AteMate Food Journal: AI Coach

I’m trying to practice mindful eating habits, so I was looking for an app I could use to track not just what and when I eat, but also how I’m feeling when/after I eat. Finding an app that’s more than just a calorie/macro counter has been tough. I admit I didn’t have high hopes for this app, but figured I’d try the free trial anyway. This app is AMAZING. It’s so customizable that I can track everything I need (and some things I hadn’t even thought of). The day recap allows me to see trends easily without having to go through each individual post. I love being able to just snap a picture of my meals rather than having to type each thing into an app like other diet trackers. And I love that I can set an alert for a certain time after my meal to see how I’m feeling once everything has settled. If I want to nitpick, that alert I mentioned applies to the time the meal is put into the app, not the time the meal was eaten. So if I have an alert set to check in 30 minutes after my meal, and I enter my meal in retroactively for 15 minutes ago, I won’t get the alert until 45 minutes after eating. But that’s such a minor issue I can’t even call it a complaint. I don’t like subscription services, so I doubt I’ll continue to use the app indefinitely, but I’m definitely willing to pay for a month to help get me in the habit of choosing foods that make me feel good.

Honestly, this app is worth it. One thing I need to make clear is that it’s not free, and usually I turn away from apps with a monthly subscription. However this is one Im willing to pay for! I have a bad relationship with food and started working with a dietitian to improve my eating habits. I’ve tried counting calories and writing down my food in the past but usually end up in me obsessing, feeling guilty, and reverting back to restricting/binging. However, I wanted to find a way to still track my food and ensure I’m including more whole foods in my diets, so my dietitian recommended this app! It’s so simple to use, you snap a pic of your meal, and has a lot of different ways to reflect on your meal (why did you eat, how did it taste, where did you eat, how did you feel afterwards). This has truly helped me not only learn more about what I eat but why I eat and how I feel after that food. Not only that, but it gives you different “challenges”. Right now, I’m trying to cut back on eating out/fast food, so I’m doing the home cooking challenge. Every time I make my meal at home, I keep “on track” and if I buy food, I mark it as “off track”, really keeps me motivated to continue my streak and make more meals at home! If you having a bad history with dieting and counting calories but still want to keep some sort of accountability I would definitely give this app a try :)

After YouFood ended, I was lost. I loved taking pics of my food to keep a journal, but at some point, I realized that habitually taking the photo just became habit and I always wished for more. So far, it seems that “Ate” has it. First, as simple s concept as it is, I love, love, love the on and off path option. Actively saying that I am “on path” is an motivator😇 that I did not anticipate. Likewise, who wants to admit that they’re “off path” 🤷🏽‍♀️? I also love the integration of my water and exercise efforts as well. I’ve only been doing it for three days, so I haven’t really gotten into all of the other benefits but I also like the idea of tracking why I eat, whether I eat at home or out, how the meal was prepared, how I was feeling when I ate and a big one...who I ate with 😉! I have a feeling that in time, I’m going to see some real trends that will expose for me why I eat the way I eat and more importantly how much I eat. Aside from always saying “I just love food”, that’s a question that I don’t think I’ve truly figured out just yet. Now, I just need to find some friends for more accountability. I’m trying the upgrade and had marked my calendar to cancel after 14 days, planning to be unfulfilled, but I know already that I’m in. Yearly plan paid for. Wish me luck! P.S. I swear I’m not a developer or a friend or family member of theirs and I can prove it. Just try it and see for yourself! 😂😂