calorie-bank

A reward-based diet that shows you exactly when it’s okay to indulge. Motivated by treats, not restriction — this approach helps you build a sustainable habit while still enjoying sweets.

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Inspiration

I have experienced dieting in the past and currently manage my eating habits to maintain my body and health.
However, whenever I crave sweets, I’m overwhelmed by thoughts like “What if I gain weight again?” or “What if I get addicted?”
This over-control eventually became a source of stress.

That’s when I thought — what if I could clearly know when I’m allowed to enjoy a treat?
That desire inspired this project.

What it does

This is a reward-based diet app that motivates users to reduce calories through visualized progress.
It focuses only on staple food intake (like rice, bread, noodles), and visualizes how much users are saving compared to their baseline — using intuitive units like “bowls of rice.”

Key Features:

  • Minimal tracking: Just record the calories of your staple foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
  • Progress as motivation: Displays “X kcal to cake!” or “0.4 bowls of rice saved” to make progress feel tangible.
  • Visual feedback: Once a goal is achieved, UI colors change to reinforce a sense of accomplishment.
  • Graph view: A daily graph shows accumulated calorie savings and intake trends.

Rather than telling users “don’t eat,” this app helps them feel safe and deserving of a treat.

How we built it

  • Tech stack: TypeScript, React, Supabase, OpenAI API
  • Development tools: bolt.new, Cursor
  • Team: Solo development
  • Timeframe: Built entirely during the hackathon period (exact duration unknown)

Challenges we ran into

  • Defining the target audience was tricky. Initially, I tried to include too many features to satisfy various users, which made the app less focused.
  • I also tried to build a mobile app but gave up due to issues with running Expo and checking outputs.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • Representing calorie savings in "bowls of rice", a familiar and relatable unit for Japanese users.
  • Designing a simple yet effective UX that minimizes input but maximizes engagement.
  • Successfully turning calorie reduction into a reward-driven experience, where even a small change feels meaningful.

What we learned

  • The importance of narrowing down the target audience and focusing on a true MVP.
  • Less is more — removing detailed tracking made the app more approachable for users and more motivating to continue developing.
  • Habit-building isn’t about precision, but about keeping stress low and motivation high.

What's next for calorie-bank

  • AI-powered personalized encouragement
    e.g., “You’re almost there! Just a bit more to earn that cake 🎉”
  • Social sharing feature
    Users can post updates like “I saved enough calories for cake today!” on X (Twitter), helping spread awareness while staying motivated.
  • Educational content via "note" (Japan’s blog platform)
    Share bite-sized tips like “focus on eating without your phone” or “how to enjoy high-protein meals” and link from the app.
  • Launch campaign
    Offer perks for users who share the app link with their progress on social media to accelerate growth and engagement.

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