Browse the evidence

A high-protein diet (60-80 g/day or 1.5 g/kg/day) combined with strength training prevents loss of lean body mass and promotes satiety after endoscopic bariatric therapy.

Eat 60-80 grams of protein daily (or 1.5g per kg of body weight) to protect your muscles while you lose fat. This also helps you feel full longer. Combine this with strength training for best results.

Early weight-loss failure (no weight loss at month 1) significantly increases the odds of early dropout from commercial weight-loss programs.

If you join a commercial weight-loss program and don't see the scale move in the first month, do not quit. This is the most common reason people drop out. Instead, use this as a cue to engage with your coach or adjust your approach, as early failure is a strong predictor of eventual dropout.

Intermittent fasting variants (specifically ADF and TWF) cause significant lean mass loss when combined with energy restriction, unless resistance training and high protein intake are utilized.

If you fast, you must lift weights and eat high protein (>=1.6g/kg). Fasting without these two factors will likely cost you muscle. Modified fasting days should prioritize protein.

Lifestyle modifications, specifically calorie-restricted diets combined with moderate-intensity aerobic and resistance exercise, are first-line interventions that can induce Type 2 Diabetes remission and improve insulin sensitivity.

Adopt a daily caloric deficit of 500-750 kcal and aim for 150 minutes of moderate exercise (like brisk walking) spread across at least three days, plus resistance training twice a week. This approach is the primary, evidence-based method to manage obesity and potentially reverse Type 2 Diabetes without medication.

Modifying the food environment to reduce the availability of hyperpalatable, low-nutrient foods and increase access to healthy options is a critical step in reducing obesity incidence at the population level.

Advocate for changes in your community to make healthy food more accessible and appealing. This includes supporting policies that limit the availability of hyperpalatable, low-nutrient foods.

Resmetirom (80-100 mg daily) is the first FDA-approved pharmacotherapy for MASH with fibrosis, demonstrating significant improvement in liver fibrosis and MASH resolution compared to placebo.

Resmetirom is the first approved drug for MASH with fibrosis. It works by targeting thyroid hormone receptors in the liver to reduce fat and inflammation. Take 80mg or 100mg daily. Expect possible mild stomach issues, but the drug has proven to improve liver scarring in clinical trials.

Tirzepatide (10-15 mg weekly) is more effective than placebo in resolving MASH without worsening fibrosis, showing substantial weight loss and metabolic improvements.

Tirzepatide (10-15mg weekly) is more effective than placebo for resolving MASH without worsening fibrosis. It causes significant weight loss and has an acceptable safety profile.

Ingesting 30 g of whey protein after resistance exercise maximizes myofibrillar protein synthesis in trained women, while 60 g provides no additional benefit.

If you are a trained woman doing resistance exercise, aim for 30g of high-quality protein (like whey) after your workout. Taking 60g won't help your muscles grow any faster than 30g, and 15g isn't enough to trigger the growth response. Stick to 30g to maximize efficiency.

Milk protein supplementation (10-15g) combined with resistance training significantly increases lean body mass (LBM) in older adults (≥60 years), whereas whey protein at the same dose range shows a negative effect on LBM gains.

For adults over 60 engaging in resistance training, consuming 10-15 grams of milk protein daily (e.g., from milk or dairy products) alongside your workouts helps increase lean body mass. Interestingly, using whey protein isolate at this same low dose did not help and may have hindered gains, suggesting that the full spectrum of milk proteins (casein/whey ratio) in whole milk protein is more effective for this age group than isolated whey.

Milk protein supplementation improves muscle strength (1RM knee extension) in older adults only when the daily protein dose is ≥ 22 g; doses below 22 g do not significantly improve strength.

If your goal is to increase your strength (e.g., leg press or knee extension weight) through resistance training, ensure you are consuming at least 22 grams of milk protein daily. Lower doses (10-15g) may help maintain muscle mass but are insufficient for improving strength in older adults.

Consumption of semolina pasta within a Mediterranean dietary pattern is associated with lower body weight and BMI compared to higher-glycemic index diets, and does not increase cardiovascular disease risk.

Include pasta in your diet, specifically semolina or whole-grain varieties cooked al dente. It has a low glycemic index and forms resistant starch when cooled, which aids satiety and metabolic health. Pair it with vegetables and lean proteins to maximize benefits. It is not a cause of weight gain when consumed in appropriate portions (2 oz dry).

Frequent episodic bouts of resistance exercise combined with protein ingestion result in skeletal muscle hypertrophy, primarily by driving increases in muscle protein synthesis (MPS) rather than changes in muscle protein breakdown (MPB).

To build muscle, you need to combine resistance training with protein intake. This combination works by significantly boosting muscle protein synthesis. Don't focus solely on the immediate post-workout spike; consistent training and protein consumption over time are what drive actual muscle growth.

Cluster sets (CS) and rest redistribution (RR) set structures serve as effective, cost-free alternatives to velocity-based training (VBT) prescriptions using a 20% velocity loss (VL20) threshold, allowing the majority of repetitions to be performed with less than 20% velocity loss.

If you want to train with high velocity without buying a velocity-tracking device, use Cluster Sets or Rest Redistribution. For Bench Press, Rest Redistribution (9 sets of 2 reps with 45s rest) was most effective at keeping speed high. For Squat, both worked well, but Rest Redistribution still outperformed Cluster Sets. Avoid Traditional Sets (continuous reps) if you want to maintain speed, as velocity drops significantly faster.

Training at long muscle lengths (via full or partial range of motion that includes the stretched position) is superior or equal to training at short muscle lengths for maximizing muscle hypertrophy.

Prioritize exercises or variations that stretch the target muscle significantly. Whether you use a full range of motion or a partial range, ensure the movement includes the 'stretched' position at the bottom. Avoid partial reps that only occur in the shortened position (e.g., the top half of a squat), as these are less effective for growth.

Moderate weight loss (5-15%) provides significant health benefits with minimal metabolic adaptation (small RMR deficit), making it a more sustainable and effective long-term strategy than dramatic weight loss for improving metabolic health.

Aim for a 5-15% reduction in body weight rather than extreme loss. This range provides major health benefits with minimal metabolic slowdown, making it much easier to maintain long-term. Focus on sustainable lifestyle changes rather than rapid results.

Combining GLP-1RA therapy with resistance exercise and high protein intake preserves fat-free mass better than GLP-1RA therapy alone in older adults with obesity.

To get the most benefit from GLP-1 medications without losing muscle, you must also do resistance exercise (like weights) at least twice a week and eat enough protein (1.0-1.2g per kg of body weight). This combination helps you lose fat while keeping your strength.

Tirzepatide, a dual GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist, produces significant weight loss (17.8% placebo-subtracted) in individuals with obesity without diabetes.

Tirzepatide is a once-weekly injection that significantly reduces body weight in people with obesity, even without diabetes. It works by mimicking two gut hormones (GLP-1 and GIP) to reduce appetite and improve metabolism. While effective, it can cause temporary gastrointestinal issues like nausea, which usually subside as your body adjusts.

Semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly produces significant weight loss (14.9% reduction) in individuals with obesity.

Semaglutide 2.4 mg is a once-weekly injection approved for chronic weight management. It significantly reduces body weight by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone, which helps control appetite. Common side effects include gastrointestinal issues, which often improve over time.

Integrating real-time continuous glucose monitoring (rtCGM) into a low glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) diet significantly improves body weight, BMI, fat mass, and metabolic parameters (fasting glucose, HbA1c, cholesterol) in overweight/obese young adults compared to diet education alone.

If you are overweight and want to lose weight, try using a continuous glucose monitor (like FreeStyle Libre) while eating a low-glycemic diet. The monitor gives you instant feedback on how different foods affect your blood sugar, helping you make better food choices (like swapping white rice for brown rice) without needing to count calories strictly. This study showed that this feedback loop led to greater weight loss and better cholesterol levels than diet education alone.

Healthy Low-Fat (HLF) and Healthy Low-Carbohydrate (HLC) diets produce equivalent average weight loss (~13 lbs) over 12 months when both emphasize high dietary quality (vegetables, no added sugar/refined flour) and allow self-titration of macronutrients.

Don't obsess over whether you are low-fat or low-carb. Pick one macro to restrict to 20g/day for the first 8 weeks to reset habits, then slowly add it back until you feel satisfied and can maintain it long-term. Crucially, fill your plate with vegetables and eliminate added sugars and refined flour. This focus on food quality and satiety, rather than calorie counting, drives the weight loss.

High-quality weight loss, defined as maximizing fat loss while preserving skeletal muscle mass, is critical for maintaining metabolic health, insulin sensitivity, and long-term weight maintenance.

When losing weight, prioritize strategies that protect your muscles, such as adequate protein intake and resistance exercise. Losing muscle along with fat can harm your metabolism and insulin sensitivity, making long-term weight maintenance harder.

Resistance exercise combined with caloric restriction is the most effective non-pharmacological strategy for preserving skeletal muscle mass and strength during weight loss.

Do not rely on diet alone. Incorporate resistance training into your weight loss plan to prevent muscle loss and maintain strength.

GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., semaglutide) are the most efficacious weight-loss drugs currently available in clinical use.

GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide are currently the most effective pharmaceutical option for weight loss. If you are struggling with obesity, this class of medication offers the highest potential for efficacy, though you must manage potential side effects like nausea. Discuss with your doctor if this injectable treatment is appropriate for you.

GLP-1 agonists (specifically Semaglutide and Liraglutide) induce significant weight loss (≥15%) which improves Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) severity, measured by Apnoea-Hypopnoea Index (AHI), particularly in patients who cannot tolerate CPAP.

If you have OSA and struggle with CPAP or cannot lose enough weight through diet alone, GLP-1 agonists like Semaglutide (2.4mg weekly) are a clinically proven option to reduce sleep apnea severity. Be prepared for potential gastrointestinal side effects and the likelihood that you may need to stay on the medication long-term to keep the weight off and your airway open.