Scientific basis
Where your recommendations come from
The calories, protein, workouts, and menopause recommendations in My Better You - LIFE are not arbitrary numbers — they rest solely on official clinical guidelines and position stands of the leading international organizations in sports medicine, nutrition, and public health.
1. Calories (BMR, TDEE, daily intake)
Basal metabolic rate is calculated with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — the most accurate formula for today's population. The limits for a safe calorie deficit and the minimum daily intake follow the clinical guidelines of ACSM and WHO.
| Organization | Publication / guideline | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Mifflin, M.D. et al. | “A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals”, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1990) — the Mifflin-St Jeor equation | pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗ |
| ACSM — American College of Sports Medicine | ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 12th edition (2025) | acsm.org ↗ |
| WHO — World Health Organization | WHO Guideline: Carbohydrate Intake for Adults and Children (2023); WHO Guideline: Sugars Intake (2015) | who.int ↗ |
2. Protein (daily amounts and distribution)
Protein amounts per kilogram of body weight, distribution across meals, and nutrition around training follow the official position stands of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN). The higher protein in perimenopause and menopause rests on the recommendations of the menopause societies.
| Organization | Publication / guideline | Website |
|---|---|---|
| ISSN — International Society of Sports Nutrition | ISSN Position Stand: Protein and Exercise (2017) | pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗ |
| ISSN — International Society of Sports Nutrition | ISSN Position Stand: Nutrient Timing (2017) | pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗ |
| ACSM — American College of Sports Medicine | ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 12th edition (2025) | acsm.org ↗ |
| The Menopause Society (NAMS) | Recommendations on nutrition and musculoskeletal support during the hormonal transition | menopause.org ↗ |
3. Workouts (programs, volume, progression)
Weekly strength volume, beginner progression, progressive overload, and the daily step goal follow ACSM and the official WHO guidelines on physical activity.
| Organization | Publication / guideline | Website |
|---|---|---|
| ACSM — American College of Sports Medicine | ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 12th edition (2025) | acsm.org ↗ |
| WHO — World Health Organization | WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour (2020) | who.int ↗ |
4. Menopause rules
The recommendations for protein, strength priority and bone density, calorie deficit, sleep, hot flash triggers, training environment, and symptom tracking in menopause follow specialized clinical guidelines.
| Organization | Publication / guideline | Website |
|---|---|---|
| The Menopause Society (NAMS) | Management of Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women — NAMS Position Statement (2021) | menopause.org ↗ |
| The Menopause Society (NAMS) | The 2023 Nonhormone Therapy Position Statement | menopause.org ↗ |
| IMS — International Menopause Society | Understanding Weight Gain at Menopause — IMS Statement, Climacteric journal (2012) | pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗ |
| American Academy of Sleep Medicine / Sleep Research Society | Recommended Amount of Sleep for a Healthy Adult: Joint Consensus Statement (2015) | pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗ |
| NICE — National Institute for Health and Care Excellence | NG23 — Menopause: identification and management (last updated 15 April 2026) | nice.org.uk ↗ |