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Editorial Policy & Fact-Checking Standards

Last updated

Simplified Fitness exists for one reason: the fitness industry is full of confident claims that fall apart when you read the actual research. Our job is to read it for you. And to show our working so you can check it yourself.

Who is responsible for our content

Every guide, calculator and plan on this site is published under the editorial responsibility of Umair Hazrami, founder and head coach of Simplified Fitness. If something we publish is wrong, that is on us, and we will fix it (see our corrections policy).

Our evidence hierarchy

Not all evidence is equal. When we make a claim, we weigh sources in this order:

  1. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Pooled results from many studies (for example, Schoenfeld and colleagues’ dose-response analyses of training volume).
  2. Randomised controlled trials, preferably in resistance-trained people rather than untrained beginners.
  3. Position stands and guidelines from established bodies. The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), World Health Organization (WHO), Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN), U.S. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements (NIH ODS), and patient-facing medical references such as Mayo Clinic and the NHS.
  4. Mechanistic and observational research. Useful context, never the sole basis for a recommendation.
  5. Coaching experience. We say so explicitly when a recommendation comes from practice rather than published data.

Sourcing rules

  • Every article cites at least three sources, listed at the end with a direct link to the study on PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) or to the guideline itself.
  • Every PubMed ID on this site is automatically checked against PubMed when the site is built. A citation that does not resolve to a real record, or whose authors and year do not match, blocks publication.
  • We do not cite supplement brand blogs, affiliate review sites or influencer posts as evidence.
  • When the research is mixed, we say it is mixed. We present what each side found, explain the methodological differences (trained vs untrained participants, short vs long studies, how muscle growth was measured), and give a cautious practical recommendation instead of false certainty.
  • When older research has been overturned, we show how the understanding changed rather than quietly ignoring it.

How content is reviewed and updated

Each guide shows when it was published and last updated. We revisit content when significant new research appears, when a reader points out an error, and on a rolling schedule for our most-read guides. Substantive changes update the “Updated” date; typo fixes do not.

Medical boundaries

We write about training and nutrition for generally healthy adults. We do not diagnose, treat or give individual medical advice. Where a topic touches on medical conditions. Diabetes, PCOS, kidney disease, pregnancy, injuries. We say clearly when you need a doctor, and we link to medical references rather than replacing them. Read our full medical disclaimer.

Independence and conflicts of interest

Simplified Fitness earns money in two ways: paid 1-on-1 coaching, and an affiliate partnership with Nutrabay, an Indian supplement retailer. Our free guides, plans and tools exist to be genuinely useful whether or not you ever become a client or buy anything.

Affiliate links. Some supplement and protein guides, and a few calculators, include a clearly labelled “Where to buy” box with a link to Nutrabay. If you buy through it, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Our founder Umair Hazrami uses Nutrabay products personally. These links are marked as sponsored, every box carries a disclosure, and the box only names supplements our guides already support with evidence. The partnership never changes what a guide says: dosing, safety notes and “this does not work” conclusions apply to every brand, including Nutrabay. Coaching is mentioned where it is relevant, and the same rule applies.

How we use AI

We use AI tools to help draft and structure content. Read exactly how in our AI use policy.

Contact the editor

Spotted an error, outdated study or unclear explanation? Email contact.simplifiedfitness@gmail.com or message us on WhatsApp. We read every message.