Staff Writer — Health & Personal Finance
Amanda
Reeds
Writing about health metrics, personal finance, and the calculators people actually use since 2019. Based in the UK. Focused on making numbers less intimidating.
Amanda Reeds
About Amanda Reeds
Turning complicated numbers into decisions people can actually make
I started writing about health and personal finance because I kept noticing the same problem: most calculators give you a number and stop there. No context, no explanation of what it means in practice, no help deciding what to do next. That gap is what I try to fill.
My background is in health science — I studied at the University of Leeds — and I later trained in consumer finance through the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI). That combination is a bit unusual, but it fits the work. Health and money are the two areas where people most often need clear, reliable information and most often get buried in jargon instead.
"A calculator is only useful if you understand what the output is actually telling you. I write the part the calculator can't."
I've been writing for Ace Calculator since 2021, covering tools that people use at real decision points: BMI calculators when a GP mentions weight, calorie tools when someone is trying to eat differently, loan calculators before signing a finance agreement. These aren't abstract exercises. People use them because something in their life is prompting the question, and that's the context I keep in mind when I write.
Before Ace Calculator, I wrote for health and finance publications in the UK and the US. That work introduced me to a research process I still follow: whenever I'm writing about clinical or financial data, I work through the primary sources — not just summaries — and I flag anything I'm uncertain about to a qualified reviewer before it goes live. Seven years in, I still find that extra step catches things that would otherwise slip through.
I'm also active on Instagram at @amanda_reeds_, where I share shorter posts on health metrics, budgeting, and the kind of practical number-crunching that doesn't usually make it into a full article. If you've ever wondered whether your BMI result is worth worrying about, or how to read a loan APR without a finance degree, that's the kind of thing I post about.
When I'm not writing, I'm usually outdoors — overestimating how many calories I've burned on a walk, and then quietly checking when I get home.
How I Work
My writing and research process
For YMYL content, good intentions aren't enough. Here's what actually happens before an article is published.
Primary Sources First
I read the actual studies, NHS guidance, or FCA documentation — not secondary write-ups. If the source is paywalled, I note that clearly rather than paraphrasing a summary of a summary.
Expert Review
Health articles go to a registered dietitian or GP before publication. Finance articles are checked by a certified financial planner. I don't publish claims I can't get a qualified person to stand behind.
Plain Language
If a sentence requires a degree to parse, I rewrite it. I test this by reading drafts aloud. If I stumble, the reader will too.
Regular Updates
Clinical guidelines and financial regulations change. I flag articles that depend on time-sensitive data for scheduled review, rather than leaving outdated information live indefinitely.
Topics I Cover
Editorial Standards
Why this matters for health and finance content
Google applies YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) standards to content that could affect a reader's health, finances, or safety. That means articles about BMI, calorie needs, or loan repayments are held to a higher bar than a listicle about weekend hobbies. A wrong number in a health article isn't just inaccurate — it can lead someone to make a decision that harms them.
Every article I write for Ace Calculator goes through source verification, expert review, and a plain-language pass before it's published. I follow the NHS's guidance on health communication, which recommends that patient-facing information be written at a Year 8 reading level without sacrificing accuracy. That's the standard I aim for: not dumbed down, just clear.
If you spot an error in anything I've written, or if a guideline has changed and an article hasn't caught up, please use the contact form on the site. I'd rather be corrected than leave something wrong online.
Recent Work
Articles by Amanda Reeds
A selection of recently published and updated guides.
Health
What Your BMI Actually Tells You — and What It Doesn't
BMI is a starting point, not a diagnosis. Here's how to read the number, understand its limits, and know what to look at alongside it before drawing conclusions.
Nutrition
How to Work Out Your Daily Calorie Needs Without Obsessing Over It
TDEE calculators give you an estimate, not a law. This article explains what the figure means, why it shifts over time, and how to use it without turning every meal into maths.
Personal Finance
Loan Calculators Explained: What the Numbers Are Really Saying
Monthly repayment figures are easy to misread. This guide explains APR, total cost of credit, and what to check before signing any finance agreement.
Health
Ideal Weight Calculators: Useful Tool or Outdated Idea?
Most ideal weight formulas date back decades. Here's what they measure, why they're still in use, and what the current clinical thinking actually says.
Personal Finance
Mortgage Calculators: How to Use Them Before Talking to a Broker
A mortgage calculator won't tell you what you'll be offered, but it will stop you wasting anyone's time — including your own. Here's how to get useful numbers out of it.
Fitness
How Accurate Are Calories Burned Calculators?
The honest answer is: not very. But they're still useful if you know what they're actually measuring. This article explains the MET method and where the margin of error sits.
Common Questions
About Amanda's Work
Who reviews Amanda's health articles before publication?
Health content is reviewed by registered dietitians or GPs depending on the topic. A qualified reviewer reads the draft, checks the clinical claims against current guidance, and flags anything that needs correction or caveat. The review is done before publication, not after.
Does Amanda have a finance qualification?
Yes. She holds a Certificate in Personal Finance from the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI), which is a UK-regulated qualification covering personal finance principles, financial products, and consumer protection rules. Finance articles are also checked by a certified financial planner before going live.
How often are articles updated?
Articles that reference clinical guidelines, government figures, or financial regulations are flagged for scheduled review. The review frequency depends on how quickly the underlying guidance changes — NHS nutrition recommendations, for example, shift less often than mortgage rate data.
Can I contact Amanda about an article?
If you've found an error, noticed outdated information, or have a factual question about something she's written, use the contact form on the site. She reads every message, though response times vary.
Where else does Amanda publish?
Most of her work is on Ace Calculator. She also posts shorter health and finance content on Instagram at @amanda_reeds_.