Browse the evidence

Professional male rugby league players require periodized carbohydrate intake of 6-8 g/kg/day during the season, with specific pre- and post-exercise protocols (1-4 g/kg pre-exercise; 1.0-1.5 g/kg post-exercise) to maximize glycogen availability and muscle protein synthesis.

For professional rugby players, do not eat the same amount of carbs every day. On heavy training or match days, aim for 6-8 grams of carbs per kg of body weight. Specifically, eat 1-4 grams of carbs (plus some protein) 1-4 hours before playing, and 1-0-1.5 grams of carbs (plus protein) within 2 hours after finishing. This timing maximizes energy stores and muscle repair.

Supplementation with creatine monohydrate (loading 0.3 g/kg/day for 5-7 days or maintenance 3-5 g/day), caffeine (3-6 mg/kg, 1 hour pre-exercise), and beta-alanine (65-80 mg/kg/day) potentially improves performance, recovery, and adaptation in rugby league players.

Consider adding specific supplements if your diet is already optimized. For creatine, use a loading phase (0.3 g/kg/day for 5-7 days) or maintenance (3-5 g/day). For caffeine, take 3-6 mg/kg about an hour before matches. For beta-alanine, take 65-80 mg/kg daily. Always check for banned substance lists.

Creatine supplementation increases strength, performance in short-duration high-intensity exercises, and total force by increasing ATP availability and potentially enhancing satellite cell differentiation.

If you do high-intensity or short-duration exercise, creatine is a safe and effective way to boost strength and performance. You do not need to worry about kidney damage or cramping if you are healthy.

Caffeine ingestion of moderate to high doses enhances endurance exercise, strength, and peak power performance.

If you engage in endurance, strength, or peak power activities, moderate to high doses of caffeine can enhance performance. Be aware of potential side effects like nervousness or sleep disturbances.

Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation enhances protein synthesis, reduces protein breakdown, and increases muscle size, strength, and aerobic performance when combined with exercise.

If you exercise, HMB supplementation can enhance muscle size, strength, and aerobic performance. It does not work without exercise.

Increasing dietary protein and fiber density (g/100 kcal) while reducing total energy intake significantly correlates with greater weight loss in a self-selected dietary weight-loss program.

To lose weight sustainably, do not just count calories. Use a tool to track the density of protein and fiber in your meals. Aim for 7-11 grams of protein and 1.8-3.2 grams of fiber per 100 calories. This approach helps you preserve muscle and stay full while reducing total energy intake.

In overweight or obese adults, greater daily time spent in light-intensity physical activity (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is associated with lower 24-hour mean glucose concentration, greater time-in-range, and less time in hyperglycemia.

If you are overweight or obese, focus on moving more throughout the day, not just during workouts. Even light activity (like walking while on the phone or doing chores) helps keep your blood sugar levels stable. You do not need to be perfectly consistent day-to-day; just getting more total movement in is beneficial.

A two-meals-a-day ketogenic diet significantly improves weight, glycemic control, and lipid profiles in newly diagnosed obese patients with type 2 diabetes compared to a conventional energy-restricted diabetic diet.

For newly diagnosed obese diabetics not on medication, a modified ketogenic diet (2 keto meals, 1 regular meal) at ~1500 calories for 2 months can significantly improve weight, blood sugar, and cholesterol compared to standard advice. Be aware of potential uric acid increases and early hypoglycemia risk.

Higher dietary protein intake (1.2 g/kg/d) during weight loss preserves skeletal muscle volume in postmenopausal women with obesity, particularly during the initial 5% body weight loss phase, compared to standard protein intake (0.8 g/kg/d).

If you are a postmenopausal woman losing weight, aim for about 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. This may help protect your muscle volume, especially in the first few pounds lost. However, do not rely on protein alone. To truly preserve muscle, especially if you lose more than 5% of your body weight, you must incorporate resistance exercise. Protein is a support, not a substitute for movement.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) performed for 7 weeks leads to significant long-term reductions in body mass, fat mass, and visceral fat area in women with overweight/obesity, even two years after the intervention ends, whereas Time-Restricted Eating (TRE) alone does not significantly reduce these metrics compared to baseline in the long term.

For women with overweight or obesity, incorporating High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) into your routine, even just 3 times a week, can lead to significant, lasting reductions in body fat and visceral fat, even two years after you stop supervised training. While Time-Restricted Eating helps with habit formation, it may not be enough on its own for significant fat loss; combining it with HIIT or focusing on HIIT yields better long-term body composition results.

Survodutide, a dual glucagon and GLP-1 receptor agonist, induces significant weight loss in adults with obesity without type 2 diabetes when administered as a once-weekly subcutaneous injection up-titrated to 3.6 or 6.0 mg alongside lifestyle modifications.

This treatment involves a weekly injection that mimics two natural hormones (GLP-1 and glucagon) to reduce appetite and increase energy burn. It is prescribed for adults with obesity who do not have diabetes. To maximize results, patients must follow a reduced-calorie diet and exercise regularly. The dose starts low and increases slowly to minimize stomach upset, which is a common side effect.

An obesity-centric management approach utilizing a weight management program combined with anti-obesity medication (AOM) produces superior weight loss compared to usual glucose-centric care in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes, while maintaining noninferior glycemic control.

For patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes, adopting an obesity-centric approach that combines a structured weight management program with FDA-approved anti-obesity medications leads to significantly greater weight loss compared to standard glucose-focused care, without compromising blood sugar control. This strategy addresses the root cause of obesity, offering a more comprehensive management plan.

Personalized nutrition significantly reduces HbA1c levels compared to standard control diets in adults with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, with a median mean difference of -0.925%.

For adults with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, using personalized nutrition strategies that incorporate individual biological data (like gut microbiome or genetic markers) alongside clinical metrics can lead to greater reductions in HbA1c compared to standard dietary advice. While the evidence quality is currently low due to study variability, the approach shows promise for improving glycemic control.

Behavioral routinization and the ability to overcome self-identified limitations are critical factors for successful weight loss, distinguishing high responders from non-responders.

Focus on building sustainable routines rather than perfection. Identify your specific barriers (e.g., fatigue, convenience) and create specific strategies to overcome them (e.g., gym near work, meal prep). Social support and accountability are also crucial for maintaining these routines.

Combining diet therapy (reduced food intake) and exercise therapy significantly increases the odds of achieving moderate weight loss (≥3 kg but <6 kg) compared to using either therapy alone or no therapy.

If you are obese and want to lose weight, combining dietary changes with exercise is significantly more effective than doing just one. The study shows that doing both increases your odds of losing 3-6 kg significantly compared to doing either alone.

Combining diet, exercise, and medication therapy significantly increases the odds of achieving moderate weight loss (≥6 kg but <10 kg) compared to combined diet and exercise therapy alone.

If you are obese and have tried diet and exercise without achieving significant loss (≥6kg), adding prescribed medication therapy significantly increases your odds of success compared to diet and exercise alone.

High-intensity circuit training (HICT) produces strength and lean body mass gains equivalent to traditional strength training (TS) in trained women when sets are taken close to muscular failure, while significantly reducing total session time.

If you are a trained woman looking to save time, try High-Intensity Circuit Training. Perform 3 sets of 8-15 reps for each exercise with short rest (35s) between sets and longer rest (5min) between circuits. Crucially, you must push close to failure (RPE 8-9) to get the same strength and muscle gains as traditional training, but in less time.

A 16-week behavioral weight loss program adapted for physical disabilities using the GRAIDs framework produces clinically significant weight loss (average 10.9%) and high retention (91.4%) in adults with physical disabilities.

If you have a physical disability, standard weight loss programs may not work for you due to accessibility barriers. However, behavioral programs can be adapted to your needs. Look for programs that offer online options, accessible equipment (like wheelchair scales), and coaches trained in disability inclusion. The SOS Everybody program showed that with these adaptations, you can achieve significant weight loss (around 10%) and stay in the program.

Accurate self-monitoring of energy intake and expenditure is a necessary condition for successful long-term weight management and maintenance.

To lose weight and keep it off, you cannot rely on guessing. You must use tools (apps, scales, logs) to accurately track what you eat and how much you move. Without this data, you are flying blind, which is why most people regain weight. Treat your food intake like your bank account: you need accurate numbers to balance it.

Improving self-efficacy for tracking diet during the first month of a standalone digital weight loss intervention significantly increases both dietary self-monitoring engagement and subsequent weight loss at 3 months.

If you are using a digital weight loss app, focus on building your confidence in your ability to track your food daily during the first month. The study shows that improving this specific confidence early on is directly linked to better tracking habits and greater weight loss by the end of the program. Don't just track; build the belief that you can do it consistently.

Tirzepatide produces significantly greater monthly and annual weight loss, higher patient satisfaction, and improved quality of life compared to Semaglutide and Liraglutide in a Kuwaiti population.

If you are considering GLP-1 therapy for weight loss in Kuwait, Tirzepatide appears to offer the highest weight loss and satisfaction rates compared to Semaglutide and Liraglutide. Be aware that side effects like belching (Tirzepatide) or anxiety (Liraglutide) may influence your choice, and check government facility availability to manage costs.

Combination therapy of sibutramine (10 mg/d) and topiramate (100 mg/d) produces clinically meaningful weight loss (mean 10.2 kg at 36 months) with a tolerable safety profile in real-world clinical settings.

For individuals with obesity who cannot access newer, expensive medications, the combination of sibutramine (10mg) and topiramate (100mg) offers a cost-effective, clinically significant weight loss solution (approx. 10kg over 3 years). It requires medical supervision to manage potential side effects like increased blood pressure or paresthesia, but offers a viable alternative for long-term management in resource-limited settings.

Survodutide, a glucagon receptor/GLP-1 receptor dual agonist, induces significant body weight reduction in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) when administered weekly via subcutaneous injection alongside lifestyle modifications.

If you have obesity and Type 2 Diabetes, standard diet and exercise changes often lead to weight regain. This trial investigates a weekly injection (survodutide) that targets both glucose and fat metabolism pathways. It is designed to be taken alongside a modest calorie deficit (500 kcal/day) and 150 minutes of weekly exercise. The dose is slowly increased to minimize stomach side effects, which are common but manageable. This approach aims to provide more durable weight loss than lifestyle changes alone, addressing the specific challenge that T2D can blunt weight loss efforts.

Semaglutide 2.4 mg combined with the WeGoTogether digital support program yields substantial long-term weight loss, with mean percent weight loss reaching -20.4% at 24 months in a real-world setting.

If you have a BMI of 25 or higher, starting semaglutide 2.4 mg and using a digital support app like WeGoTogether can help you lose a significant amount of weight over two years. The app provides reminders, coaching, and tools to help you stay on track. Expect to lose around 20% of your body weight by the end of two years, based on this study's findings.