Gabrielle Lyon (physician (do)) and Rangan Chatterjee (doctor, former nhs 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.
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 30%.
Chatterjee puts more of the week into aerobic base (zone 2): about 50% against 20%.
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 Chatterjee.
Supplements that go into a plan: Lyon, creatine monohydrate; Chatterjee, 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
Rangan Chatterjee
Walk at least 10,000 steps a daySome evidence
Strength training twice a weekStrong evidence
Short daily glute exercises (e.g. hip extensions), a couple of minutesPersonal habit
Five-minute home workout: five moves back to back, 20 s on / 40 s off for beginners or 40 s on / 20 s off for advanced, five roundsSome evidence
Swap any move that is too hard, painful or unsafeNote
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
Rangan Chatterjee
Eat within a 12-hour window (for example 8am to 8pm), leaving about 12 hours a day without foodSome evidence
Five portions of different vegetables every dayStrong evidence
Around eight glasses of water a dayPersonal habit
Eat at least one meal a day at a table, with no phone or device nearbyPersonal habit
No fixed protein target in the sources we checkedNote
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
Rangan Chatterjee
No specific guidance in what we reviewed.
Sleep & recovery
Gabrielle Lyon
No specific guidance in what we reviewed.
Rangan Chatterjee
A tech-free wind-down before bed, ideally about 90 minutesSome evidence
Set a cut-off for work email in the evening (e.g. 8–8:30pm)Personal habit
Avoid emotionally charged topics, such as money worries, late in the eveningPersonal habit
Get daylight or time in nature in the morning, even five minutes, to help set the body clockSome evidence
Stress & mind
Gabrielle Lyon
No specific guidance in what we reviewed.
Rangan Chatterjee
A daily stillness practice, starting with two minutes of meditationSome evidence
3-4-5 breathing: in for 3, hold for 4, out for 5, for about five minutesSome evidence
One full screen-free day a weekPersonal habit
Before bed, write down three things that went well and whySome evidence
Five minutes a day enjoying natureSome 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.
Rangan Chatterjee
The 4 pillar approach is broad, sensible lifestyle advice, but the evidence behind specific claims is mixed; for example, a large trial found a daily eating window added no significant weight loss on top of cutting calories.
Some targets are round rules of thumb rather than research-based numbers: the 10,000-step goal is higher than where the benefit levels off for people over 60 (about 6,000–8,000), and eight glasses of water a day is a convention, not a tested target.
He has commercial ties alongside his health advice: books, an app and a paid community, and since 2023 an advisory role with Levels, a glucose-monitoring company.
Build a plan from Lyon, Chatterjee 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 Rangan Chatterjee?
Their training split differs most in strength: Lyon about 60%, Chatterjee about 30% (our estimate from their published routines). Lyon's signature habit is 30–50 g protein a meal; Chatterjee's is Relax · eat · move · sleep.
How much protein do Lyon and Chatterjee recommend?
Lyon: ~2.2 g per kg ideal weight. Chatterjee: No fixed target.
Whose advice has stronger evidence?
We rate the evidence behind Lyon's protocol higher: strong, against solid for Chatterjee.
Do Lyon and Chatterjee disagree?
Not directly in what we reviewed. Their differences are in emphasis: lyon puts more of the week into strength: about 60% against 30%.
Can I combine Lyon and Chatterjee?
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.