This guide walks you through building a fully automated nutrition coaching system in FitMetrics. By the end, your clients will have AI-calculated macro targets that adjust automatically based on progress, instant meal photo feedback, and weekly nutrition check-ins — all running without manual effort from you.
What You'll Build
Your automated nutrition coaching system has four connected parts:
AI Nutrition Targets — Sets your coaching philosophy, BMR method, and macro preferences so the AI calculates personalized targets for each client
AI Macros (Auto-Adjustment) — Automatically recalculates and updates client macros on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly schedule based on their progress
AI Meal Analysis — Analyzes client meal photos, provides instant nutrition feedback, and logs meals to their Trainerize food diary
AI Check-Ins with Nutrition Data — Sends weekly check-ins that include calorie and macro data, giving clients AI-generated nutrition feedback
Once configured, a new client can be fully set up with one automation trigger — no manual macro calculations required.
Part 1: Configure AI Nutrition Targets
AI Nutrition Targets is the foundation of your nutrition system. It tells the AI how you coach nutrition so it can generate appropriate macro recommendations.
Go to AI Nutrition Targets to configure your settings.
Step 1: Set Your Coaching Philosophy
Write a short description of your nutrition coaching approach. This guides all AI calculations. Examples:
"We focus on flexible dieting and sustainable habits"
"We prioritize high protein, moderate carb approaches for body recomposition"
"We use aggressive deficits for short-term cuts and reverse diet into maintenance"
Step 2: Choose a BMR Calculation Method
FitMetrics supports three BMR formulas:
Method | Best For | Notes |
Mifflin-St Jeor (Recommended) | Most clients | Uses age, weight, height, gender. Most accurate for general populations. |
Harris-Benedict | General use | Classic formula. Slightly overestimates for overweight individuals. |
Katch-McArdle | Lean clients with known body fat % | Uses lean body mass. Most accurate when body composition data is available. |
Step 3: Set Macro Distribution Preferences
Configure your default preferences for protein, carbohydrates, and fat:
Protein Preference:
Low — 0.8-1.2g per kg
Moderate — 1.2-1.8g per kg
High — 1.8-2.5g per kg
Very High — 2.5-3.0g per kg
Carbohydrate Preference:
Very Low — Keto (less than 50g)
Low — Low Carb (50-100g)
Moderate — Balanced (30-40% of calories)
High — High Carb (50-60% of calories)
Fat Preference:
Low — 15-20% of calories
Moderate — 25-35% of calories
High — 40-60% of calories
Very High — Keto (65-75% of calories)
You can also fine-tune the protein range slider (g per kg of bodyweight) for more precise control.
Step 4: Configure Personalization Factors
Toggle these on or off depending on your coaching style:
Gender-specific calculations — Apply different formulas based on gender
Consider body composition — Use body fat % when available (pairs well with Katch-McArdle)
Consider activity level — Factor in the client's activity multiplier
Consider fitness experience — Adjust recommendations based on training history
Step 5: Activity Multipliers (Reference)
When activity level is enabled, the AI uses these standard TDEE multipliers:
Activity Level | Multiplier | Description |
Sedentary | 1.2 | Desk job, little to no exercise |
Lightly Active | 1.375 | Light exercise 1-3 days/week |
Moderately Active | 1.55 | Moderate exercise 3-5 days/week |
Very Active | 1.725 | Hard exercise 6-7 days/week |
Extra Active | 1.9 | Very hard exercise, physical job, or training 2x/day |
Step 6: Add Custom Instructions (Optional)
Use the Advanced Custom Instructions field for specific rules. Examples:
"Always recommend at least 25g of fiber daily"
"For weight loss, use a 20% calorie deficit instead of the default 15%"
"For clients over 50, reduce protein recommendations by 10%"
Click Save Configuration when done.
Part 2: Enable AI Macros for Auto-Adjustment
AI Macros automatically recalculates and updates a client's nutrition targets on a schedule. The AI analyzes their weight trends, nutrition compliance, and progress data to decide whether to adjust calories and macros up or down.
How AI Macros Works
On the scheduled day and time, the system collects the client's recent data — weight trends, average calorie intake vs. targets, macro compliance, and goal progress
The AI uses your Nutrition Targets configuration (philosophy, BMR method, preferences) to calculate updated macros
New targets are automatically applied to the client's Trainerize account
Optionally, the client receives a notification about the change
Method 1: Enable Per Client (Manual)
Go to Trainerize Clients, open a client's dashboard, and navigate to their AI settings. Toggle AI Macros on and configure:
Frequency — Weekly, Bi-weekly, or Monthly
Adjustment Day — Which day of the week (Monday through Sunday)
Adjustment Time — What time to run (uses client's local timezone)
Send Notification — Optionally message the client when macros change
Method 2: Enable Via Automation (Recommended)
Go to Automations and create a new workflow. Add the Enable AI Macros action node. This is ideal for onboarding — when a new client submits their intake form, the automation can immediately enable AI Macros with your preferred schedule.
The automation action lets you configure:
Adjustment Frequency — Weekly, Bi-weekly, or Monthly
Adjustment Day — Day of the week for adjustments
Adjustment Time — Time of day (client's timezone)
Calculate & assign macros immediately — When toggled on, the AI will calculate and assign personalized macros the moment the automation triggers. Perfect for new clients.
Send notification to client — Notify the client via Trainerize when macros are adjusted
How to Review AI Macro Changes
All macro adjustments are logged in the client's dashboard. You can see what changed, when it changed, and the AI's reasoning. If you disagree with an adjustment, you can manually override the targets at any time.
Part 3: Set Up AI Meal Analysis
AI Meal Analysis lets clients snap a photo of their meal and instantly receive calorie/macro estimates and nutrition feedback. The analyzed meal is automatically logged to their Trainerize food diary.
Go to AI Meal Analysis to configure your settings.
Step 1: Enable Nutrition Feedback
When enabled, clients receive a short AI-written feedback message after each meal photo is analyzed. Choose a feedback preset that matches your coaching style:
Preset | Description |
General / Balanced | Highlights positives and suggests one simple improvement. Good for most clients. |
Vegan | Evaluates from a plant-based perspective. Suggests alternatives for animal products. |
Keto / Low Carb | Analyzes carb content and ketosis impact. Suggests keto-friendly swaps. |
Paleo | Reviews for whole foods vs. processed foods. Identifies grains, legumes, dairy. |
Mediterranean | Assesses alignment with Mediterranean diet. Emphasizes heart-healthy fats. |
Custom Prompt | Write your own feedback instructions for full control. |
Step 2: Configure Calorie Breakdown
Toggle Calorie Breakdown on to include a detailed macro breakdown (calories, protein, carbs, fat) in the meal analysis response sent to clients.
Step 3: Auto-Add to Food Diary
In the Advanced Settings tab, the Add Meals to Diary Automatically toggle controls whether analyzed meals are added directly to the client's Trainerize food diary. When disabled, meals are saved as Custom Foods only — clients can manually add them later.
Step 4: Enable Clients for Meal Analysis
Go to the Client Configuration tab to toggle meal analysis on or off for individual clients. You can use Smart Views to filter and bulk-manage client access.
Step 5: Upload Links
Go to the Upload Links tab to create personalized meal upload links for each client. These links let clients upload meal photos directly from their phone — no app required. Share the link via Trainerize message, email, or text.
Advanced: Delete AI Messages from Trainerize
If you want to keep the Trainerize chat clean, enable Delete AI Messages from Trainerize in Advanced Settings. This removes the AI feedback messages after they're sent while still logging the meal data. You can set a delay (0-60 seconds) before deletion.
Part 4: Connect Nutrition to AI Check-Ins
AI Check-Ins can include nutrition data so clients receive weekly feedback on their eating habits alongside weight and workout progress.
Step 1: Enable Nutrition Data Sources
Go to AI Check-Ins > AI Prompts. When creating or editing an AI prompt template, enable the Nutrition Data data source. This gives the AI access to:
Average calories eaten vs. calorie goal
Average protein, carbs, and fat eaten vs. goals (in grams)
Calorie and macro change status (increased/decreased from prior period)
You can also enable Current Macros as a separate data source so the AI knows the client's current assigned targets.
Step 2: Set the Data Timeframe
Choose the timeframe for nutrition data in your AI prompt:
This Week — Current week's averages
Last Week — Previous week's averages (recommended for weekly reviews)
This Month — Current month's averages
Last Month — Previous month's averages
Step 3: Write a Nutrition-Focused Prompt
In the prompt content, tell the AI what to focus on. Example:
"Review the client's nutrition data for the week. Compare their average calorie and macro intake against their targets. If they're consistently under or over on any macro, provide specific and actionable advice. Mention any positive trends. Keep the tone supportive."
Step 4: Assign to a Check-In Template
Go to AI Check-Ins and create or edit a check-in template. Link your nutrition-focused AI prompt so it runs with each scheduled check-in.
Part 5: Automate the Full Setup
Use Automations to configure everything for new clients automatically.
Example Automation: New Client Nutrition Setup
Trigger: Form Submission (e.g., "New Client Intake Form")
Actions:
Enable AI Macros — Set to weekly on Mondays at 9:00 AM, with "Calculate & assign macros immediately" toggled on. The client gets personalized macros right away and automatic adjustments every Monday going forward.
Assign Check-In Template — Assign your nutrition-focused check-in template so the client starts receiving weekly nutrition reviews.
This means a new client fills out your intake form and within minutes has personalized macros assigned, weekly auto-adjustments scheduled, and nutrition check-ins configured — zero manual work.
Monitoring Nutrition Compliance
Go to Compliance Tracker to monitor nutrition compliance across all clients. The system tracks daily nutrition completion and calculates a weekly compliance percentage. Use this to quickly identify clients who are not logging meals or are consistently off-target.
The Complete Nutrition Coaching Timeline
Here is what happens for a client once your system is live:
When | What Happens |
Day 1 | Client submits intake form. Automation enables AI Macros and immediately calculates and assigns personalized macro targets. |
Daily | Client sends meal photos. AI analyzes them, provides feedback, and logs meals to their Trainerize food diary. |
Weekly (e.g., Sunday) | AI Check-In runs. Client receives a nutrition review comparing their intake vs. targets with personalized advice. |
Weekly (e.g., Monday) | AI Macros auto-adjustment runs. The AI reviews weight trends and compliance, then adjusts calories and macros if needed. |
Ongoing | You monitor compliance via the Compliance Tracker and review AI macro changes in client dashboards. Override only when needed. |
Pro Tips
Schedule check-ins the day before macro adjustments. If your AI Macros run on Monday, schedule your nutrition check-in for Sunday. This way the client gets their weekly review first, then updated macros the next day.
Use "Calculate & assign macros immediately" for new clients. This ensures they start with personalized targets on day one instead of waiting for the first scheduled adjustment.
Start with weekly adjustments. Weekly gives the AI enough data to spot trends without changing targets too frequently. Move to bi-weekly or monthly for maintenance clients.
Match your meal analysis preset to your coaching style. If you coach keto clients, use the Keto preset. For general fitness coaching, the General / Balanced preset works best.
Use Custom Instructions for edge cases. If you have specific rules (e.g., "never go below 1,400 calories for female clients"), add them in the AI Nutrition Targets custom instructions field.
Enable the Compliance Tracker. It gives you an at-a-glance view of who is and isn't logging meals, so you can intervene before clients fall off track.
Summary
Feature | What It Does | Where to Configure |
AI Nutrition Targets | Sets your coaching philosophy, BMR method, and macro preferences | |
AI Macros | Automatically adjusts client macros on a schedule based on progress | Client Dashboard or Automations |
AI Meal Analysis | Analyzes meal photos, provides feedback, logs to food diary | |
AI Check-Ins (Nutrition) | Sends weekly nutrition reviews with calorie/macro data | |
Automations | Auto-enables AI Macros and assigns check-in templates on triggers | |
Compliance Tracker | Monitors daily nutrition logging and weekly compliance % |
With all four parts configured, your nutrition coaching runs on autopilot. You focus on the clients who need personal attention while the AI handles the day-to-day calculations, feedback, and adjustments.