Whether you’re an athlete, a nutrition enthusiast, or someone looking to improve your eating habits, understanding your macro and micronutrient intake is key for taking your tracking to the next level.

Here at Cronometer your macro and micronutrient targets are calculated by the details you input when creating your profile and the Dietary Reference Intakes. This is a great starting point for users who are new to nutrition tracking but if you have specific goals or want to get the most out of Cronometer then you have come to the right place.

What are Macro and Micronutrients?

Before diving into how to set your Macro and Nutrient Targets it’s important to understand what they are.

Macronutrients consist of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. These are the nutrients your body needs in large amounts to provide energy required for daily activities and serve as the building blocks of the diet.

Micronutrients are essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs in smaller amounts, but they are crucial for overall health. They support various functions, including immune system strength, bone health, and energy production.

To learn more about macro and micronutrients visit our Nutrition for Beginners blog here.

How to Set your Macro and Micronutrient Targets

To get to your Macro and Nutrient Targets, tap to More, then Targets (Targets + Profile on web), from there you will have several menus where you can adjust respective settings. On web scroll to the bottom of the page to find your Macro Targets and Nutrient Targets.

NEW & IMPROVED TARGET SETTINGS

We’ve recently improved the Macro and Nutrient Target interface so that is easier to use and hides advanced settings for a straightforward approach to target settings. Users also have the ability to set percentage-based ratios in addition to ratio, fixed or keto settings.

Adjusting Macro Target Settings

To set your Macro Targets users have the option between using Macro Ratios, Fixed Targets or the Keto Calculator.

Macro Ratios

The Macro Ratios setting determines your macronutrient targets by dividing your energy target across protein, carbs, and fat according to the ratios you’ve specified. Whenever your energy target changes, your macro targets will automatically adjust to maintain your specified protein:carbs:fat ratio. Your energy target will also update throughout the day as you log exercises or record a new weight in your diary.

Note that the numbers you enter as ratios will not be equivalent to the target numbers found in your Diary. To set your Macro Targets to a specific gram amount continue reading to learn about Fixed Targets.  

Fixed Targets

If you select the Fixed Targets setting, your macronutrient targets will stay consistent each day. By default, it uses the recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) from the Dietary Reference Intakes for macronutrients. However, you can manually adjust your targets by entering fixed gram amounts for each macronutrient in the provided boxes.

Note that if you choose Fixed Targets and have also set a custom weight goal, your total calories for your Macro Targets may not match your Energy Target, as these values are calculated independently of each other. If you want your Macro Targets to align with your Energy Target, we recommend setting a Custom Energy Target that matches your Fixed Target values. 

Ketogenic Target

Selecting a Ketogenic target is a special dynamic macronutrient target setting. To learn more about the Keto diet visit our blog here.  With this setting turned on Cronometer calculates a maximum protein target based on your lean body mass, sets a maximum carbohydrate target, and allocates the remaining calories to fats.

After choosing the Keto option, you can select from four programs: Rigorous, Moderate, Relaxed, and Custom. These programs will define your specific targets for protein, carbs, and fats.

Advanced Settings

To really dial in your Macro Ratio Targets, tap on the Advanced Settings on the bottom of the menu. With this section open, you have the ability to choose between a percentage calculation or ratios as well between ratios of kcal’s or grams.

Also within the Advanced Settings, you have the option to track carbohydrates as total carbs or net carbs. Total carbs includes all types of carbs in your target, including fiber whereas net carbs account only for digestible carbohydrates. This approach can provide more accurate estimates of energy from carbs, as dietary fiber contributes less energy than digestible carbs like sugars and starches.

By default, we calculate Net Carbs as: Net Carbs = Total Carbs – Fiber – Sugar Alcohols. To learn more about using the advanced settings visit the Cronometer User Manual here. 

Adjusting Nutrient Target Settings

By default, each nutrient is set to the recommended values established by the USDA Dietary Reference Intakes, tailored to your age and sex. Ideally, you should aim to meet or exceed 100% of your daily minimum nutrient targets. However, if you specifically require more of a particular nutrient you can edit that by navigating to More > Targets > Nutrient Targets.

To edit a target, toggle on the Custom button, then enter a value in the Daily Target and Max Threshold boxes. The Daily Target will be the value seen in the Nutrient Summary on the Daily Report and in the Nutrition Report. Users can also edit Nutrient Targets from the Nutrition Report by tapping on a nutrient, toggling on Use Custom Value and entering your custom values.

In Conclusion

Thats how you adjust your Macro and Nutrient Targets on Cronometer. To learn more about the process visit our User Manual on Macro Targets or Nutrient Targets. The process is designed to be quick and easy but extensive for those users requiring full customization of their targets. So dive in, adjust your settings, and start making the most of your nutritional journey with Cronometer. Happy tracking!

The post How To Set Your Macro and Micronutrient Targets appeared first on Cronometer Blog.

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In this episode of Discovering Nutrition with Cronometer, we sit down with renowned men’s health expert Ali Gilbert. We focus on the long-term approach required for achieving sustainable health and fitness goals. We also discuss the importance of viewing health as a lifestyle rather than a quick fix, the misconceptions surrounding rapid transformations, and how Ali helps men optimize their fitness, nutrition, and testosterone levels. With her years of experience, Ali shares practical advice on building muscle, understanding the role of hormones, and maintaining a balanced diet that includes room for occasional indulgences. This episode is packed with actionable insights for men at any stage of their fitness journey.

Key Notes:

• The Long Game in Fitness: Ali emphasizes the importance of viewing fitness as a long-term lifestyle commitment rather than a short-term goal. Rapid results are often unsustainable, and real transformations take time.
• Misconceptions in Men’s Health: Ali discusses common myths in men’s fitness, such as the idea that cardio diminishes muscle gains or that rapid fat loss is maintainable. She stresses the importance of realistic goals and gradual progress.
• Optimizing Testosterone Naturally: The podcast covers how diet, exercise, and lifestyle adjustments can help optimize testosterone levels. Ali explains the importance of regular blood work and the role of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for men who need it.
• Nutrition and Sustainability: Ali advocates for a balanced approach to diet that allows for moderation and enjoyment. She challenges the restrictive narratives of diet culture and encourages including foods that bring joy while maintaining nutritional goals.
• Customizable Fitness Plans: Ali provides practical advice on starting a fitness regimen, recommending total body workouts and a mix of cardio and weight training tailored to individual goals and body composition.
• Real-Life Success Stories: The episode highlights the impressive transformations Ali has facilitated in her clients, demonstrating that significant muscle gains and fat loss are achievable at any age with the right approach.

www.ali-gilbert.com

www.youtube.com/@queenofmenshealth

www.instagram.com/thealigilbert

www.cronometer.com

The post Episode 29: Mastering Men’s Health with Ali Gilbert appeared first on Cronometer Blog.

Habits are the building blocks of our daily lives. From the moment we wake up to the time we go to bed, our actions are often governed by a series of routines that have become ingrained in our behavior. While some habits are beneficial, others may hinder our progress and well-being. Forming positive habits and breaking free from detrimental ones is a skill that can significantly impact our overall quality of life. In this blog, we’ll explore the science behind habit formation and provide practical strategies to help you cultivate habits that stick.⁠

• The Habit Loop
• Tips for Forming Healthy Habits
• Tips for Breaking Bad Habits
• Using Cronometer to Form Habits

Understanding The Habit Loop

At the core of habit formation lies the habit loop, a concept popularized by Charles Duhigg in his book “The Power of Habit ” The loop consists of three components:

• Cue: This is the trigger that initiates the habit. It could be a specific time of day, a certain emotion, or even a particular location.⁠
• Routine: The routine is the behaviour or action you take in response to the cue. It’s the actual habit you want to form.⁠
• Reward: The reward is the positive outcome or feeling associated with completing the routine. It reinforces the habit loop, making it more likely that you’ll repeat the behavior in the future.

Top Tips For Forming Healthy Habits

• Identify Your Cues: Pay attention to the triggers that prompt your habits. Understanding the cues is the first step in reshaping your behavior.⁠
• Define Your Desired Habits:⁠⁠ Clearly outline the habits you want to form. Be specific about the actions you need to take to establish the routine.⁠
• Start Small:⁠⁠ A complete life overhaul might sound appealing, but it has been proven time and time again that the best way to achieve your goals is to start small. Make one simple behavioural shift until it becomes routine, then build with another.

• Be Consistent:⁠ Consistency is key to habit formation. Stick to your routine at the same time and place whenever possible.⁠
• Use Visual Reminders:⁠⁠ Visual cues can serve as powerful reminders. Place notes or objects in strategic locations to prompt your desired behaviour.⁠
• Associate with Existing Habits:⁠⁠ Pair your new habit with an existing one. This creates a natural connection and makes it easier to incorporate the new behaviour into your routine.⁠
• Bring Back the Fun: Have you noticed how often our Western society praises the tough-it-out mentality? We’ve been taught that in order to have gain you have to have pain. However, research suggests that enjoying yourself might be the key to sticking with it. Shifting a workout from something you feel you need to do to something you look forward to doing will keep you going back for more.

• Track Your Progress:⁠⁠ Keep a record of your efforts. Tracking your progress provides a sense of accomplishment and helps you stay motivated.⁠
• Celebrate Small Wins:⁠⁠ Acknowledge and celebrate each success, no matter how small. Positive reinforcement strengthens the habit loop.⁠
• Grab a Partner: Friends really do make everything better! Having an accountability buddy is one of the quickest ways to cement your healthy behaviour into a long standing habit. We’re inherently less likely to bail on a workout if we know someone is going to be let down by us not showing up. Try sharing your best Recipes with friends on Cronometer Gold!

• Adapt and Learn:⁠⁠ Be flexible and open to adjustments. If a particular strategy isn’t working, analyze why and modify your approach accordingly.⁠
• Be Patient:⁠⁠ Habits take time to form. Practice patience and perseverance, understanding that meaningful change doesn’t happen overnight.
• Gamify It: If you’re naturally competitive then a little friendly competition could be the quickest way for you to build healthy habits. At Cronometer we use gamification to help you build the highest level of nutrition by giving you percentages on macro and micronutrient targets. It is not only rewarding to hit the high 90s, it will also have a huge positive impact on your health.

Pro Tip

Step it up another notch by upgrading to our Gold Subscription to get personalized Nutrition Scores on things like electrolytes, antioxidants, metabolism & more! 

The post How To: Build Healthy Habits appeared first on Cronometer Blog.

The post How to Use the Barcode Scanner appeared first on Cronometer Blog.

AUGUST 20, 2024

4.27.1

• Introducing Water Tracking: Yes, it is here! Water Tracking is available now to all users. You can easily log and monitor your daily water intake right alongside your meals and nutrients with the Water Tracking Diary widget. For more info on how to track your water visit the blog here.

July 24, 2024

• Celebrating 10 Million Users! We’ve just surpassed an incredible milestone and can proudly say we now have over 10 million users! It’s hard to believe how far we’ve come over the years and truly couldn’t have done it without the support of each and every one of our users. So for that, we thank you.

 

As a token of our appreciation, free users have access to a limited-time, web-only discount and all existing Gold users will be entered into a draw to win 10 years worth of Gold, on us. 

July 16, 2024

• Auto-Fill Improvements: We’ve improved the process of adding foods if the barcode scanner can’t match your item to a food in our database. Users will notice an improved experience with the app auto-filling the nutrition label details, which will now auto-fill the food name and serving size as well as the nutrient details. Users can also scan international nutrition labels!

July 5, 2024

4.25.1

• Garmin Activity Improvements: We improved how daily activity is imported from your Garmin device to increase your data’s accuracy. The Garmin ‘Daily Activity’ entry in your Cronometer diary now includes sedentary to light movement calories from your Garmin resting calorie circle!

The calculation now looks like this: Daily Activity = Garmin total calories burned – Garmin calories burned from individual exercises – BMR (as it’s already accounted for in Cronometer).

July 4, 2024

4.25.0

• Improvements To Macro Target Settings: We’ve made some improvements to how you can set your macronutrient targets. Head to More > Targets > Macronutrient Targets to view a new interface and have the ability to set percentage-based ratios.
• Target Scheduler Now Named Macro Scheduler: We’ve changed the name of our Gold feature, previously called the Target Scheduler to Macro Scheduler. We believe that this name is a better reflection of its functionality.

June 1, 2024

• For the month of June we have unlocked Men’s Health Nutrition Scores in celebration of Men’s Health Month at Cronometer. Normally the Nutrition Scores are only available to our Gold subscribers, but for the month of June, we are releasing this one score to all of our male users, free of charge. Visit this blog to learn more about the Nutrition Score.

May 15, 2024

4.23.0

• Added Support For Volumetric Serving Sizes: Users can now add serving sizes that are weight (g) or volume (mL) based in Custom Foods and Recipes.

MAY 6, 2024

4.22.1

• Diary Groups for All Users: Diary Groups are now available to all users. When adding food to the Diary, users can label their entries by categories to keep their entries organized. To learn more visit our User Manual here.

MAY 1, 2024

4.22.0

• Unlocked Women’s Health Nutrition Scores: In celebration of Women’s Health Month at Cronometer, all female users will have access to our Women’s Health Nutrition Score. Normally the Nutrition Scores are only available to our Gold subscribers, but for the month of May, we are releasing this one score to all of our female users, free of charge. Visit this blog to learn more about the Nutrition Score.

April 26, 2024

4.22.0

• Introducing Refer a Friend: Users can now Refer a Friend to Cronometer Gold from within the app. By referring a friend, you give them $5 off Gold and you earn money when they upgrade! Head to More > Referrals and enter their email address to start the process. To learn more about how to Refer a Friend visit our web or mobile User Manuals.
• Fitbit Integration Update: Users with a Fitbit integrated will now have access to more data on Cronometer. New data metrics include: breathing rate per minute, HRV, VO2 max, blood oxygen saturation, skin temperature and core temperature. To learn more about our Fitbit integration visit our Fitbit blog.

March 21, 2024

4.20.0

• Apple Health Sleep Data: User with Apple Health integrated can now toggle on ‘Import Sleep’ in settings, to learn how to do this visit our manual here. There are various ways you can leverage your sleep data to gain insights into your health which we dive into on our Sleep Data Blog. To learn more about the Apple Health integration visit this blog.
• Bug Fixes:
  • Fixed a bug causing incorrect values when users create or edit custom meals.
  • Connectivity issues & bugs with Health Connect have been resolved.
  • Added Fitbit Sleep Visualization support.

March 8, 2024

Web Version Only

• Instacart Web Integration: On the web version of Cronometer, we have introduced an integration with Instacart. This integration allows users to seamlessly order the ingredients in your Custom Meals and Recipes directly to their doorstep. To utilize this feature go to Foods >  Custom Meals and click on a meal or create a new one. Once you have selected your meal, on the top right will be an ‘Order via Instacart’ button which will redirect you to Instacart to set up your order. 

FEBRUARY 20, 2024

App Version 4.19.0

• Renamed Home to Discover: On the mobile app we have renamed the ‘Home’ tab to ‘Discover’ to better reflect the contents of the tab. The Discover tab will function the same as before. 
• iOS Design Changes: We have made some simple design changes on the iOS app to better complement the native iOS experience. 
• Bug Fixes:
  • Bug fixed causing back button to exit the app.
  • Users were unable to adjust an adjusted recipe. That issue has now been resolved.

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

App Version 4.18.0

• Introduced Sleep Cycle Insights: Users with integrated devices can now analyze their sleep data from their Dashboard, Charts and Diary. Tap into the Sleep Breakdown to view your last nights Sleep Duration, Stages, Sleep Score and Recovery Score. To learn more about sleep data visit our blog How to Leverage Your Sleep Data. 
• Option to Always Explode Custom Meal and Recipes: Now users have the option to have Custom Meals and Recipes always explode when they are added to the Diary. This feature creates Custom Meals and Recipes as individual food entries which allows users to adjust measurements or delete specific items altogether. Making changes to items after you’ve exploded a Custom Meal or Recipe will not alter the item itself. 
• Health Connect Integration: As of February 9, 2024 all Android users will have the ability to connect their Cronometer account to Health Connect, a new Google app allowing you to share your health data across several platforms. Health Connect will act as a replacement integration for Samsung Health and Google Fit. To learn visit our blog Device Integration: Samsung Health.

December 19, 2023

App Version 4.16.0

• Introduced a new social sharing feature: Users can now share their Streaks and Diary on social media, via text or email straight from the Cronometer app. Tap the from your Streaks widget on your Dashboard or from your Diary, tap ⋮ > Share Diary Widgets > Select the sections you want to share and tap Next.
• Improved water data for branded items: Select food and beverage entries will now have inferred water values to better reflect its water content. Water content for many branded items is not listed on the nutrition label, so in the past it may have not been accounted for. In this latest update, we will be using AI to estimate this value. Users may notice a magic wand icon and a label on the entry indicating that the water content for that item has been estimated.

December 5, 2023

App Version 4.15.0

• New Lock Screen widget on IOS is now available: Users on Apple mobile devices can now add a Cronometer widget to their lock screens (Instructions on how to add widgets).
• IOS home screen widget bug fixes.

November 23, 2023

• Added new imported metrics for WHOOP devices. Users can now import Sleep Score as a biometric into their Cronometer Diary and leverage it in any Chart.
• Added new imported metrics for OURA devices. Users can now import their Sleep Score as a biometric into their Cronometer Diary and leverage it in any Chart.
• Added new imported metrics for Garmin devices. Users can now import Sleep Score and Body Battery (Recovery) biometrics into their Cronometer Diary and leverage it in any Chart.
• Added new imported metrics for Withings devices. Users can now import Sleep Score biometrics into their Cronometer Diary and leverage it in any Chart.
• Added new imported metrics for Polar devices. Users can now import Sleep (including stages, excluding the awake stage) along with Sleep Score biometrics and leverage it in any Chart.

OCTOber 25, 2023

• Introduced Cycle Tracking, powered by ŌURA. Our female users can now import and leverage their Cycle Insights data from ŌURA. We’ve introduced a new Dashboard widget, a Diary view and a Chart overlay to better understand the impacts of their menstrual cycle. Read more details.

OCTOber 17, 2023

App Version 4.12.0

• ‘Settings’ renamed to ‘More’. Users may notice that what was previously the ‘Settings’ tab is now named ‘More’ for a more accurate representation of the contents of that page.
• Water tracking in beta. To a small percentage of users, we’ve released our first iteration of a new water tracking feature, making tracking your water intake a simple one-tap step. If you have access to this feature, we’d love to hear your feedback. Send us an email and let us know what you think.

September 7, 2023

App Version 4.11.1

• + menu on mobile now configurable. Users now have the ability to customize the + menu on the mobile app. Long press on an icon to edit the menu. Arrange or delete the icons to suit your needs!
• Long tap on food name to copy text. Users can now long tap on the title of a specific food item to copy the name and paste into any text field. This can be handy if you want to send the name of a food to your friends in a text or search for it in a web browser.
• Added an Energy Level biometric. Users will now find Energy Level amongst the list of biometrics they can track. Select a number to record how your energy is feeling each day or throughout the day.

august 24, 2023

App Version 4.10.0

• Snapshots now available on mobile. Users now have the ability to upload photos on the mobile app. This functionality has existed on the web app for some time, and is now available on mobile. Keep track of your progress by adding a Snapshot from the home Home tab, then tap to Snapshots at the top.

august 1, 2023

App Version 4.9.0

• Introduced functionality to schedule items on repeat. Gold users will now be able to schedule foods, meals and recipes to repeat, making logging daily items much faster.
• Introduced a simplified version of recipes (Custom Meals). All users will now have access to create a Custom Meal, which is a simplified version of a Custom Recipe. Meals do not have any serving sizes or advanced features so are best used for combining foods, beverages and supplements that you consume on a regular basis. For example, create a Custom Meal for your ‘weekday breakfast’ which includes two coffees, cream, sugar, a bagel and cream cheese.

juLY 18, 2023

App Version 4.8.0

• Added new edit functionality to Custom Charts. Gold users will now be able to edit the left and right Y axis variables from within the chart details. This means that users will no longer need to create a new chart to view impact for every nutrient, biometric or nutrition score. For example, if you have a  Custom Chart tracking your heart rate and sodium intake, you can tap on the > icon in the top right of that chart and change the sodium variable to calcium, potassium or magnesium to easily see if there is a correlation with other minerals (video below).
• Moved ‘Mark Day As Complete’ function on mobile. We’ve made it a bit easier to mark your day as complete in the mobile app by adding a checkmark to the left side of the ⋮ menu in the top right corner of your Diary screen.
• Added the ability to ‘Sort All Entries By Time’. We’ve added the ability for Gold users to sort their diary entries by time. This will organize your diary entries in chronological order based on the timestamp. Tap the ⋮ menu in the top right corner and click on ‘Sort All Entries by Time’. 
• Changed logic for nutrition label type. When adding a Custom Food (manually or via the Barcode Scanner) we’ll now show you your most recently used label type or the 2016 American nutrition label as the default.

june 28, 2023

Web Version Only

• Added data import functionality for MyPlate users. We’ve added some functionality to the web app to help prior MyPlate users make the switch to an alternative nutrition tracking app. MyPlate users can now import their MyPlate data directly into a Cronometer account. 

june 22, 2023

App Version 4.6.4

• Added new imported metrics for Oura users. We’ve updated our Oura integration to introduce support for a few new metrics. Users can now import their readiness score, body temperature variation, respiration rate during sleep, heart rate variability during sleep and all-day heart rate data. Once users are on the latest version of the app, Oura users will need to re-authorize their integration in order to start importing these new metrics. 
• Added new imported metrics for Withings users. We’ve updated our Withings integration to introduce support for two new metrics. Users can now import oxygen saturation and VO2 max data into their Cronometer Diary. 
• iOS bug fixes. We’ve refactored the code behind our Apple Watch app and made some updates to fix a bug with our home screen widget.

june 14, 2023

App Version 4.6.3

• Added new imported metrics for Withings users. We’ve updated our Withings integration to introduce support for two new metrics. Users can now import oxygen saturation and VO2 max data into their Cronometer Diary. 

may 29, 2023

App Version 4.6.2

• Show a chart on your dashboard. On both web and mobile now, there is functionality that allows you to save a chart to your dashboard. From the Charts page, scroll down to a chart, and click on the three dot icon and click ‘Show on Dashboard’. That chart will now appear on the Dashboard landing page.
• Now importing sleep stages for Fitbit users. Any users currently importing sleep from a Fitbit device will now notice that time data regarding light, deep and REM sleep stages will appear in the diary entry.
• Now importing sleep stages for Withings users. Any users currently importing sleep from a Withings device will now notice that time data regarding light and deep sleep stages will appear in the diary entry.

may 19, 2023

App Version 4.6.0

• Added new imported metrics for Garmin users. We’ve updated our Garmin integration to introduce support for a few new metrics. Users can now import blood pressure, heart rate variability, oxygen saturation and respiration rate. HRV, SpO2 and respiration rate are being imported as a time series, so you can click on the entry in your Diary to view a chart of how the metric has been changing over the day.

april 27, 2023

App Version 4.5.0

• Improvements to custom recipe serving sizes. Both the web and mobile apps have seen some simplification to how serving sizes are selected when creating a Custom Recipe. Users can continue using all previous Custom Recipe functionality by selecting the ‘Advanced Servings Sizes’ option.
• Improved the Recipe Importer algorithm. We’ve retrained our algorithm for the Recipe Importer so some Gold users may notice a better success rate matching ingredients when importing a recipe.
• Bug fixes.

april 11, 2023

App Version 4.4.0

• Improvements to the fasting feature! Both the web and mobile apps have seen some big user interface changes to our fasting feature including the ability to schedule recurring fasts and options to have it show on the Diary screen and/or the Dashboard. Find more information here.
• Pickleball added to the exercise database. Pickleball athletes can now choose the sport directly from our exercise database. Find it in the team sports category.

MARCH 7, 2023

App Version 4.3.0

• Bulk delete data! Users can now choose to delete their food, exercise, biometric, fast and note data in bulk for a specific date range. Navigate to settings > account > account data and select Bulk Delete Diary Data.
• Improvements to the foods page. We’ve made some UI changes to the Foods page which simplifies the experience of creating, searching for and logging custom foods and recipes. Also our entire food database can now be searched from the Foods tab.
• Show a chart on your dashboard. On the mobile app, there is now functionality that allows you to save a chart to your dashboard. From the Home tab, click Charts, scroll down to a chart, and tap on the arrow in the top corner. Scroll down and toggle on ‘Show on Dashboard’.
• Added undo prompt upon deleting an entry. In case the swipe to delete action was done by mistake, users will now see a green ‘undo’ option after they’ve deleted a food, exercise or biometric entry on the diary.

FEBRUARY 10, 2023

App Version 4.2.2

• Now integrating with WHOOP! Users can now sync exercise and health metrics from WHOOP into their Cronometer account.

FEBRUARY 1, 2023

App Version 4.2.0

• Introducing a streak widget! We’ve introduced a new streak feature showing users their current streak, longest streak and all-time stats. Users can find this new widget on the Dashboard on web or the Home screen of the mobile app. 
• Bug fixes & design updates.  

January 25, 2023

App Version 4.2.0

• Timestamps now included on nutrient charts! Gold users will now be able to see a more detailed breakdown of their timestamped data on any nutrient chart. This will come in handy for those who are taking advantage of our Dexcom integration, allowing them to plot nutrients against their blood glucose data with timing down to the minute!
• Upgrades to software packages.  

January 11, 2023

App Version 4.1.0

• Better, more accurate data! Users will now have access to more nutrition data for branded products with our new better alternative data solution. We will now automatically complete nutrient profiles for many branded foods with lab-analyzed data where applicable. You’ll see a message on the nutrient summary of the foods which have been filled with additional data.
• Bug fixes & design updates.   

November 14, 2022

App Version 4.0.0

• Introducing our new look! We’ve changed our logo and given both the mobile and web apps a facelift. Find more details about our new look here.
• Introducing a dashboard area: there is a new dashboard page on both the mobile and the web app. For the initial launch, users will be able to choose to show their energy history, their fasting history and/or their weight change chart. The dashboard will also show relevant news and updates, is fully customizable and we plan to add more dashboard functionality in the near future. Visit our user manual for detailed instructions on web and on mobile.
• Diary group subtotals on web: gold users will now notice that they have diary group subtotals on the web app. Choose to show your macronutrients, calories or to match what you’ve chosen to show in the summary column.  

June 13, 2022

App Version 3.22.0

• New Integration With Suunto: you can now sync your Suunto device to import exercise and daily active energy directly into your Cronometer account.
• New Way To Edit Recipes: you can now edit a Custom Recipe directly from your diary screen! Edit serving sizes and add/remove ingredients without leaving your diary. 

June 1, 2022

• Introduced An Apple Watch App: we’ve introduced an apple watch app where you can scroll through a snapshot of your energy intake, remaining energy, highlighted targets, nutrition scores (for gold users) and more right from the comfort of your own wrist.
• Added New Biometrics: we have added a few new biometrics available to all users such as neck size, thigh size, bust size, calf size, upper arm size, forearm size, wrist size, hemoglobin, hematocrit and heart rate variability.
• Men’s Health Nutrition Score Available To All Free Users: in order to celebrate Men’s Health Month, we have made a men’s health Nutrition Score available to all free users for the month of June.

May 13, 2022

App Version 3.21.0

• Introduced A Newsfeed: we’ve introduced a newsfeed area into the app where users can find information on recent app updates, tips & tricks, nutrition info & more.
• Improvements To Imported Biometrics & Charts: we have added a new feature to our charts that gives users the ability to click on a heart rate or blood glucose reading in their diary to view continuous readings along with a detailed breakdown of that biometric over time.

April 27, 2022

App Version 3.20.1

• Women’s & Men’s Health Nutrition Score: Gold subscribers can now take advantage of two new nutrition scores focused on women’s & men’s health!
• Privacy Policy & Terms Of Use Updates: we’ve updated our privacy policy and terms of use.

April 7, 2022

App Version 3.20.0

• Plant Based Nutrition Score: Gold subscribers can now take advantage of a new plant-based diet nutrition score.
• Keto Nutrition Score: now includes suggestions for how users can improve their score.
• Date Format & Calendar Updates: our date formatting has been updated and our calendar view now clearly indicates which days you have logged food, exercise and biometrics.

march 17, 2022

App Version 3.19.0

• Optimizing Active Energy Import: to ensure you’re not double counting calories burned, you can choose to replace your activity level energy with imported activity as it imports throughout the day.
• iOS Quick Actions: in addition to iOS home screen widgets, we’ve now added iOS quick actions! Long tap on the Cronometer app icon in your home screen to access shortcuts for adding a food, scanning a barcode. 
• Settings Page Redesign: the Settings page in the app has gotten a revamp. Settings are now easier to find and are searchable. 
• Food Search Improvements: you now have some new options to fine-tune your food searches.

january 28, 2022

App Version 3.17.0

• Home Screen Widget on Android: Android users can now see a glimpse of their nutrition stats from their homepage! Learn how to set them up. 
• Changes to the Barcode Scanner: we’ve made a couple design changes and you can now scan from any angle or manually enter the code if a scan fails. 
• Changes to How Blood Pressure is Imported: we are now importing Blood pressure as a single metric from Google fit, Samsung Health & Apple Health.

january 17, 2022

App Version 3.16.0

• Changes to the Recipe Importer: you can now manually enter or copy/paste recipe ingredients into the Recipe Importer instead of the classic URL import.
• Design Changes: we’ve made some general updates to the user interface (UI) to keep things fresh!
• My Foods & My Recipes Page Update: we’ve made a few tweaks to the Foods page. If you don’t have any Custom Recipes or Custom Foods loaded into your account, we’ve made it easier to create them straight from this page.

december 8, 2021

App Version 3.14.0

• Introduced Categories for Biometrics: we’ve improved the user experience for adding biometrics to your diary. The ‘Add Biometric’ menu has gotten a face lift and now includes categories to simplify the process. We’ve also added a few new biometrics; blood pressure as a single metric, bicep size, chest size, V02 max, Bristol Stool Scale, C-reactive protein, & Hemoglobin A1C.

October 28, 2021

App Version 3.12.0

• Released Target Scheduler: the all-new Target Scheduler functionality allows you to set custom macro targets for specific days of the week.
• Fixed Barcode Scanner Issues: some users were running into issues using our bar code scanner. This has now been fixed!
• Released Integration with BIA Measurements via the Samsung Galaxy Watch: Your body composition measurements from your Samsung Galaxy Watch can now be fed into your Cronometer account.

October 5, 2021

App Version 3.11.0

• Released Recipe Importer on Android and iOS: the new Recipe Importer functionality is now available on the mobile app!
• Home Screen Widget on iOS: iPhone users can now see a glimpse of their nutrition stats from their homepage!
• Updates to the Mobile Food Search Interface: Searching for food items on your mobile just got easier with filters for specific food databases, sort by options, multi-add and swipe to delete recent food items.
• Updates to the Mobile Foods Page: You now have a way to search your custom recipes and your custom foods from the Foods section of the app. 
• Final Weight of a Custom Recipe: Weighing in your meals and something doesn’t add up? You can now edit the final weight of your custom recipe.  

September 8, 2021

App Version 3.10.3

Recent Cronometer UPDATES

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August 7, 2024

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August 6, 2024

How To: Build Healthy Habits

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August 6, 2024

How to Use the Barcode Scanner

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August 1, 2024

New & Improved: The Latest Cronometer Updates

Whatever the reason you’re using Cronometer, we want to make your experience with our app as seamless as possible. So

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July 18, 2024

The post New & Improved: The Latest Cronometer Updates appeared first on Cronometer Blog.

The post Should You Exercise When You’re Sick? appeared first on Cronometer Blog.

During Your Activity

Having carbs in your system will help prevent fatigue and improve concentration.

 

For light to moderate exercise (up to an hour per day): aim for 3-7 g of carbs per kilogram of body weight every day, to make sure you have enough energy for your activity and recovery.

 

For harder, longer exercise over an hour: your carbohydrate needs will be more in the range of 6-10 g/kg body weight/day for a typical day.

 

Longer exertion and higher intensities are where you can benefit from eating more carbs. Even putting carbs in your mouth during exercise sends a signal to your brain that keeps you feeling good and helps sustain your level of effort.

 

So, if you find yourself getting tired or feeling fuzzy during your exercise, try eating or drinking something with carbs in it. Start with around 30 g of carbs and go up from there if you need it.

 

Foods to eat during activity:

• Rice cakes (we love the ones in the Feed Zone Portables cookbook by Skratch Labs)
• Potatoes (pre-boil and bring on your ride)
• Gels/chews
• Low-sugar cereal like Shreddies (you’ll get the iron from fortified cereals, important for endurance athletes!)

 

Whatever you bring, make sure you go for low acidity carbs so there’s less of a chance of heartburn or an upset stomach. It might take a bit of trial and error to find the right carbs for you!

After Your Activity

Protein in your diet promotes muscle building after your activities – meaning you’ll be stronger on the next!

 

To support your body, aim for 1.2-1.4 g of protein per kg of body weight each day.

 

Spread your protein intake between your meals and snacks throughout the day. This has better effects than having a lot of protein at once. 

 

Refuel with a 4:1 or 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein.

 

For example, if you’re making a smoothie, you would want it to have 30 grams of carbs for every 10 grams of protein. This ratio becomes more important to consider the longer or harder your activity. You may not need to refuel as methodically after a shorter stint. But if you’ve been out there for a while or working hard, this will help refill your carb stores, build strength, and repair muscle damage.

Drink Water

For peak performance, hydrate before, during and after exercise. A few hours before you head out, drink 5-10 ml/per kg of body weight.

 

You’ll start off well hydrated with enough time to get rid of excess beforehand, saving you time looking for a rest stop on the trail.

 

During and after activity, drink enough water to replace what you lost, without overdoing it. To estimate what you need, weigh yourself before and after a ride. Then, aim to drink fluid to replace what you lost.

 

For example, if you weighed 1 kg less when you wrap up for the day, aim to drink 1 L of fluid during your workouts. Drink more afterwards, too – roughly 0.25-0.5 litres for each kg of weight lost.

 

Up your fluid intake when you up the intensity or duration of your exercise and when it’s hotter, more humid or higher altitude than usual.

 

If it’s a hot day, or if you would consider yourself a sweaty person, add electrolytes to your water before and during your workout. If you can tolerate it, Gatorade can be useful as both a carb and a source of electrolytes.

 

A word of caution though as some find that consuming that much sugar in liquid form upsets their stomach. If that’s the case, look for a product like Nuun or Hammer Endurance Endurolytes.

 

When it comes to electrolytes, you want something low/no sugar, but also without artificial sweeteners like sugar alcohols, which may also cause stomach upset.

The post How Nutrition Can Improve Endurance appeared first on Cronometer Blog.

GLP-1 agonists are a class of medications, such as Ozempic, that mainly help manage blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes. Some GLP-1 agonists can also help treat obesity. GLP-1 agonists are most often injectable medications.  

How Does GLP-1 Work

GLP-1 is a naturally occurring hormone that your small intestine makes which triggers insulin release from your pancreas, prevents glucose from going into your bloodstream, slows digestion and increases how full you feel after eating. 

GLP-1 agonist medications mimic this hormone. 

GLP-1 For Type 2 Diabetes

If you have Type 2 diabetes, the medications help to better manage your blood sugar. 

GLP-1 receptor agonist medications help lower blood sugar levels by boosting the amount of insulin your body releases when blood sugar is high. They also reduce the amount of glucagon, a hormone that raises blood sugar, which helps keep blood sugar levels more stable. 

These medications improve how your body uses insulin. By increasing insulin sensitivity, your cells become better at taking in glucose from your blood, which helps lower blood sugar levels. 

GLP-1 For Weight Loss

GLP-1 receptor agonists help with weight loss in a couple of ways. They slow down how quickly food leaves your stomach, making you feel full longer. They also act on the brain to reduce appetite, so you feel less hungry and eat less. 

Side Effects of Using GLP-1 Medications

Most Common: 

• Loss of appetite 

• Nausea 

• Vomiting 

• Diarrhea 

Other side effects can include: 

• Dizziness 

• Mild tachycardia (increased heart rate) 

• Infections 

• Headaches 

• Indigestion (upset stomach) 

Severe — but rare — side effects can include: 

• Pancreatitis. 

• Medullary thyroid cancer 

• Acute (sudden) kidney injury. 

• Worsening diabetes-related retinopathy 

Nutritional Challenges For Those On GLP-1 Medications

We polled the dietitian’s and healthcare professionals who trust Cronometer Pro to help manage clients within their practice. The most common challenges they face with clients who are on GLP-1 medications include, but certainly are not limited to: 

• Under-eating 

• Vitamin or mineral deficiencies 

• Loss of muscle mass 

How Cronometer Can Help Manage Symptoms and Reduce Risks Associated With GLP-1 Medications

Make sure you’re eating enough  

A reduced appetite can result in under-eating which could eventually lead to malnourishment. So, while on GLP-1 medications, it’s important to make sure your daily caloric intake remains at a healthy level. 

Cronometer can help to make sure you’re doing just that. By logging the food that you eat into the app, you’ll get an accurate picture of how many calories you’ve eaten that day, helping you to assess if you’re eating enough or if you should increase your intake.  

If you’re wondering what a healthy caloric intake looks like, that is unique to each individual. When signing up for Cronometer, we’ll ask you some basic questions and give a recommendation, but for those on GLP-1 medications, it’s best to ask your doctor as they’ll have a better picture of your needs. 

Make sure you’re getting a balanced diet 

Eating less can sometimes make it difficult to get all the nutrients your body needs. To avoid malnutrition or a vitamin or mineral deficiency, eating a well-balanced diet is pivotal.  

With in-depth macro and micronutrient tracking, Cronometer will help make sure you’re giving your body what it needs to thrive. By logging the food that you eat into the app, you’ll get a detailed breakdown of not only proteins, fats and carbs but up to 84 nutrients including vitamins and minerals like fiber and magnesium.  

Make sure you’re getting enough protein 

Something that was a top concern for our professionals who manage clients on GLP-1 medications was loss of muscle mass. To support your muscles, it’s important to eat enough protein, which can be hard with a reduced appetite. 

With Cronometer, you’ll know exactly how much protein you’re eating and can adjust your diet accordingly to make sure you’re getting enough. 

If you’re wondering how much protein you need to eat, the recommended minimum amount per day is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight but for those on GLP-1 medications, it’s best to ask your doctor.  

Monitor symptoms & side effects

By logging biometrics like energy level, stool or sleep quality into Cronometer, it’s easy to see how your body is being affected by your medications. 

Track your symptoms over time to identify trends and potential red flags. 

We have a ton of existing biometrics in the app but by upgrading to our Gold subscription, you are able to create Custom Biometrics, which unlocks limitless possibilities for symptom tracking.  

Timestamps are another Cronometer Gold feature that can help with tracking symptoms. By diligently recording what you eat and when you experience symptoms, you can identify patterns and correlations that help you understand how different foods affect your body. 

For example, if you experience nausea or diarrhea, you can review your Diary to see what foods you ate and when. By analyzing this information, you can identify specific foods or combinations of foods that may be triggering your symptoms, helping you to avoid these in the future and make more informed dietary choices to minimize discomfort. 

Similarly, logging when you feel good can be just as valuable. By tracking your food intake and noting when you feel healthy and symptom-free, you can identify foods and eating patterns that support your well-being.  

This information is particularly useful when you are on GLP-1 agonist medications, which can affect your appetite and digestion. By understanding which foods and eating schedules work best, you can optimize your diet to complement your medication and improve your overall health. 

Track dosages

With our Gold subscription, you can create a Custom Biometric to track your dosing of GLP-1. Then, you’ll be able to cross-reference against your calorie intake or symptoms to help identify trends and manage your diet during the course of your medication. 

Get suggestions on what to eat 

With our Gold subscription, you’ll gain access to our Food Suggestions feature which will give recommendations of what to eat to help hit your nutrition targets. 

Set up Reminders 

Cronometer can help remind you to eat with Reminders. Just set the times you want to be reminded and we’ll do the rest! 

Avoid gaining weight when coming off GLP-1 

As you transition off your GLP-1 medication, your hunger may increase. Using Cronometer throughout this process will help you avoid any unwanted weight gain. 

In Conclusion

GLP-1 medications have increased in popularity recently and the benefits are clear, but they often come paired with certain risk factors. We’ve covered a few of these risks above, and can help to mitigate some of the nutritional side-effects of being on this medication, but it’s important to talk to your doctor to get the full picture.  

In essence, the detailed logging capabilities of Cronometer allow you to make data-driven decisions about your diet, helping you manage symptoms more effectively and maintain a healthier lifestyle. 

Sign up for a free Cronometer account here to get started.  

References

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/13901-glp-1-agonists

The post GLP-1 Drugs: How Cronometer Can Help appeared first on Cronometer Blog.

In this episode of Discovering Nutrition with Cronometer we have a very special guest, Erin Judge, a registered dietitian, nutritionist, certified personal trainer, and founder of Gutivate, a virtual nutrition counselling practice for digestive disorders. Erin shares her expertise in medical nutrition therapy for functional gut disorders with a patient-centred focus. Erin and I dive into the fascinating world of gut health focusing on the three main aspects of gut health: identifying the causes of gut discomfort, creating a thriving environment for your microbiome, and yes, talking about poop. This episode is packed with insights, practical advice, and Erin’s personal experiences, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in improving their digestive health.

Key Notes:

• The episode focuses on the benefits of eating beans for gut health, highlighting how beans provide essential prebiotic fibres that support a healthy gut microbiome.
• Erin discusses how to identify the causes of gut discomfort, create an environment for a thriving microbiome, and understand what constitutes normal bowel movements.
• Erin shares her personal journey with IBS and her professional expertise in the field. She explains how she founded Gutivate to provide virtual nutrition counselling for individuals with digestive disorders.
• Emphasizing the importance of fibre diversity, Erin provides tips on incorporating beans and other fibre-rich foods into the diet and stresses the role of consistency in dietary habits.
• Erin outlines her approach to assessing and treating gut health issues, highlighting the significance of personalized nutrition plans and the impact of factors like travel, stress, and routine on gut health.

www.gutivate.com

www.instagram.com/erinjudge.rd

www.facebook.com/gutivate

www.cronometer.com

The post Episode 28: Beans, Bloating, and the Science of Poop with Erin Judge appeared first on Cronometer Blog.