The Activity Readiness formula (simple, practical, repeatable)

The Activity Advisor turns your sliders into one number: a Readiness Score (0–100). This score isn’t a “fitness grade.” It’s a quick way to decide how hard you should go today, given the body and schedule you actually have.

Think of readiness as a combination of capacity (energy + sleep), recovery (low soreness + low stress), and momentum (your recent consistency). Fitness level is included so the plan doesn’t accidentally over-prescribe volume for beginners or under-prescribe for advanced users.

Most sliders are 1–10. We convert each to a percentage. For example, energy = 6/10 → 0.60. For “negative” sliders like stress and soreness, we flip them because more stress usually means lower readiness. So stress = 7/10 becomes calm = (11 − 7)/10 = 0.40.

We combine the normalized values with weights that reflect what usually drives day-to-day training quality:

• Energy: 22% (your “battery”)
• Sleep quality: 20% (recovery + mood)
• Calm (inverted stress): 18% (pressure steals performance)
• Freshness (inverted soreness): 18% (fatigue management)
• Consistency: 12% (momentum beats motivation)
• Fitness level: 10% (safety + realism)

After the weighted average, we scale the result to a 0–100 score. Higher means you can safely push a bit more. Lower means you should recover on purpose. The best part: you can still make progress on low days by choosing the right type of movement.

The plan has three parts:

• Intensity: Recovery / Easy / Moderate / Hard
• Minutes: a recommended target inside your available time
• Mix: cardio, strength, and mobility percentages based on goal + readiness

For example, if readiness is low, strength work becomes lighter and technique-based, and mobility becomes a bigger slice. If readiness is high and your goal is strength, the plan increases strength emphasis while still keeping a warm-up and cool-down.

Three realistic scenarios (and why the plan changes)

Example A: “I’m tired but I have time.”
Energy 3/10, Sleep 4/10, Stress 6/10, Soreness 6/10, Time 60 minutes, Goal = fat loss. Your readiness will land in the low-to-moderate range. Even if you have an hour, pushing a hard interval workout can backfire (higher injury risk, worse recovery, and sometimes more cravings).

The advisor will likely recommend an easy zone session: brisk walking, light cycling, or a gentle incline treadmill, plus mobility. You still get a win: you protect the habit and you recover faster.

Example B: “I slept well and feel good.”
Energy 8/10, Sleep 8/10, Stress 3/10, Soreness 3/10, Time 35 minutes, Goal = strength. This is a high readiness day. The plan will usually recommend a short but focused strength session: a warm-up, 2–4 main lifts, then a short finisher.

Because time is limited, the plan will optimize for quality (moderate-to-hard intensity) instead of long duration. This is how you build strength with a busy schedule.

Example C: “I’m stressed, but moving helps.”
Energy 6/10, Sleep 6/10, Stress 9/10, Soreness 4/10, Time 25 minutes, Goal = stress relief. High stress often benefits from movement, but the wrong intensity can increase stress hormones.

The plan will typically suggest recovery or easy intensity: a walk, mobility flow, light yoga, nasal breathing, and a “downshift” cool-down. That’s not “doing less.” That’s using exercise as regulation.

Over time, the strongest habit is: match the dose to the day. This is what keeps you training through busy weeks, travel, poor sleep, or stress spikes — without falling off.

How to use this for real progress (without burnout)

Most people don’t need more “motivation.” They need a plan that can survive a normal life. That means your training has to include low days.

• 2 high readiness days: push (strength focus or intervals).
• 2 moderate days: steady cardio + technique strength.
• 2 low days: recovery walks, mobility, easy cycles.
• 1 flexible day: optional, based on how you feel.

If you follow this, your “average week” becomes stronger without feeling like every day is a test. The advisor helps you decide which bucket today belongs to.

On most days, finish the workout thinking: “I could do a bit more.” That’s the sweet spot for consistency. If you regularly finish destroyed, you’ll eventually skip sessions.

Soreness is normal, but high soreness can be a signal that your recovery needs attention. Swap heavy work for: easy cardio (blood flow), mobility, technique practice, or shorter strength sets with lighter weight.

Stress doesn’t mean “do nothing.” It means “choose movement that leaves you calmer.” For many people, that’s steady walking, gentle cycling, yoga, or a short strength session with long rests.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is this a medical assessment?

  No. It’s an educational planning tool. If you have pain, injury, or a health condition, consult a qualified professional before changing your activity.

• Why do stress and soreness lower the score?

  High stress and high soreness often reduce performance and recovery. We invert those sliders into “calm” and “freshness” so the score reflects readiness more intuitively.

• Should I train hard when readiness is low?

  Usually no. You can still move — but choose recovery or easy intensity. Your goal becomes: maintain the habit, reduce stiffness, and support recovery.

• How accurate is the score?

  It’s not a lab measurement. It’s a structured way to make a sensible decision from your own signals. The real value is consistency and trend tracking (saving weekly snapshots).

• How often should I use it?

  Daily if you like it (it’s fast), or weekly using “Last 7 days” for trend tracking. Many people save one snapshot per week.

• What if my readiness is always low?

  That can be a signal to prioritize sleep, reduce stress, or lower training load for a week or two. If you feel persistently unwell, consider seeking professional support.

Use it responsibly

This advisor helps you choose a sensible workout based on self-reported signals. It can’t detect injuries. If something feels sharp, unstable, or “not right,” stop and consider professional guidance.

• Low readiness: move gently and recover.
• Moderate: steady work; finish feeling good.
• High: push a bit, but don’t chase exhaustion.