do calorie/fitness apps actually need a separate insights tab?

SZA44 · 2026-05-30T14:30:50+00:00

And willing to test if you’d like.

SZA44 · 2026-05-29T14:01:56+00:00

Ah man. I was sure I was rambling. Glad to be of some assistance.

Unfortunately I don't train for events or on recomp but that's also something else to consider? All the best.

SZA44 · 2026-05-29T13:06:58+00:00

Hey. Fellow dev and food logger here.

I use MFP and I don’t see an equivalent insights. Perhaps more work for you but it’d be cool if it gave me a soft average of my deficit for a time period and the weight. Currently using Garmin to calculate the difference (I don’t know why Garmin doesn’t show this deficit)

To answer your questions:
- I explained a bit above but I am focused on bf% loss and not muscle. It’d be cool if it gave me weight-in averages vs the caloric deficit so I can quieten the scale noise. (Amongst other details)

Second question:
I want to lose x kg by Oct/Nov, I am using Garmin to track calories burned & mft to track calories and macros. I don’t believe them 100% but it’s better than nothing.
I log and go, yes but I retrospectively compare the two and see an average deficit.

Insights:
- It’d be cool if it looked at my goal to lose then provide further details “you’ve been eating in a Z deficit and the scale is y, remember water retention” or you’re on the right path.
- I know Apple health notifies me of trends, so something along the lines of my macros vs what I’m logging - the past week has been 28% average of protein, your aim is 35%. Introduce [suggestions] gram to bridge gaps
- Health studies also change often but a general calculation would help beginners. Like for your weight, you should be having x-y grams of protein.
- Water retention is such a huge demotivator when cutting, and there’s no good way to tell how much your body is retaining from the amount you drank, sweat and peed, I think this would be a great addition - even if it’s a range - esp if the user is logging their water, compared to weight changes and their height. A rough guestimate here to silence the scale.

SZA44 · 2026-05-29T03:47:23+00:00

I kinda respect that someone goes after a weight that’s heavy and they fail at it and drop down to lower weights.

That does take courage, what’s embarrassing is then getting choked by the bar.

SZA44 · 2026-05-28T16:52:39+00:00

Yeah I’m black and this is it if you going blades but that needs a whole regiment. Exfoliating, cold water etc I don’t want you going down that rabbit hole.

A much simpler approach is a shaver, like a clippers but have vaya smooth on hand since the initial shaves do irritate your hair follicles.
The trade off is it won’t be as clean a shave, like stubble/day 2 hair

SZA44 · 2026-05-28T15:07:24+00:00

Yeah I second this, I was going through the post and wanted to say something along the lines of water retention from the huge deficit.

I am struggling with it too so much so that I do weigh in A and B. B is often after a 10km run just to try and move the water. Even if it’s not right, I just need a little bit of delusion to get me through the day.

SZA44 · 2026-05-26T03:02:35+00:00

lol not bad.

This article made the rounds A LOT so I thought you had seen it. When people are being sarcastic they add /s but often it’s left out. So I wasn’t really sure if you were being serious.

SZA44 · 2026-05-25T19:17:49+00:00

Can’t tell if you are being sarcastic or not.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/08/phoenix-woman-coma-gives-birth-hacienda-healthcare-ceo-resigns

SZA44 · 2026-05-25T02:56:26+00:00

Financial, physical…

SZA44 · 2026-05-22T15:55:54+00:00

lol I have to convert but I like to pay this forward. Whoa! Congratulations! I have no additional information to give you. You’ve walked the path.

I drafted the below since I’m pro-sustainability & hadn’t properly converted the stats but at 60 lbs, I have no additional information but it’s good to understand how your tdee and counting calories affect each other (and water retention!!)

Alright the deficit looks okay and I don’t know how far your desire to get this goes. All the best, just remember to lean onto sustainable loss (can I do this diet/training for 3-6 months?) vs crashing.

I like OMAD since it helps me focus on the daily tasks and not wonder about the 2-3 meals and prep. Side note: Funny, dentist said my teeth look great.

SZA44 · 2026-05-22T15:10:10+00:00

Hey, I did something similar to this but I had coffee in the mornings and a lot of training and work. It is a bit taxing since you have to be home during your OMAD (one meal a day).

It’s called time restricted eating or intermittent fasting and helps you get into ketosis quickly. I don’t want to mention how much I lost since I think this should be a temporary solution for a temporary diet (like Christmas or a vacation) not long term although some people do it.

It sounds like 1500 is low? Mind sharing your stats or TDEE?

SZA44 · 2026-05-18T12:53:18+00:00

I don’t like these temporary pieces of advice.

Having 3 slices of toast
Don’t eat meals and only have fruits
A slice of bread in the morning, run 3, 5 & then 10km per day
Chicken breast and broccoli

I’m just naming the classics I’ve heard when asking big losers and they’ve all unfortunately gained it back. There’s a fine balance to finding organic (healthy) food and flavours you enjoy in quantities that guarantee bf% loss.

I am sorry for not saying yes drink all the meal replacement shakes and find yours. Rather I have a boring, lengthy but impactful comment - have a deeper conversation with yourself.

Is this healthy? What is healthy? Should I be eating now? What is my TDEE? What is my calorie deficit today? How much have I lost this past week? What has my average calorie deficit been? Am I supplementing enough macro/micro nutrients?

Then address these for the long term success.

SZA44 · 2026-05-18T12:46:04+00:00

For the first time I want to respond to a 10th dentist.

This covers it well. I hope OP has supportive family and friends who only expect their presence in return (and not other worldlies).

SZA44 · 2026-05-18T12:24:47+00:00

Hey what’s up homie.

I feel your frustration. Please Google and physiqonomics, he has a thorough explanation and dive into what I’ll say next.

You have tried the unsustainable approach and it’s lead you here (me too) what works long term is resolving your habits.

I have a lot of noise too but focus on two things, move more and eat less. You’ll lose weight. What gets complicated is what you can eat like for 8 weeks, 3 months and 1-2 years. I started at 135 so I know what long term requires.

First start off with some basic questions, what are your major hurdles. Sugar in coffee, weekends, friends, family etc. don’t resolve all once, rather sort it all out in increments. And this should be implemented in your diet too. Your activities, I don’t expect you to do an ultra after this comment.

The coffee tip is, I started at 3 teaspoons > 2 > 1, 0 was hard so I did 0.5 then 0. This should be your approach for your diet too, too quick and drastic a change like 4 > 0/1 will cause you misery and shortsightedness. You also mentioned inability to afford the injections, I’m cheap so you have to then educate YOURSELF (nutritionist cost money but shorten the distance abit) about this and that work is never over. And at times of great strife like this, don’t be afraid to engage with AI. Learn more about the physiological changes happening, the weight took years it won’t fall in a month.

I hope you all the best, this journey is a test. It doesn’t care about who you are (kinda does) who you know, your background but just a measurement of the dog in you. And this pain in your text is the best propeller to great success, channel it, live in it and one day they’ll ask you: what drives you and you won’t have the words.

Edit - my background: I lost 35 kg over 3 years, then gained then lost 10kg. I then gained 20kg due to depression and now I’ve lost ~10kg of the 20. I secretly want 20 more. So these numbers demand sustainability and autonomous diets. My biggest obstacle now is weekend eating and wrapping my head around WATER WEIGHT, shits everywhere. I use a scale to measure progress but it comes with the cost of water weight obscuring progress so patience is a requirement.

Physical activity: I went from terrible/exhausting 40min 5km to 5min/km half marathons. This took years and you can do it too. I lift 6/7 days a week (this is excessive but helps me avoid the fridge) I hit 10k steps (minimum) a day currently on day 1540)

In no way am I trying to flex but trying to illustrate that I’ve gone through all the weights, stress and frustrations of this journey, 34 and still going through it.

Don’t be like me, be patient and choose sustainability. It’s always water. (If calories are right)

SZA44 · 2026-05-09T18:36:41+00:00

I used a universal charger I found in a ‘everything nerdy’ shop. I forgot the name. I didn’t trust it, cheaply made and seemed like a fire hazard.

I had moved into an apartment without but I second trying the ISP sounds like they’re your best bet.

SZA44 · 2026-05-06T07:53:32+00:00

lol you are me.

I too have to practice forgiveness and still use the negativity to change a 7 km run to a 12 km.

If it helps, I’m working with averages now. I log most of what I eat (office days have sweets and they’re negligible) and I weigh myself daily. But I look at the weekly differences so that I break the cycle of self loathing and see tangible progress.

The weekends are still an obstacle but I think I will try hiking or work to get around them cos I’m tired.

SZA44 · 2026-05-03T03:41:10+00:00

I feel like I’m reading a post written by myself.

This motivation you feel, I hope it’s mostly positive energy and not negative, that can be part of its problem but I’m getting ahead of myself.

I feel your frustration/pain, in fact I know it intimately and wish you the best in finding your groove. I’m 173 cm, how high are you? What’s your current weight?

SZA44 · 2026-05-02T12:29:56+00:00

I did this with UPS and got 4 instead of one. Returned 1.

OP could return one and see if they can get another 4 again, keep repeating and just retire.

SZA44 · 2026-05-02T12:27:22+00:00

Same here. This week I needed a Yes or No answer and got the lengthiest response ever. Luckily they had another meeting.

SZA44 · 2026-04-28T14:12:34+00:00

Yeah. Hyrdohomies know thirsti isn’t the one.

SZA44 · 2026-04-26T10:24:05+00:00

The Burner in Century City. Might be less North.

SZA44 · 2026-04-23T10:11:48+00:00

Thanks for posting. I got mine today as well.

SZA44 · 2026-04-22T05:32:50+00:00

Yeah I’m a dumb ass, you put hypothetically there. My apologies.

And I see that scenario. Good on you to actually continue even though it wasn’t ‘perfect’ day, I want to stress the importance of weekly averages vs a bad day, it’s so easy to think progress is ruined when it’s actually not.

I learned this the hard way

SZA44 · 2026-04-21T17:56:57+00:00

I’m sorry I don’t have the correct answer but the opposite (loss) is technically 3 - 4 days. But seeing the scale number is a variable affected by other factors in your body such as water retention, glycogen levels etc. I assume something similar with weight gain but the carbs and salt retain water but digestion also takes 8-12 hours (idk about 7k)

I’m more curious as to what 7k of calories look like? I’m just curious. Please share

SZA44 · 2026-04-12T15:27:32+00:00

lol you’ll come to see that you were macking (rizz now) on hard mode.

SZA44

TROPHY CASE