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1. Introduction
Digital wellness interventions have historically focused on weight loss, leaving a significant gap in solutions for individuals seeking healthy weight gain. Non-clinical underweight users—those without a clinical diagnosis—often deal with high metabolic rates, inconsistent routines, or low appetite, yet receive little targeted support.
This paper presents PeaceMeal, a case study in inclusive health design that reimagines wellness UX to prioritize emotional safety, habit formation, and sensory engagement. Anchored by the question—How can user-centered digital experiences support healthy weight gain through mindful, emotionally aligned behaviors?—this study explores intentional design strategies to support an underserved population.
2. Background and Research Context
Most wellness platforms are built on frameworks that prioritize weight loss through calorie restriction, step tracking, and prescriptive goal-setting. These designs reflect long-standing health narratives that associate wellness with thinness, control, and self-discipline (Triberti et al., 2017; Sardi et al., 2017). While effective for some, these systems marginalize those at the opposite end of the spectrum—underweight users who are not clinically diagnosed but struggle with nourishment and food-related discomfort.
Underweight individuals often face challenges such as a fast metabolism, poor appetite, or disordered routines (Ganson et al., 2022). Without appropriate digital support, they may resort to reverse-engineering weight-loss tools, tracking calories in an attempt to gain weight. This often results in confusion or frustration and can reinforce harmful associations with food (Eikey et al., 2017).
Mainstream apps typically rely on rigid metrics—calorie goals, weight graphs, and badges—that may unintentionally induce shame or anxiety when users don’t progress as expected (Triberti et al., 2017). These approaches often fail to support the emotional dimensions of eating, such as stress, appetite loss, or food aversion.
A review of existing wellness apps showed few tools explicitly designed for weight gain. Even when high-calorie targets were available, design cues such as red alerts for “overages” or rewards for restraint reflected weight-loss logic (Ghelani et al., 2020). This perpetuates a weight-normative design model that invalidates the experiences of underweight users.
Recent research in behavioral science and UX design advocates for approaches rooted in psychological safety, mindfulness, and self-compassion (Brewer et al., 2018; Carrière et al., 2018). Mindful eating interventions encourage attunement to internal cues, rather than external rules (Tapper, 2022). Similarly, well-designed behavioral nudges and gamification can help users sustain new habits without coercion (Möllenkamp et al., 2019; Sardi et al., 2017).
PeaceMeal responds to these needs with a product that centers emotional connection, self-discovery, and long-term behavioral growth—redefining “success” as nourishment, consistency, and improved body-food relationships.
3. Methodology
This research used a human-centered design framework to investigate how digital experiences can emotionally and behaviorally support underweight users. The study unfolded in three stages: discovery, ideation, and evaluation—each grounded in empathy, iterative design, and real-world behaviors.
3.1 Participant Recruitment
Twenty individuals were recruited: twelve underweight (BMI < 18.5) and eight overweight (BMI > 25), all without clinical eating disorder diagnoses. Participants ranged in age from 22 to 40 and came from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds. This comparative setup allowed for the identification of shared emotional themes across differing weight-related goals.
3.2 Comparative and Analogous Research
Through semi-structured interviews, participants revealed that whether aiming to gain or lose weight, many shared feelings of shame, uncertainty, and emotional fatigue related to food and physical activity.
Eating Behaviors: Underweight users described forcing themselves to eat without pleasure, often quitting when they didn’t see immediate results. Overweight users recounted cycles of restrictive dieting, emotional dissatisfaction, and guilt after relapse. Both groups viewed food as a source of internal conflict rather than joy.
Gym Avoidance and Self-Perception: Both cohorts reported feeling judged and uncomfortable in fitness environments, contributing to inconsistent attendance and disengagement. Participants described a loop of motivation, short-term effort, perceived failure, and self-blame—undermining long-term change.
These insights revealed a common emotional foundation—disconnection, lack of confidence, and low motivation. Effective solutions, therefore, must support not just behavior change but emotional safety and self-understanding.
3.3 Synthesis and Iteration
Data were synthesized into user archetypes based on motivation and mindset:
Users seeking calm and emotional healing
Users pursuing self-knowledge and food/body attunement
Users with measurable weight or fitness goals
These archetypes informed modular features and tone variations. Three rounds of usability testing with ten underweight users shaped the final design. Participants consistently emphasized a desire for choice, low-pressure interactions, and emotional resonance—leading to a product architecture built around flexible entry points and affirming feedback.
4. System Design and Core Features
PeaceMeal is designed as a modular wellness platform that allows users to build a better relationship with food and body—at their own pace and with their own goals in mind. Central to the system is the principle of user agency: users select what they want to focus on, whether it’s emotional healing, mindfulness, or structured physical transformation. All features are designed to be emotionally supportive, low-pressure, and behaviorally engaging, helping users sustain healthy habits without judgment or overwhelm.
4.1 Pathways: User-Defined Intentions
At onboarding, users select a focus area that reflects their current intention. These are not rigid modes, but flexible entry points that shape feature recommendations and tone:
Mindful Relationship – For users who want to build peace with food and self. This pathway emphasizes reflection, emotional safety, and presence over performance.
Purposeful Progress – For users with specific intake or fitness goals. This pathway emphasizes structure, calorie tracking, and achievement, but with a non-punitive tone.
This intention-based system ensures relevance and avoids one-size-fits-all interactions, while also giving users the flexibility to shift their focus over time.
4.2 Mindful Eating
Mindful Eating focuses on helping users reconnect emotionally with food. It offers a simplified journaling interface to log emotions, hunger cues, and bodily sensations before and after meals. Users are prompted to slow down, reflect, and notice—without pressure or judgment. For those who feel disconnected or distressed when eating, this feature builds emotional awareness and gradually reduces aversion or anxiety. Visual design choices—such as soft animations, calming colors, and encouraging prompts—reinforce safety and ease. Over time, users begin to see patterns in their emotional and physical responses, promoting self-compassion and stability.
This mode is especially beneficial for users who say things like “I know I should eat, but I don’t want to,” or “I hate how eating makes me feel.” Here, the app becomes a companion, not a coach—focusing on being with the user, not pushing them forward.
4.3 Purposeful Eating
Purposeful Eating supports users with explicit nutrition or fitness goals, such as increasing caloric intake, building muscle, or following a consistent routine. Users can set flexible, self-defined goals (e.g., “add 400 calories daily,” “eat two snacks,” “gain 1 lb/week”), and the system offers structured guidance to help meet them.
Recipe suggestions are categorized by sensory profiles (e.g., creamy, crunchy, warm, chilled) to align with appetite and mood, making food selection both enjoyable and intentional. The system includes gamified elements such as streak counters, achievement badges, and token-based milestones. These features reward consistency and reinforce positive actions without applying guilt or punishment. Feedback is always framed as encouragement—e.g., “You’ve met your snack goal three days in a row—great consistency!” rather than critique.
This pathway is ideal for users who say, “I want to gain weight, but I don’t know what to eat,” or “I have a goal, but I lose motivation fast.” The system keeps motivation alive through gentle nudging and celebration of progress.
4.4 Taste Reflection & Summary Insights
A critical and often-overlooked element in food behavior change is self-awareness of taste and preference. PeaceMeal includes a Summary feature that aggregates emotional and behavioral data across meals to reveal personalized insights. Users can see trends such as:
What foods they enjoyed vs. disliked
When they felt most satisfied or energized
Which textures or temperatures correlated with better mood or appetite
This data helps users understand their unique taste palette and emotional triggers, guiding them toward more informed, enjoyable eating habits. For many, especially underweight users who “don’t know what they like,” this summary becomes a tool for rediscovery.
4.5 Visual and Interaction Design
PeaceMeal’s interface is built around clarity, warmth, and delight. The visual system uses rounded forms, soft typography, and muted color palettes to create a sense of calm. Navigation is flat and intuitive, allowing users to reach core actions in one or two taps. Micro-interactions offer subtle, positive feedback—like a soft glow when a goal is completed or a calm pulse when a journal entry is saved.
Every visual and interaction element is designed to reduce friction and support long-term adherence. By avoiding overload and emphasizing small, manageable actions, the app sustains engagement while minimizing dropout.
4.6 Sustained Engagement Strategy
All features in PeaceMeal are intentionally designed to counter the adherence pitfalls common in wellness apps—where users drop off due to emotional fatigue, lack of relevance, or rigid demands. By allowing users to define their own journey, reinforcing self-reflection, and making progress enjoyable and meaningful, PeaceMeal builds an experience that adapts with the user rather than pressuring them to adapt to the system.
5. Usability Evaluation and Findings
PeaceMeal underwent three rounds of formative usability testing with ten underweight individuals, aimed at understanding user perceptions, emotional responses, and interaction clarity. While the study did not measure long-term behavioral or emotional outcomes, it offered rich insight into users’ motivations, pain points, and perceived value of the app’s features.
5.1 Positive Reception
Participants described the experience as “gentle,” “comforting,” and “unexpectedly encouraging.” The emotional tone of the interface—soft colors, affirming microcopy, and non-judgmental feedback—was widely appreciated. Users noted that the app “felt like a companion,” with some saying it made them “less anxious” about eating. The concept of choosing a pathway (e.g., Mindful vs. Purposeful Eating) resonated strongly. Several users said they felt seen for the first time by a wellness product—not being told what to do, but being asked how they want to feel.
Key highlights from participant feedback:
92% felt the app’s tone matched their emotional needs.
85% appreciated the flexibility to set or avoid goals.
70% found recipe suggestions “helpful” and “attuned to their cravings.
5.2 Identified Areas for Improvement
Despite positive feedback, users flagged several areas for refinement:
Some found the Mindful Eating journaling repetitive over time; suggestions included rotating prompts or adding audio guidance. The Purposeful Eating goal-setting interface was seen as clear but “a bit too open-ended” by users who preferred structure. While users liked the idea of taste tracking, the Summary feature was underutilized due to unclear positioning and perceived complexity.
These findings emphasized the need to balance emotional flexibility with actionable structure—ensuring the system is both inviting and gently directive.
6. Lessons for UX Design
Designing PeaceMeal revealed key insights that extend beyond the context of wellness apps. This project reaffirmed a central design principle: user transformation—whether emotional, behavioral, or physical—must be rooted in user agency, emotional safety, and sustained engagement. When thoughtfully designed, even deeply personal and emotionally complex goals like weight gain or body trust can be supported through calm, non-prescriptive interactions. The following takeaways offer guidance for designers working on emotionally sensitive, behavior-driven digital experiences.
Design for multiple intentions, not a single outcome.
Not all users want to “achieve” something in the conventional sense. Some want to feel calmer. Some want to repair their relationship with eating. Others want to meet a concrete intake goal. Rather than forcing all users through the same flow, PeaceMeal offered two distinct yet interrelated pathways: Mindful Eating for emotional awareness, and Purposeful Eating for structured progress. Allowing users to choose their own starting point improved emotional alignment and reduced drop-off from mismatched expectations.
Balance emotional flexibility with structural guidance.
Empathy without structure can leave users drifting. Structure without empathy can feel punitive. The key was to balance both. PeaceMeal delivered low-pressure emotional check-ins for users building food trust, while also offering gamified calorie goals and snack reminders for users with measurable objectives. This dual-mode design supported different motivational styles and allowed users to shift fluidly between reflection and action.
Make progress visible, not evaluative.
Users—especially those who have struggled with food—don’t need to be told they’re “behind.” Instead, they need to understand themselves better. PeaceMeal’s Summary feature helped users track not just what they ate, but how it made them feel. Over time, this data revealed their taste preferences, mood patterns, and eating rhythms. Rather than prescribing what’s “correct,” the system helped users discover what works for them—a shift from performance to personal insight.
Create an emotionally safe interface.
Across all pathways, PeaceMeal was designed to feel supportive, not judgmental. The visual and interaction design emphasized warmth: soft typography, muted colors, clear hierarchy, and forgiving navigation patterns. Micro-interactions were designed to feel like encouragement—never alerts or corrections. This design language helped reduce shame, self-blame, and anxiety, all of which were identified as major barriers during research.
Support adherence through intrinsic interest.
A major challenge in wellness products is maintaining engagement beyond the initial motivation spike. PeaceMeal approached adherence not through pressure or reward escalation, but by making each interaction feel personally meaningful. Features like texture-based recipe suggestions, mood-based food filtering, and small celebratory animations helped users stay curious and connected—turning daily tracking into moments of reflection or delight.
7. Conclusion
PeaceMeal demonstrates that wellness technology can support not just external goals, but internal growth. By combining emotional UX, user-defined intentions, and feedback mechanisms rooted in reflection rather than judgment, the app created space for healthier habits to emerge—on the user’s terms.
This case study offers valuable lessons for any digital product aiming to drive behavior change in emotionally sensitive contexts. Whether designing for nutrition, mental health, or recovery, the principles of agency, clarity, and emotional resonance remain essential. As wellness tools expand to serve more nuanced and diverse populations, designers must go beyond tracking and compliance. Designing for empowerment means meeting users where they are—with curiosity, compassion, and trust in their capacity to change.
Digital wellness interventions have historically focused on weight loss, leaving a significant gap in solutions for individuals seeking healthy weight gain. Non-clinical underweight users—those without a clinical diagnosis—often deal with high metabolic rates, inconsistent routines, or low appetite, yet receive little targeted support.
This paper presents PeaceMeal, a case study in inclusive health design that reimagines wellness UX to prioritize emotional safety, habit formation, and sensory engagement. Anchored by the question—How can user-centered digital experiences support healthy weight gain through mindful, emotionally aligned behaviors?—this study explores intentional design strategies to support an underserved population.
2. Background and Research Context
Most wellness platforms are built on frameworks that prioritize weight loss through calorie restriction, step tracking, and prescriptive goal-setting. These designs reflect long-standing health narratives that associate wellness with thinness, control, and self-discipline (Triberti et al., 2017; Sardi et al., 2017). While effective for some, these systems marginalize those at the opposite end of the spectrum—underweight users who are not clinically diagnosed but struggle with nourishment and food-related discomfort.
Underweight individuals often face challenges such as a fast metabolism, poor appetite, or disordered routines (Ganson et al., 2022). Without appropriate digital support, they may resort to reverse-engineering weight-loss tools, tracking calories in an attempt to gain weight. This often results in confusion or frustration and can reinforce harmful associations with food (Eikey et al., 2017).
Mainstream apps typically rely on rigid metrics—calorie goals, weight graphs, and badges—that may unintentionally induce shame or anxiety when users don’t progress as expected (Triberti et al., 2017). These approaches often fail to support the emotional dimensions of eating, such as stress, appetite loss, or food aversion.
A review of existing wellness apps showed few tools explicitly designed for weight gain. Even when high-calorie targets were available, design cues such as red alerts for “overages” or rewards for restraint reflected weight-loss logic (Ghelani et al., 2020). This perpetuates a weight-normative design model that invalidates the experiences of underweight users.
Recent research in behavioral science and UX design advocates for approaches rooted in psychological safety, mindfulness, and self-compassion (Brewer et al., 2018; Carrière et al., 2018). Mindful eating interventions encourage attunement to internal cues, rather than external rules (Tapper, 2022). Similarly, well-designed behavioral nudges and gamification can help users sustain new habits without coercion (Möllenkamp et al., 2019; Sardi et al., 2017).
PeaceMeal responds to these needs with a product that centers emotional connection, self-discovery, and long-term behavioral growth—redefining “success” as nourishment, consistency, and improved body-food relationships.
3. Methodology
This research used a human-centered design framework to investigate how digital experiences can emotionally and behaviorally support underweight users. The study unfolded in three stages: discovery, ideation, and evaluation—each grounded in empathy, iterative design, and real-world behaviors.
3.1 Participant Recruitment
Twenty individuals were recruited: twelve underweight (BMI < 18.5) and eight overweight (BMI > 25), all without clinical eating disorder diagnoses. Participants ranged in age from 22 to 40 and came from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds. This comparative setup allowed for the identification of shared emotional themes across differing weight-related goals.
3.2 Comparative and Analogous Research
Through semi-structured interviews, participants revealed that whether aiming to gain or lose weight, many shared feelings of shame, uncertainty, and emotional fatigue related to food and physical activity.
Eating Behaviors: Underweight users described forcing themselves to eat without pleasure, often quitting when they didn’t see immediate results. Overweight users recounted cycles of restrictive dieting, emotional dissatisfaction, and guilt after relapse. Both groups viewed food as a source of internal conflict rather than joy.
Gym Avoidance and Self-Perception: Both cohorts reported feeling judged and uncomfortable in fitness environments, contributing to inconsistent attendance and disengagement. Participants described a loop of motivation, short-term effort, perceived failure, and self-blame—undermining long-term change.
These insights revealed a common emotional foundation—disconnection, lack of confidence, and low motivation. Effective solutions, therefore, must support not just behavior change but emotional safety and self-understanding.
3.3 Synthesis and Iteration
Data were synthesized into user archetypes based on motivation and mindset:
Users seeking calm and emotional healing
Users pursuing self-knowledge and food/body attunement
Users with measurable weight or fitness goals
These archetypes informed modular features and tone variations. Three rounds of usability testing with ten underweight users shaped the final design. Participants consistently emphasized a desire for choice, low-pressure interactions, and emotional resonance—leading to a product architecture built around flexible entry points and affirming feedback.
4. System Design and Core Features
PeaceMeal is designed as a modular wellness platform that allows users to build a better relationship with food and body—at their own pace and with their own goals in mind. Central to the system is the principle of user agency: users select what they want to focus on, whether it’s emotional healing, mindfulness, or structured physical transformation. All features are designed to be emotionally supportive, low-pressure, and behaviorally engaging, helping users sustain healthy habits without judgment or overwhelm.
4.1 Pathways: User-Defined Intentions
At onboarding, users select a focus area that reflects their current intention. These are not rigid modes, but flexible entry points that shape feature recommendations and tone:
Mindful Relationship – For users who want to build peace with food and self. This pathway emphasizes reflection, emotional safety, and presence over performance.
Purposeful Progress – For users with specific intake or fitness goals. This pathway emphasizes structure, calorie tracking, and achievement, but with a non-punitive tone.
This intention-based system ensures relevance and avoids one-size-fits-all interactions, while also giving users the flexibility to shift their focus over time.
4.2 Mindful Eating
Mindful Eating focuses on helping users reconnect emotionally with food. It offers a simplified journaling interface to log emotions, hunger cues, and bodily sensations before and after meals. Users are prompted to slow down, reflect, and notice—without pressure or judgment. For those who feel disconnected or distressed when eating, this feature builds emotional awareness and gradually reduces aversion or anxiety. Visual design choices—such as soft animations, calming colors, and encouraging prompts—reinforce safety and ease. Over time, users begin to see patterns in their emotional and physical responses, promoting self-compassion and stability.
This mode is especially beneficial for users who say things like “I know I should eat, but I don’t want to,” or “I hate how eating makes me feel.” Here, the app becomes a companion, not a coach—focusing on being with the user, not pushing them forward.
4.3 Purposeful Eating
Purposeful Eating supports users with explicit nutrition or fitness goals, such as increasing caloric intake, building muscle, or following a consistent routine. Users can set flexible, self-defined goals (e.g., “add 400 calories daily,” “eat two snacks,” “gain 1 lb/week”), and the system offers structured guidance to help meet them.
Recipe suggestions are categorized by sensory profiles (e.g., creamy, crunchy, warm, chilled) to align with appetite and mood, making food selection both enjoyable and intentional. The system includes gamified elements such as streak counters, achievement badges, and token-based milestones. These features reward consistency and reinforce positive actions without applying guilt or punishment. Feedback is always framed as encouragement—e.g., “You’ve met your snack goal three days in a row—great consistency!” rather than critique.
This pathway is ideal for users who say, “I want to gain weight, but I don’t know what to eat,” or “I have a goal, but I lose motivation fast.” The system keeps motivation alive through gentle nudging and celebration of progress.
4.4 Taste Reflection & Summary Insights
A critical and often-overlooked element in food behavior change is self-awareness of taste and preference. PeaceMeal includes a Summary feature that aggregates emotional and behavioral data across meals to reveal personalized insights. Users can see trends such as:
What foods they enjoyed vs. disliked
When they felt most satisfied or energized
Which textures or temperatures correlated with better mood or appetite
This data helps users understand their unique taste palette and emotional triggers, guiding them toward more informed, enjoyable eating habits. For many, especially underweight users who “don’t know what they like,” this summary becomes a tool for rediscovery.
4.5 Visual and Interaction Design
PeaceMeal’s interface is built around clarity, warmth, and delight. The visual system uses rounded forms, soft typography, and muted color palettes to create a sense of calm. Navigation is flat and intuitive, allowing users to reach core actions in one or two taps. Micro-interactions offer subtle, positive feedback—like a soft glow when a goal is completed or a calm pulse when a journal entry is saved.
Every visual and interaction element is designed to reduce friction and support long-term adherence. By avoiding overload and emphasizing small, manageable actions, the app sustains engagement while minimizing dropout.
4.6 Sustained Engagement Strategy
All features in PeaceMeal are intentionally designed to counter the adherence pitfalls common in wellness apps—where users drop off due to emotional fatigue, lack of relevance, or rigid demands. By allowing users to define their own journey, reinforcing self-reflection, and making progress enjoyable and meaningful, PeaceMeal builds an experience that adapts with the user rather than pressuring them to adapt to the system.
5. Usability Evaluation and Findings
PeaceMeal underwent three rounds of formative usability testing with ten underweight individuals, aimed at understanding user perceptions, emotional responses, and interaction clarity. While the study did not measure long-term behavioral or emotional outcomes, it offered rich insight into users’ motivations, pain points, and perceived value of the app’s features.
5.1 Positive Reception
Participants described the experience as “gentle,” “comforting,” and “unexpectedly encouraging.” The emotional tone of the interface—soft colors, affirming microcopy, and non-judgmental feedback—was widely appreciated. Users noted that the app “felt like a companion,” with some saying it made them “less anxious” about eating. The concept of choosing a pathway (e.g., Mindful vs. Purposeful Eating) resonated strongly. Several users said they felt seen for the first time by a wellness product—not being told what to do, but being asked how they want to feel.
Key highlights from participant feedback:
92% felt the app’s tone matched their emotional needs.
85% appreciated the flexibility to set or avoid goals.
70% found recipe suggestions “helpful” and “attuned to their cravings.
5.2 Identified Areas for Improvement
Despite positive feedback, users flagged several areas for refinement:
Some found the Mindful Eating journaling repetitive over time; suggestions included rotating prompts or adding audio guidance. The Purposeful Eating goal-setting interface was seen as clear but “a bit too open-ended” by users who preferred structure. While users liked the idea of taste tracking, the Summary feature was underutilized due to unclear positioning and perceived complexity.
These findings emphasized the need to balance emotional flexibility with actionable structure—ensuring the system is both inviting and gently directive.
6. Lessons for UX Design
Designing PeaceMeal revealed key insights that extend beyond the context of wellness apps. This project reaffirmed a central design principle: user transformation—whether emotional, behavioral, or physical—must be rooted in user agency, emotional safety, and sustained engagement. When thoughtfully designed, even deeply personal and emotionally complex goals like weight gain or body trust can be supported through calm, non-prescriptive interactions. The following takeaways offer guidance for designers working on emotionally sensitive, behavior-driven digital experiences.
Design for multiple intentions, not a single outcome.
Not all users want to “achieve” something in the conventional sense. Some want to feel calmer. Some want to repair their relationship with eating. Others want to meet a concrete intake goal. Rather than forcing all users through the same flow, PeaceMeal offered two distinct yet interrelated pathways: Mindful Eating for emotional awareness, and Purposeful Eating for structured progress. Allowing users to choose their own starting point improved emotional alignment and reduced drop-off from mismatched expectations.
Balance emotional flexibility with structural guidance.
Empathy without structure can leave users drifting. Structure without empathy can feel punitive. The key was to balance both. PeaceMeal delivered low-pressure emotional check-ins for users building food trust, while also offering gamified calorie goals and snack reminders for users with measurable objectives. This dual-mode design supported different motivational styles and allowed users to shift fluidly between reflection and action.
Make progress visible, not evaluative.
Users—especially those who have struggled with food—don’t need to be told they’re “behind.” Instead, they need to understand themselves better. PeaceMeal’s Summary feature helped users track not just what they ate, but how it made them feel. Over time, this data revealed their taste preferences, mood patterns, and eating rhythms. Rather than prescribing what’s “correct,” the system helped users discover what works for them—a shift from performance to personal insight.
Create an emotionally safe interface.
Across all pathways, PeaceMeal was designed to feel supportive, not judgmental. The visual and interaction design emphasized warmth: soft typography, muted colors, clear hierarchy, and forgiving navigation patterns. Micro-interactions were designed to feel like encouragement—never alerts or corrections. This design language helped reduce shame, self-blame, and anxiety, all of which were identified as major barriers during research.
Support adherence through intrinsic interest.
A major challenge in wellness products is maintaining engagement beyond the initial motivation spike. PeaceMeal approached adherence not through pressure or reward escalation, but by making each interaction feel personally meaningful. Features like texture-based recipe suggestions, mood-based food filtering, and small celebratory animations helped users stay curious and connected—turning daily tracking into moments of reflection or delight.
7. Conclusion
PeaceMeal demonstrates that wellness technology can support not just external goals, but internal growth. By combining emotional UX, user-defined intentions, and feedback mechanisms rooted in reflection rather than judgment, the app created space for healthier habits to emerge—on the user’s terms.
This case study offers valuable lessons for any digital product aiming to drive behavior change in emotionally sensitive contexts. Whether designing for nutrition, mental health, or recovery, the principles of agency, clarity, and emotional resonance remain essential. As wellness tools expand to serve more nuanced and diverse populations, designers must go beyond tracking and compliance. Designing for empowerment means meeting users where they are—with curiosity, compassion, and trust in their capacity to change.