Browse the evidence

GCGR-based multi-agonists (mazdutide, pemvidutide, survodutide, retatrutide) produce significantly greater weight loss than existing GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP therapies by synergistically combining appetite suppression with increased energy expenditure.

If you have obesity and struggle with weight loss despite lifestyle changes, GCGR-based multi-agonists (like mazdutide, retatrutide, etc.) are emerging as highly effective treatments. They work by targeting multiple hormonal pathways to suppress appetite and increase energy expenditure, often resulting in greater weight loss than current GLP-1 drugs. While they are injectable and can cause GI side effects, starting with lower doses and titrating up can help manage these effects. Consult a healthcare provider to see if you are a candidate, especially if you have comorbidities like T2DM or CV disease.

Combining a Very Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet (VLCKD) with liraglutide produces significantly greater weight loss and metabolic improvements compared to VLCKD alone, primarily through synergistic appetite suppression.

If you are struggling to lose weight with a very low-calorie ketogenic diet alone, adding liraglutide can significantly boost your results. In this study, adding the drug led to nearly 6kg more weight loss over 4 months. Be aware that you are much more likely to experience nausea or constipation, but for most participants, this did not stop them from completing the program. Consult a doctor to see if this combination is safe and appropriate for you, especially given the cost and side effect profile.

Professional athletic status, characterized by structured multidisciplinary training and personalized nutrition, is associated with significantly lower fat mass percentage and higher fat-free mass percentage compared to non-professional athletes.

If you are an athlete, the difference between amateur and pro body composition is significant. Pros have lower fat and more muscle. This isn't just genetics; it's the result of structured, supervised training and personalized diet. If you are not a pro, you can still improve by structuring your training and paying closer attention to your nutrition, even if you can't access a full pro team.

Elite football players should consume 6-8g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight on match days and 48-72 hours between matches to maximize muscle and liver glycogen stores and prevent performance-depleting fatigue.

On match days, aim for 6-8 grams of carbohydrates for every kilogram of your body weight. If you have matches close together (every few days), maintain this high intake for 48-72 hours between games. To avoid stomach issues, use sports drinks or gels rather than trying to force down huge amounts of solid food right before kickoff.

Post-match carbohydrate intake of ~1g/kg body weight per hour for 4 hours is required to maximize glycogen resynthesis and recovery speed.

After a match, eat carbohydrates at a rate of 1 gram per kilogram of body weight every hour for the next 4 hours. If you aren't hungry, drink your carbs using sports drinks or recovery shakes to ensure your muscles refill their energy stores for the next session.

Dehydration of 2% body weight loss impairs football performance, and players should aim to prevent this loss by consuming 5-7ml/kg of fluid 2-4 hours before the match.

To avoid performance drops, do not lose more than 2% of your body weight through sweat. Start hydrating 2-4 hours before kickoff by drinking 5-7ml of water for every kg of your body weight. Check your urine color; it should be light yellow. If it's dark, drink more.

Daily protein intake of 1.6-2.2g/kg body weight, distributed across 3-4 meals of ~0.4g/kg, optimizes muscle protein synthesis and training adaptation in football players.

Eat 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight every day. Spread this out over 3-4 meals, aiming for about 0.4g/kg per meal. This ensures your muscles get the signal to repair and grow throughout the day, rather than just at dinner. You don't need supplements if you eat real food.

In sarcopenic obesity, interventions combining resistance training with high-protein diets or amino acid supplementation, or utilizing whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) with protein, are effective at preserving or increasing muscle mass while reducing fat, whereas standard caloric restriction alone fails to preserve muscle.

For individuals with sarcopenic obesity, simply dieting to lose weight often results in losing muscle along with fat. To preserve muscle while losing fat, you must combine a caloric deficit with resistance training and ensure adequate protein intake. Some studies suggest that adding specific stimuli like whole-body electromyostimulation or amino acid supplementation alongside these interventions may yield the best body composition changes.

Resistance training significantly improves muscle strength, lean mass, and walking ability in older adults with sarcopenia, with optimal cumulative training volumes of approximately 1,043 minutes for muscle strength and 2,716 minutes for walking ability.

For older adults with sarcopenia, resistance training is the most effective non-pharmacological intervention. Aim for a total training volume of about 1,043 minutes to maximize muscle strength and 2,716 minutes to maximize walking ability. This typically translates to moderate intensity (60-80% of your one-rep max) performed 2-3 times per week. Consistency in total training time is key to reversing muscle loss and improving mobility.

Ultra-marathon runners should consume 40-70 kcal/kg/day of energy and 5-8 g/kg/day of carbohydrates during training to maintain energy balance and support high-volume adaptation.

If you are training for an ultra-marathon, you need to eat significantly more than you think. Aim for 40-70 calories per kilogram of body weight every day, and ensure 5-8 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram. This is not optional; it is required to support your training volume and prevent injury or illness. Use liquid calories and energy-dense foods to manage the volume.

During ultra-marathon races, athletes should consume 30-50 g/h of carbohydrates and 5-10 g/h of protein to maintain performance and reduce muscle damage.

During your race, aim for 30-50 grams of carbohydrates and 5-10 grams of protein every hour. This helps maintain energy and reduces muscle damage. If you struggle with stomach issues, practice this during training by gradually increasing your intake. Use multiple transportable carbohydrates (glucose + fructose) to maximize absorption.

Hydration strategies for ultra-marathons should include 450-750 ml/h of fluid with 500-700 mg/L of sodium to prevent hyponatremia, especially in hot conditions.

Drink 450-750 ml of fluid per hour, ensuring it contains 500-700 mg of sodium per liter. This is crucial in hot weather to prevent hyponatremia. Use sports drinks or electrolyte tablets. Monitor your body weight loss and urine color to guide your intake.

Regular aerobic exercise significantly improves cardiac function and reduces blood pressure in patients with cardiovascular disease and hypertension.

If you have high blood pressure or heart issues, start with moderate aerobic exercise like brisk walking or cycling. Aim for 3-5 days a week, doing 20-60 minutes at a time. Keep the intensity at 50-80% of what you can tolerate. This routine can lower your blood pressure by 5-17 mmHg, which is comparable to some medications. Always consult your doctor before starting.

Post-bariatric physical activity adherence is significantly improved when interventions utilize low-impact modalities (aqua sports, walking, cycling) delivered in small groups (6-10 people) within a stigma-free environment, as opposed to standard gym settings.

If you have had bariatric surgery, do not force yourself into a standard commercial gym if it makes you anxious. Look for or request small group sessions (6-10 people) focusing on low-impact activities like swimming, walking, or cycling. This environment reduces the fear of judgment and is more likely to help you stick with exercise long-term.

Powerlifters can achieve meaningful increases in 1-repetition-maximum (1RM) strength using a Minimum Effective Training Dose (METD) consisting of 3-6 working sets of 1-5 repetitions per week at loads >80% 1RM with an RPE of 7.5-9.5.

To build strength efficiently, focus on heavy weights (over 80% of your max) for 1-5 reps. Do 3-6 total working sets per week for each lift (squat, bench, deadlift), spread across 1-3 sessions. Use a perceived exertion scale of 7.5-9.5 (leaving 0.5-2.5 reps in reserve). Stick to this for 6-12 weeks. You can add 1-3 accessory exercises at moderate intensity (RPE 7-9) for 6-10 reps if needed.

Tirzepatide induces rapid, clinically significant weight loss and fat mass reduction within 30 days while preserving fat-free mass in adults with overweight or obesity.

If you are starting tirzepatide for obesity, expect to lose about 4 kg in the first month, mostly from fat stores rather than muscle. This happens even if you are still in the early dose-escalation phase. Adhering to the prescribed lifestyle changes (Mediterranean diet and walking) is part of the protocol, but the drug itself drives significant early fat loss. This rapid initial response can help maintain motivation for long-term treatment.

Treating 50% of moderate- to high-risk obesity patients (Class II and III, excluding diabetes) with 2.4 mg weekly semaglutide plus lifestyle intervention for 68 weeks reduces population prevalence of these obesity classes and yields significant annual societal cost savings.

For healthcare policymakers and insurers, implementing widespread access to 2.4 mg weekly semaglutide for moderate-to-high risk obesity (excluding diabetics) alongside lifestyle programs can significantly reduce the prevalence of severe obesity and save billions in societal costs over time. This requires ensuring affordability and addressing long-term adherence.

GLP-1 agonists (e.g., semaglutide) and abstinence-based dietary interventions (Bright Line Eating) are the most effective non-surgical weight loss methods because they directly target the neurological addiction to ultra-processed foods.

If you struggle with food addiction, standard dieting will likely fail. Consider treatments that address the biological addiction, such as GLP-1 agonists or strict abstinence-based programs like Bright Line Eating, which have shown higher sustained success rates by targeting the root neurological drivers.

Biathletes should consume 6–12 g/kg/day of carbohydrates, adjusted by training intensity, to maintain high carbohydrate availability and support glycogen resynthesis between sessions.

Aim for 6 to 12 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight every day. Adjust this amount up on heavy training days and down on rest days. Prioritize carbohydrate-rich foods at every meal and use high-carb snacks between sessions to keep your energy stores full.

Biathletes should consume a recovery meal containing approximately 0.3 g/kg of protein and 1.2 g/kg of carbohydrates immediately after key training sessions or races to optimize glycogen resynthesis and muscle repair.

Within 30 minutes of finishing a hard session or race, eat a meal with 0.3 grams of protein and 1.2 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight. A recovery shake is a convenient option if you can't eat a full meal immediately.

A once-weekly online video bodyweight resistance training program significantly reduces body fat mass and improves muscle strength and quality of life in middle-aged men.

If you are a middle-aged man who finds it hard to find time for exercise, try a 45-minute bodyweight workout once a week. You don't need weights or a gym. Focus on exercises like push-ups, squats, and bridges. Doing this online can help you stay consistent. This approach has been shown to reduce body fat and improve strength and quality of life.

A well-planned vegetarian diet supports muscle hypertrophy and strength gains comparable to omnivorous diets when protein intake (1.6-2.2 g/kg/day) and energy balance are adequately managed.

To build muscle on a vegetarian diet, prioritize getting 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. Ensure you are eating enough total calories to support your training. Focus on variety—combining legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds—to ensure you get enough leucine and other essential amino acids. This approach supports muscle growth just as effectively as an omnivorous diet.

Exercise programs lasting 4 weeks or longer, performed 3 times per week, with sessions of at least 30 minutes, and utilizing specific local abdominal exercises (such as supine bridge with abdominal drawing-in maneuver) are associated with greater improvements in lateral abdominal muscle (LAM) thickness compared to other prescription variables.

To improve the thickness of your lateral abdominal muscles (Transversus Abdominis and Obliques), focus on quality over quantity. Perform specific exercises that target these muscles, such as a supine bridge combined with an abdominal drawing-in maneuver. Aim for 3 sessions per week, with each session lasting at least 30 minutes. Ensure your program runs for at least 4 weeks to see significant changes. Avoid overtraining these specific muscles with high frequency or excessive volume, as this may not yield better results than a moderate, focused approach.

Measuring Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) and adjusting caloric goals based on weight loss-induced metabolic adaptations prevents weight loss plateaus and optimizes energy balance.

If you are not losing weight despite following a standard diet, your metabolism may have adapted. Get your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) tested using a portable device or metabolic cart. Use this number to calculate a personalized calorie goal that creates a deficit relative to YOUR specific energy needs, not a generic number. Re-test as you lose weight to adjust your plan.