Protein
From our Brad Stanfield profile
Stanfield suggests about 1.2 g per kg of ideal body weight and favours plant protein; Lyon and Attia go up to about 2.2 g per kg.
Compare experts › Gabrielle Lyon vs Brad Stanfield
Gabrielle Lyon vs Brad Stanfield
Gabrielle Lyon (physician (do)) and Brad Stanfield (general practitioner (gp)) 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.
Words explained (11)
- Zone 2
- Steady cardio at a pace where you can still talk in full sentences, but not sing.
- 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.
- Mobility
- Moving your joints freely through their full range.
- Leucine
- A building block of protein that helps switch on muscle building. Meat, fish, eggs, dairy and soy are rich in it.
- 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.
- ApoB
- A blood test that counts the particles carrying cholesterol. Linked to heart disease risk.
- Rapamycin, metformin
- Prescription drugs that some experts take hoping to slow ageing. Not proven for that, and never part of your plan.
- NAD
- A molecule cells use for energy. Supplements are sold to raise it, but evidence in people is limited.
At a glance
| Measure | Gabrielle Lyon | Brad Stanfield |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Physician (DO) | General practitioner (GP) |
| Training split | 60% strength · 20% aerobic · 15% intervals · 5% mobility | 40% strength · 30% aerobic · 25% intervals · 5% mobility |
| Signature habit | 30–50 g protein a meal | 4 × 4 intervals twice a week |
| Protein | ~2.2 g per kg ideal weight | ~1.2 g/kg ideal weight |
| Training style | Muscle-first | Guideline-first |
| Overall evidence | Strong | Strong |
| Following | Instagram 1.2M · YouTube 288K | YouTube 364K |
Training splits are our estimates from each expert’s published routine. Following checked October 2026.
The key differences
- Lyon puts more of the week into strength: about 60% against 40%.
- Stanfield puts more of the week into aerobic base (zone 2): about 30% against 20%.
- Stanfield puts more of the week into intervals: about 25% against 15%.
- In plans in their style, Lyon's hard sessions are 1-minute intervals; Stanfield's are 4-minute intervals (Norwegian 4 × 4).
- We rate the overall evidence behind both protocols as strong.
- Supplements that go into a plan: Lyon, creatine monohydrate; Stanfield, creatine monohydrate, omega-3, psyllium husk. Prescription items and personal stacks stay out of every plan.
- Only Lyon has a mobility or movement routine of their own.
Where they disagree
Protocols side by side
Each line is rated for the evidence behind it. “Doctor only” items never go into a plan.
Training
Gabrielle Lyon
- Resistance training 3–4 days a week, done with focusStrong evidence
- 1–2 days a week of short, higher-intensity intervalsSome evidence
- Steady aerobic work, such as a 30-minute session or a brisk walkStrong evidence
- Move after meals: a walk, some air squats or a short bodyweight circuitSome evidence
- For older adults who do nothing yet, any regular resistance training is the priorityStrong evidence
Brad Stanfield
- Cardio: 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week. His template: two interval sessions and three brisk 30-minute walks.Strong evidence
- Intervals: 4 rounds of 4 minutes hard and 3 minutes easy, after a 10-minute warm-up, twice a week and never on consecutive days.Strong evidence
- Strength at least twice a week (4–5 if you can): 2–3 sets of 10–15 reps per exercise, stopping 1–2 reps short of failure, about 2 minutes' rest, with pushing, pulling and compound lifts.Strong evidence
- Add power training as you age: heavier weights moved quickly.Some evidence
- Zone 2 only if you have time beyond your vigorous minutes; he argues the evidence favours harder cardio for fitness.Note
Eating
Gabrielle Lyon
- About 2.2 g per kg of ideal body weight a day (she also gives 1.2–1.6 g per kg, sometimes up to 1.8 g per kg)Some evidence
- 30–50 g of high-quality protein at the first meal, and a similar large dose at the last mealSome evidence
- About 2.5 g of leucine (roughly 30 g of quality protein) per meal, and about 9 g of leucine across the daySome evidence
- People eating mainly plants may need more total protein, around 1.6 g per kg, because plant protein is lower quality per gramSome evidence
- For inactive people, about 130 g of carbohydrate a day, roughly 40–50 g per meal, with more after exercisePersonal habit
- Older adults should avoid long fasts, which can speed muscle lossSome evidence
Brad Stanfield
- Protein about 1.2 g per kg of ideal body weight a day (check with your doctor if you have kidney disease).Some evidence
- Favour plant protein over red meat and dairy.Some evidence
- Salt (sodium) under 1,500 mg a day, water as the main drink, few sugary drinks including juice.Strong evidence
- Two to three cups of coffee at most, early in the day.Personal habit
Supplements
Gabrielle Lyon
- Creatine supports muscle; she mentions possible brain benefits at higher dosesSome evidence
- Prefer complete protein foods over leucine alone; amino acid supplements make most sense when a meal is low in proteinNote
- She regards the official leucine allowance (about 2.7 g a day) as too low because it was based on young menNote
Brad Stanfield
- Creatine monohydrate 5 g a day.Strong evidence
- Omega-3 (EPA and DHA) up to about 1 g a day; higher doses are linked to a higher risk of atrial fibrillation.Some evidence
- Psyllium husk fibre, building up to about 5 g a day.Some evidence
- A low-dose multivitamin and mineral.Some evidence
- Trimethylglycine (TMG), hyaluronic acid, GlyNAC from 45, and a low-dose melatonin formula: on his personal list, with early evidence.Personal habit
Sleep & recovery
Gabrielle Lyon
No specific guidance in what we reviewed.
Brad Stanfield
- 7–9 hours, a regular schedule and about 30 minutes of morning daylight.Some evidence
- Bedroom at about 18–20 °C and dark; no hard exercise in the 2 hours before bed; alcohol stops 4–6 hours before bed, ideally altogether.Personal habit
Weak spots to know
Gabrielle Lyon
- Her daily target of about 2.2 g per kg of ideal body weight is well above the official allowance of 0.8 g per kg and the 1.0–1.2 g per kg that an expert group recommends for over-65s; whether intakes that high add further benefit for most older adults is still debated.
- The 'leucine threshold' idea behind her per-meal targets and her food rankings is contested; critics such as Simon Hill argue that total protein matters more and that well-chosen plant proteins can meet needs.
- Some of the foundational research she draws on, such as Layman's 2005 study, was partly funded by beef and food industry groups.
Brad Stanfield
- He sells supplements through his own company, MicroVitamin, alongside his supplement reviews. His site says he discloses this.
- Several items on his personal list (TMG, hyaluronic acid, GlyNAC, a melatonin formula) rest on small or early studies.
- His cholesterol targets are stricter than general guidelines for people without heart disease, and his own page gives slightly different ApoB figures in different places.
Build a plan from Lyon, Stanfield 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.
Questions
What is the main difference between Gabrielle Lyon and Brad Stanfield?
Their training split differs most in strength: Lyon about 60%, Stanfield about 40% (our estimate from their published routines). Lyon's signature habit is 30–50 g protein a meal; Stanfield's is 4 × 4 intervals twice a week.
How much protein do Lyon and Stanfield recommend?
Lyon: ~2.2 g per kg ideal weight. Stanfield: ~1.2 g/kg ideal weight.
Whose advice has stronger evidence?
We rate the overall evidence behind both protocols as strong.
Do Lyon and Stanfield disagree?
Yes, on protein. See "Where they disagree" on this page.
Can I combine Lyon and Stanfield?
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: Gabrielle Lyon · Brad Stanfield. Reviewed October 2026.