How to Track Calories on Telegram with an AI Bot

You can track calories on Telegram by messaging KCALM's AI bot, Kai. Send a food photo or type what you ate — the bot returns a full calorie and macro breakdown within seconds. A 2024 study in Nutrients found that AI-based food logging improved tracking adherence by 86% compared to manual diary apps, largely because it removes the friction of searching databases.

This guide walks you through setting up the KCALM Telegram bot, logging your first meal, and using every feature available — from exercise tracking and weekly summaries to weight logging and personalized calorie targets.

How Do You Start Tracking Calories on Telegram?

Getting started takes under 60 seconds. The KCALM Telegram bot is free to use with 15 AI analyses included, and you do not need to download a separate app.

How Do You Find and Activate the Bot?

That is the entire setup. No email registration, no profile forms, no app download. Your Telegram account is your identity, and all data syncs automatically if you later connect the KCALM mobile app.

What If You Already Use the KCALM App?

If you have an existing KCALM account, you can link it to Telegram to sync all your data:

Once linked, food logged on Telegram appears in the app and vice versa. Your calorie goals, macro targets, and history all stay synchronized.

How Do You Log Food on Telegram?

KCALM's Telegram bot accepts three types of food input: text descriptions, photos, and multi-item lists. Each method uses the same AI engine that powers the mobile app.

How Does Text-Based Food Logging Work?

Simply type what you ate in natural language. The AI understands quantities, cooking methods, and brand names:

• "chicken sandwich with mayo" — logs a chicken sandwich with mayonnaise
• "large pepperoni pizza, 3 slices" — logs three slices specifically
• "Starbucks grande latte with oat milk" — recognizes the brand and customization
• "200g grilled salmon with rice and salad" — uses the gram weight for precision

According to a 2023 study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, AI text-based food logging achieves calorie estimates within 15-20% of weighed food records — comparable to estimates from trained dietitians.

How Does Photo-Based Logging Work?

Send a photo of your meal and Kai analyzes it using computer vision:

For tips on improving photo accuracy, see our guide to AI food recognition accuracy.

What Commands Are Available in the KCALM Telegram Bot?

The bot supports a full set of slash commands for tracking, reviewing, and managing your nutrition. Here is the complete reference:

How Do You Track Exercise on Telegram?

The bot handles exercise the same way it handles food — just describe your activity in natural language:

• "ran 5km in 30 minutes"
• "45 min weight training"
• "30 min yoga"
• "walked 10,000 steps"

How Does the Bot Compare to Traditional Calorie Tracking Apps?

The core advantage of a Telegram bot is that it lives inside a messaging app you already use daily. There is no separate app to open, no database to search, and no forms to fill out.

The trade-off is precision: database-driven apps are more accurate for packaged foods with barcodes, while AI-based logging excels with home-cooked meals, restaurant food, and any scenario where you do not have a barcode. For a detailed comparison of methods, see our photo vs. manual food logging guide.

How Do You View Your Progress and History?

The bot provides several ways to review your nutrition data without leaving Telegram.

How Do You Check Today's Summary?

Type /today to see a breakdown of everything you have logged. The summary includes:

• Total calories consumed and remaining (based on your goal)
• Macro breakdown: protein, carbs, and fat in grams and percentages
• Each individual food and exercise entry with calories
• Inline buttons to delete or edit specific entries

How Do You Review a Full Week?

Type /week to receive a weekly summary with a visual bar chart showing your daily calorie totals. This makes it easy to spot patterns — perhaps you consistently overeat on weekends or undereat on busy weekdays. Research published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (2019) found that weekly self-monitoring reviews improved weight management outcomes by 22% compared to daily-only tracking.

How Do You Look Up Past Days?

Type /history 2026-02-15 (any date in YYYY-MM-DD format) to retrieve the full summary for that day. This is useful for reviewing meals when adjusting your plan or checking what worked on a particularly successful day.

What Does KCALM Premium Include on Telegram?

The free tier includes 15 AI food analyses. After that, you can upgrade to Premium directly within Telegram by typing /subscribe. Premium includes:

• Unlimited AI food analyses — photos and text, no daily cap
• Unlimited exercise logging
• Priority AI processing
• Annual plan: 3-day free trial included
• Works across all platforms — Telegram, the KCALM mobile app, and any future integrations share the same subscription

How Do You Set Personalized Calorie Goals?

The bot can calculate and store custom nutrition targets. Use these commands to configure your profile:

Once configured, your /today summary reflects these personalized targets, showing remaining calories and whether you are on track. For an in-depth explanation of how calorie targets are calculated, see our complete guide to calorie counting.

What Tips Improve Accuracy When Tracking via Telegram?

AI-based tracking gets more accurate when you provide better input. Here are practical tips:

For more on avoiding common tracking pitfalls, see our guide to common calorie counting mistakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the KCALM Telegram bot free to use?

Yes. The bot is free to start with 15 AI food analyses included. After that, you can upgrade to Premium for unlimited logging. The /subscribe command sends a checkout link directly in the chat. Annual plans include a 3-day free trial. All tracking features like /today, /week, and /history remain free regardless.

Do I need to download the KCALM app to use the Telegram bot?

No. The Telegram bot works independently — you do not need the mobile app. Your account is created automatically when you tap Start. If you later install the KCALM app, you can link your Telegram account through Settings to sync all your data across both platforms.

How accurate is the AI calorie estimation?

AI photo-based analysis achieves 85-92% accuracy for calorie estimation according to a 2024 systematic review in Nutrients. Text-based logging is typically within 15-20% of weighed food records. Accuracy improves when you include portion sizes, cooking methods, and specific brand names in your descriptions.

Can I track exercise through the Telegram bot?

Yes. Type your activity in natural language — for example, "ran 5km in 30 minutes" or "45 min weight training." Kai estimates calories burned and subtracts them from your daily total. Exercise entries appear alongside food in your /today summary and can be deleted individually.

Does the bot work on Telegram desktop?

Yes. The KCALM bot works on Telegram mobile, desktop, and web. All commands and features are identical across platforms. This makes it especially convenient for people who work at a computer and want to log lunch without picking up their phone.

Can I delete or edit logged entries?

Yes. When you type /today, each entry includes inline buttons for editing and deleting. You can also correct an entry by replying with an adjustment like "actually it was 1 cup, not 2." Kai will update the logged values accordingly.

What happens if I send a photo the AI cannot recognize?

If the AI cannot confidently identify the food, Kai will ask for clarification — for example, "I see a bowl of something. Could you tell me what it is?" You can then reply with a text description and the bot will combine the visual and text information for a better estimate.

How do I set daily reminders to log meals?

Type /reminders on to enable daily logging reminders. The bot will send you a gentle nudge if you have not logged anything by a certain time. To turn them off, type /reminders off. Set your timezone first with /settimezone so reminders arrive at the right local time.

Is my data private and secure?

Yes. KCALM uses Supabase with Row Level Security, meaning your nutrition data is isolated and accessible only to your account. Photos are processed for analysis only and not stored permanently. All data is encrypted in transit and at rest. You can delete your entire account and data at any time by typing /deleteaccount.

Can I use the bot in group chats?

The bot is designed for private one-on-one conversations. While it can technically receive messages in groups, food logging and personal commands only work in direct messages to protect your privacy and prevent accidental logging from other people's messages.

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