Gabrielle Lyon (physician (do)) and Kelly & Juliet Starrett (physical therapist; attorney & ceo) 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.
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 10%.
The Starretts put more of the week into aerobic base (zone 2): about 30% against 20%.
Lyon puts more of the week into intervals: about 15% against 0%.
The Starretts put more of the week into mobility and stability: about 60% against 5%.
In plans in their style, both use 1-minute intervals for hard sessions.
We rate the evidence behind Lyon's protocol higher: strong, against solid for the Starretts.
Supplements that go into a plan: Lyon, creatine monohydrate; the Starretts, none (food first). Prescription items and personal stacks stay out of every plan.
Both include their own mobility or movement routine.
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
Kelly & Juliet Starrett
Walk 8,000–10,000 steps a day, up to 12,000 if you canStrong evidence
Sit on the floor for at least 30 minutes a day, changing positions (cross-legged, 90/90, long sitting)Personal habit
Practise getting down to and up from the floor; test with the sit-and-rise testSome evidence
Daily deep-squat time: hold your deepest squat for five breaths as a test, plus sit-stands from a chairSome evidence
Daily balance practice; test standing on one leg with eyes closed (SOLEC) and putting on shoes while standingSome evidence
Optional rucking: start with about 2 kg for a mile, three times a week, and build up over about a monthPersonal habit
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
Kelly & Juliet Starrett
About 800 g of fruit and vegetables a day (roughly six cups)Strong evidence
Protein about 1.5–2.2 g per kg of body weight; some later talks cite 1.8 g per kgSome evidence
Choose affordable protein sources that fit your budget; perfection is not requiredNote
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
Kelly & Juliet Starrett
No specific guidance in what we reviewed.
Sleep & recovery
Gabrielle Lyon
No specific guidance in what we reviewed.
Kelly & Juliet Starrett
Aim for at least 7, ideally about 8, hours of actual sleep; track hours asleep for three nightsStrong evidence
Keep the same bed and wake times, including weekendsSome evidence
Be careful with caffeine and alcohol; keep phones and screens out of the bedroomSome evidence
Keep the bedroom cool, dark and quiet, and allow more time in bed than you think you needSome evidence
Stress & mind
Gabrielle Lyon
No specific guidance in what we reviewed.
Kelly & Juliet Starrett
Breath-hold test as a rough benchmark for tolerance of carbon dioxidePersonal habit
Breathe through the nose during the day and in workoutsPersonal habit
Optional mouth-taping at night, building up gradually from about 10 minutesPersonal habit
Spend about 180 minutes a week outdoorsSome evidence
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.
Kelly & Juliet Starrett
Several central tests rest on observational data: the sit-and-rise and one-leg balance studies show that people who do poorly die sooner, not that practising the test makes you live longer. Both studies were also in Brazilian cohorts and could not rule out other explanations.
Some tests have no validated scoring for the general public; the Starretts themselves describe the breath-hold test as a rough benchmark rather than a lab-grade measure, and practices such as mouth-taping have little evidence behind them.
Built to Move deliberately leaves out cardio and strength training; for adults over 50 those remain important for heart health and muscle, so the plan works best as a base layer rather than a complete programme. Kelly's earlier Supple Leopard was criticised by one reviewer for a trial-and-error approach rather than a systematic method.
Build a plan from Lyon, the Starretts 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.
What is the main difference between Gabrielle Lyon and Kelly & Juliet Starrett?
Their training split differs most in mobility and stability: Lyon about 5%, the Starretts about 60% (our estimate from their published routines). Lyon's signature habit is 30–50 g protein a meal; the Starretts' is 10 tests, 10 practices.
How much protein do Lyon and the Starretts recommend?
Lyon: ~2.2 g per kg ideal weight. The Starretts: 1.5–2.2 g per kg.
Whose advice has stronger evidence?
We rate the evidence behind Lyon's protocol higher: strong, against solid for the Starretts.
Do Lyon and the Starretts disagree?
Not directly in what we reviewed. Their differences are in emphasis: lyon puts more of the week into strength: about 60% against 10%.
Can I combine Lyon and the Starretts?
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.