Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use Graphite if I am already on a diet?
2. How many food items are in your database?
3. What is Graphite?
4. What is the minimum number of calories I should eat each day?
5. How accurate are the calorie calculations in Meal Entry and Exercise Entry?
6. What is the Program Code field on the Sign Up page?
7. How private is my profile information?
8. What's your cancellation policy?
9. Does Graphite require a long-term contract?

Can I use Graphite if I am already on a diet?

Yes. Most commercial diets suggest you maintain a meal log. Graphite is an ideal tool for tracking meal information.

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How many food items are in your database?

As of November, 2009 we have over 20,000 food items in the database. We are adding several thousand food items each week. We welcome suggestions for new items. Please e-mail food item requests to info@mygraphite.com. Please include the brand name and what region of the country you live in.

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What is Graphite?

Graphite is an easy-to-use web-based tool for tracking calorie intake (meals/food) and calorie expenditures (exercise and other activities). Based on the principle of Energy Balance, Graphite helps you manage the balance of calories you consume with the calories you burn, helping you to reach your weight management goals.

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What is the minimum number of calories I should eat each day?

Be aware that there are recognized minimums for the number of calories you should eat each day.   For adult women, the number is 1200 and for adult men, the number is 1600.   For those under 18 years of age, the mininums are even higher.   We strongly encourage our members to establish calorie targets higher than these minimums.    Our preference would be to see women, no lower than 1400 and men now lower than 1800.   We consider these targets to be somewhat aggressive, but doable for most people. 

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How accurate are the calorie calculations in Meal Entry and Exercise Entry?

Calorie values for food items come directly from the food manufacturer or brands as well as the USDA for non-branded base foods like fruits, vegetables and meat. The most significant factor impacting calorie totals is the portion size you select in Meal Entry. Be as accurate as you can. If you are not quite sure of the portion size you are entering, you should guess high. For exercise calculations, we rely on the well-documented Compendium of Physical Activities and associated MET values. With Exercise Entry, if you are not sure which item to select because you are unsure of the speed or intensity, you should guess low. By guessing a bit high on food items/meals and a little low on exercise activities, your calorie totals will be conservative, which is desirable in most weight loss situations.

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What is the Program Code field on the Sign Up page?

We use the Program Code field primarily for our Wellness clients. In these cases, entering a program code will bypass the billing information and link the new account to a specific company and wellness plan.

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How private is my profile information?

We take privacy very seriously. Your information will never be sold or distributed. We will never view or access your data unless you specifically request it for support reasons. See our Privacy Policy for more details.

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What's your cancellation policy?

You can cancel your subscription anytime from your account. The cancel button is on the 'Billing' tab on your MyProfile page.

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Does Graphite require a long-term contract?

No. You can cancel anytime. You can sign up for month-to-month billing or you can save money by signing up for a yearly plan. All accounts have a 7-day free trial. Cancel anytime on or before the 7th day and you will not be billed.

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