Browse the evidence

Maintaining a daily step count of 5000 or more is a significant predictor of clinically significant weight loss (≥5% baseline weight).

Aim for at least 5,000 steps per day. This is a significant predictor of reaching a 5% weight loss goal. Higher steps (up to 10k+) correlate with even greater loss, but 5k is a solid starting point.

Ingesting approximately 0.31 g/kg of high-quality, rapidly digested protein (e.g., whey) post-exercise maximizes myofibrillar muscle protein synthesis in young adults without inducing excessive amino acid oxidation.

If you are a young adult with average body composition, aim to consume about 0.31 grams of high-quality protein (like whey) per kilogram of your body weight in your post-workout meal. For example, if you weigh 70 kg, consume roughly 22 grams of protein. This amount maximizes muscle building signals without wasting protein through oxidation. You do not need to consume massive amounts (like 40g+) to get extra benefits for muscle synthesis.

GLP-1 receptor agonists (specifically Liraglutide 3.0mg and Semaglutide 2.4mg) significantly reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes in obese individuals with prediabetes, often outperforming placebo and sometimes matching or exceeding lifestyle interventions.

If you are obese and have prediabetes, ask your doctor about GLP-1 medications like Semaglutide or Liraglutide. They are highly effective at preventing diabetes, often working better than diet and exercise alone because they help control appetite and blood sugar automatically.

Peri-exercise protein supplementation (specifically post-workout) optimizes physical performance and recovery in resistance and endurance training, provided total daily protein and caloric intake are adequate.

Ensure you are eating enough protein (1.4-1.6g/kg) and calories every day. After your workout, consume 20-40g of protein (whey or similar) within an hour. This helps your muscles recover faster and perform better in your next session, especially if you train multiple times a day or compete.

Whey protein supplementation during marathon preparation and recovery attenuates metabolic and muscular damage (lower CK, LDH, AST, ALT) and improves post-race performance markers compared to carbohydrate-only recovery.

If you are training for a long-distance event like a marathon, take 33.5g of whey protein within 30 minutes after your long training runs. This helps reduce muscle damage markers and may help you feel better and perform better in the race.

Post-diagnosis weight loss of more than 1% per year is associated with a decreased risk of microvascular complications (kidney disease and neuropathy) compared to stable weight.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes, achieving a modest weight loss of just over 1% of your body weight per year after diagnosis can significantly lower your risk of kidney and nerve damage. This does not require extreme dieting; small, consistent changes are effective.

High loads (>60% 1RM) are superior to low loads for maximizing strength gains, while both high and low loads can produce similar hypertrophy if performed to failure.

To build strength, prioritize heavy loads (>60% 1RM). To build muscle, you can use either heavy or light loads, provided you take your sets close to failure. Light loads are a viable option for joint health or accessibility without sacrificing muscle growth.

Full range of motion (ROM) produces greater strength gains in full ROM tasks and greater hypertrophy in specific muscles (e.g., gluteus maximus) compared to partial ROM, although partial ROM can be used to overcome sticking points.

Prioritize full range of motion for your main exercises to maximize strength and muscle growth. Use partial ROM strategically to target weak points (sticking points) or to reduce joint stress, but do not replace full ROM with partial ROM as your primary strategy.

Resistance exercise-induced muscle hypertrophy is load-dependent, with high-load (80% 1RM) training producing greater hypertrophy than low-load (30% 1RM) training when sets are performed to volitional failure.

To maximize muscle growth, prioritize heavier weights (around 80% of your one-rep max). If you must use lighter weights (30% of 1RM), you must take every set to absolute muscular failure to achieve similar, though likely slightly lesser, hypertrophy compared to heavy loads. Failure is the key equalizer for low loads.

Periodized resistance training (linear or undulating) is superior to non-periodized training for enhancing maximal strength, with undulating models potentially offering greater benefits for leg press strength.

If your goal is maximum strength, do not stick to the same weights and reps forever. Use a periodized plan (either linear or undulating) that changes your training variables over time. This approach is consistently shown to produce better strength gains than non-periodized training, regardless of your experience level.

Intentional weight loss, particularly through bariatric surgery, significantly reduces the risk of hospitalization and ICU admission for patients with severe obesity who contract COVID-19.

For individuals with severe obesity, bariatric surgery can lead to significant weight loss and a substantially lower risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, including hospitalization and ICU admission. While surgery is a major decision, it should be considered as a viable option for those who meet the criteria, as it can offer substantial health benefits beyond weight loss.

Achieving remission from type 2 diabetes through lifestyle intervention significantly reduces the long-term incidence of chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease compared to maintaining active diabetes.

Achieving remission from type 2 diabetes through intensive lifestyle changes—specifically significant weight loss, improved diet, and increased physical activity—substantially lowers your risk of developing kidney disease and heart problems over the long term. You do not need to maintain remission forever to gain these benefits; even short periods of remission are associated with significantly better health outcomes compared to staying in active diabetes.

Altering the default order of food products in an online supermarket to display items in ascending order of saturated fat content significantly reduces the percentage of energy from saturated fat in the shopping basket.

If you are designing an online grocery platform, sort products within categories by their saturated fat content in ascending order (lowest SFA at the top). This environmental nudge significantly reduces the saturated fat content of the shopping basket compared to random ordering or offering explicit swaps. This works best when the sorting is not explicitly labeled to the user, relying on the 'default' effect.

Providing augmented feedback (visual or verbal) during resistance training significantly enhances acute performance metrics, specifically increasing barbell velocity by approximately 8.4% compared to no feedback.

Use visual or verbal feedback during your resistance training sets. Specifically, provide feedback after every repetition rather than just at the end of a set. Visual feedback (seeing the data) is more effective than verbal feedback (hearing the data). This will likely increase your barbell speed and overall workout quality.

Visual feedback is significantly more effective than verbal feedback for enhancing acute resistance training performance.

If you have access to visual feedback tools (like velocity-based training devices or apps), use them. They are more effective than just hearing numbers from a coach. Displaying the data visually helps you push harder and faster.

Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) delivered via a mobile platform with daily psychologist feedback and assignments significantly improves weight loss and weight maintenance compared to self-directed digital tools in young adults with obesity.

If you are between 18 and 39 with a BMI between 25 and 40, using a digital CBT app with daily psychologist feedback and assignments for 8 weeks is a viable strategy for weight loss. This approach is more effective than using digital tools for self-care (like food diaries) alone. Ensure you have a smartphone and are motivated to use it.

Losing 5% or more of body weight within the first year following a type 2 diabetes diagnosis significantly reduces the 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease events compared to maintaining weight.

If you were recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, aim to lose at least 5% of your body weight in the first year. This moderate loss is linked to a significantly lower risk of heart disease and stroke over the next decade. You don't need extreme measures; focusing on small, sustainable changes to your diet and activity levels can yield major long-term heart benefits.

Ultra-processed foods cause increased energy intake and weight gain even when matched for macronutrients and energy content, compared to unprocessed foods.

Avoid ultra-processed foods. Even if they have the same calories and macros as whole foods, you will likely eat more and gain weight. Focus on whole, unprocessed foods to naturally regulate intake.

Acute ingestion of 3 mg/kg caffeine significantly improves resistance exercise performance (velocity, power, repetitions), jumping height, and sprinting power in resistance-trained men, regardless of CYP1A2 genotype (AA vs. AC/CC).

Take 3 mg of caffeine per kg of body weight about an hour before your workout. This will likely improve your speed, power, and number of reps in resistance training, jumping, and sprinting. You do not need to worry about your CYP1A2 genotype (fast vs. slow metabolizer) as this dose works for everyone. Stick to this moderate dose; you don't need extreme amounts to see benefits.

Lower load resistance training (loads < 50% 1RM) induces similar or superior muscle hypertrophy and strength adaptations compared to traditional higher load training (loads > 70% 1RM), provided the lower load sets are performed in close proximity to concentric failure.

To build muscle and strength without heavy weights, use loads between 30-50% of your one-rep max. Perform 2-3 sets of 3-4 exercises, 2-3 times a week. The key is effort: you must perform reps until you can barely complete another one (concentric failure) or are within 3-5 reps of that point. This approach is as effective as heavy lifting for most people and is easier on your joints.

Lower load resistance training (30-50% 1RM) improves metabolic health markers, including glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors, comparable to or better than higher load training when volume is matched.

If you have diabetes or heart concerns, you can still benefit from resistance training using lighter weights (30-50% 1RM). Ensure you match the total volume (sets x reps) of heavier training. This approach improves blood sugar control and cardiovascular risk without the dangerous blood pressure spikes seen with heavy lifting.

Triple incretin agonists (GLP-1R/GIPR/GCGR) produce superior body weight reduction (up to 24.2%) compared to dual or mono-agonists, approaching the efficacy of bariatric surgery.

Retatrutide, a once-weekly injection targeting three gut hormone receptors, has shown remarkable weight loss results (up to 24% in trials). While side effects like nausea are common, they are often manageable by starting with a lower dose. This therapy represents a significant advancement over older GLP-1 drugs, offering efficacy closer to bariatric surgery without the surgical risks.

GLP-1/Glucagon dual agonists (e.g., mazdutide, survodutide) produce greater weight loss and triglyceride reduction compared to GLP-1 mono-agonists.

Dual agonists targeting GLP-1 and Glucagon receptors (like survodutide) have shown significant weight loss (up to 18.7%) and improved triglyceride levels in Phase 2 trials. These drugs leverage the fat-burning and energy-expenditure effects of glucagon while maintaining glucose control through GLP-1.

SGLT-2 inhibitors reduce body weight and visceral adiposity in Asian patients with type 2 diabetes, making them a preferred therapeutic option for overweight or obese patients.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes and are overweight, ask your doctor about SGLT-2 inhibitors (like Jardiance, Farxiga, or Invokana). Unlike older diabetes meds that often cause weight gain, these drugs help you lose weight and reduce belly fat while managing your blood sugar.