How We Work

What this is

A free library of plain-English guides on losing weight and getting healthy. It covers the science of weight loss, the major diets, nutrition, exercise, sleep and habits, plus health conditions and medical treatment. The idea is that you can come here with any question on the subject and leave with a straight answer.

We don't sell anything

No supplements, no programs, no coaching, no affiliate links. When we say a diet is weak or a product is a waste of money, nothing's riding on it for us.

Where the information comes from

We lean on public health agencies (CDC, NIH, FDA, WHO), medical society guidelines, university nutrition departments and published clinical trials. Every guide lists its sources at the bottom so you can read them yourself.

Some of what we write is judgment. The ratings in our diet comparison are our own editorial summaries, and they aren't clinical scores. Where the evidence is weak or researchers disagree, we try to say so plainly.

Review status

These guides haven't been reviewed by a doctor or registered dietitian. That's what the tag at the top of each guide means. They were written with the help of AI and checked against the sources listed on each guide, including the published results of the studies they cite. That check catches many errors, but it isn't the same as a clinician's judgment. Please don't treat these guides as the final word, especially on anything to do with medication, a medical condition, or your safety.

If a guide is ever reviewed by a clinician, it will say so, along with the reviewer's name and credentials.

What we won't do

• Promise fast or effortless results
• Claim that any single diet is the answer
• Recommend extreme calorie restriction
• Tell you to stop taking or change a medication on your own
• Treat your weight as a measure of your worth

Who shouldn't use this site

If you have, or think you might have, an eating disorder, weight-loss advice can do real harm. Please start with this guide and talk to someone who can help. Our guides are also written for adults. Parents can read this guide instead.

Found a mistake?

Health information changes, and we can get things wrong. To report an error, contact [email protected].