I really love the idea of this. Simple, user friendly ai that takes the leg work out of analyzing nutrition data and making adjustments (like you have to do in my fitness pal), but something is lacking. It seems that carbon doesn’t not utilize user data at all if the user was ‘not compliant.’ Carbon has me eating at around 1032 calories per day currently, & I strongly suspect that I need to be eating more than that. For the past 2 weeks, I’ve been eating around 1300 rather than 1032. When, check in rolled around, I marked ‘non compliant’ because thats close to 300 calories over the daily goal that carbon set for me. I've also logged my weight daily, and I’ve averaged -1lb per week in weight loss (when my goal is -.5) This is the disappointing part, after consistently logging calories, macros, weight, loosing more weight than intended, and completing the check ins, carbon doesn’t utilize the data (calories consumed if ‘non compliant’ and logged weight) to make adjustments if you select ‘non compliant’. Or maybe they do, but the “looks like things didn’t go as planned, let’s try again next time” (or something along those lines) doesn’t elude to the fact that they do. I don’t know if this is a development constraint or what, but I think if all of the data was utilized it would make this app so so much better.

When people ask me about my carbon app, the very first thing I tell them is that it was exactly what I needed when I was 19 years old, scared to take up space and lacking the knowledge needed to effectively reach my goals. Other apps give you your macros (dangerously low ones at that) and send you on your way. They don’t explain that you shouldn’t consume the calories burned from exercise that their own app adds back in because your exercise was already used to determine your caloric intake. Carbon exceeds where every other app on the market fails. I have been using the app for the past year and a half and have gained more muscle than I ever did in the 5 years before I found carbon. I just started a 6 week cut before going back to maintenance for vacation and it’s the first time I’ve eaten over 1,100 calories while dieting AND I’m seeing results based on my goal. The check ins are easy and even account for whether you’re on/close to your period. I’ve never felt so confident in my life, my clothes have never fit so well. And sure, it takes a lot of dedication to keep up, but the time you save in years spent yo-yo dieting and hating yourself is worth it. If you’re ready to invest in yourself, start with this app.

Aside from my camera and the Bible app, I am hard pressed to think of anything on my phone that has had a more significant impact on my life than Carbon. There just isn’t anything else like it. I’ve used Carbon for just over 9 months now, and in that time I spent 5 months losing the easiest 25 pounds I’ve ever lost followed by a month at my maintenance calories. The last 3 months have been using the reverse diet setting to slowly increase calories over time, improving the amount of food I can eat without gaining weight. The expertise is there and the science behind Carbon is clear. There are no sketchy marketing smoke and mirrors. If you can stay complaint to the coach’s macros for you (protein, carbs, and fat) each day, you will achieve your goal, period. If it seems intimidating, I assure you it’s easier than you think to use this app. If you need help, support has been outstanding the two times I’ve reached out to them with questions, and the three owners of the company conduct an open Q&A on social media every week. There are helpful instructional videos in the app, and a phenomenal (like actually helpful and encouraging) Facebook group of users of all ages and fitness levels who are there to help. I cannot recommend an app more highly. Carbon makes body composition changes just absolutely dead simple to understand and engineer. You will not be disappointed.