Our evidence

Every number in Sthira has a source.

Protein targets, healthy weight ranges, carb guidance and our 12-week programs all come from published guidelines. Here is the list, and how we use each one.

Guidelines, not trends

Targets come from the American Diabetes Association, the 2025 joint advisory on nutrition during GLP-1 therapy and WHO, plus ICMR-NIN for members in India.

Food data

Quick-add foods are calculated from USDA FoodData Central, plus the Indian Food Composition Tables (IFCT 2017) for Indian dishes, rounded to home servings. We review every entry and note each change.

AI, with limits

Photo and text estimates use Claude by Anthropic and are labeled as estimates you can edit. The coach answers from your own logs and these sources, says it's an AI, and never gives dosing advice.

Safety first

No targets below safe calorie floors without a doctor. Red-flag symptoms always point to urgent care. Medicine decisions stay with your prescriber.

Sources

  1. ICMR-NIN 2024

    Dietary Guidelines for Indians

    ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, 2024

    • Cereals and millets at most 45% of daily energy; pulses, beans and meat up to 15%.
    • Salt under 5 g a day; added sugar under 5% of energy.
    • Get protein from food first; the guidelines advise against routine protein supplements.

  2. ICMR-NIN 2020

    Nutrient Requirements for Indians

    ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, 2020

    • Protein requirement for healthy adults: 0.83 g per kg of body weight a day (about 54 g for a 65 kg man, 46 g for a 55 kg woman).

  3. IFCT 2017

    Indian Food Composition Tables

    ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (Longvah et al.), 2017

    • Nutrient values for 528 Indian foods. Our cooked-dish values are calculated from these ingredients and rounded to home servings.

  4. USDA FoodData Central

    FoodData Central

    US Department of Agriculture, 2026

    • Public-domain nutrient data for packaged and global foods, used where Indian tables don't cover a food.

  5. WHO 2004

    Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations

    WHO Expert Consultation, The Lancet 363:157–163, 2004

    • For Asian adults, health risk rises from a BMI of 23, and is high from 27.5. A healthy range is 18.5 to 22.9.

  6. ACLM, ASN, OMA, TOS 2025

    Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: a joint advisory

    American College of Lifestyle Medicine, American Society for Nutrition, Obesity Medicine Association, The Obesity Society. Obesity 33(8):1475–1503, 2025

    • Protein 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg a day during active weight loss (often 80 to 120 g a day), to protect muscle.
    • Strength training at least 3 times a week, plus 150 minutes of aerobic activity.
    • Below about 1,200 kcal (women) or 1,800 kcal (men), the risk of missing vitamins and minerals rises.

  7. ADA 2026

    Standards of Care in Overweight and Obesity, 2026

    American Diabetes Association, 2026

    • Losing at least 5% of body weight brings measurable health benefits; 10% or more helps many weight-related conditions.
    • During medicine-assisted weight loss, keep an eye on protein and micronutrient intake.

  8. WHO 2025

    Guideline on the use of GLP-1 medicines in treating obesity

    World Health Organization, 2025

    • GLP-1 medicines work best alongside healthy eating and physical activity, under a clinician's care.

  9. NHS

    Advice for underweight adults

    NHS (UK), 2023

    • To gain weight healthily, add about 300 to 500 kcal a day, gradually, from nutritious foods rather than sugary snacks.
    • Underweight means a BMI below 18.5.

Programs and what they rest on

Protein first on a GLP-1

Losing weight with Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro or Zepbound

Keep muscle while the weight comes off: enough protein, strength work, and steady meals even when appetite is low.

Sources: ACLM, ASN, OMA, TOS 2025, ADA 2026, WHO 2025, ICMR-NIN 2024

Steady loss, your plate

Losing weight without medicine

Change the plate, not the cuisine: fewer refined carbs, more protein and vegetables, daily movement, about 5% in 12 weeks.

Sources: ICMR-NIN 2024, ICMR-NIN 2020, ADA 2026, WHO 2004

Healthy weight gain

Underweight, or gaining back to a healthy range

Gain steadily with nutritious, calorie-dense home food and strength training, so the weight you add is strength, not sugar.

Sources: NHS, ICMR-NIN 2020, WHO 2004, ICMR-NIN 2024

Hold steady

At your goal, or coming off a GLP-1

Keep what you've built: high protein, strength training and an early warning when weight starts to drift.

Sources: ACLM, ASN, OMA, TOS 2025, ADA 2026, ICMR-NIN 2024

Spotted something out of date? Tell us. We review guideline updates and food values, and we note every change. Developers can read our food list as JSON at /api/v1/foods.

Sthira is a tracking and education tool, not a medical device. It does not diagnose, treat or prevent any disease.