Where our facts come from

Each habit, and who says it

The habit lines in Midline’s plan, worded the way the app words them. Under each one are the experts who say it, with their video. The first expert listed is the main source. Where an expert said something different in another video, a note says so. None of these experts is connected to Midline.

1. Take vitamin D with a meal that has some fat, with K2 if you take it

   • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-11-05Take D3 and K2 together, in the morning, with some fat, such as with eggs or coffee with fat. He says never take D3 on its own.Note: he gives a different time of day in another video, so we give none

2. Take omega-3 with a meal

   • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-08-13Take fish oil, or eat salmon or sardines, alongside a carb meal like rice. He says this slightly slows the blood sugar rise from the rice.Note: with a carb meal like rice; he says it only slightly slows the blood sugar rise

3. Take creatine every day. The time of day is up to you, so pick one you will remember

   • Darren Candow, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-06-15Ideally take it every day, not only on training days. Morning, evening or during a workout all work, and you can split the amount. “So ideally, yes”Note: ideally every day; he says there is some evidence for training days only
   • Rhonda Patrick, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-03-30Taken consistently every day, creatine fills your muscles in about three to four weeks, so no loading phase is needed.
   • Layne Norton, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2024-03-14Puts creatine monohydrate in his first tier of supplements and takes it every day.Note: taking it every day is his own routine

4. Have your last caffeine early in the afternoon, well before bed

   • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2022-09-12Cut caffeine about eight hours before bed (his own number). He described a study that gave caffeine 0, 3 or 6 hours before bedtime.Note: the study tested a large dose of caffeineStudy Thomas DeLauer described: Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed (Drake et al.) (Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2013)
   • Michael Breus, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-02-09Stop coffee by about 2 pm. He says caffeine has a half-life of six to eight hours, and 2 pm is about eight hours before a 10 pm bedtime. “you want to stop by about 2 p.m.”Note: 2 pm assumes a bedtime around 10 pm

5. Drink water first, and wait a while after waking before your first caffeine: about 30 to 90 minutes

   • Michael Breus, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-02-09Tells his patients to have no caffeine for the first 90 minutes awake, and to drink water first. “hydrate before you caffeinate”
   • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-11-04Push your first real cup of coffee to about 30 minutes after waking, or 30 to 60, so it works better.Note: He says 30 to 60 minutes in this video. In an earlier video (2024) he said not to worry about waiting.

6. Eat vegetables and protein before carbs at a meal

   • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-08-03Described a Diabetes Care study: the same meal with vegetables and protein eaten before the carbs gave a lower blood sugar rise and lower insulin.Note: the study was in people with type 2 diabetes on metforminStudy Thomas DeLauer described: Food Order Has a Significant Impact on Postprandial Glucose and Insulin Levels (Shukla et al.) (Diabetes Care, 2015)
   • Jessie Inchauspé, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2024-09-19Eat in this order: vegetables first, then protein and fat, then starches and sugars. Same meal, smaller glucose spike, and fewer cravings later.Note: a smaller glucose spike, not less weight gain from that meal

7. Stop eating about 3 hours before bed. If you need something late, keep it light

   • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2022-09-12Have carbs three or four hours before bed rather than right before, and no refined starch or sugar in the last three hours.Note: carbs and sugar; he says "several hours" for the last meal elsewhere
   • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-06-14Leave several hours between your last meal and bed.Note: his advice; no study used
   • Rhonda Patrick, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-03-30Stop eating three hours before bed. Eating switches on your fight-or-flight system, which you do not want at bedtime. If you need something, keep it light, like a protein shake. “you want to stop eating three hours before bed”Note: about a full meal as a daily habit; a light snack is fine
   • Michael Breus, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-02-09Stop food, drinks and alcohol about three hours before bed, so your body has finished digesting by the time you sleep.
   • Sarah Berry, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-01-27Her team found snacking after 9 pm went with worse health markers, including more belly fat, even when the snacks were healthy. It is an association.Note: an association, not proof of cause

8. Cut soda and sugary drinks first, and count juice and smoothies as sugary drinks. Eat fruit whole

   • Robert Lustig, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-10-02Juice is not healthy; whole fruit is, because its fiber slows the sugar down. Blending fruit into a smoothie shreds that fiber. “Juice is not healthy. Fruit is healthy.”
   • Jessie Inchauspé, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2024-09-19A piece of fruit is fine because it has fiber. Juicing removes the fiber and leaves the sugar.
   • Layne Norton, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2024-03-14Swapping regular soda for diet soda led to weight loss in trials. He sees diet soda as a better choice than sugary soda.Note: for weight, compared with regular soda; he says water is best if you can

9. Cut back on packaged snacks; get carbs from whole foods

   • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-10-01Described a study where people ate about 500 more calories a day on ultra-processed food than on unprocessed food, matched for sugar, salt and fiber, without feeling hungrier.Note: 20 adults, two weeks on each dietStudy Thomas DeLauer described: Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake (Hall et al.) (Cell Metabolism, 2019)
   • Benjamin Bikman, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-02-06Stop eating carbs that come in packets: his phrase is bags and boxes with barcodes. “bags and boxes with barcodes”
   • Tim Spector, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-01-26Check labels. Ultra-processed foods carry emulsifiers, sweeteners and other additives that he says harm your gut microbes.

10. Lift 2 to 3 times a week to keep muscle as you age

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-10-30Set aside a couple of days a week for lifting.Note: his advice; no study named for how often
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-06-14Lift a few days a week, alongside cardio and walks.Note: his advice; no study named for how often
    • Darren Candow, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-06-15Two days a week or more of weight training is all you basically need, and a whole-body routine works. “two days a week or more is all you basically need”
    • Gabrielle Lyon, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2024-09-26Train with weights at least three days a week, whatever your age. She calls two days the usual recommendation.Note: at least three, at any age; she calls two the usual minimum, not enough for ageing well
    • Layne Norton, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2024-03-14Older people in studies still added muscle, so you can build muscle as you get older.

11. Try starting your first meal with protein; many people feel fuller that way

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-09-11Put most of your protein earlier in the day.Note: his advice; no study named for the first meal
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-11-11Don't save most of your protein for dinner; put more of it in the morning.Note: his advice
    • Benjamin Bikman, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-02-06Focus on protein, and do not fear the fat that comes with it. He says protein and fat together help you feel full.
    • Jessie Inchauspé, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-02-26If breakfast has little protein, your body keeps you hungry until it gets enough, so you are hungry again by mid-morning.Note: she calls it a theory, the protein leverage hypothesis

12. If evenings bring cravings, try a bigger lunch with protein and a lighter, earlier dinner

    • Benjamin Bikman, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-01-08A big, hearty lunch, mostly protein and fat, makes it easier to taper off later in the day. If you get cravings in the evening, have a bigger lunch and see if it helps. “have a bigger lunch see if that helps”Note: something to try if you get evening cravings
    • Sarah Berry, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-01-27Described a study in which people who ate most of the same calories earlier in the day woke up less hungry than those who ate them later.Note: same calories, earlier vs later; about hunger the next morning

13. Sleep at least 7 hours, with a fixed wake time

    • Matthew Walker, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-11-17Seven to nine hours is the range, with seven as the minimum. Go to bed and wake at the same time every day, weekends too. “Seven to nine hours”
    • Michael Breus, Thomas DeLauer (YouTube). YouTube video, 2026-10-24His number one sleep tip is to wake up at the same time seven days a week.
    • Pradeep Jamnadas, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-09-22You have to sleep seven hours a night.

14. A routine to try: get some daylight outside soon after you wake

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-11-12About 10 minutes of outdoor light within the first 30 to 60 minutes after waking; he says to start here.
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2022-09-12Bright sunlight for 10 to 15 minutes shortly after waking.
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-11-04Morning light sets your body clock earlier, so you get sleepy on time that night. Skip it and you fall asleep later.
    • Andrew Huberman, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-09-03In the first 30 minutes after waking, get outside in the sunlight, move and drink water.
    • Michael Breus, Thomas DeLauer (YouTube). YouTube video, 2026-10-24When you wake, sunlight reaching your eyes tells your brain to switch off melatonin.

15. Screens off 30 minutes before bed

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-11-12Part of his evening routine: put late screens away.Note: no time given; the 30 minutes is Andrew Huberman's
    • Andrew Huberman, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-09-03No screens in the last 30 minutes before sleep, and dim your phone. “The last 30 minutes before sleep, no screens.”
    • Matthew Walker, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-11-17Goes further: an hour before bed, avoid social media, email and texts, and dim half the lights.Note: activating content like social media, email and texts; podcasts are fine

16. Alcohol makes sleep worse, even when it helps you nod off (cut back on alcohol)

    • Matthew Walker, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-11-17Alcohol is one of the things people take in that harms sleep, even though they think it helps.
    • Michael Breus, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-02-09Using alcohol at night, before bed, as a stress relief tool messes up your sleep: you might be asleep, but the quality of your sleep is poor. He also says to stop alcohol, like food, about three hours before bed.

17. Stress can make sleep harder

    • Matthew Walker, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-11-17Stress and anxiety are among the internal things that stop you sleeping well.
    • Michael Breus, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-02-09He puts most poor sleep down to anxiety or fear.Note: his own estimate

18. Try slow breathing with a long breath out, like in for 4 and out for 8, for about 5 minutes before bed or when stress builds

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-11-22About 5 minutes of slow box breathing before bed.Note: his breathing patterns differ between videos
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-02-08Five minutes of slow nasal breathing to wind down.Note: his breathing patterns differ between videos
    • Pradeep Jamnadas, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-09-22Breathe in for a count of four and out for a count of eight, about 10 minutes a day. He says the long breath out calms the heart. “Breathe in to the count of four, breathe out to the count of eight.”
    • Andrew Huberman, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-09-03The physiological sigh, a double breath in and a long breath out, brings stress down fast.
    • Michael Breus, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-02-09Uses 4-7-8 breathing for waking in the night: in for four, hold for seven, out for eight.Note: for getting back to sleep at night; work up to the full counts

19. You do not have to count calories to start. Changing what you eat can lower how much you eat. Experts disagree on counting

    • Benjamin Bikman, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-02-06Start with carbs and protein, not calories: cut carbs from packets and eat protein and fat, which help you feel full.
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-10-01Described a study where people ate about 500 more calories a day on ultra-processed food without noticing.Note: 20 adults, two weeks on each dietStudy Thomas DeLauer described: Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake (Hall et al.) (Cell Metabolism, 2019)
    • Robert Lustig, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2024-05-16People who count calories usually lose a little, then plateau, and the weight comes back.
    • Layne Norton, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2024-03-14Disagrees: calories still decide weight, and weighing your food for a while shows how big portions really are.

20. Cooking rice, pasta or potatoes, then chilling them for 12 to 24 hours, turns some of the starch into resistant starch, which acts more like fiber. They are still carbs

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-08-03Cook rice, pasta or potatoes and chill them in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours. The starch turns resistant, which he says acts more like fiber, even though it is still a carb.Note: still a carb
    • Rhonda Patrick, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-03-30A baked potato or rice that has been cooled has resistant starch, which is good for your gut. You can reheat it after it has cooled.

21. Try a fermented food each day, like plain yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut or kimchi

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-08-03Fermented foods like kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut and kimchi add new kinds of gut bacteria. He described a Stanford study comparing a high-fiber diet with a high-fermented-food diet.Study Thomas DeLauer described: Gut-microbiota-targeted diets modulate human immune status (Wastyk et al.) (Cell, 2021)
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-11-12Eat fermented foods for your gut; he described the same Stanford study.Study Thomas DeLauer described: Gut-microbiota-targeted diets modulate human immune status (Wastyk et al.) (Cell, 2021)
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2024-11-15Half a cup to a cup of fermented dairy, like yogurt or kefir, each day.
    • Tim Spector, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-01-26Aim for up to three portions of fermented foods every day. He described a Stanford study and a ZOE trial behind this.
    • Andrew Huberman, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-09-03Described Stanford work in which fermented foods lowered inflammatory markers. He suggests low-sugar ferments like sauerkraut and kimchi.Note: low-sugar fermentsStudy Andrew Huberman described: Gut-microbiota-targeted diets modulate human immune status (Wastyk et al.) (Cell, 2021)

22. Add fiber and plant variety, working toward about 30 different plants a week

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-08-03Rotate whole-food fibers, like artichokes, flax, asparagus, onions and leeks, instead of relying on one fiber.Note: no study for the rotation itself; his fiber amounts differ between videos
    • Tim Spector, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-01-26Eat a wide variety of plants, about 30 a week, to feed as many kinds of gut microbes as you can.
    • Sarah Berry, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-01-27Get at least 30 grams of fiber a day. Most people in the UK and US get about 20.
    • Giles Yeo, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2023-12-26In a clip in this compilation episode, he says to aim for 30 grams of fiber a day, about double what most people eat.

23. Add fiber a bit at a time and see how your gut feels. Some people do not do well on a lot of it

    • Andrew Huberman, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-09-03Described Stanford work in which eating more fiber raised inflammatory markers in many people. He says too much fiber can be bad for some people.Note: some people, not everyoneStudy Andrew Huberman described: Gut-microbiota-targeted diets modulate human immune status (Wastyk et al.) (Cell, 2021)

24. You can't target fat in one spot by exercising it. Targeting belly fat means targeting body fat overall

    • Alan Aragon, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-08-25Targeting belly fat is a matter of targeting total body fat. You cannot spot-reduce it. “You can't necessarily spot reduce the belly fat.”

25. The scale doesn't tell the whole story. Visceral fat can change while your weight barely moves

    • Rhonda Patrick, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-03-30Described a sleep study in which visceral fat went up while weight on the scale barely changed.Note: a sleep study in healthy young men, not an exercise studyStudy Rhonda Patrick described: Effects of Experimental Sleep Restriction on Energy Intake, Energy Expenditure, and Visceral Obesity (Covassin et al.) (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2022)
    • Sean O'Mara, YouTube. YouTube videoTracking weight alone is the wrong measure. You can get lighter by losing muscle rather than fat.

26. Aerobic exercise cuts visceral fat, and harder efforts do more

    • Rhonda Patrick, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-03-30Exercise does cause visceral fat loss, but it has to be aerobic, and the more vigorous the better. “It really has to be aerobic. And the more vigorous, the better.”Note: aerobic and vigorous only, not just any exercise
    • Rhonda Patrick, Thomas DeLauer (YouTube). YouTube video, 2026-03-01Says randomized trials show people doing jogging or cycling end up with less visceral fat, and that intervals did better head to head.Note: aerobic and harder efforts

27. Try to keep your waist under half your height. That's a waist-to-height ratio under 0.5

    • David Unwin, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-05-18A simple at-home test: your waist should be less than half your height. Belly fat worries him more than fat on your arms or legs. “your waist should be less than half your height”Note: a simple at-home check, not a diagnosis

28. A tape can't see visceral fat. Two people with the same waist can carry very different amounts inside. Only a scan, like an MRI or DEXA, measures it. Midline can't measure it

    • Sean O'Mara, YouTube. YouTube videoShows two MRI scans with the same waist size and very different visceral fat. Tracking waist alone misses that.
    • Rhonda Patrick, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-03-30Waist size is a rough proxy for visceral fat. To measure it directly you would get a DEXA scan.Note: waist is a rough proxy; a DEXA is not routinely needed
    • Peter Attia, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-04-07His clinic measures visceral fat with a DEXA scan.Note: his clinic's scan of one person

29. Wrap the tape around the widest part of your belly, standing relaxed. Use the same spot each time

    • David Unwin, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-05-18His at-home check goes around the fattest part of your belly.

30. Exercise gives you more energy and lifts your mood

    • Andy Galpin, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-08-13Exercise builds more, larger and healthier mitochondria, which is one way it gives you energy.Note: generally
    • Gabrielle Lyon, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2024-09-26Working your muscles releases signals that reach the brain and affect mood.Note: muscle work of meaningful intensity and duration

31. No tape? Cut a piece of string as long as you are tall and fold it in half. Wrap it around the widest part of your belly. If the ends overlap, your waist is under half your height. If they don't overlap, it's half your height or more

    • David Unwin, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-05-18Cut a string to your height, mark or fold it at halfway, and put half of it around the fattest part of your belly.

32. Visceral fat is fat deep inside your belly, around your organs. Experts link a lot of it to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes

    • Peter Attia, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-04-07Visceral fat is the fat around your organs and the more damaging kind. He cares about it far more than total body fat.Note: said while reviewing one person's scan; his percentile targets were for that person
    • Alan Aragon, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-08-25Visceral fat sits in the abdominal cavity, around the organs. Type 2 diabetes follows gaining too much of it.Note: type 2 diabetes in genetically predisposed people
    • Rhonda Patrick, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-03-30Visceral fat is active and sends out inflammatory signals, and it drives insulin resistance that can lead to type 2 diabetes.

33. Short sleep may add visceral fat. In a small study, two weeks of 4-hour nights raised visceral fat while weight barely changed

    • Rhonda Patrick, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-03-30Described a study in which healthy young people slept four hours a night for two weeks and gained visceral fat with little change on the scale.Note: a small two-week study in healthy young menStudy Rhonda Patrick described: Effects of Experimental Sleep Restriction on Energy Intake, Energy Expenditure, and Visceral Obesity (Covassin et al.) (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2022)

34. Short sleep turns up your appetite, and the waistline tends to grow. Dieting on too little sleep means more of the weight you lose comes from muscle

    • Matthew Walker, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2023-12-26When sleep runs short, appetite chemicals rise and the waistline tends to expand. Dieting underslept, more of the weight lost comes from muscle. “when sleep gets short, your waistline typically starts to expand”

35. Sugary drinks rush sugar to your liver, and the sugar in drinks like soda is tied to the rise in fatty liver

    • Robert Lustig, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-10-02Fruit fiber slows sugar and protects the liver. Juice and smoothies get the sugar to the liver fast, and he ties soda to the rise in fatty liver.
    • David Unwin, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-05-18Taking in more sugar than he needed gave him a belly and a liver filling with fat.Note: his own case

36. Heavy drinking adds visceral fat, and alcohol makes it harder to get rid of

    • Rhonda Patrick, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-03-30Drinking a lot of alcohol stores energy as visceral fat; the beer belly is visceral fat.Note: excess drinking
    • Sean O'Mara, Thomas DeLauer (YouTube). YouTube video, 2026Alcohol, to the extent you drink it, makes visceral fat harder to get rid of. It is on his list of five things to cut.Note: to the extent you drink it

37. Get enough protein across the day, and a bit more as you get older. The daily total matters most; how you spread it rarely does, so do what's easy to keep up

    If you have kidney disease, ask your doctor before eating more protein.

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2019-12-01Says older people need more protein, not less, and points to an expert position paper on protein for people over 50.Study Thomas DeLauer described: Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group (Bauer et al.) (Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2013)
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-10-19Says the muscle response to protein weakens with age, so people over 40 may need more per meal.
    • Alan Aragon, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2025-08-25What matters is how much protein you eat by the end of the day. Timing and spread rarely matter, so do what is easy to keep up.Note: the daily total matters; timing and spread rarely do

38. Consider a vitamin D blood test first, then recheck. Ask your provider

    • Vonda Wright, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2024-07-22Get your vitamin D level checked, supplement up, then recheck to find your maintenance amount. “They should get their level checked.”
    • Andy Galpin, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-08-13Fix deficiencies, like low vitamin D, based on your blood work.Note: the vitamin D deficiency was the host's own blood result
    • Andrew Huberman, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-09-03Disagrees in part: he takes a set amount daily and thinks most people under-dose.Note: his own daily dose; he thinks most people under-dose

39. Prefer third-party tested supplements, like NSF certified. You cannot always be sure what is in a bottle. A seal tells you what is in it, not whether it works

    • Rhonda Patrick, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-03-30Supplements are not regulated, so you cannot be sure how much you are getting. Go to a trusted brand that uses third-party testing. “go to a trusted brand that is third-party testing”
    • Darren Candow, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-06-15For creatine, look for monohydrate, Creapure and an NSF or other third-party certification on the label.Note: for creatine
    • Andy Galpin, The Diary Of A CEO. YouTube video, 2026-08-13If you use supplements, buy from third-party tested companies that post their testing on their websites.Note: if you choose to use supplements; he says no one needs them

40. A routine to try: leave out high-fructose corn syrup. Whole fruit is fine

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-02-08Kick out high-fructose corn syrup in any amount and limit other added fructose. He says fruit is fine.Note: his advice; he names no study for it
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-06-14Cutting high-fructose corn syrup is the first step he lists, and he says not to cut fruit.Note: his advice; he names no study for it

41. A routine to try: have a little protein, like plain yogurt, cottage cheese or eggs, shortly before your biggest meal

    Ask your doctor first about protein if you have a kidney condition.

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-11-22Have some protein, like yogurt, cottage cheese or egg whites, 20 to 30 minutes before your largest meal. He described a study of a protein drink taken before a meal.Note: the study used whey in healthy young adultsStudy Thomas DeLauer described: Effect of premeal consumption of whey protein and its hydrolysate on food intake and postmeal glycemia and insulin responses in young adults (Akhavan et al.) (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2010)
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-02-08Have a little protein, like some chicken, before a big dinner or a meal out.Note: no study named in this video

42. A routine to try: have a cruciferous vegetable, like broccoli, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts, with dinner

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-11-22Have at least a cup of steamed or roasted broccoli, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts with dinner, daily or every other day.Note: his advice; we don't use the reason he gives
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-02-08Eat more cruciferous vegetables.Note: his advice; we don't use the reason he gives
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2019-12-01Eat cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and bok choy.Note: his advice; we don't use the reason he gives

43. A routine to try: get your fats mostly from olive oil, avocado, olives, nuts and seeds

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-06-14Get your fats from olive oil, avocado, whole olives, macadamia nuts, walnuts and pumpkin seeds first.Note: his advice; no study named for it
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2023-01-02Use more olive and avocado oils.Note: his advice; no study named for it

44. A routine to try: add dark berries, like blackberries, raspberries or blueberries, to your day

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2024-11-15Have two cups of dark berries a day.Note: the study he describes had no berry arm
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-07-08Add polyphenol foods like berries, onions and garlic.Note: his advice; no study named

45. A routine to try: get magnesium from food first, like leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, almonds and avocado

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-03-22Get magnesium from food whenever possible: cooked leafy greens, nuts, seeds, pumpkin seeds, cocoa and avocado.Note: food only here; his supplement advice is not used
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-06-12Food first for magnesium: leafy greens, pumpkin seeds and almonds.Note: food only here; his supplement advice is not used

46. A routine to try: drink water through the day

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-07-08Drink more water through the day, without overdoing it.Note: his advice; the figure he gives is not used
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-06-14Stay hydrated; it is one of his first steps.Note: his advice; no study named

47. A routine to try: cut back on alcohol

    If you drink heavily every day, talk to your doctor before you cut back.

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-03-06Cut down or cut out alcohol in the first phase; it can come back later.Note: his advice; no study named
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-02-08Cut back on alcohol, beer in particular.Note: his advice; no study named
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-06-12Reduce alcohol as a first step for better sleep.Note: his advice; no study named
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2023-01-02Suggests a month with little or no alcohol.Note: the study he links does not support his 30-day claim, so it is not used

48. A routine to try: on days you lift, have a protein-rich meal after you train

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2024-01-13After training, have a good serving of protein. He described a study of protein taken after exercise.Note: a small lab study; no amount usedStudy Thomas DeLauer described: The anabolic response to protein ingestion during recovery from exercise has no upper limit in magnitude and duration in vivo in humans (Trommelen et al.) (Cell Reports Medicine, 2023)
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-01-18Have protein soon after you train.Note: no amount used

49. A routine to try: break up long sitting with a few short walks, like during a call

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-09-11Walk more than you do now: add about 1,000 steps, walk during calls or dog walks, and park farther away. He described a large study of sitting time and activity.Note: a study of long-term health in large groups; no result is usedStudy Thomas DeLauer described: Does physical activity attenuate, or even eliminate, the detrimental association of sitting time with mortality? A harmonised meta-analysis of data from more than 1 million men and women (Ekelund et al.) (The Lancet, 2016)
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2023-03-01Walk more each day. He described a study of daily steps in 15 groups of people.Note: a study of long-term health in large groups; no result is usedStudy Thomas DeLauer described: Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts (Paluch et al.) (The Lancet Public Health, 2022)
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-11-21Walk daily: one long walk or several short ones both count. From about 3,500 steps, add 1,000.Note: his advice
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-03-06Move more through the day and sit less.Note: his advice

50. A routine to try: if you're able, a hard interval session a few times a week, like 4 rounds of 4 minutes hard and 3 minutes easy. New to hard exercise? Start with 30 seconds hard

    If you have a heart condition, take blood pressure medicine or haven't exercised in a long while, ask your doctor first.

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-06-01Make easy daily movement your base and add one to three hard interval sessions a week, earlier in the day. If you're out of shape, start with 30 seconds hard and up to 2 minutes easy, and pull back when sleep or recovery slip.Note: his advice; how often differs between videos
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-11-22Three times a week: 4 rounds of 4 minutes hard and 3 minutes easy on a rower, bike or treadmill.Note: his advice; the study he links does not support his reason
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-07-084 by 4 intervals two or three days a week.Note: his advice
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-02-08Hard intervals of 3 to 4 minutes.Note: his advice
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-03-22A 4 by 4 two or three times a week.Note: his advice

51. A routine to try: two short all-out sprints. Go as hard as you can for a few seconds, stop, let your heart rate come all the way back down, then go once more

    If you have a heart condition, take blood pressure medicine or haven't exercised in a long while, ask your doctor first.

    • Dave Asprey, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-02-01Sprint, let your heart rate return all the way to normal, then sprint again, twice. He says his cardio is three or four short sessions a week.Note: his own routine; no study named. He owns Upgrade Labs, the gyms and bike he names in this video

52. A routine to try: a few times a week, a longer easy walk or ride, about 45 minutes, at a pace where you can still talk

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-07-08An uphill or backpack walk of about 45 minutes, two to four days a week.Note: his advice; no study named
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2025-06-06Easy cardio three days a week for 40 to 45 minutes, at a pace where you can talk.Note: his advice; no study named
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-06-01Low-effort movement every day is the base.Note: his advice
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-10-30More easy, longer cardio as a base, on top of harder work.Note: his advice

53. A routine to try: once a week, check your sleep, energy and strength. If they've dropped, ease off the hard sessions

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-06-01Watch for poor sleep, soreness or flat motivation, and pull back on intensity.Note: his advice; no study named
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026If you're getting worse instead of better, it's probably too much, not too little.Note: his words as host
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-01-01Watch your energy, strength and sleep day to day; a drop is an early warning.Note: his advice; no study named

54. A routine to try: make your bedroom dark and cool

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2022-09-12Sleep in a very dark room.Note: his advice; no study used
    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2026-06-14Keep the bedroom cool and dark.Note: his advice; no study used

55. A routine to try: wind down with the same steps each night

    • Thomas DeLauer, YouTube. YouTube video, 2022-09-12Keep a routine before bed, like setting out tomorrow's vitamins and toothbrush.Note: his advice; no study named