Browse the evidence

Whole-food, nutrient-dense diets that reduce ultra-processed food consumption are effective for weight management and metabolic health.

Focus on eating whole, nutrient-dense foods and minimize ultra-processed foods. This approach supports weight management and metabolic health through energy balance, hormonal regulation, and gut microbiota effects.

High-protein diets (25-30% of calories) preserve lean muscle mass and improve metabolic parameters like insulin sensitivity during weight loss.

Increase protein intake to 25-30% of your daily calories to preserve muscle and improve metabolic health. Ensure you consume high-quality protein sources and balance with carbs and fats.

A 45-day very-low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) incorporating whey protein improves muscle strength preservation and yields a healthier gut microbiota profile (increased Bacteroidetes, decreased Firmicutes) compared to vegetable or animal protein sources.

If you are doing a strict low-calorie ketogenic diet, choose whey protein as your primary supplement source. This study suggests it helps preserve muscle strength better than animal proteins (meat/fish/eggs) and promotes a healthier gut bacteria balance. Aim for about 90g of protein daily spread across 5 meals, keeping total calories around 780, and monitor your ketosis via urine strips to ensure you stay in the metabolic state.

A 12-week telenutrition intervention consisting of weekly registered dietitian support via video and phone, combined with a moderate caloric deficit, significantly increases the proportion of middle-aged and older men with cardiovascular risk factors who achieve clinically significant weight loss (≥5% body weight) compared to enhanced usual care alone.

If you are a man over 40 with excess weight and heart disease risks, you can lose significant weight (over 5% of your body) by following a moderate calorie-reduced diet and getting weekly support from a dietitian via phone or video. You don't necessarily need expensive in-person visits; consistent check-ins and tracking your weight and food intake are key. This approach works well even if you live in a rural area, provided you have internet access.

A 30-day ketogenic diet (KD) with adequate protein intake (1.8 g/kg/day) reduces body fat and visceral adipose tissue in semi-professional soccer players without compromising muscle mass, maximal strength, or intermittent aerobic performance.

If you are a semi-professional soccer player looking to lose fat quickly, a 30-day ketogenic diet can work without hurting your strength or performance. Key requirements: 1) Keep carbohydrates under 30g/day. 2) Eat 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. 3) Maintain your normal training schedule. 4) Use supplements or specific foods to help with adherence and electrolyte balance. Monitor your ketones to ensure you are in ketosis.

Intermittent Energy Restriction combined with a Mediterranean diet (IER+MED) significantly reduces visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and total fat mass more effectively than a continuous euenergetic DASH diet over 12 weeks.

To reduce visceral fat, try restricting calories to 30% of your normal intake for two consecutive days each week, while eating a Mediterranean-style diet (rich in plants, olive oil, fish) on the other five days. This approach may reduce belly fat more effectively than just eating a healthy diet every day without restriction. Ensure you are physically active, aiming for an hour of moderate exercise most days.

Intermittent energy restriction (IER) involving 2-3 fasting days per week produces greater short-term absolute weight loss and percentage of weight loss compared to continuous energy restriction (CER) when total energy deficit is matched.

If you struggle with daily calorie counting, try restricting calories to 400-600 kcal on 2-3 days a week (fasting days) and eating normally on the other days. This method may help you lose more weight in the short term (under 6 months) than eating slightly less every day, provided your total weekly calories are similar to the daily restriction approach.

Combining resistance training with a caloric deficit maximizes fat mass loss in overweight/obese premenopausal women compared to diet or resistance training alone.

To lose the most fat while keeping your muscle, combine a moderate caloric deficit with a high-protein diet and resistance training. Do not skip the weights just because you are dieting; they are crucial for preserving your metabolic engine and lean tissue. Aim for 3 days of strength training per week, focusing on compound movements with 10-12 reps, and ensure you are eating enough protein (around 1.4g per kg of body weight) to support your muscles during the deficit.

A structured weight management program using Total Diet Replacement (TDR) with a hypocaloric formula diet (approx. 850 kcal/day) for 3-5 months induces significant weight loss and Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) remission in South Asian populations, comparable to outcomes in white European cohorts.

For South Asians with recent Type 2 Diabetes, a strict, short-term (3-5 month) program using a ~850 kcal/day formula diet can reverse the disease. This involves replacing all food with formula, stopping diabetes meds under supervision, and then slowly reintroducing real food. It works similarly for South Asians as it does for white Europeans, primarily by reducing liver fat through significant weight loss.

Post-bariatric exercise training yields approximately 1.94 kg of additional weight loss compared to surgery alone, with aerobic-resistance combinations and starting exercise ≥1 year post-surgery producing the greatest effects.

If you have had bariatric surgery, adding exercise to your routine will help you lose more weight and improve your physical function compared to relying on surgery and diet alone. For the best results, wait at least one year after surgery to start a structured exercise program, and combine aerobic activities (like walking or cycling) with resistance training (weight lifting). Aim for 1.3 to 4 hours of exercise per week, spread over 2-3 sessions.

Alternate day fasting (ADF) combined with a low-carbohydrate diet (30% carbs) produces significant weight loss and improves metabolic risk factors (LDL, blood pressure, fasting insulin) in adults with obesity.

To lose weight and improve metabolic health using this method, alternate days of strict 600-kcal fasting (using meal replacements) with 1000-kcal feast days (using meal replacements plus low-carb food). Ensure your diet is low in carbohydrates (30% of calories) on both types of days. This protocol was shown to reduce weight by ~6% and improve LDL, blood pressure, and insulin over 6 months in obese adults.

A 4-week non-calorie-restricted ketogenic diet significantly reduces body weight, BMI, and abdominal adiposity (waist circumference) in overweight/obese young females without impairing cardiorespiratory fitness.

If you are an overweight young woman, switching to a ketogenic diet for 4 weeks can help you lose weight and reduce belly fat without needing to count calories or exercise more. You will eat less carbs and more fat, but keep your energy levels for daily activities. Expect to lose about 3kg and reduce your waist size by 4cm. Monitor your ketones to ensure you are in ketosis.

Combined exercise and low carbohydrate ketogenic diet interventions significantly reduce waist circumference and triglycerides in overweight and obese individuals compared to control groups.

If you are overweight or obese, combining regular moderate-to-vigorous exercise (about 4 times a week for an hour) with a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet (less than 50g carbs, high fat) can help reduce your waist size and triglyceride levels. You do not need to restrict calories, which might make it easier to stick with. While other body composition metrics like total weight or BMI might not change significantly, the reduction in waist circumference is a clinically meaningful improvement for chronic disease risk.

Combining time-restricted eating (TRE) with calorie restriction (CR) significantly reduces body weight, fat mass, and waist circumference compared to calorie restriction alone in overweight or obese adults.

If you are overweight or obese, combining a moderate calorie deficit with time-restricted eating (eating within a specific window of the day) will help you lose more weight and fat than just counting calories alone. However, do not expect this combination to significantly improve your blood pressure, blood sugar, or cholesterol levels beyond what you would get from calorie restriction alone.

An 8-week Very Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet (VLCKD) significantly reduces liver fat accumulation (measured by CAP and FLI) and improves metabolic biomarkers in overweight/obese subjects with NAFLD.

To improve liver health, follow an 8-week VLCKD protocol strictly. Consume under 800 calories daily with only 20-50g of carbs. Use meal replacements initially, then transition to one real protein meal. Ensure you take micronutrient supplements and drink at least 2 liters of water daily. This approach targets liver fat directly.

A multiphasic very-low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) program significantly reduces body weight, waist circumference, and cardiometabolic risk markers (including insulin resistance, blood pressure, and lipid profiles) in women with overweight or obesity when implemented in a real-world outpatient setting.

For women with overweight or obesity, a structured, medically supervised very-low-calorie ketogenic diet program over 24 weeks can significantly reduce body weight, waist size, and improve key health markers like insulin resistance and blood pressure. The program uses specific meal replacements and supplements, divided into active and stabilization phases. While strict adherence is challenging and some individuals may see an increase in LDL cholesterol, the overall cardiovascular risk profile tends to improve. Regular monitoring of liver, kidney, and lipid functions is recommended to ensure safety and tailor the approach.

Intermittent fasting 5:2 plus (30% energy on 2 fasting days, 70% on 5 non-fasting days) produces superior short-term weight loss compared to daily calorie restriction (70% energy daily) in Chinese adults with overweight or obesity.

If you have overweight or obesity, try an Intermittent Fasting 5:2 Plus program for 12 weeks. Eat about 30% of your normal calories on 2 non-consecutive days a week, and 70% on the other 5 days. Combine this with 150-300 minutes of moderate exercise weekly and behavioral tips like self-weighing. This approach led to significantly more weight loss than eating 70% of your calories every day in this study.

A 12-week low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) diet improves metabolic health outcomes (specifically triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and glucose) and yields greater weight loss compared to a conventional high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet in overweight military personnel.

Adopt a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet for 12 weeks, focusing on whole foods like non-starchy vegetables, meat, and healthy fats, while limiting processed foods, grains, and sugars. Monitor your adherence and expect improvements in metabolic markers like triglycerides and HDL, along with weight loss, even if LDL cholesterol increases slightly.

Post-bariatric surgery success (defined as >50% excess weight loss) is significantly associated with maintaining carbohydrate intake below 173g/day and fat intake below 52.5g/day at 12 months, alongside a total caloric intake under 1523 kcal/day.

After bariatric surgery, hitting your weight loss goals depends heavily on what you eat, not just how much. At one year, aim for less than 1523 calories, keep carbs under 173 grams, and fat under 52.5 grams. Crucially, ensure you are eating more than 86.5 grams of protein daily. This specific balance of macros is what separates successful long-term weight loss from failure.

Intermittent fasting during Ramadan leads to significant reductions in body weight, BMI, fat mass, and waist circumference in healthy young men, primarily driven by negative energy balance.

If you fast from sunrise to sunset for a month, you will likely lose weight and body fat, provided you don't overeat during non-fasting hours. This study showed a modest but significant drop in weight and fat mass, driven by eating less overall.

Energy restriction combined with behavioral modification and exercise (LED) is more effective for weight loss than low-fat, low-carbohydrate, or Mediterranean diets.

For significant weight loss, combine a moderate calorie deficit (approx. 1000-1200 kcal/day) with behavioral strategies (like self-monitoring) and regular exercise. This structured approach was found to be more effective than following specific diets like Low-Fat or Mediterranean diets alone.

Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) is highly effective for weight loss, producing a mean difference of -4.50 kg compared to eucaloric diet.

VLCD is a highly effective intervention for weight loss, producing a mean loss of 4.5 kg more than eucaloric diet. It should be undertaken with medical supervision due to its intensity.

A hybrid digital health weight loss program combining a mobile application, wireless scale, and meal replacement biscuits achieves clinically significant short- and midterm weight loss (average 5.4 kg at 120 days) without face-to-face interaction.

To lose weight using this method, you need a smartphone, a compatible wireless scale, and access to the specific meal replacement biscuits (Yufit) recommended by the MetaWell app. The core mechanism is a caloric deficit achieved by replacing some meals with these low-calorie biscuits (up to 3 daily) while following the app's personalized meal plan. You must weigh yourself daily using the scale and log it in the app. The program is designed to be remote, so you do not need to see a doctor or nutritionist in person. If your BMI drops below 22, the program switches to maintenance mode.

Higher frequency of self-weighing via the mobile application is associated with greater weight loss in users of the MetaWell program.

If you use a digital weight loss program, weigh yourself daily using a connected scale. This study found that people who weighed themselves more frequently lost significantly more weight (8.6 kg vs 2.2 kg at 120 days for high vs low users). Make daily weighing a non-negotiable part of your routine, as it is a strong predictor of success.