Compare experts › Stacy Sims vs Mark Hyman

Stacy Sims vs Mark Hyman

Stacy Sims (exercise physiologist) and Mark Hyman (physician, functional medicine) 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 (9)
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.
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.
Polyphenols
Natural plant compounds in foods such as berries, tea, coffee, cocoa and olive oil.
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

MeasureStacy SimsMark Hyman
BackgroundExercise physiologistPhysician, functional medicine
Training split60% strength · 10% aerobic · 25% intervals · 5% mobility30% strength · 25% aerobic · 30% intervals · 15% mobility
Signature habitHeavy lifts + sprintsPegan diet
Protein~2.2 g/kg30–50 g shake after training
Training styleWomen 40+Food as medicine
Overall evidenceStrongMixed
FollowingInstagram 1.4M · YouTube 372KInstagram 3.8M · YouTube 1.5M

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

The key differences

  • Sims puts more of the week into strength: about 60% against 30%.
  • Hyman puts more of the week into aerobic base (zone 2): about 25% against 10%.
  • Hyman puts more of the week into mobility and stability: about 15% against 5%.
  • In plans in their style, Sims' hard sessions are short sprints; Hyman's are 1-minute intervals.
  • We rate the evidence behind Sims' protocol higher: strong, against mixed for Hyman.
  • Supplements that go into a plan: Sims, creatine monohydrate; Hyman, protein shake with creatine after training, omega-3 fish oil. Prescription items and personal stacks stay out of every plan.
  • Only Hyman has a mobility or movement routine of their own.

Protocols side by side

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

Training

Stacy Sims

  • Strength training 3–4 times a week, 45–60 minutes, built on compound liftsStrong evidence
  • From perimenopause, lift heavy: about 3–5 sets of 6 reps or fewer, leaving 2–3 reps in reserve, with 2+ minutes restSome evidence
  • Sprint intervals of 30 seconds or less, all-out, with full recovery; 1–2 sessions a weekSome evidence
  • Jump and impact work (e.g. squat jumps, box jumps) for bone; one studied protocol is 10–20 jumps twice a daySome evidence
  • Keep easy cardio (walking, easy rides) as recovery; she plays down long moderate-intensity sessions and zone 2 for midlife body-composition goalsPersonal habit
  • 'Ten-minute rule': if you still feel flat after a 10-minute warm-up, scale the session downPersonal habit

Mark Hyman

  • Strength training 3–4 times a week, about 30 minutes, mainly resistance bands and moderate weightsStrong evidence
  • Aerobic or interval training 4–6 days a week, about 30 minutes (cycling, tennis, hiking, swimming)Strong evidence
  • Yoga a couple of times a week plus a little stretching most daysSome evidence
  • Avoids very heavy lifting as he ages to limit injury riskPersonal habit
  • Hypoxia (low-oxygen) training with a machine or maskPersonal habit

Eating

Stacy Sims

  • Do not train fasted: about 15 g protein before lifting, plus about 30 g carbohydrate before cardio of up to an hourSome evidence
  • After training: 40–60 g protein (perimenopause on) within about 45 minutes, and carbohydrate within 2 hoursSome evidence
  • Daily protein around 2.2 g/kg body weight, the top of the 1.4–2.2 g/kg range in her ISSN position standSome evidence
  • Protein at meals 30–40 g, snacks 15–20 gSome evidence
  • Avoid long fasts, keto and big calorie cuts if active; a small deficit (about 150–200 kcal) in the evening, away from training, if aiming to lose fatPersonal habit

Mark Hyman

  • Pegan diet: about 75% of the plate from plants, mostly non-starchy vegetablesStrong evidence
  • Cut sugar, refined flour and ultra-processed foodsStrong evidence
  • 1–2 cups of cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage etc.) a daySome evidence
  • Healthy fats from olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds and small oily fishStrong evidence
  • Avoid gluten and most dairy, even without intolerancePersonal habit
  • Daily overnight fast of 12–16 hoursSome evidence

Supplements

Stacy Sims

  • Creatine monohydrate 3–5 g a day (start with 1–2 g if unsure), paired with strength trainingStrong evidence
  • Choose third-party tested products (NSF or Informed Sport)Note
  • Vitamin D3, omega-3, collagen and turmeric mentioned as options; no doses givenPersonal habit
  • Iron only if a blood test shows low ferritinDoctor only

Mark Hyman

  • Protein shake after training: 30–50 g whey (goat) plus 5 g creatineStrong evidence
  • Vitamin D, fish oil, a multivitamin and magnesium at nightSome evidence
  • NMN (about 900 mg a day), urolithin A, quercetin, curcumin and similar 'longevity' compoundsPersonal habit
  • His own branded gut supplement (prebiotics, probiotics, polyphenols)Personal habit

Sleep & recovery

Stacy Sims

  • Traditional (Finnish-style) sauna at about 60–80 °C after training; she prefers heat to cold for womenSome evidence
  • If using cold water, choose cool (about 16 °C) rather than ice-coldPersonal habit
  • Treat easy days as true recovery between hard sessionsPersonal habit
  • Sees hormone therapy as a valid option for hot flushes and bone risk, but not required for every womanDoctor only

Mark Hyman

  • 7–8 hours of sleep with a regular bedtime around 10 pmStrong evidence
  • Dark, quiet bedroom with eye mask and earplugsSome evidence
  • Blue-light-blocking glasses in the eveningPersonal habit
  • Steam or sauna and cold plunge most daysPersonal habit
  • Red light therapy at homePersonal habit

Stress & mind

Stacy Sims

  • Keep hard intervals short; she says longer efforts and very long sessions raise cortisol, already a concern in menopauseSome evidence
  • In perimenopause, have caffeine with food before training if it makes you shaky or light-headedPersonal habit
  • Listen to your own body and track responses rather than following a fixed planPersonal habit

Mark Hyman

  • Meditation once or twice a day plus breathworkSome evidence
  • As much time in nature as possibleSome evidence
  • Regular time with friends and familySome evidence
  • Regular massagePersonal habit

Brain health

Stacy Sims

  • Creatine for brain fog and mood; she cites a trial where 5 g a day added to an antidepressant helped women with depressionSome evidence
  • Favours truly hard intervals over moderate or zone 2 cardio for midlife cognitive and metabolic benefitsSome evidence

Mark Hyman

No specific guidance in what we reviewed.

Weak spots to know

Stacy Sims

  • Some researchers say her sex-specific advice goes beyond the evidence. A 2023 umbrella review co-authored by Stuart Phillips found no clear effect of menstrual-cycle phase on strength or training gains, and Sims publicly debated Lauren Colenso-Semple in 2025 on fasted training and protein timing, framed as mechanisms versus outcomes.
  • Her case against fasted training leans heavily on short-term hormone and appetite responses; critics note that longer studies measuring actual fat loss and muscle gain show little difference when daily calories are adequate.
  • Many of her menopause-specific prescriptions (exact sprint lengths, playing down zone 2, tight post-exercise protein windows) come from extrapolation and her own coaching experience rather than trials in midlife women.

Mark Hyman

  • Functional medicine as a field lacks randomised trial evidence; surgeon and blogger David Gorski (Science-Based Medicine, 2014; Respectful Insolence, 2019) argues its useful parts (diet, exercise, sleep) are not unique and its unique parts (broad testing, supplements, 'detox') are not proven.
  • A 2021 Red Pen Reviews analysis of Eat Fat, Get Thin scored its scientific accuracy 1.2 out of 4, finding the claim that saturated fat does not cause heart disease conflicts with most controlled studies.
  • Commercial ties are large: he co-founded and is chief medical officer of Function Health (direct-to-consumer lab testing) and sells supplements through his own online shop; nutrition scientist Adrian Chavez (Katie Couric Media, 2026) noted one of his supplement stacks supplies 7,000 IU of vitamin D a day, above the usual 4,000 IU upper limit.

Build a plan from Sims, Hyman 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 Sims' stylePlan in Hyman's styleMix both

Questions

What is the main difference between Stacy Sims and Mark Hyman?

Their training split differs most in strength: Sims about 60%, Hyman about 30% (our estimate from their published routines). Sims' signature habit is Heavy lifts + sprints; Hyman's is Pegan diet.

How much protein do Sims and Hyman recommend?

Sims: ~2.2 g/kg. Hyman: 30–50 g shake after training.

Whose advice has stronger evidence?

We rate the evidence behind Sims' protocol higher: strong, against mixed for Hyman.

Do Sims and Hyman disagree?

Not directly in what we reviewed. Their differences are in emphasis: sims puts more of the week into strength: about 60% against 30%.

Can I combine Sims and Hyman?

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.

More comparisons

Peter Attia vs Stacy SimsAndrew Huberman vs Stacy SimsAndy Galpin vs Stacy SimsGabrielle Lyon vs Stacy SimsRhonda Patrick vs Stacy SimsLayne Norton vs Stacy SimsPeter Attia vs Mark HymanAndrew Huberman vs Mark HymanAndy Galpin vs Mark HymanGabrielle Lyon vs Mark HymanRhonda Patrick vs Mark HymanLayne Norton vs Mark HymanAll comparisons →

Full sources are on each profile: Stacy Sims · Mark Hyman. Reviewed October 2026.