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Guide › Coaches

What messages to expect

When Forma speaks and how to quiet it.

Forma's coaches speak rarely, never at night, and never the same thing twice while nothing has changed. This page explains what can reach you, how often, and how to make it quieter.

When to use it

  • You want to know how often Forma will interrupt you.
  • A message arrived and you want to know why.
  • You want fewer messages, or none.
  • You expected a message and none came.

How often the coaches speak

A coach message is an interruption, so Forma limits it. The rules:

  • At most two coach messages in a day. The card on Today and a notification count as one message.
  • At least 90 minutes between two.
  • None between 21:00 and 07:00.
  • None in the middle of a session. While a session is open, Forma waits.
  • Never the same finding twice while nothing has changed.

A day with no message is a normal day. You can also see why Forma held a message back (see below).

What the messages are

  • On Today, the top card shows what matters most right now: a check-in, a session to start, a weigh-in to add, or a coach finding. It shows one thing at a time, the most important first.
  • When the coach changes a target, it says why. You can see it under Coach decisions in History & reports (the clock button on Progress), with an Undo where the change can be reversed.
  • Reminders are separate from coach messages. A reminder only exists while the thing is still missing: log the meal or the weigh-in and nothing is sent.

Quieting it

Turn a coach's messages off

  1. Open Settings, then Reminders & notifications.
  2. Check that iOS lets Forma reach you.
  3. Switch the Training coach or Diet coach messages on or off.

A coach can only send when the coach is on, its switch here is on, and iOS allows notifications. These switches are about what is delivered to you outside the app. What shows inside Forma, such as the card on Today, follows the coach switches in Settings > Coaches instead.

On the message itself

  • Tap Not now to hide it for four weeks, or Not useful to hide it for two months. Neither changes your targets.
  • Tap Open Fuel, Open Train or Open Progress to go to the screen where you can act on it. The next message may take its place.

Why something was held back

Settings > Coaches has a row called What your coach is considering. It shows what is scheduled, and why each thing was said or held back.

If nothing arrives

  1. In Forma, open Settings, then Reminders & notifications. The top row says whether iOS allows notifications.
  2. If it says they are off, tap Open iOS Settings, then Notifications, and allow them for Forma. Also check that the Training coach and Diet coach switches below it are on.
  3. Never asked? Under Reminders & notifications, tap Allow notifications.
  4. Still nothing? Check Focus and Notification Summary in iOS Settings.

Also remember the limits above: at most two coach messages a day, and only while a coach is on. Few messages can mean a quiet week.

Good to know

Something unclear or missing? Write to and say which page.