Who runs InstaTuck, how pages are researched and reviewed, how the site makes money, and why rankings and scorecards are never paid for.
Key takeaways
- InstaTuck explains and compares weight-loss, body-shaping and maintenance options; it does not diagnose, prescribe or sell treatments.[1]
- Status badges separate FDA-approved drugs from compounded drugs, which are not FDA approved, and from supplements, which the FDA does not approve before sale.[2]
- Affiliate links are disclosed close to the link and in the footer, as the FTC Endorsement Guides expect; commissions never change order or scorecards.[4]
- Medical pages are published only after a licensed reviewer signs them off, and the reviewer is named on the page.[5]
In short: InstaTuck is a free, independent information center that lays out every legitimate way to lose weight, shape your body and keep the weight off, side by side and in plain language. We explain and compare; we do not diagnose, prescribe or sell treatments. We earn money through clearly labeled affiliate links, and no company can pay to change our order, our scorecards or what we write.
Most people who want to lose weight hear about one option at a time: a diet from a friend, a shot from an ad, a clinic from a billboard. We built InstaTuck to answer a bigger question: what are all of my options, and which ones are worth a closer look with a professional? This page explains who we are, how we work and how the site is paid for.
Our mission: lose it, shape it, keep it
Weight change is a journey with three stages, and each one gets its own home on InstaTuck:
- Lose it. Food, movement, habits, programs, medication and surgery, compared honestly. Start with how to lose weight, our diets compared and the weight-loss medications hub.
- Shape it. Looking and feeling your best after weight change: loose skin, body contouring, toning and recomposition. Cosmetic treatments reshape an area; they are not weight-loss treatments, and we say so on every page. See shape and look better.
- Keep it. Maintenance gets less attention than it deserves. Our keep it off hub covers muscle, protein, habits and life after medication or surgery.
If you are not sure where to begin, Find My Options asks a few questions about your goal and preferences and shows the kinds of approaches worth learning about. It runs in your browser and does not send or store your answers.
What makes InstaTuck different
- Everything in one place, compared fairly. A diet, a walking plan, a telehealth program, a weekly injection and a surgery are all ways people approach the same goal. Our comparison pages and builder put them side by side with the same scorecard dimensions and no overall “winner”.
- Honest status labels. “FDA approved”, “approved for a different use”, “investigational”, “compounded” and “dietary supplement” mean very different things. The FDA approves a drug when its benefits appear to outweigh its known risks for the intended use; compounded drugs are not FDA approved, and the FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are sold. Every badge on InstaTuck comes from an official record and shows the date we checked it. Our guide to status badges explains each one.
- Dates on everything that changes. Prices, insurance rules and approvals move quickly, so they carry a “checked on” date. See our costs hub for how we date prices.
- No shame, no hype. No before-and-after photos, no hype and no promises of certain results. Bodies are different, and so are the right next steps.
Who writes and reviews InstaTuck
InstaTuck is published by the Staricon network, a small group of independent information sites. Our editorial team researches and writes every page from primary sources: FDA labels, government health agencies such as the NIH and CDC, professional society guidelines and peer-reviewed studies. We sometimes use AI tools to help draft and organize pages; a person checks every fact against its source, and nothing is published automatically. The full process is on our editorial standards page.
How an InstaTuck page is made
- ResearchOur editorial team writes each page from primary sources: FDA labels, the NIH and CDC, society guidelines and peer-reviewed studies.
- Fact checkA person checks every fact against its source. Nothing is published automatically, including anything drafted with AI tools.
- Medical reviewPages about medications, supplements, conditions and procedures are reviewed by a licensed professional before they go live.
- Dates and correctionsPrices, insurance rules and approvals carry a checked-on date, and corrections go straight to the editor.
Medical reviewers. Pages about prescription medications, supplements, medical conditions and procedures are reviewed by a licensed professional before they go live: a physician (MD or DO) or pharmacist for medications, a registered dietitian or physician for nutrition-heavy pages, and a surgeon or dermatologist for procedures. When a page has been reviewed, it shows the reviewer’s name, credential and the review date. If a page does not show a reviewer, it has not had a medical review, and we never imply that it has. Each reviewer will have a profile page under About with their credentials and how to check them.
How we make money
InstaTuck is free to read. To pay for research, writing and medical review, we may earn money in these ways:
- Affiliate links. When you buy a product or sign up for a program through some of our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, InstaTuck earns from qualifying purchases. Product picks appear on gear, nutrition and exercise pages, such as our weight-loss gear guides, and never as supplements next to prescription information.
- Program and telehealth referrals. Some weight-loss programs pay us when a reader signs up. We do not promote offers built around compounded versions of approved drugs.
- Later: provider listings and advertising. Paid provider listings and display ads may come later. Any paid listing will be labeled, and ads will not appear inside medication content or our tools.
Under the Federal Trade Commission’s Endorsement Guides, a disclosure has to be clear and easy to notice, close to the recommendation it relates to. That is why a short disclosure appears above the first affiliate link on any page that has one, and in the footer of every page.
Rankings are never paid
Our directories, scorecards and comparisons are ordered and scored by editorial criteria only. A company cannot pay to appear higher, to receive a better scorecard value or to have a risk left out. If a commission and an honest answer ever pull in different directions, the honest answer wins. Health claims in program and product copy stay within what the evidence and the official label support, in line with the FTC’s view that health claims need competent and reliable scientific evidence, usually from well-designed human trials.
What InstaTuck is not
InstaTuck is not a medical practice, a pharmacy or a clinic. We cannot tell you which treatment fits you, check whether you meet a medication’s criteria or give you a dose. Those decisions belong to you and a licensed clinician who knows your health history. Every medical page ends with questions you can take to that conversation. In an emergency, call 911.
Your privacy matters to us too: our calculators and Find My Options run in your browser, and the weight tracker keeps your entries on your own device. Read the details in our privacy policy and consumer health data notice.
Get in touch
Spotted an error, have a question about a page or want to work with us? Use our contact page. Corrections go straight to the editor. To follow what is new, see our research and news section and the Learn hub.
Related guides
Editorial Standards, Medical Review and DisclosuresHow InstaTuck sources facts, the draft-to-approved review workflow, our AI policy, status badges, dated facts, corrections,…
Privacy Policy and Consumer Health Data NoticeHow InstaTuck handles privacy: tools run in your browser, tracker data stays on your device, analytics…
Find My Options: see the weight-loss approaches that match your preferencesFind My Options: a private, five-step questionnaire that shows the weight-loss approaches matching your goals and…Tools for this topic
Questions to ask a professional
- Which of the options I read about on InstaTuck could fit my health history, and which would you rule out?
- Is there anything about my medications or conditions that changes which approaches are safe for me?
- Which numbers should we track besides my weight?
- Would a registered dietitian, a structured program or a specialist be useful for me?
Frequently asked questions
Who owns InstaTuck?
InstaTuck is published by the Staricon network, a small group of independent information sites. It is not owned by a drug maker, clinic or program.
Is InstaTuck medical advice?
No. InstaTuck is educational information. It can help you understand your options and prepare questions, but decisions about treatment belong to you and a licensed clinician who knows your health history.
Do companies pay to be listed or ranked higher?
No. Order, scorecards and comparisons are editorial. We may earn a commission from some links, and any future paid listing will be clearly labeled and never placed above editorial relevance.
Are your pages written by AI?
We sometimes use AI tools to help draft and organize pages. A person checks every fact against its source, medical pages also need a licensed reviewer, and nothing is published automatically. Our editorial standards page explains the full workflow.
How do I report a mistake?
Use the contact page and choose "Correction". Tell us the page and what looks wrong; the editor reviews every report and updates the page with a new date when a fix is made.
References
- FDA’s Drug Review Process: Continued. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (accessed October 6, 2026) Government page
- FDA’s concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2026. (accessed October 7, 2026) Government page
- Questions and Answers on Dietary Supplements. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (accessed October 7, 2026) Government page
- FTC’s Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking. Federal Trade Commission. (accessed October 6, 2026) Government page
- Health Products Compliance Guidance. Federal Trade Commission, 2022. (accessed October 6, 2026) Government page
Facts checked on October 6, 2026
Educational information, not medical advice. Talk with a qualified healthcare professional about your own situation. In an emergency call 911.