Counting calories without the hassle
Counting calories is the simplest way to know where you stand. The trouble is, most apps turn it into a chore, with endless databases and grams to weigh out. Kiloach starts from a simple idea, you say what you ate, the app does the maths.
What exactly is a calorie?
A calorie measures the energy that food gives your body. On labels and in apps, we’re actually talking about kilocalories (kcal). This energy comes from four sources, with reference values used worldwide.
| What provides the energy | Energy per gram |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrates | 4 kcal |
| Protein | 4 kcal |
| Fat | 9 kcal |
| Alcohol | 7 kcal |
These figures, known as Atwater factors, are the ones used by the FAO to calculate the energy value of food. They explain why a spoonful of oil adds up fast over a day, and why alcohol does too.
Why counting helps you lose weight
Weight shifts according to the balance between what you eat and what you burn. When intake consistently outpaces what you burn, the body stores the extra. When it’s the other way round, the body dips into its reserves. The World Health Organization sums up the fundamental cause of overweight as this energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended.
Counting isn’t about deprivation, it’s about seeing clearly. Plenty of people discover within a week that their 4pm snack or their two evening drinks add up more than they thought.
How Kiloach estimates your calories
You type “spaghetti bolognese, a chunk of cheese and a yoghurt”, or you snap a photo of your plate. An AI identifies the food, estimates typical portions and works out the calories, protein, carbs, fat and fibre. If your portion is smaller or bigger, you adjust it, ½, 1 or ×2.
It’s an estimate, and we’re upfront about that. An estimate logged every day is far more useful than a perfect measurement you give up on after a week.
What makes the estimate more accurate
- Mention quantities when you know them (“2 eggs”, “a big bowl”).
- Say how it’s cooked and what sauce is on it (“fried chicken” versus “grilled chicken” isn’t the same thing).
- Log your drinks, especially alcohol and fizzy drinks.
- Log the little extras too, the handful of crisps, the square of chocolate.
How many calories a day?
It depends on your height, weight, age, sex and activity level. The NHS gives an average guide of roughly 2,000 kcal a day for a woman and 2,500 kcal for a man, to maintain a stable weight. These are averages, your own needs could be quite different.
For a personal estimate, try our calorie needs calculator. In the app, Kiloach suggests a starting daily target, which you can change anytime, with a different value for weekends if you like.
Calories aren’t everything
Two days at 1,800 kcal aren’t necessarily equal. That’s why Kiloach also shows protein, carbs, fat and fibre. French health agency ANSES recommends, for instance, around 30g of fibre a day for adults, an amount most people fall short of.