How to use Equil'al for a balanced diet?

What exactly is Equil’al?

Equil’al is an educational app focused on balanced nutrition, designed primarily for use in middle and high school science classes. It is aimed at middle and high school students, as well as teachers looking for a practical and interactive tool to teach nutrition in the classroom. And honestly, for someone like me who coaches people on weight loss, this kind of tool really excites me!

The idea behind Equil’al is simple: to make nutrition easy to understand, quantifiable, and visual. You can create menus, calculate your BMI, estimate your basal metabolic rate, and analyze the distribution of your daily nutrient intake. In short, it’s a nutritional balance simulator that’s accessible to everyone.

💡 Equil’al lets you calculate your BMI and basal metabolic rate, and analyze your daily intake of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—all within an educational tool designed for schools.

How does Equil’al work? An overview of its features

Creating dishes and entering ingredients

You can plan your meals by selecting foods categorized by categories. The app uses a food database organized around the major food groups in the food pyramid: starchy foods, dairy products, fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, fats, and sweets. Every food item you enter contributes to your daily nutritional summary.

The daily ration breakdown

Once you've entered your meals, Equil’al generates a comprehensive summary of your daily ration. You can see the breakdown of your carbohydrate, protein, and fat intake, and compare it to the official recommendations from ANSES (the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety). It’s a great way to see if your diet is truly balanced!

How do I calculate my BMI using Equil’al?

Calculating BMI (Body Mass Index) is one of the app’s key features. The formula used is the one recognized by the WHO: BMI = weight (kg) ÷ height² (m). An adult with a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered to be of normal weight.

How do you interpret your BMI?

Here are the main categories of interpretation according to the WHO:

What You Need to Know About BMI Limits

Keep in mind that BMI has its limitations—and this is a point I often emphasize to my clients! It doesn’t distinguish between muscle mass and body fat. An experienced athlete might have a BMI of 27 without being overweight. Similarly, it is not suitable for pregnant women or older adults. It is one indicator among many, not an absolute truth.

Basal metabolism: What is its role in Equil’al?

Visit basic metabolism corresponds to your body’s minimum energy expenditure at rest—what you burn simply by breathing, keeping your heart beating, and maintaining your body temperature. This is the basis for all calorie requirement calculations! If you’d like to learn more about this concept, I invite you to check out our A Comprehensive Guide to Calculating Basal Metabolic Rate, which explains the formulas and how to apply them in practice.

How does Equil’al calculate basal metabolic rate?

The app uses standard formulas such as those by Black et al. or Harris-Benedict, which take into account weight, height, age, and gender. For a 30-year-old woman weighing 60 kg and standing 1.65 m tall, the basal metabolic rate is around 1,400 calories per day. These values are then adjusted based on physical activity.

The Impact of Physical Activity on Energy Expenditure

Equil’al also takes into account energy expenditure related to physical activity. This is referred to as the activity coefficient (NAP – Physical Activity Level). A sedentary person will have a NAP of 1.4, while a regular exerciser can reach a NAP of 1.9 or even higher. These parameters provide a realistic estimate of total daily caloric needs.

✅ Basal metabolism accounts for an average of 60 to 70% of an individual’s total energy expenditure. This is the starting point for any serious dietary rebalancing.

Is Equil’al really helpful for balancing your meals?

For me, the answer is clearly yes—especially in an educational setting. The app helps users visualize exactly what the recommended dietary allowances look like. ANSES recommends a daily breakdown of approximately 50% carbohydrates, 35% fats, and 15% proteins. With Equil’al, you can check if your meal plan aligns with these recommendations!

Food groups and the food pyramid

The app organizes foods into major food groups, in line with the food pyramid classic. This framework helps us understand which foods should form the basis of our diet (grains, vegetables, fruits) and which should be consumed only occasionally (added sugars, saturated fats).

Who is Equil’al for?

The tool is primarily designed for:

• Middle and high school students in their biology classes
• Teachers who are looking for interactive, data-driven resources for their lessons
• Anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of their diet and caloric needs

Even though I mainly use it as an educational resource, I find it’s a great starting point for understanding the basics of nutrition—before moving on to more advanced approaches with a healthcare professional or a coach. In fact, my clients love it when I explain these concepts to them in a simple, visual way! If you’re looking to learn about your daily caloric needs, Equil’al is an excellent starting point before moving on to more personalized support.

What are the limitations of a tool like Equil’al?

Equil’al is an educational simulator, not a medical tool. The results it provides—whether BMI, basal metabolic rate, or caloric needs—are estimates. They are in no way a substitute for a nutritional assessment conducted by a registered dietitian.

If you have specific goals (weight loss, muscle gain, long-term dietary rebalancing), these calculations are a good starting point, but you need to take it a step further with personalized guidance. That’s exactly what I offer my clients—and the results are amazing when you combine nutrition with the right physical activity! For those interested in more specific nutritional approaches, check out our article on dissociated diet offers a different perspective on food distribution.

FAQ – Questions I’m often asked about Equil’al 🙋