The FoodGPT water calculator: how it works and where it gets it wrong
The water calculator does not use a formula.
Health
Weight does not depend on the plate alone. Sitting, steps, sleep and waist circumference — what is known about them, without alarm and without promises.
Waist-to-height, waist circumference and waist-to-hip: how the three measures differ
The waist and hip calculator gives three numbers: waist-to-height ratio, waist circumference and, if you enter hips, waist-to-hip ratio.
Body fat from tape measurements: how the US Navy formula works and how far to trust it
The body fat calculator uses the Hodgdon and Beckett formula (US Navy, 1984): height plus neck and waist measurements and, for women, hips.
The ideal weight calculator: where the formulas come from and what they cannot see
There is no such thing as an ideal weight: the name is given to the output of formulas derived from insurance height and weight tables, and the Devine formula was published to calculate drug doses.
The FoodGPT BMI calculator: how it works and what to do with the result
The BMI calculator divides weight in kilograms by height in meters squared and names a category from the WHO scale.
TDEE: how the calculator works out daily expenditure and how to check your number
TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is everything the body burns in a day: basal metabolism, digesting food and all movement.
Diet for fatty liver disease: what clinical guidelines say
Fatty liver disease, or NAFLD, is an excess of fat in the liver in people who do not consume excessive alcohol.
Nutrition during pregnancy: how many calories to add, what to avoid, and what to check with your doctor
You don’t need to eat for two: in the first trimester, extra calories are usually unnecessary; in the second, ACOG recommends about 340 kcal per day; in the third, about 450.
Diastasis or belly fat: why weight loss cannot solve every postpartum concern
The shape of a postpartum abdomen does not reveal what is producing it.
Japanese interval walking: what the 3-by-3 studies found
Japanese interval walking alternates three minutes of fast walking with three minutes at an easy pace.
Low-sodium salt: what replaces sodium, and who should be careful?
Low-sodium salt usually replaces some sodium chloride with potassium chloride.
Botulism in home canning: where the risk lies and what eliminates it
The causative agent of botulism multiplies only without air access and only if the product is not acidic enough.
Food diary and running: how to tell whether a snack works for you
A light snack before a run can feel uneventful for one person and uncomfortable for another.
Food noise: what the new term means and what GLP-1 has to do with it
“Food noise” describes more than an interest in food: it is a persistent, burdensome inner conversation about it.
Cortisol and weight: what it really does
Cortisol is blamed for stubborn belly fat, a puffy face, and the inability to lose weight, and solutions are sold in a bottle.
How to gain weight when you can't
People trying to lose weight have the goal of eating less without feeling hungry.
Hunger and appetite: how they differ
These are two different mechanisms, and they are constantly confused.
Medications that affect weight
Weight that begins to increase without changes in diet or activity is sometimes explained not by metabolism, but by a medication started a couple of months prior.
Should a child count calories?
The short answer is no.
The thyroid gland and weight: what it explains and what it doesn't
The thyroid gland regulates metabolic rate, making it a convenient explanation for any weight gain.
Night shifts: what happens to appetite and weight
People with shift schedules are more likely to be overweight, a consistent finding across many observations.
When calorie counting becomes a problem
Calorie counting is a way to track your intake.
How many calories are burned by cleaning, walking the dog, and other daily activities
Energy expenditure for household chores is calculated using a single formula and a standard reference: the Compendium of Physical Activities, where each activity is assigned a MET value.
Protein after 60: why requirements are higher
The general protein requirement—0.
Muscle gain: how much of a surplus is needed and how much food that is
A calorie surplus is necessary for muscle gain, but the amount matters less than people think.
PCOS and insulin resistance: what is known about nutrition
The most common belief regarding these conditions is that "as long as insulin is high, fat is not burned, and losing weight is useless.
How many calories are burned during a workout: running, cycling, swimming, gym
An hour of running at a moderate pace for a 70 kg person is about 550–700 kcal, cycling at a leisurely pace is 350–450, swimming is 400–600, and strength training is 200–350.
Weight during menopause: what changes in body composition and what to do about it
During the transition period, not only does weight change, but also how it is distributed: the proportion of fat increases, lean mass decreases, and the fat itself shifts to the abdominal area.
Water and electrolytes during training: when plain water is not enough
Plain water is enough for almost everyone, almost all the time.
Carbohydrates during long workouts: when food is needed during exercise
Gels, isotonic drinks, and bars on the course solve one problem — preventing fuel from running out where it is truly needed.
Protein and gainer: how they differ and if they are needed at all
Protein powder is dried milk or plant protein, not a separate class of substances with unique properties.
What to eat after a workout and does the "anabolic window" exist
The rule that you must "eat protein within half an hour after a workout or it's all for nothing" is known to anyone who has ever stepped into a gym.
What to eat before a workout
The question "what to eat before a workout" is almost always actually a question of "how long before.
Body mass index: how to calculate it and where it goes wrong
Body mass index takes ten seconds to calculate and is therefore used where it shouldn't be: for an individual.
Cholesterol in food: do eggs affect blood cholesterol
Cholesterol from food and cholesterol in blood tests are not the same substance in different places, but two weakly related values.
Salt in processed food: where it is most abundant and why the salt shaker is not the culprit
The WHO recommendation is less than five grams of salt per day, but the actual intake is about twice that.
Ultra-processed food: what lies behind the NOVA classification
There is a lot of writing about ultra-processed food right now as if the matter is settled: there is bad industrial food and good homemade food.
How much water to drink per day and where the two liters came from
Everyone knows the "two liters a day" rule, but almost no one knows where this figure came from.
Trans fats: how they differ from regular fats and where they remain today
Trans fats are a rare case where a food scare turned out to be true: the concerns about them are supported by both the mechanism and the statistics.
How sleep loss affects appetite and weight
Sleep usually turns up in the last paragraph of a weight-loss article, phrased vaguely enough to be safe.
Home exercise equipment: do treadmills and stationary bikes help
A treadmill does not create a calorie deficit.
Excess weight and health: what risks are confirmed
This topic is usually presented in a way meant to induce fear.
Visceral fat: why it matters and how to measure it
Two people at the same weight, with the same BMI, can carry very different metabolic risk.
How many steps should you walk per day
Everyone knows the number 10,000, but almost no one knows its origin.
Why a sedentary lifestyle is harmful
Sedentary work affects health not because a person doesn't exercise enough, but because they barely move during the other fifteen hours of the day.
From reading to doing. All of it starts in one place — knowing what is on the plate. Photograph it and the calories and macros appear on their own.
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This article is for general information. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a prescription for treatment or a diet, and it does not replace a consultation with your doctor. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, take medication, or follow a diet prescribed to you, decisions about food belong with your doctor.
Figures from regulations, guidelines and studies are given as they stood when this article was prepared and may since have changed; check them against the primary sources. This article is not advertising, an offer, or individual advice, and neither the author nor the site owner is responsible for decisions taken on the basis of it.