L Leam

Leam blog

Practical nutrition, weight-loss and AI-tracking insights from the team building the fastest calorie counter in Telegram.

A single glass of red wine stands on a rustic wooden surface in natural light
Science 6 min read

What alcohol actually does to fat loss (it's not what you think)

A glass of wine isn't the end of the world. But it does something specific to your metabolism — and the knock-on effects matter more than the calories themselves.

Protein powder being scooped into a blender shaker bottle with gym equipment nearby
Science 5 min read

The 'anabolic window' is a myth. Here's what actually matters post-workout.

Drop the post-workout shaker in a panic, or you'll lose gains — right? Actually no. The 30-minute anabolic window is one of the most over-sold claims in fitness.

A person uses a smartphone to photograph a plated meal from above — the core interaction behind AI calorie counters
App guides 6 min read

AI photo calorie counting: how accurate is it really in 2026?

Photo-based AI calorie counters promise zero effort. We measured the accuracy gap against dietitian baselines on 200 real meals — here's what the numbers actually say.

A tired woman at her desk with her hands on her face — a moment of stress-driven exhaustion
Weight loss 6 min read

Stress, cortisol, and why you stop losing weight: the full picture

Cortisol is the most over-blamed hormone in fitness. It's also underappreciated. The honest story of how stress stalls fat loss — and what to do about it.

A sports watch on a wrist displays live fitness metrics — heart rate, pace, calorie burn
Science 6 min read

BMR vs TDEE: how to calculate your real calorie needs

BMR and TDEE sound like jargon, but they're the only two numbers that actually matter when you're setting a calorie target. Here's the honest version.

A loaded barbell rests on a gym floor in natural light, ready for the next session
Science 5 min read

Muscle memory is real: the science of coming back after a training break

Lost strength over the holidays? It comes back faster than it did the first time. The mechanism behind muscle memory is real — and it has a name: myonuclear retention.

A digital glass bathroom scale with a blue measuring tape — the basic tools of weight tracking
Weight loss 6 min read

The honest calorie deficit guide: how big, how long, and when to stop

Every diet is a calorie deficit dressed up in different clothes. Here's the no-nonsense math on how big to size yours, how long to run it, and when to take a break.

Morning coffee, pastry and laptop on a desk — the stereotypical first meal of the day
Science 5 min read

Does eating more often speed up your metabolism? The research says no

Six small meals. Stoking the metabolic fire. It sounds scientific. It also isn't. We read the controlled trials that buried this myth — and what it means for your eating schedule.