Compare experts › Andy Galpin vs Mary Claire Haver

Andy Galpin vs Mary Claire Haver

Andy Galpin (exercise physiologist) and Mary Claire Haver (physician, ob-gyn) side by side: how they train, eat, supplement and sleep, how strong the evidence is, and how to build a plan from either or both.

Build a plan from bothSee the protocols
Words explained (13)
Zone 2
Steady cardio at a pace where you can still talk in full sentences, but not sing.
VO2 max
The most oxygen your body can use in hard exercise. A good measure of fitness; higher is better.
Intervals
Short hard efforts with easy recovery in between, such as 30 seconds fast, 90 seconds slow.
4 × 4
Four rounds of 4 minutes hard with 3 minutes easy in between. Also called Norwegian intervals.
Hypertrophy
Muscle growth.
Loaded carry
Walking while holding something heavy, like shopping bags or dumbbells.
Mobility
Moving your joints freely through their full range.
Creatine
A well-studied supplement that supports strength and muscle.
Omega-3 (EPA, DHA)
Healthy fats found mostly in oily fish such as salmon, herring and sardines.
Fibre
The part of plant foods you don't digest. It feeds healthy gut bacteria and keeps you full.
Time-restricted eating
Eating all your meals within a set window of the day, for example 8am to 6pm.
Perimenopause
The years of changing hormones before periods stop for good.
Hormone therapy (HRT, MHT)
Medicine that replaces hormones that fall at menopause. Only a doctor can prescribe it.

At a glance

MeasureAndy GalpinMary Claire Haver
BackgroundExercise physiologistPhysician, OB-GYN
Training split50% strength · 30% aerobic · 15% intervals · 5% mobility55% strength · 40% aerobic · 0% intervals · 5% mobility
Signature habit“3–5 rule” liftingFibre 25 g+ a day
ProteinDaily total matters most80–120 g a day
Training styleAll-rounderWomen 40+
Overall evidenceStrongStrong
FollowingInstagram 377K · YouTube 201KInstagram 3.6M · YouTube 688K

Training splits are our estimates from each expert’s published routine. Following checked October 2026.

The key differences

  • Haver puts more of the week into aerobic base (zone 2): about 40% against 30%.
  • Galpin puts more of the week into intervals: about 15% against 0%.
  • In plans in their style, Galpin's hard sessions are 4-minute intervals (Norwegian 4 × 4); Haver's are 1-minute intervals.
  • We rate the overall evidence behind both protocols as strong.
  • Supplements that go into a plan: Galpin, creatine monohydrate, caffeine before training; Haver, none (food first). Prescription items and personal stacks stay out of every plan.
  • Neither has a separate mobility routine; plans add 10 minutes a day of basics.

Protocols side by side

Each line is rated for the evidence behind it. “Doctor only” items never go into a plan.

Training

Andy Galpin

  • Strength: the 3–5 rule – 3–5 exercises, 3–5 sets of 3–5 reps, 3–5 minutes' rest, 3–5 days a week, every rep done with full intentStrong evidence
  • Muscle growth: at least 10 hard sets per muscle group a week, each within 1–2 reps of failure; 15–20 sets for more experienced liftersStrong evidence
  • Add load gradually for strength, roughly 3–5% a week, and keep the same main exercises for about 6–12 weeks before changing themSome evidence
  • Moderate, conversational-pace cardio of about 150–200 minutes a week for general healthStrong evidence
  • Warm up for about 5–7 minutes, up to 10 if you are stiff or olderPersonal habit
  • Run a simple fitness test battery about once a year (for example grip strength, jumps, push-ups and an estimate of VO2 max) and retest weak areas more oftenSome evidence

Mary Claire Haver

  • Full-body weight training at least 2 days a week (she does 3–4), progressing gradually, ideally with a trainerStrong evidence
  • Walk at least 3 days a week; beginners start with 5–10 minutes a dayStrong evidence
  • To progress: add a weighted vest to walks, more steps, or a third lifting dayPersonal habit
  • No exercise types need to be avoided in menopause; strength, cardio, stretching and mind-body work all matterNote

Eating

Andy Galpin

  • Total daily protein matters more than exact timing around workoutsSome evidence
  • Daily fluid baseline of about 30 ml per kg of body weightPersonal habit
  • During training: drink about 2 ml per kg of body weight every 15–20 minutes; afterwards replace about 125% of the weight lostSome evidence
  • For long or very hard sessions, start at about 60 g of carbohydrate per hourStrong evidence

Mary Claire Haver

  • Protein about 1.5 g per kg of healthy body weight a day, with about 1.8 g/kg as a stretch goalSome evidence
  • Fibre at least 25 g a day, building slowly towards 30–45 gStrong evidence
  • Eat about 30 different plant foods a week (vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, grains, herbal teas)Some evidence
  • Anti-inflammatory, Mediterranean-style eating: limit added sugar and processed carbohydrate, add leafy greens, olive oil, berries, nuts and fermented foodsStrong evidence
  • Spread protein across meals and snacks, each paired with a healthy fat and a healthy carbohydratePersonal habit
  • She originally promoted 16:8 intermittent fasting but has pulled back, saying it can make enough protein hard to reachNote

Supplements

Andy Galpin

  • Creatine monohydrate 3–5 g a day; larger people may need moreStrong evidence
  • Creatine takes about 3–4 weeks to saturate muscle at normal doses; a loading phase is optionalNote
  • Caffeine about 1–3 mg per kg roughly 30 minutes before exercise; performance tends to drop above about 5 mg per kgStrong evidence

Mary Claire Haver

  • Omega-3, vitamin D and vitamin K among the supplements she takes; she does not give general dosesPersonal habit
  • Fibre supplement if diet alone falls short of the daily targetPersonal habit
  • Check with your doctor before starting any new supplementNote
  • She sells her own supplement line ('Pause), so weigh her product recommendations with that in mindNote

Sleep & recovery

Andy Galpin

  • After training, lie down for 3–10 minutes with eyes covered and breathe slowly through the nose (for example box breathing) to switch into recovery modeSome evidence
  • Cold-water immersion can ease soreness but may blunt muscle growth, so keep it away from strength sessions if muscle is the goalSome evidence
  • Hot baths for next-morning stiffnessPersonal habit
  • Pair one physical recovery tool (compression, light movement, a swim) with one breathing practice rather than chasing every gadgetPersonal habit
  • Watch three markers – performance, physiology (resting heart rate, HRV) and how you feel; five or more days of decline is a sign to back offSome evidence

Mary Claire Haver

  • Menopausal hormone therapy, chosen with a doctor; she calls it the most effective treatment for hot flushes and night sweatsDoctor only
  • Prefers non-oral (patch, gel, spray) oestrogen, which carries a lower clot risk than tablets; progesterone for women with a uterusDoctor only
  • Magnesium (L-threonate) and a sleep supplement in her own routinePersonal habit

Stress & mind

Andy Galpin

No specific guidance in what we reviewed.

Mary Claire Haver

  • Journal for a few minutes every dayPersonal habit
  • Add meditation, using an app or free guided sessionsSome evidence
  • Prepare questions before midlife health check-ups and push for proper care of symptomsPersonal habit

Brain health

Andy Galpin

No specific guidance in what we reviewed.

Mary Claire Haver

  • Points to observational data linking longer lifetime oestrogen exposure, including hormone therapy, with better cognition; not a licensed reason to start hormonesDoctor only
  • Creatine for possible memory and mood benefits; most of this evidence is from small or non-menopausal studiesSome evidence
  • Strength training, protein and fibre as part of reducing long-term risks such as dementia, heart disease and diabetesSome evidence

Weak spots to know

Andy Galpin

  • Much of his detailed advice (hydration formulas, carbohydrate per hour, caffeine dosing) is built for athletes and hard training; it needs scaling down for most adults over 50.
  • Several recovery tools he discusses, such as compression, cold and heat, have modest or mixed evidence, and he himself notes cold immersion may reduce muscle gains.
  • His fitness-test benchmarks are practical rules of thumb rather than age-adjusted clinical norms.

Mary Claire Haver

  • Several menopause specialists, quoted in a 2024 New York Times report, said she promotes hormone use beyond official guidelines; one said patients now ask for hormones to prevent heart disease or dementia, or testosterone for general wellbeing.
  • Commercial ties, stated neutrally: she owns The 'Pause Life (a multimillion-dollar business selling supplements, programmes and online courses) and a cash-pay menopause clinic. The Menopause Society discourages doctors from selling their own products, and the advertising watchdog Truth in Advertising flagged some product claims; according to the New York Times, she then hired a consultant to review the claims on her website.
  • An independent review by ConsumerLab found some of her supplements costly for what they contain, with creatine claims that overstate the evidence and a vitamin D dose at the upper safe limit.

Build a plan from Galpin, Haver or both

Your free plan shows a week of gym sessions, cardio, a day of eating, supplements and mobility, fitted to your age, time and health.

Plan in Galpin's stylePlan in Haver's styleMix both

Questions

What is the main difference between Andy Galpin and Mary Claire Haver?

Their training split differs most in intervals: Galpin about 15%, Haver about 0% (our estimate from their published routines). Galpin's signature habit is “3–5 rule” lifting; Haver's is Fibre 25 g+ a day.

How much protein do Galpin and Haver recommend?

Galpin: Daily total matters most. Haver: 80–120 g a day.

Whose advice has stronger evidence?

We rate the overall evidence behind both protocols as strong.

Do Galpin and Haver disagree?

Not directly in what we reviewed. Their differences are in emphasis: haver puts more of the week into aerobic base (zone 2): about 40% against 30%.

Can I combine Galpin and Haver?

Yes. In Build my mix you choose one expert per area, for example one for strength and another for eating. Your free plan shows the result straight away.

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Full sources are on each profile: Andy Galpin · Mary Claire Haver. Reviewed October 2026.