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Self-doubt holds more people back than lack of skill or intelligence.

In this episode, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon sits down with Dr. Shadé Zahrai to explore the science of confidence, self-trust, and peak performance. They break down why confidence comes after action, how self-image shapes success, and the four psychological drivers that determine whether you thrive or stay stuck.

You will learn how body language influences perception, why high performers plan for failure, how perfectionism leads to burnout, and the subtle communication habits that undermine credibility. Most importantly, you will discover how to build what Dr. Zahrai calls Big Trust so you can back yourself before you feel ready.

If you struggle with overthinking, imposter thoughts, or feeling capable but not fully confident, this conversation will give you practical tools to change how you show up.

00:00 Confidence science: feeling vs appearing

00:51 The opposite of self-doubt and why confidence comes after action

01:53 Self-trust before confidence

03:03 Nonverbal confidence cues: posture, eye contact, smile, pace

07:30 Body language feedback loop: posture and recall

09:26 Shadé’s PhD on self-doubt under pressure

12:22 What makes people successful: self-image

12:30 Self-image blueprint and why change does not stick

14:29 The Four A’s: Acceptance, Agency, Autonomy, Adaptability

20:26 The self-awareness gap and changing personality traits

22:30 Expectation bias and the scar experiment

25:54 Self-doubt types: signal vs verdict

28:30 Visibility, influence, and the people around you

31:16 Which traits are easiest to change

35:56 Why capable people still stay stuck

40:25 Michael Phelps and visualizing failure recovery

42:30 Stop rumination: stimulus control for worry

47:45 Self-improvement vs perfectionism vs burnout

56:53 The 4 inner deceivers: Judge, Protector, Neglecter, Ringmaster

1:11:22 Peak performance and Big Trust

1:19:19 Communication habits that kill credibility

1:24:18 Stop over-apologizing and reframe emotion

1:29:47 Daily habits to build Big Trust and audit your circle

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Find Dr. Dr. Shadé Zahrai at:

1. IG: https://www.instagram.com/shadezahrai/
2. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/shadezahrai

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This episode brings together standout moments from The Forever Strong Experience, packed into one powerful episode.

Featuring highlights from:

1. Dr. Mark Hyman – Founder of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, co-founder and CMO of Function Health, director of The UltraWellness Center, host of The Dr. Hyman Show (300M+ downloads), and 15x New York Times bestselling author, including Young Forever and Food Fix Uncensored.
2. Layne Norton, PhD – Nutritional scientist, 4x USA Powerlifting National Champion and 2024 IPF M1 World Champion (93kg), record-setting deadlifter, coach to 1,700+ clients, and founder of Outwork Nutrition.
3. Michelle Shapiro, RD – Integrative/functional dietitian who helps clients reverse anxiety, heal complex gut and immune issues, and approach weight with compassion. Host of the Quiet the Diet podcast.
4. Alan Aragon, MS – Veteran nutrition researcher, co-author of 30+ peer-reviewed papers (including JISSN’s most-viewed article), ISSN Position Stand lead author, and founder of Alan Aragon’s Research Review and the Fit Advancement Mentorship (FAM).

In this mashup, they break down:

1. How to eat for long-term metabolic and muscle health
2. Why protein and resistance training are non-negotiables as you age
3. The role of stress, mindset, and past experiences in how you eat and feel
4. What it really means to be “forever strong” in body and mind

Perfect if you’re tired of conflicting nutrition advice and want clear, evidence-based guidance you can actually use.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Our Place - Visit https://www.fromourplace.com/DRLYON and use code DRLYON for 10% off sitewide.

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Chapters:

00:00:00 The truth about nutrition

00:01:06 Why is it so hard to follow health advice?

00:03:07 What actually holds people back from progress?

00:05:26 When “clean eating” backfires

00:05:57 The nutrition “rule” that does more harm than good

00:06:37 Why medicine got obsessed with BMI and fat

00:08:47 Body composition fundamentals: what to do first

00:10:53 “Rules” for better body composition (practical guidelines)

00:13:20 Do you have to lift heavy to build muscle?

00:16:24 Strength vs hypertrophy: what matters most as you age

00:17:46 Sponsor: Our Place + What if muscle were taught as an organ system?

00:20:14...

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In this episode, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon sits down with Dr. Donald Layman, one of the world’s leading protein researchers and a key contributor to the newly released U.S. Dietary Guidelines. They explore why the old food pyramid failed, how nutrition science became driven by ideology instead of evidence, and what the updated guidelines finally get right about protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Dr. Layman explains why the long-standing protein recommendation of 0.8 g/kg was never intended for optimal health and how higher protein intake supports body composition, metabolic health, and nutrient adequacy.

The conversation also dives into controversial topics including saturated fat, carbohydrate tolerance, animal versus plant protein, and the limitations of epidemiology in nutrition research. Gabrielle and Dr. Layman discuss how dietary guidelines shape school lunches, hospitals, and public institutions, and why a protein-first framework empowers individuals to make better nutrition decisions, especially as we age. This episode offers a clear, science-backed roadmap for understanding modern nutrition — cutting through misinformation and outdated dogma to focus on strength, longevity, and real-world application.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Timeline - Get 35% off a Mitopure subscription at https://www.timeline.com/drlyon

Bon Charge - Save 15% at https://boncharge.com/ with code DRLYON

Manukora - Go to https://www.MANUKORA.com/DRLYON to save 31% plus $25 worth of free gifts.

Chapters:

00:00 Why Dietary Guidelines Exist and Why This Moment Matters

01:20 The Hidden Origins of the Food Pyramid (World War II + Public Health)

02:55 The Original Protein RDA: A Basement Number, Not Optimal Health

05:50 Why the Old Guidelines Focused on What Not to Eat

07:25 Why Protein Was Avoided for Decades

08:50 Nitrogen Balance: Why It Never Predicted Health Outcomes

11:10 Epidemiology vs Controlled Trials in Nutrition Science

13:05 How the Protein Evidence Was Evaluated for the New Guidelines

14:15 Why Higher Protein Improves Weight, Fat Loss, and Lean Mass

15:35 Is “Too Much Protein” Actually Dangerous?

16:40 Nutrient Deficiencies Risk on Low-Protein Diets

17:35 Animal vs Plant Protein: Bioavailability and Amino Acids

18:45 Why 0.8 g/kg Was Never Better Than Higher Protein

20:15 Empowering Consumers Instead of One-Size-Fits-All Nutrition

21:10 How Guidelines Shape School Lunches, Hospitals, and the Military

23:05 Protein-First Meal Planning Explained

24:50 Why the First Meal Matters More as You Age

27:15 Does Protein Distribution Matter After 50?

30:00 Protein, Satiety, and Appetite Control

31:05 Why “Ounce Equivalents” Between Plant and Animal Protein Don’t Work

34:05 The Saturated Fat Myth and Why the 10% Rule Persists

38:30 Where Saturated Fat Really Comes From in the Modern Diet

39:45 Updated Fruit, Vegetable, and Grain

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In this solo episode, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon shares the deeper mission behind The Forever Strong PLAYBOOK and the philosophy that has guided her work for decades.

This conversation is not about trends, quick fixes, or aesthetics. It is about building strength as a lifelong responsibility and understanding why skeletal muscle is the foundation of health, resilience, and independence across the lifespan.

Dr. Lyon introduces the Forever Strong ethos and walks through the four foundational pillars that support a strong life: how to think, how to eat, how to move, and how to recover. She explains why information alone does not change behavior and why clarity, discernment, and disciplined action are the true drivers of lasting health.

Throughout the episode, Dr. Lyon challenges conventional narratives around aging, nutrition, exercise, and recovery. She reframes longevity through the lens of muscle span, the length of time a person lives with healthy, functional skeletal muscle, and explains how physical strength supports metabolic health, emotional regulation, and cognitive resilience.

This episode is an invitation to step out of confusion and into a clear framework for living with intention. Strength is not something we inherit. It is something we build, choice by choice, day by day.

Thank you to our sponsors:

1. Timeline - Get 35% off a Mitopure subscription at https://www.timeline.com/drlyon
2. Four Sigmatic - Go to http://foursigmatic.com/gabrielle for a free bag of their dark roast ground coffee (just pay for shipping & handling).

Find Dr. Gabrielle Lyon at:

1. Instagram:@drgabriellelyon
2. TikTok: @drgabriellelyon
3. Facebook: facebook.com/doctorgabriellelyon
4. YouTube: youtube.com/@DrGabrielleLyon
5. X (Twitter): x.com/drgabriellelyon

Timestamps:

00:00 – The Forever Strong Mission

01:15 – The Forever Strong Ethos

06:00 – Muscle as the Organ of Longevity

09:40 – How to Think

10:24 – Using the Body to Train the Mind

19:41 – Discernment and Mental Strength

28:43 – How to Eat

38:10 – Protein, Carbohydrates, and Metabolic Health

48:04 – Food Quality and Nutrient Density

51:30 – How to Move

57:59 – Training for Strength and Sustainability

1:06:39 – How to Recover

1:12:00 – Forever Strong

Disclaimers: This episode includes paid sponsorships.

The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Podcast and YouTube are for general information purposes only and do not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast, YouTube, or materials linked

Pre-order The Forever Strong PLAYBOOK today to unlock over $400 in free bonuses and learn how to build the muscle, resilience, and metabolic health that actually determine how well you age. https://drgabriellelyon.com/playbook/

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In this episode, Gabrielle Lyon sits down with Leila Hormozi to discuss the journey from grit to empathy in both personal and professional life. Leila shares candid stories of building her first business, the sacrifices involved, and how her experiences in fitness shaped her entrepreneurial mindset. The conversation explores the value of failure, the importance of discipline, and what it truly takes to achieve business success, reflecting on the unique challenges and rewards that women encounter in leadership roles.

Gabrielle and Leila also open up about balancing ambition, relationships, and personal well-being. They address how to build trust, practice self-belief, and handle the pressures of being public figures with authenticity. You will find practical insights on navigating discomfort, the importance of continuous growth, and on creating a fulfilling life based on clear priorities and honest reflection. The episode is filled with relatable stories and actionable advice for anyone focused on self-development and leadership.

Chapters:

0:00 – From Grit to Empathy: How Leila’s Perspective Shifted

1:33 – Why Fitness Built the Foundation for Business Success

3:38 – Confidence, Self-Belief, and the Difference Between Rookie and Seasoned Entrepreneurs

8:23 – Discomfort, Anxiety, and Paying the Price for Growth

12:58 – Becoming Public-Facing and Outgrowing the Persona You Created

16:01 – Creating Content Without a Funnel or Ego-Driven Motives

19:32 – Why Fewer Women Teach Business at Scale

22:42 – What Actually Makes a Business Legitimate

24:23 – Trust, Relationships, and Learning to Trust Yourself

26:38 – Success vs Happiness and the Tradeoffs People Ignore

31:56 – Sacrifice by Season: Constraints, Focus, and Capacity

35:14 – Personal Trade-Offs and the Real Cost of Success

36:50 – Growth Levels Are About Exposure, Not Time

37:25 – Why You Should Stress Yourself Out More (Short-Term)

43:04 – Social Media, Authenticity, and Being Fully Human

46:15 – Reading Psychology and Understanding Culture

48:19 – Maintaining Relationships Between High Achievers

54:19 – Renegotiating Relationship Roles as Life Evolves

59:54 – Belief Is an Output, Not an Input

1:04:07 – Changing Your Relationship With Discomfort

1:04:55 – What’s Next: Expansion, Health, and Long-Term Vision

Thank you to our sponsors:

1. OneSkin - Get 15% off at https://www.oneskin.co/ with code DRLYON
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3. Bon Charge - Save 15% at https://boncharge.com/ with code DRLYON

Find Leila Hormozi at:

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In this episode, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon is joined by Sohee Carpenter, PhD, to explore the complex intersection of psychology, eating behavior, and resistance training. Dr. Carpenter shares her personal journey from struggling with eating disorders to becoming a leading expert in sports science, offering a unique perspective on why high achievers often struggle with diet adherence.

They dive deep into the science of behavior change, emphasizing that willpower is a finite resource and that true success lies in building automatic, cognitively effortless habits. Dr. Carpenter debunks common fitness myths, including the necessity of "lifting heavy" and the supposed ineffectiveness of circuit training, while providing practical strategies like "habit stacking" and "designing for laziness" to help listeners navigate their own health journeys.

Chapter Markers

- 0:00 - Intro: The finite nature of exercise vs. the 24/7 challenge of nutrition.

- 1:22 - Meet Sohee Carpenter, PhD: Her academic journey from Stanford Biology to a PhD in Sports Science.

- 4:33 - Personal Struggles: Overcoming anorexia, bulimia, and long-term binge eating.

- 5:41 - Cultural Pressures: Growing up with the beauty standards of Korea vs. the US.

- 8:38 - The Fitness Hobbyist: Discovering weights and the "clean eating" trap in 2011.

- 13:10 - The Career Pivot: Choosing Psychology and Fitness over Medical School.

- 17:52 - The Binge-Restrict Cycle: Why trying "harder" and being stricter backfires.

- 21:54 - Defining RMR: Understanding Resting Metabolic Rate as your caloric floor.

- 29:26 - Binge Eating Triggers: Emotion regulation and poor stress coping mechanisms.

- 33:10 - The Freedom of No "Food Noise": Intuitive eating as a learned skill.

- 36:08 - Gentle Nutrition: The "Add, Don’t Restrict" mindset.

- 38:46 - The Willpower Battery: Why habits are superior to brute force discipline.

- 45:47 - Habits and Environment: How to "Design for Laziness".

- 50:00 - Habit Stacking: Pairing new behaviors with existing daily rituals.

- 55:04 - Last Chance Syndrome: The logic of a binge and the "all or nothing" mentality.

- 1:00:13 - Cognitive Distortions: Catastrophizing and the "bird's eye view" reframe.

- 1:04:36 - Dichotomous Thinking: Why black-and-white mindsets lead to binging.

- 1:06:48 - Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation: Finding a "why" that lasts.

- 1:12:34 - Identity Change: Perceiving yourself as the person you want to become.

- 1:14:27 - Resistance Training for Women: Determining the ideal frequency and style.

- 1:19:16 - National Muscle Health Month: Elevating muscle as a pillar of health.

- 1:21:39 - The "Heavy Lifting" Myth: Using rep ranges and reps in reserve (RIR).

- 1:26:13 - The Circuit Training Study: Similar muscle gains in 25 minutes less time.

- 1:29:44 - Training Fasted: Dispelling misconceptions for women’s metabolic health.

- 1:30:57 - Running while Pregnant: Staying capable and medically cleared.

- 1:33:34 - Final Takeaways: Incremental change and a holistic view of health.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Four Sigmatic - Go to http://foursigmatic.com/gabrielle for a free bag of their dark roast ground coffee (just pay for shipping & handling).

Cozy Earth - Go to https://www.cozyearth.com/DRLYON for up to 20% off!

Our Place - Visit

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Are your immune cells aging faster than you are? In this episode, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon sits down with Dr. Anurag Singh, a leading physician-researcher and Chief Medical Officer at Timeline, to discuss a groundbreaking discovery: the gut-muscle-immune axis.

While we often focus on muscle mass for longevity, new research published in Nature Aging reveals that our immune system undergoes a similar decline, with youthful sentinel cells (naive CD8 T-cells) dropping by 75% as we reach age 50.

Dr. Singh explains how mitophagy —the targeted recycling of damaged mitochondria—is the key to "rewiring" an aging immune system to fight infection 20% more effectively. In this episode: Alzheimer’s of the Muscle: Why sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM) is often misdiagnosed as simple aging.

The Power of Urolithin A: How this postbiotic compound induces mitophagy to increase mitochondrial abundance by 20% in just 28 days. Immune Imprinting: Why children get 6-8 colds a year while adults only average 2-4. Repurposing Longevity Drugs: Dr. Singh’s take on Metformin, Rapamycin, and GLP-1s for life extension. The 1:1 Exercise Rule:Why 150 minutes of moderate activity is the threshold for mitochondrial biogenesis.

Thank you to our sponsors:

BodyHealth - Use the code LYON 20 to get 20% off your first order https://www.bodyhealthaffiliates.com/73L4QL3/7XDN2/

Timeline - Get 35% off a Mitopure subscription at https://www.timeline.com/drlyon

Manukora - Go to https://www.MANUKORA.com/DRLYON to save 31% plus $25 worth of free gifts.

Chapters:

0:00 - Can You Tell If Your Immune System Is Healthy?

1:37 - Alzheimer’s of the Muscle: Muscle-Immune Dysfunction

5:59 - The Thymus Design Flaw: Why Our Immune "Ammo" Disappears

8:44 - Naive CD8 T-Cells: The Elite Forces of Immunity

12:24 - The Axis of Aging: Mitochondria and Immune Cells in Muscle

16:15 - Mitophagy vs. Autophagy: Targeted Cellular Recycling

19:11 - Study Review: Rewiring the Immune System with Urolithin A

24:13 - Mitochondrial Remodeling: Switching from Glucose to Fatty Acids

27:45 - The Trifecta: Gut-Muscle-Immune Axis Connection

31:13 - Parkinson’s and the PINK1/Parkin Mitophagy Pathway

35:04 - Clinical Results: Improving Leg Strength in 4 Months

38:51 - Joint Health: Can We Remodel Cartilage with Mitophagy?

43:34 - Targeted Mitophagy Inducers: Exercise vs. Postbiotics

46:44 - Precision Nutrition: The Ideal Muscle Longevity Supplement

53:33 - Why Alzheimer’s is Now Considered an Inflammatory Disease

1:00:13 - The Placebo Effect: You Cannot Deceive the Immune System

1:03:13 - Lymphocyte Counts: The Clinical Marker for Immune Aging

1:08:14 - Rapamycin and Metformin: The Future of Longevity Drugs

1:11:42 - Optimal Dosing: Why 1,000mg of Urolithin A is the Standard

1:15:13 - Sports Medicine: Reducing Muscle Damage Markers (Creatine Kinase)

1:20:03 - The Final Frontier: Brain Aging and Selenium Repair

Connect with Dr. Anurag Singh

Instagram: @timeline_longevity

Website: https://www.timeline.com

Find Dr. Gabrielle Lyon at:

1. Instagram:@drgabriellelyon
2. TikTok: @drgabriellelyon

Pre-Order The Forever Strong PLAYBOOK and receive exclusive bonuses: https://drgabriellelyon.com/playbook/

Want ad-free episodes, exclusives and access to community Q&As? Subscribe to Forever Strong Insider: https://foreverstrong.supercast.com

If you are only focusing on building muscle, you are missing half the equation for long-term mobility. In this mashup episode, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon brings together top orthopedic experts to discuss the critical importance of joint and tendon health.

While muscle develops relatively quickly, your tendons and ligaments can take 6 to 9 months to fully adapt to a new training stimulus. This gap is where most injuries happen. We dive deep into the biological mechanics of tendons, the"athletic accommodation timeline," and why you must progressively overload your connective tissue—not just your muscle bellies.

You will learn:

1. The Menopause Connection: Why women face a 30% higher risk of arthritis and rapid bone loss after age 50, and the role of estrogen in joint inflammation.
2. Osteoporosis Prevention: Why high-impact "flight" exercises (jumping) are more effective for bone density than traditional lifting alone.
3. The Frozen Shoulder Mystery: How to identify the warning signs and why this condition is often linked to hormonal shifts rather than trauma.
4. Injury Recovery & Prehab: The truth about PRP, needle tenotomy, and the "anti-fragility" mindset needed to build a resilient body.
5. The History of Muscle: How ancient Greek views of "pneuma" and the "gift of strength" shaped our modern misunderstanding of movement.

Stop training until you break. Learn how to track your progress, prioritize stability over raw mobility, and design a life built for anti-fragility.

0:00 - The Gap Between Muscle and Tendon Adaptation

1:32 - What Are Tendons? Visco-Elasticity and Force Dissipation

4:36 - The Rotator Cuff: Stabilizing the "Golf Ball on a Tee" 6:40 - The Athletic Accommodation Timeline: Why 6-9 Months Matters

8:36 - Progressive Overload for Connective Tissue, Not Just Muscle

11:36 - GLP-1s and Bone Health: Does Ozempic Increase Fracture Risk?

14:34 - Preventing Osteoporosis: The Power of Impact Training

18:15 - Bisphosphonates vs. Mechanical Loading for Bone Quality

21:10 - The Hidden History of Muscle: From Galen to Ancient Greece

26:48 - The Myth of "Pneuma" and the Soul in the Muscle

30:55 - Supercompensation: The "Gift from Zeus" in Performance

36:35 - Defining Impact Exercise: Why "Flight" is Better for Bones

39:48 - Building Your Base: Why Bone Health is Won Before Age 30

42:38 - Oral Contraceptives and Peroperative Blood Clot Risks

45:21 - The Hard Truth: How Nicotine Destroys Orthopedic Healing

47:55 - Testosterone and Muscle Mass vs. Bone Density in Women

51:41 - Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-s) and Stress Fractures

55:53 - Long-Term Menopause Consequences: Mobility and Hip Fractures

1:01:58 - Tendinopathy Treatments: Needle Tenotomy, 10X, and PRP

1:07:26 - Full Thickness vs. Incomplete Tendon Tears

1:12:05 - Prehab is Real: The Push-Up with a Plus and Skater...