This article is taken from an interview with Yassine Damil, published in Madame Figaro’s Carnet de Rencontres section:
Video transcription
How did this project come about?
I’ll start with the starting point, which is easy to identify with: the need to feel healthy.
For the record, it all started a few years ago with my wife, when we were looking for an application that was both comprehensive and affordable.
The problem was, when we looked at available offers, we were always frustrated…
- A feeling of unfinished business. Why do the approaches proposed always focus on a single dimension (exercising more, eating less), knowing very well that these are communicating vessels? And yet, certain topics like vitamins and minerals seem to be overlooked.
- Second frustration: lack of autonomy. What happens when you no longer feel like paying? Let me remind you that this is a service you’re supposed to use every single day. How to redo the calculations? From which database? etc.
- And finally, when you need occasional support, it would still be much more practical to have your fitness trainer and your nutritionist write down their advice in the same journal. Even better if they follow you on a daily basis to adapt them!
I’m not even going to mention the divergence between rational applications (i.e. calorie counters, nutritional scans) and pleasure ones (fitness, cooking). Why not both?
What is your concept?
It all started a few years ago when I was beginning to experiment a little with increasingly complicated Excel spreadsheets but, by 2018, I undertook training as a web developer and sports and nutrition coach. That’s what led me to the following conviction.
- Wellness is multi-dimensional: physical activity, nutrition and mental health.
- Current technology is capable of democratizing this service on a large scale.
- Finally, technology is not sufficient, so we need to open up to the network of fitness trainers and other wellness professionals.
That’s why I’m launching the libra · diet wellness companion. Well, beyond features, it’s a solution that enables everyone to have personalized, flexible and human recommendations for their well-being.
What are your future development objectives?
As a mainstream application, our increasingly rich content offerings (I’m thinking of meditation exercises and recipes) remain at the heart of our concerns.
Beyond that, my vision for the near future is to become a platform serving:
- coaches, so that they can follow their patients between two consultations, or even offer a subscription-based service,
- restaurant owners, so that they can be more transparent about the nutritional composition of their dishes and menus, and possibly adapt them into a healthier alternative.
All of this, of course, benefits the end-user, who can get more contextualized advice and eat out with a free mind.
Libra, AI in the service of your wellness
The wellness service launched by Yassine Damil accompanies you in your quest for well-being by maintaining the right balance between the different aspects of your life, both physical and psychological, in a so-called “holistic” approach. Libra’s intelligence is put at your service and that of the coaches who follow you, increasing their ability for personalization. This keeps you motivated to achieve your goals…
Waking up full of energy, feeling good about your body or mentally prepared to face the challenges of the day, we all hope for this every day. We also know that this quest for well-being is far from being a smooth ride. In fact, to be viable, it requires working on several aspects simultaneously: weight loss, for example, is intimately linked to physical activity and mindset.
Libra Diet was initially designed with a holistic approach, recognizing the interdependence between nutrition, fitness and mental health. It uses Artificial Intelligence to help you achieve your goals in a flexible way. Whether through self-care or coaching, you’ll be able to modify your lifestyle and even get a taste for it. How so? Here are some of the key ingredients in our “secret recipe”.
Benefit from individualized health recommendations, stay flexible thanks to AI…
From the (unhealthy) crash diets of some, to the miracle foods of others, to a particular revolutionary gadget, we’re swimming in cacophony. In contrast, Libra’s methodology is science-based, even adapting to the regulatory environment (notably national health agencies). There have never been so many studies on the factors influencing health: nutritional and micro-nutritional needs (vitamins and minerals), sleep, sedentary lifestyle, stress, etc. Recommendations are then personalized according to your physiological (age, sex, height, weight, body composition), behavioral (lifestyle) and psychological parameters.
Libra’s approach is not to advocate rigid discipline, and we know that beyond daily routines, a lifestyle is naturally dynamic: a happy hour can be improvised with friends, a sports session can be cancelled for lack of time. This is why the service has developed technologies capable of being flexible. One example is the ability to (re)calibrate a meal, i.e. to (re)size the quantities, to (re)equilibrate the energy balance according to how your day has gone.
Manage your well-being independently, leave the door open to coaching…
Thanks to Libra Diet, you’ll have all the resources you need to continue managing your health yourself. Free of charge! What’s the point of keeping a journal (of your meals, activities, weighings or some introspective session) if you can no longer access your history as soon as your subscription ends? Cunningly, some services do offer free access, but with degraded features (for example, with a nutritional composition limited to calories). That’s not Libra Diet’s philosophy!
But being master on board doesn’t mean being alone on board. One of the platform’s distinguishing features is its openness to selected professionals, such as nutritionists or fitness trainers. These services are not free of charge, but are highly relevant when it comes to achieving a specific objective (extra kilos before the summer, physical re-education, getting back into shape after pregnancy, not to mention competitive performance). What’s more, the Libra Diet community is always a great source of support when you’re having a bad day…
Keep your motivation afloat, enjoy yourself and get lasting results…
The solution is for everyone, at every stage of life: women, men, children, students, retirees, office workers, athletes, and so on. In fact, the company’s mission is “to accompany everyone towards a balanced lifestyle”. Obviously, the objectives are different, but what they have in common is the need to modify one’s lifestyle and, to do so, to stay motivated. Drawing on behavioral science, one of Libra Diet’s tricks is to translate your ambitious goals into achievable targets. In fact, if you take a look at the “Libra 360” indicator, you’ll be able to see how your daily successes add up.
You’ll change, and so will your use of the service! You’ll start by using the app to make an initial diagnosis, identify your goals, understand and select healthier alternatives. Very quickly, you’ll come back with a completely different intention, focused on your pleasure (the key to fighting frustration). Discovering tasty recipes, stimulating exercises or quick relaxation sessions are all choices open to you.
It’s like having your own nutritionist and fitness trainer in your pocket
More than just another health service, Libra is a true “wellness companion”. It’s like having your own nutritionist and fitness trainer in your pocket. Not only does the assistant distill the intelligence of its recommendations in context, but you also have the option of being accompanied by a professional in a more individualized way. What’s more, your history will follow you for the rest of your life, whichever assistant you choose.
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