What are my macro targets?
Your macro targets are the daily protein, carbohydrate, and fat goals Carbon calculates to move you toward your goal at the rate you chose. Carbon doesn't use generic formulas. It uses a modified Müller equation combined with your actual stats and preferences to build a starting point that's specific to you. As your body and goals change, Carbon adjusts those targets over time.
Where to find your macros
Your current macro targets are visible on your Diary tab. To view or adjust your diet preference and macro ratios, go to Settings> Diet Preferences.
How Carbon calculates your macros
Carbon builds your targets from the ground up using several inputs you provide during onboarding:
Current body weight and estimated body fat percentage used to calculate your lean body mass
Lifestyle and exercise activity level used to estimate your total daily energy expenditure
Goal whether you want to Lose Fat, Build Muscle, Reverse Diet, or are lookin for Weight Maintenance
Rate of change how aggressively you want to pursue that goal
Diet preference which macro ratio best fits the way you eat
Protein is set based on your lean body mass, not total body weight, to make sure you're getting enough to protect muscle regardless of your current body composition. Carbs and fat are then divided across your remaining calories using the ratios from your chosen diet preference.
How to adjust your macros
Carbon gives you five diet preference options, each with a different carb-to-fat ratio:
Balanced an even split between carb and fat calories (recommended for most users)
Reduced-carb lower carbs relative to fat
Low-fat lower fat relative to carbs
Plant-based slightly higher carb, slightly lower protein
Ketogenic very low carb, high fat, slightly lower protein
High Protein significantly higher protein, with lower carbs and/or fat
To change your diet preference or fine-tune your macro ratios:
Go to Settings>Diet Preferences
Select the diet preference that best matches how you eat
Use the sliders to adjust individual macro ratios within that preference
When you move a slider, Carbon automatically redistributes calories to keep your total intact. Adjusting your protein slider will shift carbs and fat in line with your diet preference ratio. Adjusting carbs will shift fat to compensate, and adjusting fat will shift carbs. Protein is never affected by changes to carbs or fat.
How Carbon adjusts your targets over time
Your starting targets are a calculated estimate. As you check in each week, Carbon evaluates your actual progress and adjusts your targets based on what your data shows.
At each check-in, Carbon compares your tracked intake against your targets and your rate of progress toward your goal. If your results are ahead of, behind, or on pace with your target rate of change, Carbon will adjust your calories up or down accordingly. Your macro ratios stay in line with your chosen diet preference as those adjustments happen.
How accurately Carbon can make those adjustments depends on how consistently you hit your targets between check-ins. Weeks with inconsistent logging or compliance give the app less reliable data to work from.
For a full breakdown of how Carbon evaluates your progress and decides what to adjust, see How Carbon Determines Your Progress.
Additional details
Protein is set within a range based on your specific goal and diet preference, so there are floors and ceilings on how far you can adjust it. Carbon keeps it sufficient for your results no matter what
Carb and fat ranges are also tied to your diet preference, so the sliders stay within the bounds of that eating style
Once you set a diet preference, Carbon's coach will respect those ratios as it adjusts your calories over time. If your calories go up or down, carbs and fat will shift in proportion to your chosen preference
There is no metabolic advantage to any one diet preference over another. With protein and calories held equal, results are the same across all options including Ketogenic and Plant-based
Diet Preferences is purely about finding the macro ratios that match the foods you actually enjoy eating, which supports long-term consistency
Your macros are built around your body and your goals. Use Diet Preferences to make sure they're also built around your life.