Browse the evidence

A gender-sensitized lifestyle intervention leveraging sports fandom (Hockey FIT) significantly improves weight loss, physical activity, and dietary habits in overweight/obese middle-aged men compared to a wait-list control.

If you are a man who loves sports, look for community-based fitness programs that use your team's identity as a hook. This study shows that combining exercise, diet advice, and social support within a sports context leads to significant, sustained weight loss in men, often better than standard medical advice.

Time-restricted feeding (TRF) with an 8-hour eating window (16:8) produces moderate weight loss in individuals with overweight or obesity, with effects potentially exceeding 5% of initial body weight when combined with caloric restriction.

If you have excess weight, try eating all your meals within an 8-hour window each day (e.g., 12 PM to 8 PM). You do not need to count calories if you are not used to it, but you must stop eating after your chosen end time. If you want faster results, combine this with a modest calorie reduction. Expect moderate weight loss, potentially over 5% of your body weight if you also restrict calories.

Time-Restricted Eating (TRE) results in greater reductions in body weight, fat mass, and fat-free mass compared to Continuous Energy Restriction (CER).

If you choose to use Time-Restricted Eating, you may see slightly better weight loss than with standard calorie counting. However, be aware that this also leads to greater loss of fat-free mass (muscle), which may not be desirable for everyone.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) significantly reduces body weight, total fat mass, and abdominal fat mass in premenopausal women, with cycling being more effective than running.

If you are premenopausal, HIIT (3x/week, ≥8 weeks) is a highly effective strategy for losing fat, especially abdominal fat. Cycling HIIT may be superior to running. If you are postmenopausal, HIIT alone may not significantly reduce weight or abdominal fat due to hormonal changes; you may need longer durations or combined interventions.

HIIT is effective in reducing total fat mass in both normal-weight and overweight/obese women, but only reduces abdominal fat mass in women with excess adiposity (BMI > 25).

If you are overweight or obese, HIIT will help you lose belly fat. If you are already normal weight, HIIT will still help you lose overall body fat, but may not specifically target abdominal fat.

Intermittent fasting (IF) produces significantly greater weight loss than continuous calorie restriction (CCR) in overweight and obese adults, although both interventions result in similar improvements in BMI.

If your goal is maximum weight loss, intermittent fasting (like alternate-day fasting or restricted eating windows) may yield better results on the scale than simply eating less every day. However, if you are tracking BMI as your primary health metric, both methods work equally well. Choose the pattern you can sustain, as adherence is the biggest hurdle with fasting.

Alternate-Day Fasting (ADF) is the specific form of intermittent fasting that drives the superior weight loss results compared to Continuous Calorie Restriction, whereas 'normal' IF forms show no significant difference from CCR.

Not all fasting is created equal. If you want the maximum weight loss benefit, Alternate-Day Fasting (eating very little every other day) is the most effective strategy. However, if you prefer more flexible fasting windows (like skipping one meal a day), your weight loss will likely be similar to simply eating less every day, and you won't get the extra 'boost' that ADF provides.

Short-term multicomponent lifestyle interventions (6 months or less) combining nutrition and physical activity achieve statistically significant weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity compared to control groups.

If you have overweight or obesity, a structured program combining diet and exercise lasting 6 months or less can help you lose weight. You don't necessarily need a year-long commitment to see results. Look for programs that offer education, tracking tools, and support, as these multicomponent approaches are effective.

Tirzepatide produces the greatest weight loss and superior cardiometabolic improvements (blood pressure, triglycerides, glucose) among FDA/EMA-approved anti-obesity medications.

If you have obesity and comorbidities, Tirzepatide is currently the most effective FDA-approved medication for weight loss and improving metabolic markers like blood pressure and blood sugar. It outperforms Semaglutide in weight reduction magnitude.

Intermittent fasting for two consecutive days per week (IF2-P) produces significantly greater weight loss and waist circumference reduction than fasting for one day per week (IF1-P), despite both groups consuming matched total weekly energy intake and expenditure.

If you are overweight or obese, trying intermittent fasting for two consecutive days a week (like 26:2 or 60:168 patterns) may yield better weight loss results than fasting for just one day, even if you eat the same total amount of food over the week. Ensure your fasting days are nutrient-dense and low-sugar, and your feeding days include adequate protein (30-35% of calories) to preserve muscle mass.

Sprint Interval Training (SIT) reduces abdominal visceral fat area (AVFA) to a similar extent as High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) despite requiring significantly less total exercise time and training load.

If you are obese and want to reduce dangerous belly fat, Sprint Interval Training (SIT) is a viable option that saves time compared to traditional HIIT. Perform 80 cycles of 6-second all-out sprints with 9 seconds of rest, 3-4 times a week. You do not need to match the total work or time of longer HIIT sessions to see significant visceral fat loss.

Formula very low-energy diets (VLEDs, <800 kcal/day) and low-energy diets (LEDs, 800–1200 kcal/day) achieve clinically significant short-term weight loss (10–15% bodyweight) and can induce type 2 diabetes (T2D) remission when combined with structured weight maintenance programs.

If you have recently diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes and obesity, a structured program using formula meals (under 800-1200 calories/day) for 3-5 months, followed by a gradual return to normal food and long-term support, can put your diabetes into remission in nearly half of participants. This requires medical supervision to adjust diabetes medications safely, but it is a viable alternative to surgery for many.

Maintaining weight loss after formula diet-induced weight loss requires specific strategies, including continued use of formula products, behavioral support, and gradual food reintroduction, as physiological hunger hormones (ghrelin) increase post-weight loss.

After losing weight with formula meals, your body will naturally try to regain it by increasing hunger hormones. To keep the weight off, you must actively maintain your progress. This means continuing to use some formula products (daily or periodically), engaging in behavioral strategies like self-monitoring, and slowly reintroducing solid foods over 6 weeks rather than rushing back to normal eating.

Caloric restriction (20-30% reduction) significantly improves cardiometabolic health by reducing body weight, BMI, fat mass, total cholesterol, and LDL, while having no significant effect on blood pressure or HDL.

To improve metabolic health, reduce your daily caloric intake by 20-30% while ensuring you still get all essential nutrients. Expect significant weight loss and improved cholesterol levels, but do not expect blood pressure or HDL changes to be guaranteed outcomes.

Time-restricted eating (TRE) with an 8-hour daily eating window significantly reduces body weight and fat mass in adults with obesity compared to control groups, particularly when the intervention lasts longer than 12 weeks.

If you have obesity, try restricting your eating to an 8-hour window each day (e.g., 10 AM to 6 PM). This approach is more effective for weight and fat loss than no time restriction, especially if you stick with it for more than 3 months. While it doesn't significantly change blood sugar or cholesterol markers in obese adults, it is a viable strategy for weight management. Be aware that adherence may be challenging due to social obligations, so consistency is key.

Weekly physical activity volumes of 700 minutes of moderate intensity or 350 minutes of vigorous intensity maximize all-cause mortality reduction, significantly exceeding the standard 150-minute guideline.

Aim for 700 minutes of moderate activity (like brisk walking) or 350 minutes of vigorous activity (like running) per week for maximum longevity benefits. This is roughly double the standard recommendation. You can achieve this through a mix of exercise and daily living activities like gardening or active commuting. If you are a man, vigorous activity may offer slightly more benefit; if a woman, moderate activity is highly effective. Start with the minimum 150 minutes and gradually increase toward 700 minutes.

Replacing sitting time with physical activity eliminates the increased mortality risk associated with high sedentary behavior, particularly when achieving ≥420 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA per week.

If you have a sedentary job, do not rely on short workouts. Aim for at least 420 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity per week (e.g., brisk walking, running) to cancel out the risks of sitting. This is a significant amount of time, so integrate activity into your day through commuting, breaks, and leisure.

A low-energy total diet replacement (TDR) intervention (800-820 kcal/day formula diet) combined with behavioral support significantly reduces body weight, insulin requirements, and improves quality of life in patients with long-standing type 2 diabetes and obesity treated with insulin.

If you have long-standing type 2 diabetes and take insulin, a structured low-calorie formula diet (around 800 calories/day) for 12 weeks, followed by a gradual return to solid foods with ongoing support, can help you lose significant weight and potentially reduce or stop your insulin. This must be done under medical supervision to adjust your insulin doses safely and prevent low blood sugar. The key is the initial energy deficit combined with behavioral support.

Intermittent Energy Restriction (IER) diets, including Alternate-Day Fasting (ADF) and Time-Restricted Feeding (TRF), produce weight loss and metabolic improvements (reduced triglycerides, LDL, and blood pressure) that are comparable to Continuous Energy Restriction (CER) diets when total caloric intake is matched.

If you struggle with daily calorie counting, try Intermittent Energy Restriction. You can either fast on alternate days (eating very little or nothing on fast days) or restrict your eating to a specific window (e.g., 8 hours) each day. The goal is to reduce total weekly calories, not necessarily to eat less every single day. Expect to lose about 3-8% of your body weight over 2-3 months, similar to what you would get from eating less every day.

Consuming high-fiber rye products as part of a hypocaloric diet for 12 weeks causes greater body weight and body fat loss compared to consuming refined wheat products, independent of subjective appetite responses.

If you are trying to lose weight on a calorie-restricted diet, replace your refined wheat products (bread, cereal, crispbread) with high-fiber rye products. In this 12-week study, this swap resulted in significantly more weight and fat loss (1.08 kg and 0.54% body fat more) compared to wheat, even though participants didn't feel less hungry. You must still maintain your calorie deficit; rye is not a free pass to eat more calories.

Adhering to a low energy-dense (LED) diet significantly reduces total daily energy intake and improves appetite control (increased fullness, reduced hunger/cravings) in overweight and obese women, leading to greater weight loss compared to standard calorie-restriction programs.

To lose weight effectively, focus on eating foods with low energy density (high volume, low calories, like vegetables, fruits, lean proteins) rather than just counting calories. This approach allows you to eat until you are full, reduces hunger and cravings, and makes sticking to your diet easier and more enjoyable than strict calorie restriction.

Interventions that enhance satiety and/or reduce hunger lead to a statistically significant reduction in body weight (average 3.60 kg greater than controls) in individuals with overweight or obesity when sustained over 8+ weeks.

If you struggle with hunger while dieting, try incorporating foods specifically designed to increase satiety or reduce hunger. These foods can help you eat less automatically, leading to an average extra weight loss of about 3.6 kg compared to standard diets over 8 weeks or more. Look for products that claim to enhance fullness.

Individual reductions in ad libitum energy intake explain a significant portion (23-58%) of the variation in subsequent weight loss, linking acute appetite effects to long-term weight management.

Focus on how full you feel. Studies show that when you eat foods that make you feel fuller, you naturally eat fewer calories, and this reduction in calories directly leads to more weight loss. It's not just about willpower; it's about choosing foods that work with your body's hunger signals.

A ketogenic diet (KD) significantly reduces body weight, BMI, fat mass, waist circumference, visceral adipose tissue, and percentage body fat compared to low-fat diets in adults, but also causes a small reduction in fat-free and lean body mass.

Adopting a ketogenic diet (high fat, very low carb) for 2-96 weeks leads to significant weight loss, reduced body fat, and improved waist circumference compared to low-fat diets. However, be aware that you may also lose a small amount of lean muscle mass (-0.63 kg). This diet is effective for body recomposition in adults, but long-term adherence can be challenging.