Ryan Dube · January 17, 2022 · 8 min read Getting in shape isn’t easy. It takes a lot of research, time, and long-term commitment. If you’ve been searching for fitness websites to get accurate health advice, then you know that there’s a whole lot of misinformation out there.
This misinformation is because so many companies online are trying to sell their health products, and not all are guaranteed to be based on sound science.
Whether you’re looking to eat better, looking for better ways to lose weight, or just how to live a healthier life, the following are the best fitness websites that you can trust for accurate information.
Best Dieting and Nutrition Websites
Don’t trust your health and fitness to bad advice from people on social media or websites that aren’t backed by science. The following fitness websites will provide you with accurate and evidenced information that you can trust.
1. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Eatright.org is a website published by The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This academy was first founded in Cleveland, Ohio in 1917 and represents over 112,000 nutritional experts worldwide.
The dietary information you find there can be trusted because the academy members are professionals throughout the nutritional industry, including experts in disease prevention and wellness. The academy even provides testimony at government hearings dealing with public health.
The only downside to this organization is that they do receive food industry funding, including from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Egg Nutrition Center. So when it comes to articles promoting eating products like these, take it with a grain of salt.
Top features:
- Includes website sections on Food, Health, and Fitness
- Contributions from credentialed health and medical experts
- Doesn’t promote any specific dietary plan, only healthy food choices
- Includes a section with healthy recipes
2. Nutrition.gov
The USDA provides its own nutritional website called Nutrition.gov. This website offers valuable science-based information about nutrition that you can depend on. This includes nutrient databases from the USDA, articles about food and diet, advice on preventing disease and illness, and even seasonal recipes.
Top features:
- Government-run and funded, so its motivation is to serve the public
- Expert Q&A section that helps clear up misinformation and confusion
- References to other government resources for more information
- An entire section devoted to healthy recipes
3. Harvard: The Nutrition Source
One of the best places to ensure that the nutritional information you’re getting is evidence-based is from an academic institution. This is exactly what you’ll get at The Nutrition Source, published by the School of Public Health at Harvard. For example, in its list of healthy protein sources, The Nutrition Source listed fish, poultry, beans, and nuts – not beef. This is a sign that major industries do not influence the resource.
Top features:
- Includes a downloadable Healthy Living Guide PDF that you can keep with you wherever you go
- Provides macro sections (carbohydrates, protein, fats) to help you make more educated food choices
- Includes an extensive recipes section
4. Center for Nutrition Studies
The Center for Nutrition Studies is a website created by Dr. Colin Campbell. Dr. Campbell is a celebrity amongst the Vegan community and is featured in many plant-based documentaries. His fame comes from his seminal research project, The China Study, which proved that animal proteins might represent one of the most significant risk factors in major diseases like cancer and diabetes.
Top features:
- Includes a Guide section with quick reference information on specific foods you should eat for optimal health
- Comprehensive plant-based recipe section
- Articles on major topics like disease, weight loss, and environment
- Includes a mini-course on how to eat a plant-based diet
Best Workout and Fitness Websites
How do you know the best ways to lose more fat without losing muscle? Is it better to lift weights or do cardio? Should you count calories? These are very hard questions to find accurate answers for on social media or many websites.
Unfortunately, more people are trying to sell books or services rather than providing science-based information regarding fitness. The following websites can help.
5. Exercise Prescription on Internet (ExRx)
ExRx was founded in 1999 and today serves as a resource for valuable, dependable information for health and fitness experts, including sports coaches and fitness enthusiasts. ExRx stands for Exercise Prescription. It’s a resource that prescribes exercises for specific purposes like psychology, conditioning, weight loss, and more.
Top features:
- Over 1900 exercises available in this extensive fitness library
- Fitness assessment calculators and workout templates
- A large library of well-researched fitness articles
6. VeryWell Fit
VeryWell Fit only appears like a regular fitness blog, but its dependability goes much deeper than that. The writers and editors there are all experts, including dietitians, nutritionists, personal trainers, even doctors. The library of articles totals over 6000. You’ll learn important information about fitness, healthy eating, and tips and tricks on losing weight.
Top features:
- Article topics cover fitness, healthy eating, and weight loss
- Tools section with calculators for calories, BMI and more
- Includes a review board with dietitians, personal trainers, and even yoga instructors
7. Livestrong
Livestrong.com is a well-known fitness website. The editorial staff includes a wide range of expertise, including journalists and data analysts who perform appropriate research for the article content. You can trust that the fitness and dietary advice and tips will be grounded in solid research.
Top features:
- A solid library of informative articles on nutrition, fitness, and weight loss
- Fitness challenges and 20-minute workout plans to get started quickly
- A Live Well section focused on promoting healthy living and avoiding disease
- A newsletter where you can get fitness and health tips in your email inbox
8. Bodybuilding.com
Bodybuilding.com is the premier website used by bodybuilding enthusiasts around the world. It offers fitness advice centered around weight lifting and building muscle. You’ll find articles, workout programs, and a full community of other bodybuilders who are working to achieve the same kind of progress and gains that you are.
Top features:
- Massive collection of articles centered around achieving optimal muscle growth
- Workout programs tailored to things like losing weight, gaining strength, or even competing in weightlifting competitions
- A community section with videos, forums, and social media groups you can join
Best Medical Health Websites
When you’re having strange symptoms, it can be scary. However, access to reliable health information can set your mind at ease and help you understand the potential causes. The following websites are some of the best medical health resources available online.
9. Mayo Clinic
You may know that the Mayo Clinic is a major medical center, but the clinic also provides a comprehensive website filled with valuable health information covering disease prevention, symptom research, and how to live a healthy lifestyle.
Most of the information you’ll be interested in can be found under the Health Information dropdown in the website menu. There you can learn about diseases, illness symptoms, medication, and tips on living a healthy lifestyle.
Top features:
- Search for diseases or conditions by the first letter in its name
- Research any test or procedure your doctor might have ordered
- Crosscheck symptoms with potential causes
- Look up health information by life stages such as infants, teens, or aging
10. WebMD
WebMD is one of the most well-known medical resource sites on the web, for a good reason. The content at WebMD is unlike most other health-related websites. Many of the content contributors at the site are part of the medical community and certified medical experts. The site also has a Medical Editorial Board to ensure that all content is accurate and based on science.
Top features:
- An A-Z directory for every medical condition you may want to research
- A symptom-checker tool that lets you research potential illnesses related to your symptoms
- A collection of content on drugs and supplements to help you understand the benefits and side effects
- A Living Healthy section that weight loss, fitness and exercise, and even a collection of healthy recipes
11. MedlinePlus
The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers the public an important medical resource called MedlinePlus. It touts itself as the world’s most extensive medical library, and all information and resources are free.
Top features:
- Research medical tests your doctor may have ordered for you
- Learn about any drugs you’ve been prescribed
- Access the medical encyclopedia for a wide array of medical information
- See the Healthy Recipe section for a library of wholesome recipes to improve your health
12. Psychology Today
Health isn’t all about physical health. You also need to focus on your mental health, and Psychology Today can help. Much of the content on this website is written by experienced psychologists and counselors dealing with mental health issues.
Top features:
- Use the search feature to find a therapist near you
- Search for help using the menu to search for specific mental health conditions
- Use the Diagnosis Dictionary to find more information around your own specific diagnosis
- Browse thousands of articles covering a variety of important mental health issues most important to you
Fitness and Health Advice
Don’t trust your health to just any website. Social media “experts” are usually not experts at all. Instead, use the best health and fitness websites in this article to access accurate and evidence-based facts about the fitness and health issues that you’re most interested in. By focusing on sites run by experts, you can be sure you’re getting accurate information, and not getting misinformed.
