Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about leaving calorie counting behind and understanding how your food really impacts your body.
How It Works
Is this just another calorie counter?
No. Calorie counters tell you how much you ate. RealFoods tells you whether what you ate causes weight gain, regardless of calories. That's a completely different question.
What is the Weight Impact score?
A number from 1 to 10. Low scores (1-3) mean the food supports weight loss. High scores (7-10) mean it's likely causing weight gain. It replaces calorie counting with something that actually predicts results.
Does RealFoods track intermittent fasting?
Yes. You can tap to manually start your fasting timer, or let the AI automatically detect when you stop eating. The Coach will gently guide you through the biological stages, showing you exactly when your body switches from digesting to fat-burning.
Does this mean I can eat whatever I want?
Not quite. You can eat without counting, but the score still tells you the truth. Some foods consistently cause weight gain even in small amounts. Knowing which ones is the whole point.
Comparisons
How is this different from MyFitnessPal or Noom?
MyFitnessPal forces you to count calories, leaving you hungry and frustrated. RealFoods brings you an AI Metabolic Coach. Instead of giving you an exhausting daily calorie budget to starve against, your Coach tracks your biology and shows you exactly which foods drive fat storage, all without guilt or streaks.
How is this different from Lifesum?
Lifesum heavily relies on calorie tracking and macro tracking. RealFoods completely drops the numbers game. We don't care about your calorie limit, we care about how your blood sugar and hormones react to the food.
Is this like CalAI?
CalAI is an automated calorie tracker. RealFoods uses similar AI photo-scanning technology, but instead of giving you a calorie count, we give you a biological Weight Impact (WI) score.
Practical Diet & Lifestyle
Can I use this if I already eat healthy?
Yes. Many 'healthy' foods silently spike your blood sugar and stall weight loss. You'll be surprised at what foods score an 8 or 9.
What if I eat out a lot?
That's exactly what the photo scanner is for. Snap a picture of your restaurant meal, and our AI will estimate its Weight Impact score in seconds.
Does alcohol count?
Yes. Our AI recognizes most common drinks and will give you honest feedback on how they impact your weight loss.
What if I already know what I should eat?
Most diets fail because people know what to eat, but they don't know *why* certain foods matter. RealFoods provides the daily accountability and journal reflection without the friction of a spreadsheet.
Is RealFoods useful if someone in my family has type 2 diabetes?
Yes. Type 2 diabetes is a disease of chronically elevated insulin. Every food in RealFoods is scored for its blood sugar and insulin impact, which is the exact feedback loop that matters most for someone with T2D, or at risk of developing it. Many users are partners, parents, or adult children of people with T2D who want to change how the whole household eats, not just track their own weight.
Does RealFoods work for people with PCOS?
Yes. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is closely linked to insulin resistance. Many women with PCOS have elevated insulin levels that drive weight gain, cravings, and hormonal imbalance independent of how much they eat. RealFoods scores every meal by its insulin impact, which directly addresses the hormonal root cause of PCOS-related weight gain. Reducing average daily WI scores lowers the chronic insulin signal that makes fat loss so difficult with PCOS.
Ready to stop guessing what to eat?
Weight Loss Mechanics
Why do two people eating the same calories lose weight differently?
Because weight loss isn't just a math problem, it's a hormonal response. 100 calories of salmon drops your insulin levels. 100 calories of cookies spikes them. RealFoods tracks this difference.
Why does blood sugar matter for weight loss?
When your blood sugar spikes, your body releases insulin. High insulin tells your body to stop burning fat and start storing it. If you keep blood sugar steady, you stay in fat loss mode.
What does a 1 score vs a 10 score actually mean for my body?
A '1' means the food requires almost no insulin to digest, your body can return to burning stored fat immediately. A '10' means your body has to release massive amounts of insulin, locking you into fat-storage mode for hours.
Trust & Safety
Is this medically approved?
RealFoods is an educational tool, not a medical device. It's built on established nutritional science regarding insulin response, but you should always consult a doctor before making major dietary changes, especially if you have diabetes.
Is my data private?
Yes. We take privacy incredibly seriously. We do not sell your personal health data or photos. Read our full Privacy Policy for more details.
Is it really free?
Download is free and includes a full 7-day trial. After that, a subscription unlocks all features. Start scanning your meals instantly.
