Macro & calorie FAQ — answers without the fluff
Straight answers on macros, calorie targets, fat loss pace, and how Ignia works. No clickbait, no upsell.
Common questions from the people who actually use Ignia. Short, practical, no clickbait.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
A reasonable starting point is your bodyweight in pounds × 11 for fat loss. So a 180 lb person aiming to drop fat lands around 1,980 kcal/day. This works for most people because it builds in a ~500 kcal/day deficit off a typical maintenance estimate. Track for two weeks and adjust based on actual weight change — the formula is the seed, your weight trend is the truth.
How much protein do I really need?
0.7 to 1.0 grams per pound of bodyweight. The lower end is fine for general health; the upper end matters when you're in a calorie deficit because protein protects lean mass while you lose fat. A 180 lb person targeting fat loss should aim for ~180 g/day.
Do I need to track carbs and fat?
Not strictly. If you hit your calorie ceiling and your protein floor, the carb/fat split takes care of itself for most people. Track them later if you're chasing performance gains, optimizing for satiety, or have a specific medical reason.
Why isn't the scale moving even though I'm in a deficit?
Three usual suspects: (1) you're under-counting calories — most people are off by 200-500 kcal/day, (2) water retention is masking real fat loss for 1-3 weeks, especially after a hard workout or salty meal, (3) you've been at it less than two weeks. Weight loss isn't linear; the trend over a 2-3 week window is what matters, not any single morning.
Should I cut faster?
Almost never. A loss of 0.5-1% of bodyweight per week is the sweet spot — fast enough to see progress, slow enough to keep muscle and stay sane. Cutting harder than 1.5%/week tanks training quality and adherence, and the scale catches up the moment you eat normally for two days.
How accurate is a bodyweight-based calorie estimate?
Within ~10-15% for the average person. Two people at 180 lb can have maintenance calories that differ by 300+ kcal because of activity level, lean mass, and metabolic adaptation. The calculator gets you started; once you've logged 14 days, Ignia switches to a measured TDEE based on your actual weight trend, which is much more accurate.
Do I need to weigh my food to track macros?
For the first few weeks, yes — if you want the numbers to mean anything. After 1-2 months you'll have a calibrated eyeball for common portions and can switch to estimating with reasonable accuracy. Cheap kitchen scale: $15. Best fitness investment you'll make.
What about cheat days?
A single 1,000 kcal surplus day undoes about 1.5 days of a moderate deficit — annoying but recoverable. The actual problem with cheat days is they often roll into cheat weekends. Build in 1-2 high-calorie meals per week instead of one full day off the rails. The math is identical, the psychology is gentler.
Should I eat back my exercise calories?
Mostly no. Fitness trackers over-estimate burn by 20-50%, and eating back the inflated number erases your deficit. Pick a sustainable daily calorie target and treat exercise as separate — fuel performance, build the habit, but don't use it as a calorie debit card.
Does Ignia track carbs and fat?
Yes — every entry has carb and fat fields, and they show on your day. What Ignia does not do is set targets for them. For the audience we built this for — lifters, people in a cut, anyone doing a recomp — calories and protein are the two numbers that move the needle, so those are the two that get rings and a daily goal. Carbs and fat are there when you want them, without turning every meal into four decisions.
Is this a replacement for a dietitian?
No. The calculator and the app give you a starting target and a way to track adherence. If you're managing a medical condition (diabetes, kidney issues, eating disorder history, pregnancy), work with a registered dietitian. The math is general; their advice is specific to you.
What happens after I sign up?
Two-question onboarding (current weight, goal), then you're logging meals against your targets in under 30 seconds. Everything is free — full history, barcode scanning, photo logging, the fasting timer and targets that adapt to your own weight trend. There is no paid tier and nothing to upgrade to.