• Day 1… install, set goals, log 1 full day.
• Day 2… build your first saved Meal.
• Day 3… weigh proteins and carbs… log by grams.
• Day 4… copy yesterday’s meals and tweak to hit protein faster.
• Day 5… import a recipe and split into portions.
• Day 6… eat out… log the best match… keep protein high.
• Day 7… weekly review… spot 1 fix for next week.