GrammiHow to count calories for free
Counting calories does not need a subscription or a complicated method. It needs a daily number, an honest log and a few days of practice. These six steps work with any food diary; the notes show how to do each one for free in Grammi.
The six steps
- Pick a daily target. Start with an estimate from a standard formula that uses your age, height, weight and activity. It is a starting point, not a verdict: after about two weeks of logging and weighing in, your own numbers tell you more. Our calculator works it out in your browser, and Grammi suggests one when you set it up; change it any time in Settings ▸ Daily goals.
- Log every meal, including the small things. Snacks, drinks, cooking oil and a bite of someone else’s dessert add up. Log as you eat or right after: memory at the end of the day is much less accurate.
- Use real portions, not 100 g. Nutrition tables are written per 100 g, but you rarely eat exactly 100 g. Log the portion you actually had: a medium banana, a bowl of soup, two slices of bread. Grammi lists typical portions next to the grams, so you pick one and adjust.
- Scan barcodes for packaged food. The barcode gives you the values printed on the package, which beats guessing. In Grammi, barcode scanning is free with no daily limit; if a product is missing, photograph the label.
- Weigh your food once to calibrate your eye. Use a kitchen scale for a few days on the foods you eat most: rice, pasta, oil, cereal, nuts. You will learn what 150 g of rice looks like on your plate, and after that you can estimate without the scale.
- Review the week, not the day. One high day does not undo a week. Look at the weekly average and your weight trend over several weeks. Grammi’s free plan shows the last 7 days of charts.
Why the method works
A food diary turns a vague feeling (“I don’t eat that much”) into numbers you can see. Most people underestimate portions, especially oils, sauces and snacks, so the biggest difference comes from logging consistently, not from perfect accuracy. A calorie deficit is simple arithmetic: eating less energy than you use. The diary just shows you where you stand.
Doing it for free in Grammi
Everything above is on Grammi’s free plan: barcode scanning with no daily limit, logging every meal with search or manual entry, goals, weight, water and the 7-day charts. There are no ads and no account; your diary stays on your iPhone. Grammi Pro, optional with a 7-day free trial, adds an adapted target and longer charts.
Questions
How do I start counting calories?
Pick a daily target, then log everything you eat and drink for a week, using real portions. Look at the weekly average before you change anything.
Do I need to weigh my food?
Not every day. Weighing your most common foods for a few days teaches your eye what portions look like; after that, estimates are usually close enough.
Can I count calories for free on iPhone?
Yes. In Grammi, barcode scanning with no daily limit, logging every meal and the last 7 days of charts are free, with no ads and no account.