On Purpose with Jay Shetty

Episode: Dr. Gabrielle Lyon: #1 Blueprint for Building Muscle That Will Change How You Age!
Date: January 26, 2026
Guest: Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, founder of the Institute for Muscle Centric Medicine, author of Forever Strong and The Forever Strong Playbook

Episode Overview

This episode centers on why building muscle should be at the core of long-term health, aging, and disease prevention. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, a renowned physician and expert in muscle-centric medicine, shares a science-based blueprint for muscle growth that reframes the health conversation: moving away from fat loss and towards muscle gain. Jay and Dr. Lyon discuss the vital roles muscle plays in metabolic health, aging, resilience, and overall wellbeing—providing practical advice, mindsets, and debunking pervasive myths.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reframing Health: Muscle Over Fat

• Muscle as the Organ of Longevity:
  • "Muscle is the organ of longevity. Your survivability against all-cause mortality will be greater the more muscle mass you have. It is the only organ system that we have full control over."
    —Dr. Gabrielle Lyon [02:04]
• Over the last 50 years, society has obsessed over obesity and fat loss (the “street lamp effect”), but the root problem is often poor muscle health, not just excess fat.
• Muscle is central to metabolism: it's where carbs and fats are burned, and amino acids are stored.

Jay: “You’re the first person to say to me that we’ve been thinking about it all wrong. Every single conversation is about losing fat, never about building muscle.” [08:46]

2. Mindset Shifts for Lasting Change

• The journey begins with the mind, not the body.
• Common mental barriers: feeling unworthy of health, being “too old,” “too busy,” or lacking experience.
• “People have to feel worthy of being healthy. ...These are all distractions.”
  —Dr. Lyon [05:05]
• Commitment trumps motivation: “If you don’t have time for health and wellness, how are you gonna have time for sickness?” [06:06]

3. Understanding Muscle: More Than Strength

• Skeletal muscle (distinct from cardiac and smooth muscle) is crucial for physical power and as a “metabolic control center.”
• Healthy muscle:
  • Stores and disposes glucose and fatty acids efficiently
  • Releases myokines (hormones affecting brain, liver, bones)
  • Is key to preventing metabolic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s

4. Building Muscle: The Practical Playbook

• Everyone can build muscle, regardless of age or gender.
• After age 35, intentionality in training and diet becomes critical due to declining natural anabolism and efficiency.
• Resistance training recommendations:
  • Minimum: 2–3 days/week; can be bodyweight, bands, or weights
  • 10–12 rep range with 1–2 reps in reserve (“you can’t go one more rep without form breaking down”) [24:22]
  • Progressive overload and stimulus matter more than weight amount
• Everyday activities (lifting children, groceries) “count” as resistance, especially for beginners.

“You've been lifting weights your whole life... People have to stop believing this repetitive narrative. They are stronger than they think.”
—Dr. Lyon [19:10]

5. Testing and Tracking Progress

• Focus on performance markers (like push-ups), not just aesthetics.
• “Pick an exercise like a push up and see how many you can do at baseline.” [33:55]
• Small wins breed confidence—consistency trumps overambition.
• For most: start with testing what you can do (push-ups, dead hangs) and build up.

6. Diet: Protein First, Carb Management

• Emphasize high-quality protein at meals:
  • 35–55g protein in the first meal for muscle synthesis, especially for those above 35 [47:57]
  • Plant-based diets often necessitate higher overall protein intake for the same effect
  • Most people eat far too many processed carbs (avg. 300g/day), straining poor muscle and fueling poor health [44:07]
• Carbohydrates:
  • Limit per meal, especially when sedentary (≤35g at breakfast, ≤130g/day for most) [46:02]
• Protein timing and consistency matter more than “total” daily calories.

“Protein is the GLP-1 of macronutrients... it increases satiety.” [48:34]

7. Habits and Consistency

• The single most damaging habit: being sedentary (<3,000 steps/day) [61:49]
  • Results in fat infiltrating muscle (“intermuscular adipose tissue”)
• Consistency and neutrality (not being dependent on spikes of motivation) are key for long-term gains
• Chaotic or erratic eating, or long fasts (especially as you age), risk muscle loss

“They become the type of person that trains... It just becomes their new standard. They're not always setting goals. They're steady, chopping wood and carrying water, stay on their plan for years.”
—Dr. Lyon [64:50]

8. Cardio, Yoga, and Pilates

• Cardio is beneficial but does not build type 2 “power” muscle fibers; resistance training is essential [67:45]
• Yoga and Pilates count as strength training if performed with sufficient intensity and regularity [68:25]
• HIIT is valuable for metabolic health

9. Supplements: What Actually Works

• Top picks:
  • Creatine (3–5g/day for muscle, 10–12g/day for older adults, especially brain health) [76:24]
  • Fish oil (omega-3s)
  • Urolithin A (for mitochondrial health)
  • Beta hydroxybutyrate (ketone, muscle and brain health)
  • Vitamin D (muscle, bone, immunity)
  • Magnesium
  • Quality protein powders
• Avoid over-reliance on “protein” processed foods—opt for whole foods whenever possible [83:57]

“If you're going to have your carbohydrate, have your carbohydrate, but what kind of quality, what kind of source is that protein coming from?” [84:49]

10. Industry & Misinformation

• Misleading food labeling: processed foods can make protein claims that whole foods can't due to regulation and marketing budgets ($750,000 for all whole foods vs. $2B for a company like PepsiCo) [90:10]
• Recognize and avoid chasing “novelty diets” or fads

11. Muscle and Families, Youth & Legacy

• Building muscle habits early in life is easier than reversing poor habits decades later [91:33]
• Modeling healthy movement and eating for children can set positive lifelong patterns

12. Final Ethos & Takeaways

• Aging is inevitable, weakness is not.
  • “Strength is not a luxury. It's a responsibility.” —Dr. Lyon [94:22]
• “Be strong. You have to be strong.” [96:40]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Muscle is the organ of longevity.”
  —Dr. Gabrielle Lyon [02:04, repeated theme]
• “If you don’t have time for health and wellness, how are you gonna have time for sickness?”
  —Dr. Gabrielle Lyon [06:06]
• “You cannot be surprised by your own behavior. ...The only wrong way to train is not to do it.”
  —Dr. Gabrielle Lyon [61:55]
• “Strength is not a luxury. It’s a responsibility.”
  —[94:22]
• “You cannot tell your heart to beat at 50 bpm... But you can tell your bicep to curl.”
  —Dr. Lyon [09:47]

Key Timestamps for Segments

• 02:04 – Muscle as the organ of longevity
• 05:05 – Mindset: worthiness & barriers to health
• 09:47 – Voluntary control: Muscle vs. other organs
• 13:55 – Muscle health beyond obesity
• 18:40 – Age and anabolism: why 35+ matters
• 24:10 – Building muscle: resistance vs. cardio
• 33:55 – Simple strength tests (push-ups, dead hangs)
• 44:07 – The carbohydrate dilemma in the modern diet
• 47:57 – Daily protein requirements by age and size
• 61:49 – Habits that sabotage muscle (sedentarism, inconsistency)
• 67:45 – Does walking build muscle? Role of steps & fiber types
• 83:57 – The proliferation of “protein” junk food
• 90:10 – Misinformation in food marketing and labeling
• 94:22 – “Strength is not a luxury. It's a responsibility.” (Episode ethos)
• 96:40 – If you could create one law: “Be strong.”

Practical Takeaways

• Start small: Choose one activity (e.g., push-ups) and build consistency and measurement
• Protein at every meal, 35–55g for most adults
• Don’t chase extreme diets or processed “protein foods”
• Movement matters most; focus on resistance training but include cardio and flexibility
• Supplements can help, but must follow core dietary and movement habits. Key: Creatine, Omega-3s, Vitamin D
• Consistency > motivation. Make muscle-building a cornerstone habit

Tone & Closing Thoughts

The episode remains scientifically grounded but positive and accessible, consistently reframing muscle as a source of empowerment and agency rather than just aesthetics. Dr. Lyon and Jay challenge listeners to build strength as an act of self-respect, resilience, and as a legacy for the future. The final ethos: muscle is everyone’s responsibility and leads to a longer, healthier, and more vital life.

Recommended Action:
Pick one functional movement (e.g., push-ups). Record your baseline and add one rep each day, focusing on form and consistency. Match with a high-protein, whole foods meal plan—and start building your legacy of strength today.