AI won’t follow up, you have to
Unlike a human coach, AI won’t ask how your week went or check in when you go quiet. But if you continue your original conversation (where you asked for a meal plan or calorie targets), the AI such as ChatGPT will remember your goals and context. You can return to that chat weekly, report how things are going, and get personalised feedback instantly.
It might surprise you how helpful it is. AI won’t judge you for slipping up. In fact, it’s surprisingly good at praising your honesty, encouraging you to get back on track, and helping you figure out why things went off course, all without making you feel guilty or overwhelmed.
Why ongoing support is a game-changer
Most people can lose weight, but only a small percentage keep it off. The difference isn’t willpower or perfect discipline. It’s having a support system that keeps you engaged after the initial motivation fades. That’s why ongoing feedback, small adjustments, and habit tracking are so powerful. Whether your goal is fat loss, performance or better eating habits, AI can help you:
- Stay accountable through regular check-ins
- Spot patterns that sabotage progress
- Update your plan as life changes
- Reinforce what’s working
How to do a weekly check-in with AI
To keep your AI coach helpful, just stay in the same chat thread and paste in your check-in. You can schedule an alert in your calendar to make sure it’s regular.
Prompt example: Hi, I’d like to check in on my nutrition goals. Please continue as my personal nutritionist from before. Here’s how my week went: I followed the meal plan for 6 days, but went completely off track yesterday because I was visiting family and ate more than usual. I skipped 1 ride and ate late at night 3 times. I drank more alcohol than planned on Friday. My weight changed from 76.2 kg to 75.8 kg. Do you have any clarifying questions? Can you help me reflect on the week and suggest what to focus on next?
The AI will likely give you a short summary of wins and struggles, and suggest one or two key things to work on next week. You can ask it to adjust your meal plan based on what happened and what your next week looks like.
Sample prompt: I’m going on a 4-day work trip. Can you help me stay roughly on track while eating in restaurants and not having access to a kitchen?
Ask for support, not just facts
AI isn’t just for numbers and plans. You can also talk about why things are difficult. You should talk about your cravings, low motivation, stress eating, lack of time, etc.
Sample prompt: It’s hard for me to refuse food when I’m visiting family. I’m not sure what to do, and I feel like it destroys all the good work I put in throughout the week.
The AI might help you come up with ways to set boundaries without offending your family. But even more importantly, it will be understanding, hear you out, and reassure you that you’re still doing well. It’s not therapy, but it’s definitely helpful when you need to have an outside perspective.
Tips to make the most of AI support
- Stay in the same conversation thread – that’s how it remembers your plan
- Be specific – vague check-ins = vague answers
- Be honest – no judgment means no reason to hide slip-ups
- Use voice input – if typing feels like a chore, talk to it like a voice note
- Ask follow-ups – if the answer is off, ask to revise
In the next article, we’ll switch gears from accountability to performance, and learn to use AI to fuel your training rides and support recovery.
