Weight loss: it’s a thought that crosses our minds, but the prospect of actually taking action can seem as daunting as scaling Mount Everest. We inhabit a world where the most delectable treats range from a hefty, succulent burger delivered straight to our doorstep via our smartphones, to oversized bags of greasy crisps beckoning us down supermarket aisles – all of which makes opting for healthier choices a challenging task.
However, heed the advice of someone who recently shed 23lbs in just 11 weeks: it’s better to tackle this issue sooner rather than later. This is where Simple, the weight loss app currently offering a 60 per cent discount with the code SIMPLEDEAL, comes into play.
This year saw me leave my London flat, move back into my parents’ house, start a new job and buy my own flat, all within a matter of months. Coupled with this was the existential dread of hitting the big 3-0, fuelling my comfort eating habits – and by the time August rolled around, I found myself 10kg (or 22lbs in old money) heavier. Standing at 6ft 1, weighing 115kg is considered overweight, even if you have a few gym-honed muscles desperately trying to compensate.
My T-shirts were straining at the belly, my jeans were so snug that I feared for their structural integrity every time I sat down, and my cat had to exert a Herculean effort to perch on my stomach in bed at night. It was clear that changes needed to be made, so I finally enlisted the help of a personal trainer at my gym and embarked on a diet plan and workout regimen.
It appears that seeking professional assistance does indeed yield results, as I managed to lose 23lbs (just over 10kg) in a span of 11 weeks – and the journey continues. This experience places me in a unique position to evaluate Simple fairly, having used its human equivalent for comparison.
Simple is typically priced at £29.99 but currently discounted to £17.99, reports the Mirror. It is an AI coaching app that leverages the power of their artificial intelligence, Avo, to assist with both diet and fitness. The app lives up to its name in terms of simplicity – a brief 10-minute quiz post-download generates suggestions for lifestyle modifications.
The app also functions as a food diary and offers daily workouts for those who require them. But does it deliver? I put the app to the test to see if it could rival the motivation provided by a human coach.
Before and after weight loss (Image: Tom Capon)
Intermittent fasting
Fasting isn’t suitable for everyone – if you suffer from an eating disorder or have underlying health issues, please seek medical advice rather than relying on this method. However, in my view, for those of us needing a bit of help, it truly is the magic bullet for weight loss. Our bodies weren’t designed for continuous feasting for hours on end, and there are benefits beyond just weight loss.
Following the guidance of my personal trainer, I adhere to a 16:8 fasting schedule, where I fast for 16 hours and eat within an eight-hour window. My eating period commences at 10.30am and concludes at 6.30pm, which aligns well with my work routine (as writing on an empty stomach is a no-go for me).
I also ensure to hit the gym before starting work. While it may sound daunting, fasting actually provides a significant energy surge in the morning, which usually lasts until mid-afternoon when I have my substantial lunch.
The Simple journey begins with a quiz that gathers information about your lifestyle – your activity level, goals, and timeline to achieve them. Once you’ve entered the main app, it prompts you to select your preferred fasting duration: 14 hours of fasting followed by 10 hours of eating; a balanced 12:12 split; or the 16:8 schedule recommended by my PT.
This recommendation from the AI coach immediately instilled confidence in me as it suggested the 16:8 ratio as the most effective, while also offering alternative options for those who prefer a more gradual approach. Discipline is a skill that anyone can acquire, but to avoid burnout, you might want to take things slow. It’s akin to entering a cold swimming pool: you can either dip in one toe at a time or dive right in.
Fasting is conveniently placed as one of your daily tasks on the homepage, ensuring it’s not easily forgotten. The app also provides timely notifications indicating when to commence and conclude your fast.
Additionally, the Explore tab offers a wealth of articles discussing the impacts of intermittent fasting and providing guidance for managing it until it becomes second nature – at which point, based on my personal experience, you’ll hardly notice it. However, the inclusion of references to their sources would enhance the credibility of the information provided.
The app excels in its primary function, guiding users through the process of fasting with advice and support. Yet, the most impressive feature of the app is still to come….
Food Tracking and Avo
I often find myself sceptical of certain AI ‘enhancements,’ particularly when they seem to complicate matters rather than simplify them. However, Avo truly shines as the standout feature of this app due to its user-friendly approach.
Food tracking can be tedious – I use MyFitnessPal and the constant logging begins to feel like a chore after a few weeks. This feeling is exacerbated by my difficulty focusing on tasks I deem dull.
Simple, however, has streamlined the process by enabling users to log meals simply by taking a photo. For breakfast, I indulged in a bowl of strawberries (80g) accompanied by a pot of Fage 5% Greek yoghurt (160g). The app accurately identified the strawberries but mistook the yoghurt for cream.
Simple App analysing food (Image: Tom Capon)
However, making corrections was straightforward on the subsequent screen, and it even provided a nutrition score to aid future improvement (I achieved ‘Good’, one level below ‘Optimal’). Remarkably, the app perfectly recognised that I was consuming a protein shake with the correct amount of liquid from just a photograph of my filled shaker. But Avo doesn’t stop there; it also boasts a ‘meal enhancement’ feature.
For lunch, I arranged my ingredients – duck breast, kale, halloumi, cucumber, and courgette – and requested Avo to ‘enhance’ the meal. After a brief 30-second contemplation, it generated a seven-step recipe using the displayed ingredients.
It used the full sizes rather than my actual portions, so for greater accuracy, I’d recommend following the instructions without the size measurements it includes. Nonetheless, its recognition capabilities were exceptional and will be incredibly helpful for those who find meal planning challenging.
If you’re not content with your meal’s nutritional value, it can suggest additional groceries for your next shopping trip and explain each item’s health benefits. By spending some time with this feature, you could create a personalised meal plan.
This is somewhat akin to the role of a personal trainer. Of course, there are some distinctions between the two: PTs can swiftly adjust and consider mood, schedules, and even have the knowledge of what food tastes like. However, the app serves as an excellent starting point for those whose understanding of nutrition starts and ends with ‘five a day’.
For a food enthusiast like myself, the standout feature is Avo’s ability to analyse a menu and select the best dining options. I selected Dirty Bones in London’s Soho, where seeking a weight-loss friendly meal is akin to searching for copper in a goldmine – it’s simply not what the restaurant is designed for.
Simple app menu download (Image: Tom Capon)
With just one snapshot of the menu, it sifts through the choices to present you with the options most likely to align with your fitness objectives – and it breaks it down by subheading too. In the small plates section, it filtered out Mac N Cheese and instead suggested alternatives like Chicken Tenders and Popcorn Frickles.
It does require a bit of common sense on your part, as it selected the Mac Daddy Burger – which comes with the saturated fat king Mac N Cheese – among some healthier burger choices. But it certainly helps overcome the paralysis of choice.
Is Simple worth the investment?
In a word, yes. The array of features offered by Simple closely mirrors what you’d receive from a personal trainer: someone to keep you accountable, supply you with meal plans and recipes, and offer advice and motivation.
The app does have its limitations, being a robot, which makes it more suitable for beginners or those unsure of where to begin. If you require more advanced assistance or your weight loss progress is stalling, that’s when you should consider contacting a personal trainer.
However, the food logging and recipe features alone make it worth the cost. Even though I plan on retaining my personal trainer into the New Year, Simple will add some variety to my routine. I can’t recommend this app enough.
If you’re looking for something different, I tried Noom a few years back and found it extremely user-friendly, albeit without some of the extra features offered by Simple.