Question 1

How does the app adapt my plan day to day?

Accepted Answer

Each morning you log a 60-second readiness check-in (sleep, energy, soreness, mood). If your score falls below your sensitivity threshold, today's heavy session is automatically swapped for mobility + zone-1 cardio. You can tune that threshold on the Settings page.

Question 2

What does 'readiness' actually measure?

Accepted Answer

It's a composite score from your subjective sleep, soreness, energy and mood. It's not a substitute for HRV, but research shows subjective wellness scores correlate with performance and overtraining risk. Use the trend, not any single day.

Question 3

Can I change my training program later?

Accepted Answer

Yes — go to Programs to switch templates anytime. Your strength numbers and progress carry over.

Question 4

Why is the AI suggesting a different exercise than what I picked?

Accepted Answer

Your equipment, mobility limits, conditions and current readiness all influence swaps. Open the workout, tap any exercise, and you can swap or revert manually anytime.

Question 5

Where is my data stored?

Accepted Answer

On Lovable Cloud, encrypted at rest, accessible only by you (Row-Level Security). You can export your intake and history anytime from the Plan page.

Question 6

Will I get reminders?

Accepted Answer

Yes — set your daily reminder time and timezone on Settings. Push delivery rolls out next; preferences save now.

Question 7

Does the AI Coach see my real numbers?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Coach reads your profile, today's readiness and recent training so its replies are personalized — not generic advice.

Question 8

How is education content sourced?

Accepted Answer

The Education tab pulls live evidence from peer-reviewed and official health bodies (PubMed, NIH, ACSM, AHA, ADA, BJSM, ACOG, etc.) and never cites Wikipedia. Every guide shows its source links.

Question 9

How much protein do I actually need to build muscle?

Accepted Answer

For most adults training to build muscle, ~1.6–2.2 g/kg of bodyweight per day distributed across 3–5 meals is the practical sweet spot. Older adults and people in a calorie deficit benefit from the upper end. More than ~2.4 g/kg shows no extra hypertrophy benefit in trained lifters.

Question 10

Is cardio bad for muscle growth?

Accepted Answer

No. Moderate amounts of zone-2 and short HIIT improve recovery and work capacity, which helps lifting. The 'interference effect' only matters at very high cardio volumes — most people undertrain it, not overtrain it.

Question 11

How often should I lift to make progress?

Accepted Answer

2–4 quality sessions per week beats 6 mediocre ones for most people. Each major movement (squat, hinge, push, pull) trained 2x per week with 10–20 working sets per muscle group is the well-supported range.

Question 12

What's the minimum effective dose if I'm short on time?

Accepted Answer

Two 30-minute full-body sessions a week + 7–10k daily steps + one 'exercise snack' (e.g. 10 squats every hour you're at a desk) is a remarkably effective baseline.

Question 13

Soreness — does it mean I'm growing?

Accepted Answer

Not really. Soreness is novelty + eccentric damage, not a growth signal. Progressive overload (adding reps or weight over weeks) is the real signal.

Question 14

Should I train through pain?

Accepted Answer

Sharp pain or pain that lingers more than 24 hours = back off and modify. Mild discomfort that fades within sets is usually fine. When in doubt, swap the exercise — there are always alternatives.

Question 15

Carbs vs fats for fat loss — which matters more?

Accepted Answer

Total calories and protein matter most. After that, pick the macro split you can stick to. Most people do best with adequate protein, plenty of fiber, and the remaining calories split between carbs and fats based on preference and training demands.

Question 16

Is creatine worth it?

Accepted Answer

Creatine monohydrate (3–5 g/day) is one of the most-studied supplements in sports nutrition. It modestly increases strength, work capacity and lean mass, and shows promise for cognition. Safe for healthy adults long-term.

Question 17

How do I know if I'm overtraining?

Accepted Answer

Persistent low readiness scores, declining performance for 2+ weeks, sleep disruption, mood changes, elevated resting heart rate. Deload (reduce volume by 40–50% for a week) before pushing through.

Question 18

I want a deeper / more cited answer — where do I go?

Accepted Answer

Open the Education tab and use the 'Ask AI' search. It returns answers grounded in real peer-reviewed sources with clickable links.

Stuck? Most answers are right here.

Questions, answered.

How Carpe Diem works

Practical fitness Q&A

Ask the AI — with cited sources