Why your targets move with your training
In short
With Pro, your carb target goes up by 15% on days with strength training and down on rest days, so your weekly average stays the same. Protein and fat do not change. Hard sessions get more fuel, rest days get a little less, and what you eat over the week still matches your goal. You can turn it off.
Cody de LeeuwLast checked 29 October 2026 · 4 min read
How it works
- Mitta takes your normal daily carb target.
- On a day with strength training, planned or done, carbs go up by 15%.
- Your rest days share what the training days got extra, so the week adds up to the same total.
- Protein and fat stay the same every day.
| Day | Carbs | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Training day | 290 g | +40 g |
| Rest day | 220 g | −30 g |
| Week | 1,750 g | same as 7 × 250 g |
Why carbs, and why only a little
Carbohydrates are the main fuel for hard training, and sports nutrition guidelines scale them to how much you train.1 For lifting, the need may be lower than those guidelines suggest, because a weight session rarely empties your carb stores.2 So the shift is kept small. Protein stays the same, because your muscles keep rebuilding on rest days.
Limits
- A rest day never drops below the calorie floor of 1,500 kcal for men or 1,200 kcal for women, or below your own target if that is already lower.
- A rest day gives back at most 30% of its carbs.
- If you train every day, or not at all, your target stays flat.
Weak evidence
Guidelines link carbohydrate needs to training load, but few studies compare moving carbs between days with eating the same every day. The weekly total matters more than the spread. How we rate evidence
How Mitta does it
Eat for the day you’re having.
Your daily targets in Mitta follow your training plan. Why? on the day’s target shows the shift and the sum.
- Pro, on by defaultCarbs that follow your training are part of Pro. You can turn the shift off and keep a flat target.
- Follows your planA planned strength session counts, so you see the higher target in the morning, before you train.
Targets that know your week.
Mitta moves your carbs with your training and keeps the week on target. Free to start, in the web app for invited testers.
Questions about
Why your targets move with your training
Do I have to use it?
No. You can turn it off and keep the same target every day. Your weekly total is the same either way.
What counts as a training day?
A day with a strength session in your plan, or one you logged. Cardio and sports do not change your carbs in this rule.
Is this carb cycling?
It is a mild form of it: a small shift between days, with the weekly total unchanged.
Sources
- Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. American College of Sports Medicine joint position statement: nutrition and athletic performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2016; 48(3): 543–568. doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000852
- Escobar KA, VanDusseldorp TA, Kerksick CM. Carbohydrate intake and resistance-based exercise: are current recommendations reflective of actual need? British Journal of Nutrition, 2016; 116(12): 2053–2065. doi.org/10.1017/S0007114516003949
Written by Cody de Leeuw. First published 29 October 2026, last checked 29 October 2026. This article is general information, not medical advice. Spotted a mistake? Tell me