Browse the evidence

A high-protein diet (1.4-2g/kg body weight) supports muscle repair, lean body mass gains, and strength improvements in resistance-trained individuals, with animal proteins potentially offering superior lean mass benefits compared to plant proteins.

If you lift weights, aim for 1.4 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. This supports muscle repair and strength gains. While animal proteins may offer a slight edge in lean mass for younger adults, plant proteins are also effective, especially if your baseline intake was previously low.

A combined supplementation protocol of creatine, beta-alanine, and caffeine yields superior strength gains (+15.2%) and faster recovery (22 hours) in powerlifters compared to protein supplements or no supplements.

If you are a powerlifter, consider a stack of creatine, beta-alanine, and caffeine. In this study, this combination increased strength by 15.2% and reduced recovery time to 22 hours over 8 weeks, outperforming protein-only supplements and no supplements.

Balanced macronutrient intake (1.6-2.2g protein/kg, 4-6g carbs/kg) results in significantly greater strength gains (12.5%) and faster recovery (24 hours) compared to protein or carbohydrate deficits.

Eat a balanced diet with 1.6-2.2g of protein per kg of body weight and 4-6g of carbohydrates per kg. This supports maximum strength gains and faster recovery (24 hours) compared to restricting either nutrient.

Adapted physical activity (APA) consisting of 3 moderate-intensity sessions per week (20-30 minutes) leads to a statistically significant gain in lean mass (average +0.64%) in hospitalized hematology patients.

For hematology patients, 3 short (20-30 min) moderate sessions per week of light resistance and balance exercises (like yoga or Pilates with light weights) can help preserve or slightly increase muscle mass and reduce fatigue, provided blood counts are monitored and sessions are paused if counts drop too low.

Whey protein is the only protein source shown to have statistically significant effects on both endurance performance and muscle strength in this meta-analysis.

If you use protein supplements for performance, whey protein is the only source with demonstrated significant benefits for both endurance and strength in this analysis. Other sources (soy, casein, etc.) did not show significant effects.

Higher protein intake is significantly associated with greater hand muscle strength in adolescent karate athletes, whereas energy, fat, and carbohydrate intake are not.

For adolescent karate athletes, ensuring adequate protein intake is more critical for hand strength than simply eating enough total calories or focusing on carbs/fat. While knowing nutrition is good, it doesn't replace the need for specific nutrient intake and training. Focus on distributing protein intake throughout the day to support muscle protein synthesis alongside training.

High protein intake combined with physical rehabilitation improves muscle mass retention and functional recovery in patients undergoing ACL reconstruction.

If you are recovering from ACL surgery, ensure your diet includes adequate protein alongside your physical therapy. This combination is associated with better muscle retention and functional recovery, though more high-quality research is needed to define exact dosages.

Using a wellness app that combines nutrition education, continuous food tracking (self-monitoring), and personalized macro-nutrient meal planning improves adherence to healthy eating behaviors by increasing nutrition knowledge, fostering mindfulness, and optimizing macro distribution.

To improve your diet, don't just count calories. Use an app that tracks your food, gives you nutrition info, and suggests personalized meals based on your goals. This helps you learn, stay mindful, and balance your macros without feeling deprived.

Carbohydrate intake of 3–12 g/kg/day, adjusted for exercise duration and intensity, is recommended for athletes with diabetes to optimize glycogen storage and performance.

As a diabetic athlete, you need carbohydrates to perform. Aim for 3 to 12 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of your body weight each day. If you train for a long time or at high intensity, aim for the higher end of this range. This helps store glycogen in your muscles and liver, which is your main energy source during exercise. Monitor your blood sugar to see how your body responds to different amounts.

Regular, planned meal timing (4-5 hours between meals) and using smaller rice bowls (190-200 mL) are effective behavioral interventions for controlling portion sizes and preventing postprandial blood sugar spikes in diabetic patients.

Eat meals at regular intervals, leaving 4-5 hours between them. Use a smaller rice bowl (approx. 190-200 mL) to naturally limit your rice intake. Start your meal with vegetables, then eat rice and other foods, to help control blood sugar spikes and prevent overeating.

Integrating cognitive-behavioral therapy with diet and exercise in multidisciplinary teams for Type 2 Diabetes and obesity potentiates dietary effects and enhances long-term adherence to lifestyle changes.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes and obesity, relying solely on diet and exercise may lead to weight loss initially, but sticking with it long-term is difficult. To succeed, you need a multidisciplinary team that includes psychological support (like cognitive-behavioral therapy) to help you manage stress and barriers, not just a meal plan and workout schedule.

A behavioral counseling intervention targeting both physical activity and sedentary behavior reduces long-term all-cause mortality in people with type 2 diabetes.

If you have type 2 diabetes, focus on reducing your total sitting time and increasing light activity (like walking around the house or workplace) rather than just trying to do intense workouts. A structured counseling program that helps you set goals and overcome barriers to moving more and sitting less, done annually, can significantly lower your risk of dying from any cause over the long term.

A 12-week nutrition and health canteen-based lifestyle intervention significantly reduces body weight, BMI, and systemic inflammatory biomarkers (IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, hs-CRP) in middle-aged adults.

To improve weight and reduce inflammation, consider participating in or advocating for structured, healthy collective dining options that limit salt, sugar, and oil while increasing food diversity. Combine this with regular physical activity and health education for best results.

Diet selection should be personalized based on individual metabolic response, preferences, and long-term sustainability rather than assuming one diet is universally superior.

Don't look for the 'best' diet. Look for the diet that fits your health conditions (like diabetes or high cholesterol) and your lifestyle. If you hate counting carbs, don't do low-carb. If you hate counting fat, don't do low-fat. The best diet is the one you can stick to for years.

Adherence to low-calorie, low-carbohydrate, low-fat, or low-sodium diets is significantly associated with improved anthropometric indicators (BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, body fat/muscle composition) in Moroccan adults.

If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol, adopting a diet that restricts calories, carbohydrates, fat, or sodium (as defined by your doctor) is associated with better body composition and lower cardiovascular risk. Focus on the specific restriction relevant to your condition (e.g., low sodium for hypertension).

Phenotype-guided prescribing of anti-obesity medications (matching drug to underlying pathophysiology like 'hungry brain' or 'hungry gut') results in significantly greater weight loss compared to standard non-phenotype-guided care.

If standard weight loss medications aren't working well, ask your doctor about 'phenotype-guided' prescribing. This involves identifying whether your obesity is driven by 'hungry brain' (satiety issues), 'hungry gut' (satiety signals), 'emotional hunger', or 'slow burn' (metabolism). Matching the right drug (like Phentermine/Topiramate for hungry brain or Liraglutide for hungry gut) to your specific type can nearly double your chances of losing more than 10% of your body weight compared to standard care.

Randomized clinical trials demonstrate that dietary interventions (specifically low-carbohydrate or high-fiber diets) and physical activity significantly improve insulin sensitivity in obese individuals.

To improve insulin sensitivity, prioritize limiting carbohydrate intake and increasing dietary fiber through whole grains, vegetables, and legumes. Combine this with regular physical activity, as these are the most prominent intervention strategies found in recent clinical trials for obesity and insulin resistance.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a viable exercise modality for patients with Type 1 Diabetes, offering benefits such as improved quality of life and lower rates of hypoglycemia compared to moderate aerobic exercise.

Consider trying High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) if you struggle with time or fear of low blood sugar during exercise. Studies show it can improve quality of life and has lower hypoglycemia rates than moderate aerobic exercise. Start with a progressive program and monitor your glucose.

Post-weigh-in rehydration should involve consuming 125-150% of lost body mass in fluids containing specific electrolytes (1700mg Na, 800mg K, 2300mg Cl, 13g CHO per liter) to maximize absorption and retention.

After weigh-in, drink fluids containing sodium, potassium, chloride, and carbs (like a sports drink or ORS). Drink 125-150% of the weight you lost. Start with 750-1000mL right away, wait 30 minutes, then eat a small, digestible meal with 50-100g carbs. Continue drinking at 1-1.5 liters per hour.

Addressing overweight and obesity is a primary strategy for reducing the risk of CHD development and progression.

Maintain a healthy weight through a balanced diet and regular moderate exercise. In regions with specific dietary habits (like high carbohydrate intake), focusing on increasing vegetable and fruit consumption and reducing refined carbs is key to lowering heart disease risk.

Long-term (4.5 years) physiotherapist-provided physical activity on prescription (PaP) significantly increases exercise capacity (EC) in physically inactive patients with metabolic risk factors, demonstrating that sustained behavioral change is achievable in primary care.

If you are inactive and have metabolic risks, standard short-term advice may not be enough. A long-term, individually tailored plan with regular check-ins from a physiotherapist can significantly improve your exercise capacity over several years, which is linked to better longevity. The key is sustained, personalized support, not just a one-time prescription.

Nutritional guidance provided by a registered dietitian significantly improves dyslipidemia markers (total and LDL cholesterol) in patients with moderate obesity, even when BMI changes are not statistically significant.

If you have obesity, ask for a referral to a registered dietitian. Even if your weight doesn't drop significantly in the first few months, this guidance can significantly improve your cholesterol levels and reduce cardiovascular risk. Focus on the metabolic benefits, not just the number on the scale.

Weight loss of 10-15% in patients with obesity and Type 2 Diabetes has disease-modifying effects, including improved glycaemic control, reduced need for medication, and potential disease remission.

For patients with obesity and Type 2 Diabetes, aim for a weight loss of 10-15% of body weight. This level of loss is not just for appearance but can modify the disease course, potentially leading to remission and reduced medication needs. This is particularly important for those with higher BMI.

Structured, ongoing nutritional counseling and education significantly increase weight management nutrition knowledge scores compared to baseline or no counseling.

If you are trying to manage your weight, seek out professional nutritional counseling rather than relying solely on self-education. The study shows that ongoing interaction with a dietitian significantly improves your understanding of weight management principles, which is a key component of long-term success.