Weight Journal

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Camera Scan AI work?

Weight Journal reads your scale's display through your iPhone or iPad camera and fills the weight in for you. Point the camera at the digital display, tap scan, and the AI returns the number for you to confirm and save - no typing, no transposed digits. Scanning is free on every plan, with a fair-use daily limit.

How often should I weigh myself?

Weight Journal fits any weigh-in rhythm - daily, weekly, or simply whenever you remember. Weighing at the same time of day, usually first thing in the morning, makes readings easier to compare, and the monthly averages smooth out the day-to-day swings either way. There is no streak to break and no penalty for skipping days.

What is BMI and why does it matter?

BMI (Body Mass Index) is weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared, and Weight Journal calculates it on every entry from the height you set once in Settings. It is a rough screening number rather than a verdict: it cannot tell muscle from fat, so very muscular people often read high. The app shows it as a color-coded value and on its own chart beside weight and body fat, and what it means for you is a conversation for your doctor.

How do I measure body fat percentage?

Weight Journal records body fat percentage but does not measure it - for that you need a body composition scale. Scales using bioelectrical impedance (brands like OMRON, Tanita and Withings) report a body fat figure alongside weight; enter it with the picker, or let it arrive automatically from Apple Health. A dedicated body fat chart appears as soon as you log your first value.

Why does my weight fluctuate daily?

Daily weight commonly swings by a kilogram or two (roughly two to five pounds) from water, salt, hormones, meal timing and digestion - that is normal, and it is not a change in body composition. It is exactly why Weight Journal puts monthly averages in the month and year views: the trend is the useful signal, a single morning rarely is.

Can I import weight from Apple Health?

Yes - Weight Journal reads and writes both weight and body fat percentage in Apple Health. Import your history in one pass, including readings from a smart scale, an Apple Watch or another app, tick exactly which entries you want, and switch on auto-import so new ones arrive by themselves. Entries you add in the app are written back to Health too.

How does AI help with weight loss?

The AI in Weight Journal reads the notes attached to your entries and points out what tends to line up with your own weight changes. Write down what you ate, how you trained, how you slept, and over time it can surface patterns like weeks you mentioned meal prep, or stretches with fewer workouts. It is pattern-spotting from your own record, not a diet plan - general information only, never medical advice.

Can I track weight in pounds and kilograms?

Yes - Weight Journal supports both kilograms and pounds, and you can switch at any time in Settings without losing a thing. Weight is stored in one canonical form and simply redisplayed in your chosen unit, so your entire history, charts and exports convert with you. Height uses matching metric or imperial units for the BMI calculation.

Can I export my weight data?

Yes - Weight Journal exports your full history as PDF, CSV, Excel, or JSON, and the Trends screen adds HTML and plain text. The PDF carries your charts, which makes it the easiest thing to hand to a doctor, dietitian, or trainer. Exports are free, with no account and no subscription required.

Is this a diet or meal tracking app?

No - Weight Journal is a weight, BMI and body fat diary, not a calorie counter. There is no food database, no daily calorie target and no running macro total. What it does have is the AI Food Scan: photograph a meal and it estimates calories, protein, carbs and fat, then saves that estimate as text in that day's entry, right beside the number on the scale. The Pro Meal Planner can suggest meals around your goals, but nothing keeps a nutritional ledger for you.

Do you show ads or track me?

No. Weight Journal carries no advertisements at all, does not track you across other apps or websites, and never sells your data to advertisers.

Your data syncs via iCloud - just like Apple Notes and Photos. This means we don't need to know your email address, name, or any personal information. Your weight and health data is stored on your devices and in your iCloud account, and it's completely private whether you use the free version or premium.

Do I need a subscription?

No - Weight Journal is free to download, and all tracking, charts, Apple Health sync, camera scanning and exports are free, with real AI features every day and no ads, ever. An optional Pro subscription unlocks the most in-depth AI features (Deep Research, the Meal & Exercise Planners, Pattern Detective, Doctor Summary, Pro Chat, and more), runs them on our most capable AI, and raises the generous daily limits.

Can I set my own height for the BMI calculation?

Yes - Weight Journal asks for your height once and then calculates BMI automatically on every entry. You will find it in Settings, in metric or imperial to match your weight unit, and you can change it whenever you like. BMI then appears as a color-coded value on each entry and on its own chart beside weight and body fat.

Does the food scan keep a daily calorie total?

No - the Food Scan in Weight Journal is a per-photo estimate, not a running tally. Each scan writes the food name plus estimated calories, protein, carbs and fat into that entry's notes, with the photo if you want it, and that is where it stays: no daily total, no calorie budget, no macro dashboard. The notes are yours to read back, export, or ask the AI about.

Is Camera Scan AI free, or do I need Pro?

Camera scanning is free for everyone in Weight Journal - both the scale scanner and the food scanner, on the free tier and on Pro alike. There is a generous daily cap that keeps the service sustainable and resets every 24 hours; the app tells you if you ever reach it. Pro raises the limits on the deeper AI reports, not on scanning.

Does Weight Journal work on iPad and Mac?

Yes - Weight Journal runs on iPhone and iPad, and natively on Apple Silicon Macs (M1 and later). One purchase covers all of them, and your entries, photos and settings sync automatically over iCloud, so you can weigh in on your phone in the morning and read the charts on a bigger screen later.

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