Last November, I scratched an itch and opened Replit.

I had experience running web servers, slinging code, and setting up websites for years — but something had shifted. I was grieving the loss of my partner, Tim. I was also facing total knee replacement surgery. Life was heavy, and I knew I needed to take back control of my health.

With the help of my doctor, I began a weight-loss journey using phentermine — and like many creators, I wanted to track my progress, but the available tools didn’t fit my needs. So, I decided to build my own.

What started as a simple calorie and food tracker has evolved — over the past nine months — into a comprehensive AI-powered wellness app.

But more than that, it’s become a vision of the future, where:

• Your data is yours
• Your privacy is respected
• You can opt-in to share anonymized data — and earn money from it

This is about flipping the script on big data — creating a system where everyday users benefit from the health and lifestyle insights they generate, instead of giving them away for free to massive platforms.

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Why I’m Building in Public Now

In just 9 months, the landscape of AI, pricing models, and no-code tools has changed dramatically.

I’ve gone from testing tools like Lovable and Bolt, to deploying production-ready systems on Replit. I’ve implemented:

 

• Freemium-to-premium access control
• AI-powered image analysis limitations
• Premium feature gates for bio-age, supplements, and more
• Visual progress indicators and upgrade prompts
• A lifetime membership model for sustainability

And the biggest shift wasn’t technical — it was mental.

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In traditional development, you don’t “start over.”
In this AI-driven era, every rebuild is smarter.
You’re not wasting time — you’re training the system.

This is the worst the tools will ever be. And that means every day forward gets better, faster, and more human-aligned.

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🧭 What’s Next

I’m going to continue documenting everything — the wins, the pivots, the tech stack, the monetization experiments, and the emotional journey of creating something that matters while rebuilding a life.

If you’re:

• An indie hacker

• A wellness innovator

• An artist shifting into tech

• Or someone who’s ready to build your own tools

Then follow along. Ask questions. Try stuff. Fail fast. Move forward.

🚀 You don’t need to wait until you’re “ready.”
The future is being built by people who start before they feel ready.