What we're reading.

Lifters comparing Arrow and MacroFactor on calorie targets that adjust to your weight, lifting logs, whether training changes food targets, platforms and price. Facts checked 2026-11-09.

Use how long you've lifted, body-fat clues, strength trend and trend weight to choose a recomp (losing fat and gaining muscle at once) or a dedicated cut. Includes a weekly log check and when to switch. Checked 2026-11-09.

Hevy, Strong, Fitbod, MacroFactor Workouts and Arrow compared for iPhone lifters on free tier, Apple Watch, progression help, food logging and price, from each App Store listing checked 2026-11-03.

What counts as a stall in Arrow, what it reads (goal, training, Apple Health steps, weigh-ins, food), how it updates calories, protein, carbs and fats when training stalls, weight gain stalls, or you're gaining too quickly, and how to run the same check by hand.

Five patterns in your lifting log that say your calorie deficit is cutting into your training, an illustrative 4-week squat log, and what to change first.

Which nutrition app fits someone who lifts, compared on adaptive calories, protein targets for training days, what's free, and what each one does with your workouts. Facts checked 2026-11-03.

Three food-log checks to run before you blame your program, with an illustrative 6-week bench log showing how a "bulk" can turn into maintenance without you noticing.

An adaptive calorie target only sees your intake and your weight trend. Here's how that can hold you at "maintenance" through a year of losing muscle, and the three numbers lifters should watch alongside the scale.

MacroFactor, Carbon, RP Diet Coach, PlateLens and Arrow all update calorie targets from your data. How adaptive TDEE works, what each app costs, and how to get an accurate estimate.

A lean bulk works when the scale rises slowly and your lifts climb with it. How Arrow, MacroFactor, Hevy and MyFitnessPal compare for tracking both.

To keep strength while losing fat, track trend weight, intake and your lifts together. How Arrow, MacroFactor, MyFitnessPal and Hevy compare for a cut.

Pick a body recomposition (recomp) app by four signals the scale hides: strength trend, protein, trend weight and photos or measurements. Arrow, GainFrame, MacroFactor and Hevy compared. Facts checked 2026-11-09.

Strong, Boostcamp, Alpha Progression, Fitbod, MacroFactor Workouts and Arrow compared as Hevy and Strong alternatives, with verified prices and honest trade-offs.

Carbon, RP Diet Coach, Cronometer, MyFitnessPal, Lose It!, PlateLens and Arrow compared against MacroFactor's adaptive expenditure, with verified prices.

MyFitnessPal, PlateLens, Cal AI, SnapCalorie, Lose It!, Cronometer and Arrow compared for photo logging, plus how accurate photo scans are and when to weigh food instead.

Seven ways to track lifting and food in 2026, ranked by what each covers and what it costs per year, including setups under $5 a month.

The Arrow Score is one number that combines your strength, nutrition and consistency, weighted for your goal, so a cut and a bulk are scored differently.

A meal with about 20–40 g of protein (roughly 0.3–0.4 g/kg) plus carbs if you train again soon. The "anabolic window" is hours wide, not 30 minutes. Evidence and apps that help.

The setups that put lifts, food, and bodyweight in one place in 2026, what each costs, and how to tell whether an app actually reads your training and nutrition together.