In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, board-certified family physician, founder of the Institute for Muscle-Centric Medicine, and bestselling author of Forever Strong, to explain why skeletal muscle — not body fat — determines how well women age. Dr. Lyon shares the case that changed her career: a patient in her mid-fifties who had done everything she was told — dieting, cardio, the food pyramid — yet showed signs of accelerated brain aging. The real problem wasn't her fat. It was her muscle. Dr. Lyon explains why muscle is the body's largest site for glucose disposal — meaning low muscle mass can produce insulin resistance and prediabetes even in lean women with normal body fat — and why muscle quality, not just quantity, drives the metabolic dysfunction typically blamed on obesity, yet still isn't measured in routine care. She and Dr. Haver dig into why the standard protein recommendation of 60–70 grams a day isn't enough to protect muscle through perimenopause and menopause and why women should aim for closer to 100 grams alongside resistance training, how sedentary muscle lowers your tolerance for carbohydrates before blood sugar and insulin become dysregulated, and the myokines — including BDNF — released when muscle contracts that support brain health, metabolism, and long-term independence. Dr. Lyon's takeaway: resistance training and adequate protein are the two things women actually control as they age, and no hormone therapy can make up for them if they're missing. Guest links: * Dr. Gabrielle Lyon (Website) https://drgabriellelyon.com/ * Dr. Gabrielle Lyon (Instagram) https://www.instagram.com/drgabriellelyon/ * Dr. Gabrielle Lyon (Facebook) https://www.facebook.com/doctorgabriellelyon/ * Dr. Gabrielle Lyon (LinkedIn) https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-gabrielle-lyon-00175a1a8/ * Dr. Gabrielle Lyon (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/drgabriellelyon * The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show (Apple Podcasts) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dr-gabrielle-lyon-show/id1622316426 Books: * "Forever Strong: A New, Science-Based Strategy for Aging Well," by Dr. Gabrielle Lyon https://www.amazon.com/Forever-Strong-Science-Based-Strategy-Aging/dp/B0C4VSDWQ2 * "The Forever Strong PLAYBOOK: A Six-Week, Science-Based Plan to Sharpen Your Mind, Strengthen Your Body, and Get Healthy at Any Age," by Dr. Gabrielle Lyon https://www.amazon.com/Forever-StrongTM-PLAYBOOK-Science-Based-Strengthen/dp/B0FL32CJ81 * "The New Perimenopause," by Dr. Mary Claire Haver https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-new-perimenopause-book * "The New Menopause," by Dr. Mary Claire Haver https://www.amazon.com/New-Menopause-Navigating-Through-Hormonal/dp/B0CKBZ4K1Z For full show notes, please visit: https://bit.ly/DrGabrielleLyonPart1 Never miss an episode—sign up for The 'Pause Life Newsletter: https://thepauselife.com/pages/newsletter Medical Disclaimer: The information, including opinions and recommendations, on this platform is meant for informational and educational purposes only. Mary Claire Media, LLC, the unPAUSED podcast, and The 'Pause Life are not medical organizations. Medical advice or medical diagnosis cannot be provided to you through the platform, any associated website, or customer portals. Using this platform does not establish a patient-physician relationship.