Stronger by Science is a popular destination for those who want to know what science has to say about building muscle. The website is focused on providing evidence-based information that you can use to become stronger and healthier through science-backed techniques and strategies.
In addition to its array of products and content, Stronger by Science also offers the Macrofactor app. But is the Macrofactor app as good as its reputation makes it out to be? Find out more about the app's key features and whether it's worth downloading.
Stronger by Science Aims for Trustworthy Health Advice
The content on Stronger by Science includes written articles, podcasts, free resources, and a variety of products and services you can purchase.
Stronger by Science Articles
The articles cover a wide range of topics related to weightlifting and nutrition and are designed to provide you with the information and guidance you need to become stronger faster. Some of the topics covered include:
- Strength training, including information on different types of exercises, how to properly perform them, and the benefits they provide.
- Nutrition, including practical advice and guidance on how to eat to support bulking up. This also includes information on different diets, the role of different nutrients, and more.
- Injury prevention, including advice on how to avoid common injuries and what to do if you do get hurt.
- Mind and body, including how stress, sleep, and other factors can impact strength gains.
Because articles discuss the results of scientific studies conducted by researchers, you can feel confident with the quality of information presented.
Podcasts
The podcasts on Stronger by Science feature conversations with the Stronger by Science team, Greg Nuckols and Eric Trexler. Like the articles, the podcasts explore the latest research related to bodybuilding and nutrition. Nuckols has a BS in Exercise and Sports Science, and a Master's in Exercise Physiology, while Trexler has a Ph.D. in Human Movement Science.
Meanwhile, the Free Resources section on the Stronger by Science website includes free training programs and access to the research spotlight newsletter, a regular email that breaks down a piece of research in an accessible format.
The MacroFactor App
Perhaps the most sought-after resource developed by Stronger by Science is the MacroFactor app. Described as a “science-based diet coach” that fits in your pocket, MacroFactor is a food logger with a focus on tracking macronutrients or macros (the ratio of carbs, protein, and fat) in your food.
The distinguishing feature and competitive advantage of the app is that it “adapts” to your metabolism and adjusts your macronutrient consumption goals based on your weight gain/loss/maintenance progress.
Download: MacroFactor for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)
The MacroFactor App's Algorithm
To do its job effectively, MacroFactor needs 2 key sets of information. First, it needs baseline information about your body and your goals. To collect this information, the app walks you through a simple but detailed onboarding process to learn about your body and what your goals are (stay the same, gain weight, or lose weight).
With this data, the app can calculate a customized daily intake of carbohydrates, protein, and fat that will help you reach your stated fitness goal.
Second, the app needs data about other factors affecting your body, including the food you eat, how much you exercise, and changes to your weight. By tracking this ongoing data, the app can calculate the adjustments necessary for you to continue to reach your goals. This is the app’s defining feature and what separates it from its main competitor, MyFitnessPal.
To help track your exercise throughout the week, you can also connect the app to your Fitbit or another fitness tracker.
And while it’s hard to know exactly how fitness apps count calories, it’s easy to believe that the folks at Stronger by Science would use the most accurate method—whichever method is, well, based on science!
The Main Challenge With Most Food-Tracking Apps
Of course, there are pros and cons to using calorie-counting apps. For the regular Jane and Joe trying to eat better and feel healthier, MacroFactor might seem like too much to handle. After all, the amount of time required to enter the granular details of every food, topping, beverage, and condiment—including serving size or weight—seems like it would become a part-time job.
The greatest challenge with any food-tracking app is remembering to log what you eat. If you forget to enter your meals or enter inaccurate foods or amounts, apps won’t function as intended. That said, MacroFactor does a good job of making the food logger accessible from the homepage so that it’s always at your fingertips.
Is the MacroFactor Approach to Logging Food Better?
MacroFactor takes a different approach to logging food. The app allows you to scan food product barcodes, enter details manually, choose from a vast database of food options, or—and this is perhaps one of the speediest methods—use your voice to describe the food you’ve eaten. The latter feature works surprisingly well and, once you’re finished speaking, MacroFactor will instantly add food to your log. Give it a try and you’ll be impressed!
There are many other apps for counting calories available, but they make you manually adjust your intake targets if you hit your targets and still don't see the results you want. On the other hand, MarcoFactor continuously looks at your activity and weight to adjust how many calories you should aim to consume. This puts tracking and adjusting nutrient intake on autopilot.
Should You Trust Stronger by Science and the MacroFactor App?
In conclusion, Stronger by Science is a must-visit website for anyone looking to improve their strength training by learning about science-based methods for muscle growth.
For those who are hyper-focused on dialing in their nutrient intake and have the time to spare, MacroFactor is a great option. And because it’s built by the folks at Strength by Science, you can rest assured that the algorithms powering the food target recommendations are based on solid evidence.