FAQ

What features do I get with a Premium subscription?

With a Premium subscription, you get access to the following extra features:

• A new meal plan based on your macro and calorie needs every week
• An automatic shopping list for your meal plans
• 1000+ delicious and healthy recipes
• The option to set the number of meals for your meal plans
• The option to choose categories from which your recipe will be selected
• The option to schedule recipes from our database into your meal plan
• The option to add your family members/friends via the Family feature
• The option to specify intolerances and exclude products you don't like
• The option to replace recipes in your meal plans
• The option to save favorite recipes in your profile
• The option to dislike/excluce recipes for new meal plans
• The option to modify your advised calorie needs and macros
• The option to change your goal midway

Can I cancel my Premium subscription?

You can cancel your Premium subscription at any time.

When you subscribe to a Premium membership with FitChef, you pay in advance for a specified period, depending on your chosen subscription plan. You can easily and quickly cancel your subscription per chosen period via your dashboard.

When your subscription expires, you will no longer have access to your meal plans, shopping lists and favorite recipes.

How soon can I expect to see results?

When you choose to lose weight, you can lose about 2 pounds per week with our meal plans, depending on your starting situation. If you opt for weight gain, you will gain 0.2 to 0.7 pounds per week.

Faster changes in weight are unwise: they can lead to long-term relapse, deficiencies in certain nutrients, or excessive fat storage. Therefore, we do not recommend deviating significantly from our advised proportions.

What if I don't see any results?

Our calculation of macros and calories is detailed but remains based on averages. Some people simply burn more or fewer calories. If you're looking to gain or lose weight and don't see any change after a few weeks, try adjusting your calorie intake by 100-200 kcal per day and see if that makes a difference.

Be aware, especially with weight loss, that your scale results might not be as expected if you're also exercising intensely. The development of muscle tissue can lead to an increase in weight which may offset the fat you're losing. In this case, you might still be slimming down, so pay attention to how your clothes fit! You can also measure the circumference of your waist, hips, etc.

Can I adjust my goal during the program?

Yes! Through 'macros' and 'profile' in your dashboard, you have the option to update your details, such as your weight and goals. We will then recalculate your macro and calorie needs, or you can adjust them yourself, and we'll tailor your new menus accordingly. This way, you can easily alternate periods of fat loss with periods where you focus more on muscle building.

What is the calculation of macros and calories based on?

Your recommended calorie intake is calculated using the Harris-Benedict equation, a widely used formula to determine energy needs. We multiply the result by a factor that is suitable for losing or gaining weight responsibly. This helps prevent the well-known "yo-yo dieting".

Within your advised caloric requirements, the macros are determined based on your physical activity. We take into account scientific guidelines for healthy eating. Prefer to eat according to your own preferences? Through your dashboard, you have the option to modify your recommended macro and calorie needs as you wish.

What does FitChef consider a healthy diet?

For FitChef, healthy eating means a varied and balanced diet with as many unprocessed basic products as possible. No unnecessary superfoods or expensive supplements, just a solid nutritional plan with products you can find in any supermarket.

Our recipes make extensive use of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, proteins and healthy fats: all ingredients rich in vitamins and minerals. Our weekly menus ensure that you eat healthily and variedly with macros tailored to your personal situation and goals. It really doesn't get any easier than this!

How complicated are the meal plans?

Not complicated at all! Our goal is to make healthy eating accessible for everyone. Even if you have a busy job or are often on the go. That's why all the recipes in your meal plan meet the following guidelines:

• Few ingredients
• Convenient for on-the-go
• Quick to prepare
• Affordable
• Tasty

Do I have to follow a new meal plan every week?

Variety in your diet is important to prevent potential nutritional deficiencies. For this reason, you receive a new, personalized meal plan every week. This ensures you eat healthily, with variety and balance.

However, you can certainly choose to follow a more consistent eating pattern if you prefer. For example, you can follow the same meal plan for a few weeks in a row or repeat a daily menu more often. This way, you decide when it's time to switch to the next menu. Just be careful not to fall into too much of a repetitive pattern with your meals.

Is it okay if I miss a meal occasionally?

Absolutely! Don't focus too much on the details; try to stay close to your recommended macro and calorie intake over the course of the day. Missed a meal? Or did you eat a bit more than planned? No problem! Just compensate a little at your other meal times.

FitChef advocates the 80-20 rule. If you eat healthily 80% of the time, there's room for 20% indulgence. Don't be too hard on yourself. Use our weekly menus as a guideline, but don't feel guilty if you occasionally have an indulgent meal or snack.

However, it's important not to let exceptions become the rule. Be careful that your 80-20 ratio doesn't gradually shift to a 50-50 ratio. If you can keep your indulgences to 20%, you're doing great.

At what time should I eat the meals?

That's entirely up to you! The time you eat does not affect the results you achieve with our meal plans. What matters is that by the end of the day, you have consumed approximately the right amount of kilocalories, with roughly the correct ratio of macronutrients.

Why are there no drinks on the menu?

We advise against consuming calories in liquid form. Liquids provide little satiety, which can lead to a rapid intake of excess energy.
Our recommendation is to drink about half a gallon of fluids daily, spread throughout the day. Opt for water, tea, or (in moderation) coffee. Fruit juices, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages are not good choices as they contain high amounts of sugars and therefore a lot of calories.

How does the grocery logic work?

FitChef assembles your meal plans as cost-efficiently as possible. This means we select recipes that pair well cost-wise, such as using many of the same ingredients within one week and minimizing leftovers.

With each meal plan, you receive a clear shopping list with the correct quantities automatically included by FitChef. Check which products you already have at home and ensure the right items are on your shopping list to avoid unnecessary extra costs.

Can I follow a specific diet or exclude certain products?

In your dashboard, you have the option to set dietary preferences, exclude intolerances, and remove individual products you don't like. You can always update these settings at any time. If a meal still includes something you don't like, simply click 'Replace' to get a different recipe.

What should I do if I don't like a recipe?

Does your weekly menu include recipes or ingredients you prefer not to eat? You have several options:

• Replace the meal in your weekly menu by clicking 'Replace' to get a new recipe.
• Exclude the ingredient you don't like via 'Dietary Preferences' on your dashboard. This ingredient will no longer appear in new meal plans.
• Through 'Eating Moments,' you can select and add recipes to your meal plans yourself. You can also choose to receive recipes from certain categories here, so you can get, for example, a yogurt breakfast every day.

• Lastly, you can take an adventurous approach and try the recipe anyway. Sometimes, foods you don’t like can turn out surprisingly well with the right preparation or seasonings!

Can I choose which recipes appear in my menu?

Through the meal settings in your dashboard, you have full control over how your weekly menu looks. Select which recipes (or recipe categories) you prefer and plan them as you like. For example, if you enjoy having the same breakfast every day, the meal settings allow you to customize this entirely to your preference.

How can I upgrade my 3-month subscription to a yearly subscription?

You have the option to upgrade your 3-month subscription to a yearly subscription via your dashboard. The yearly subscription will start on the day your 3-month subscription expires.

For this, go to your dashboard and then click on 'subscription'.

Getting fit has never been easier...