EPK Method

EPK - Hydr-Eat

Energy • Hydration • Movement Readiness

Compares your fixed 5-day Cronometer intake average to either estimated needs or Whoop totals. If Whoop is enabled and valid Whoop totals are entered, the calculator uses Whoop as the needs reference. If not, it uses estimated needs from RMR × PAL. It does not combine both. Status is then checked against fat percentage, so high energy driven by high fat intake does not automatically count as green or gold. At over 25% fat, effective status becomes amber. Calories still stay matched to needs. At over 35% fat, effective status becomes red. This is a macro-rebalancing flag, not an instruction to eat less. This never means eating less; it means keeping calories matched to need while shifting more of the energy toward carbohydrate. The ladder softens as intake approaches the constrained-energy ceiling, not simply because a traffic-light colour improves. For general populations, the ladder stops at 60 EPK. Only the advanced athlete profile can progress into the 80+ EPK range. It now also uses Cronometer energy and macro data to estimate hydration support from food water and metabolic water, then recommends the correct traffic-light exercise track.

Step 1: Your basic details (RMR)

Safety protection

Low-weight / eating-disorder risk check

This calculator is not a medical or eating-disorder screening tool. These checks switch the app into a restore-first mode where it avoids restriction, weight-loss or compensatory training guidance.
If any of these apply, the app will switch to protected mode: no eating too much framing, no restriction guidance, and movement defaults to the Red restore-first track.

Step 2: Activity level (PAL) including physical and mental strain

Mental strain counts because it increases recovery demand. If sleep is poor, stress is high, and you’re under-fuelled, your day often behaves like a higher PAL even if steps are modest.
This is the starting ladder step. The actual ladder softens automatically as intake approaches the constrained-energy ceiling.
If average fat intake is above this cap, effective status cannot become green or gold.
General ceiling is the default for most users. Advanced athlete mode should only be used for genuine high-output athletes with consistent training, good recovery, and no protected-mode flags. It allows progression into the 80+ EPK range before the ladder fully stops.
At over 25% fat, effective status becomes amber. Calories still stay matched to needs.
At over 35% fat, effective status becomes red. This is a macro-rebalancing flag, not an instruction to eat less.
For typical non-athlete averages, the ladder softens near 50 EPK and stops near 60 EPK.
Advanced athlete mode is the only profile that allows the ladder to move into the 80+ EPK range, and it should not be used when protected mode applies.

Step 3: Fixed 5-day Cronometer input (total intake and macros in kcal)

Enter each day’s total calories and macro calories from Cronometer (carb kcal, fat kcal, protein kcal). If Whoop is enabled, add that day’s total Whoop calories too. All 5 days are required. Days left blank or entered as 0 will stop the calculation so the result is always based on a true 5-day average.
If valid Whoop totals are entered for the days used, Whoop becomes the needs reference. If not, the calculator falls back to estimated needs from RMR × PAL.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5

Step 4: Biofeedback

These do not override the numbers, but they help place them in real physiology.

Step 5: Hydration context

This section uses the Cronometer energy and macro data above. It estimates fluid support coming from food water and metabolic water, then suggests the remaining drinking-fluid range. It is not a medical fluid prescription.
Only drinks count here. The calculator estimates food/metabolic water separately.
Summary

Traffic-light decision

Current status
Complete the calculator to select your track.

Your energy picture

RMR used
PAL
Base needs (RMR × PAL)
Avg Whoop total kcal
Needs source used
Needs used
5-day average intake
Intake vs needs used
EPK (intake)
EPK (needs-adjusted)
Energy tier (intake)
Effective status (intake)
Energy tier (needs-adjusted)
Effective status (needs-adjusted)
Dot 1 = intake energy position. Dot 2 = needs-adjusted position.
< 25
Red
25–30
Amber
30–35
Green
> 35
Gold
Fat % (kcal)
Carb % (kcal)
Protein % (kcal)

Visualise it

Intake vs needs
Shows average intake against estimated needs and the actual needs source used.
Macro split
Green and gold require fat to stay at or below your selected fat cap. Over 25% fat becomes amber. Over 35% fat becomes red. Calories still stay matched to need; the rebalancing comes from moving energy toward carbohydrate.

Biofeedback

Hydration readiness

Energy-based fluid target
Estimated food water
Estimated metabolic water
Suggested drinking-fluid range
Current fluid vs range
Hydration interpretation

Movement Hub / Whoop AI programme selection

Recommended track

Day-by-day

Shows daily intake against the needs reference used for that day.
Day Intake Whoop total Needs used Gap EPK (intake) EPK (needs-adjusted)

Zone Ladder

Ladder uses your current 5-day average intake as Step 0 and increases by your chosen base step size. As intake EPK approaches the constrained-energy ceiling, the ladder automatically softens and then stops. This is separate from the traffic-light label itself. Fat percentage can still slow or block progression. General mode stops at 60 EPK. Only athlete mode can move into the 80+ EPK range.
Step Hold Step size Target intake EPK (intake) Energy tier Effective status EPK (needs-adjusted) Effective status (needs-adjusted) Notes

Send this to your coach

This opens your email app with the report included. If your email app truncates long messages, use Copy report and paste it into the email. Attach the downloaded PDF if you want a clean version. When the email opens, Billy is included so he receives a copy at billy@enerjarden.com.
Gentle fat-rebalance suggestion (optional)
If fat % is high, the aim is macro rebalancing: keep calories matched to need, keep protein stable, and replace some fat energy with carbohydrate energy.