The forme journal

Honest, practical writing on eating well for you, not everyone.

8 June 2026

What to eat on Ozempic (and other GLP-1s)

On a GLP-1 your appetite drops sharply, so every bite has to count. Here is how to prioritise protein and fibre, ease side effects, and not lose muscle.

8 June 2026

What are maintenance calories?

Maintenance calories are the amount that keeps your weight stable. Knowing yours is the anchor for losing, maintaining or gaining. Here is how to find and use it.

8 June 2026

What are macronutrients?

Macronutrients are the three nutrients your body needs in large amounts: protein, carbohydrate and fat. Here is what each does, how much you need, and why they matter.

8 June 2026

How to count macros (a beginner's guide)

Counting macros means tracking protein, carbs and fat, not just calories. Here is how to set your targets, hit them, and do it without weighing every meal.

8 June 2026

How many calories should I eat a day?

There is no single right number. It depends on your body, your activity and your goal. Here is how to find yours in a few minutes, and what to do once you have it.

8 June 2026

How accurate are calorie tracking apps?

Calorie tracking apps are close enough to be useful, not perfect. Here is where the errors come from, how big they are, and why consistency matters more than precision.

8 June 2026

High-protein breakfast ideas (20–40g)

A high-protein breakfast keeps you full for hours and protects muscle. Here are easy 20–40g ideas, with the protein counts, including quick and on-the-go options.

8 June 2026

GLP-1 and muscle loss: how to protect your muscle

Rapid weight loss on a GLP-1 can strip muscle along with fat. Here is how to protect it — enough protein, resistance training, and keeping an eye on the numbers.

8 June 2026

Fibremaxxing: what it is and how to do it safely

Fibremaxxing is the 2026 trend of deliberately eating more fibre for fullness, gut health and steadier energy. Here is how much, the best foods, and how to ramp up without the bloat.

8 June 2026

Are seed oils bad for you? An honest look

Seed oils are the internet's villain of the moment. Here is what the evidence actually says, how they compare to butter and tallow, and where the real problem lies.

5 June 2026

What a personalised nutrition app should actually do

Personalised gets used loosely. A truly personal nutrition app scores food against your goals, explains itself, sees your whole day, and adapts. Here is the checklist.

5 June 2026

Is Yuka accurate? What its score does and does not tell you

Yuka's score is consistent, but accurate is a different question. Here is what the rating actually measures, where it is reliable, and where it misleads.

5 June 2026

Is sugar free actually healthy?

Sugar free means no added sugar, not automatically healthy. Here is what the label really tells you, where sweeteners fit, and how to judge a product properly.

5 June 2026

How much fibre do you need, and easy ways to get it

Most adults need about 30g of fibre a day and get nowhere near it. Here is the target, why it matters, and simple swaps that close the gap without trying hard.

5 June 2026

forme vs Lifesum: which fits how you want to eat?

Lifesum builds plans and logs food with a tidy interface. forme leads with a personal food score and tracks your day from a scan. Here is an honest comparison.

5 June 2026

Food tracking without counting calories

You can track food without logging every calorie. Track the few things that drive results, protein, processing, portions and the trend, and let the detail go.

5 June 2026

How to eat healthier without dieting

Diets end, which is why they rebound. Changing a few defaults, protein, fibre, processing and portions, improves how you eat for good, without rules or restriction.

5 June 2026

Do food scanner apps actually work?

Food scanner apps work for what they measure, a quick read on a product from its barcode. Whether they help you eat better depends on what the score is built for.

5 June 2026

The best Yuka alternative for the UK

Yuka rates a food the same for everyone. If you want a score built around your goals, here is how the alternatives compare, and where forme fits.

5 June 2026

The best food scanner app for your goals

Most food scanner apps give everyone the same score. The best one for you is the one that scores food against your goals and tracks your day. Here is how to choose.

4 June 2026

What is a calorie deficit, and how to be in one

A calorie deficit is eating fewer calories than you burn. It is the one thing that causes weight loss. Here is how big it should be and how to create one.

4 June 2026

How to calculate your TDEE, and use it to lose weight

Your TDEE is the calories you burn in a day. Here is the formula, the activity multipliers, and how to turn it into a calorie target for losing, maintaining or gaining.

3 June 2026

MyFitnessPal alternatives: the honest 2026 list

The best MyFitnessPal alternatives compared: Cronometer, Lose It, Yazio, Noom and forme. Who each suits, and why a personal food score can beat endless logging.

3 June 2026

The best calorie tracking apps in 2026

MyFitnessPal, Cronometer, Lose It and forme compared. What each does best, and when a personal food score beats counting every gram.

2 June 2026

How to set diet goals that actually stick

Realistic diet goals are specific, small and tied to a daily action you can keep. Pick one focus, make it a habit, and track a metric you control.

1 June 2026

Nutri-Score and NOVA: what the food scores really mean

What Nutri-Score and NOVA actually measure, what a good score looks like, and why a single universal score can't tell you if a food is right for you.

31 May 2026

How many calories should you eat to lose weight?

A simple way to find your daily calorie target for weight loss, why 1200 and 2000 are not one-size-fits-all, and how to set a number that actually fits you.

30 May 2026

What to eat to lose weight: a simple food guide

No banned foods, just a simple framework: build meals around protein, fibre and less processed foods, and let the calories take care of themselves.

29 May 2026

How do food scoring apps work?

The systems behind food scores, Nutri-Score and NOVA, why Yuka scores everyone the same, and how a personalised score differs. Plainly explained.

28 May 2026

Macros for weight loss: the protein, carb and fat split

What macros are, a simple split that works for fat loss, and how to set protein, carbs and fat without obsessing over every gram.

27 May 2026

How much protein do you actually need a day?

The honest answer depends on your goal and your bodyweight. Here are simple ranges for general health, weight loss and building muscle, plus easy ways to hit them.

26 May 2026

High-protein snacks for weight loss

The best high-protein snacks for staying full in a calorie deficit, from Greek yoghurt to edamame, with rough protein and calorie figures for each.

25 May 2026

How to read a food label: a simple UK guide

Food labels pack a lot in. Here is how to read one in seconds: per 100g versus per serving, the traffic lights, the ingredients order, and the sugar names that hide in plain sight.

24 May 2026

How to track macros without weighing your food

You can track macros without a food scale using barcodes, photos, the hand portion method and sensible estimates. Here is how to stay accurate enough to get results.

23 May 2026

How much weight can you lose in a month, safely?

A realistic, safe rate of weight loss is about 2 to 4 kg a month. Here is what drives the range, why faster is not better, and how to project your own timeline.

22 May 2026

The best foods for gut health

Your gut does best on fibre, fermented foods and plenty of plant variety. Here are the everyday foods that help, why they work, and simple ways to fit more in.

21 May 2026

AI calorie counters: how photo and barcode tracking work

How AI calorie apps estimate food from a photo, how accurate they are, and what to look for. Plus why a personal food score beats a bare calorie count.

20 May 2026

Food additives explained: which ones actually matter

E numbers sound scary, but most are harmless and well tested. Here is a calm guide to food additives, the few that are worth a second look, and how to keep perspective.

19 May 2026

How to maintain weight loss without rebounding

Keeping weight off comes down to a maintenance calorie level, kept-up protein and habits, and catching small regains early. Here is how to stop the rebound.

18 May 2026

What are ultra-processed foods? A plain guide

Ultra-processed foods are everywhere, and the label causes a lot of worry. Here is what UPF actually means, how to spot it, and how to eat a little less of it without fear.

15 May 2026

The best app to lose weight without counting calories

If calorie counting is not for you, here is what to look for in a weight-loss app, and why a personalised food score beats a strict calorie ledger for most people.

13 May 2026

High-protein foods that help with weight loss

Protein keeps you full, which makes a calorie deficit far easier to hold. Here are everyday high-protein foods, and how to lean your choices that way without counting.

11 May 2026

Eating in a calorie deficit without tracking every gram

You can create a calorie deficit with habits and food choices rather than logging. Here is how to do it sensibly, and how to keep a light check without obsessing.

7 May 2026

How to stop counting calories and still eat well

If tracking every calorie has started to feel stressful, here is a steady, practical way to step back without losing the habits that were helping you.

4 May 2026

Is calorie counting necessary to lose weight?

Weight loss needs an energy deficit, but you do not have to track every calorie to get one. Here is what the evidence says, and who counting actually suits.

30 April 2026

How to lose weight without counting calories

Calorie counting works for some people and quietly burns out a lot of others. Here is how to lose weight with steadier habits, and where a personalised food score fits in.

27 April 2026

forme vs Noom: a kinder way to eat well

Noom pairs tracking with psychology coaching and a subscription. forme is a personal food score with no lessons and no pressure. Here is the difference.

23 April 2026

forme vs MyFitnessPal: a lighter way to track

MyFitnessPal centres on detailed manual logging. forme tracks your calories and macros too, but leads with a personal score and far less effort. Here is how to choose.

20 April 2026

forme vs Yuka: a more personal alternative

Yuka gives every shopper the same score. forme scores food against your own goals, no fear. Here is how the two compare, fairly.

16 April 2026

Is this healthy? is the wrong question

Most food apps give everyone the same verdict. The more useful question is whether a food is right for you, and that depends on your body and your goals.

Made for you, not everyone

forme is a personalised food scanner. Get a score for your goals, with the reasons behind it.

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