Audit a metabolic-flexibility claim without running a fasting or exercise experiment

Reset: Re-read this authored instruction — “Copy the paper's exact definition of metabolic flexibility. State whether it means RER change, substrate oxidation, response to insulin/meal/exercise or another construct.” — and its success check, then attempt only this step.

1. Possible snag: The label is copied but the operational definition is missing.

   Correction: Write the exact before-and-after conditions and measured variable.

Stop / get help: Stop the research exercise if it is becoming a personal fasting, glucose, supplement, medication or high-intensity exercise experiment.

Reset: Re-read this authored instruction — “List the baseline state, the metabolic challenge and every measurement time. Examples are fasted-to-fed, rest-to-exercise or low-to-higher workload.” — and its success check, then attempt only this step.

1. Possible snag: RER values from rest and exercise are compared without matching workload.

   Correction: Match absolute or relative workload as the protocol specifies and flag differences.

Stop / get help: Stop the research exercise if it is becoming a personal fasting, glucose, supplement, medication or high-intensity exercise experiment.

Reset: Re-read this authored instruction — “Record sample size, age range, sex reporting, training status, obesity/diabetes criteria, medication exclusions and attrition.” — and its success check, then attempt only this step.

1. Possible snag: Statistical significance replaces effect size and uncertainty.

   Correction: Extract the effect estimate and confidence interval for the prespecified contrast.

Stop / get help: Stop the research exercise if it is becoming a personal fasting, glucose, supplement, medication or high-intensity exercise experiment.

Reset: Re-read this authored instruction — “Find diet control, fasting duration, time of day, prior exercise, caffeine/nicotine rules, workload and rest before gas collection. Mark each as reported, absent or unclear.” — and its success check, then attempt only this step.

1. Possible snag: Diet and prior exercise controls are assumed.

   Correction: Mark each control reported, absent or unclear; never fill blanks by intuition.

Stop / get help: Stop the research exercise if it is becoming a personal fasting, glucose, supplement, medication or high-intensity exercise experiment.

Reset: Re-read this authored instruction — “Record gas analyser, calibration, mask/hood, averaging window and steady-state or plausibility rule. Flag RER values outside the study's physiological/technical range rather than silently deleting them.” — and its success check, then attempt only this step.

1. Possible snag: The result from “Record gas analyser, calibration, mask/hood, averaging window and steady-state or plausibility rule. Flag RER values outside the study's physiological/technical range rather than silently deleting them.” does not yet meet this declared check: The quality table shows how each time point passed or failed.

   Correction: Return to the start of “Audit indirect calorimetry”, reduce complexity or pace, and repeat only the part needed to satisfy: “The quality table shows how each time point passed or failed.”

Stop / get help: Stop the research exercise if it is becoming a personal fasting, glucose, supplement, medication or high-intensity exercise experiment.

Reset: Re-read this authored instruction — “For supplied data, subtract baseline RER from challenge RER, or use the paper's prespecified oxidation formula. Keep the sign and units visible and do not invent a universal good direction.” — and its success check, then attempt only this step.

1. Possible snag: The result from “For supplied data, subtract baseline RER from challenge RER, or use the paper's prespecified oxidation formula. Keep the sign and units visible and do not invent a universal good direction.” does not yet meet this declared check: Another reader obtains the same calculation from the shown numbers.

   Correction: Return to the start of “Calculate the declared response”, reduce complexity or pace, and repeat only the part needed to satisfy: “Another reader obtains the same calculation from the shown numbers.”

Stop / get help: Stop the research exercise if it is becoming a personal fasting, glucose, supplement, medication or high-intensity exercise experiment.

Reset: Re-read this authored instruction — “Report within-person change and the between-group contrast with uncertainty. Keep resting oxidation, exercise oxidation, insulin sensitivity and performance in separate rows.” — and its success check, then attempt only this step.

1. Possible snag: The result from “Report within-person change and the between-group contrast with uncertainty. Keep resting oxidation, exercise oxidation, insulin sensitivity and performance in separate rows.” does not yet meet this declared check: The result table contains effect estimates and uncertainty, not just significant/not significant labels.

   Correction: Return to the start of “Compare groups and outcomes”, reduce complexity or pace, and repeat only the part needed to satisfy: “The result table contains effect estimates and uncertainty, not just significant/not significant labels.”

Stop / get help: Stop the research exercise if it is becoming a personal fasting, glucose, supplement, medication or high-intensity exercise experiment.

Reset: Re-read this authored instruction — “State what the design supports, the key null/contrary finding and what it cannot establish. End with the next research need, not a lifestyle prescription.” — and its success check, then attempt only this step.

1. Possible snag: A biomarker finding becomes a personal diet plan.

   Correction: Restore the claim ceiling and route any clinical or behavioural question to qualified care/research.

Stop / get help: Stop the research exercise if it is becoming a personal fasting, glucose, supplement, medication or high-intensity exercise experiment.