
Well Beyond 40
Well Beyond 40 with JJ Virgin is the podcast for women who want to age powerfully and enjoy the best chapter of their lives. It’s YOUR turn now to focus on nutrition, wellness, fitness, mindfulness, and beauty. Refuel your body. Reignite your wellness. Renew your passion. Fall (back) in love with your life, and discover what it means to age powerfully. Every information-packed episode combines cutting-edge science, pearls of wisdom from JJ’s four decades as a health and wellness leader and the world’s leading experts on weight loss, metabolism, menopause, life transitions and much more. We dive deep into topics like cultivating mindfulness, building strong relationships and setting boundaries, and choosing health…in a nutshell, how we can AGE POWERFULLY into this second half of our lives. At Well Beyond 40, we empower women in their 40s, 50s, 60, 70s (and beyond!) to defy stereotypes and say, “It's my time now. It's my turn now. It’s my opportunity to step into my best life!” For four decades, JJ Virgin has helped people lose weight and stop weight regain by eliminating hidden food intolerances and lowering their sugar impact. As a triple-board certified nutrition expert and Fitness Hall of Famer, JJ helps you stay fired up and focused on being your healthiest rockstar self. In addition to hosting Well Beyond 40, JJ is a prominent TV and media personality. She was co-host of TLC’s Freaky Eaters and the on-camera nutritionist for Weight Loss Challenges on Dr. Phil. Over the years, JJ has made numerous appearances on PBS, Dr. Oz, Rachael Ray, Access Hollywood, and the TODAY Show. She also speaks regularly and has shared the stage with notables including Seth Godin, Lisa Nichols, Gary Vaynerchuk, Mark Hyman, Dan Buettner, and Mary Morrissey. JJ is the author of 4 New York Times bestsellers: The Virgin Diet, The Virgin Diet Cookbook, The Sugar Impact Diet, and The Sugar Impact Diet Cookbook. JJ is also the author of Warrior Mom: 7 Secrets to Bold, Brave Resilience. She regularly writes for major blogs and other publications including mindbodygreen and Medium. Visit jjvirgin.com for hundreds of free recipes and resources, plus state-of-the-art programs, products, and plenty of support to help you rev up your metabolism, reignite your wellness, and step powerfully into the second half of your life. Love the Podcast? Here’s what to do: Make My Day & Share Your Thoughts! - Subscribe to the podcast & leave me a review - Text a screenshot to 813-565-2627 - Expect a personal reply because your voice is so important to me. Join 55,000+ followers who make this podcast thrive.
Latest episodes

Jan 18, 2023 • 37min
Learning How to Process Grief in a Landscape of Loss with Dr. Sherry Walling
Your body keeps score. And if you don’t learn ways to release trauma from your body – whether it’s from death or the loss of anything else – this can lead to chronic stress, decreased immune function, difficulty in regulating metabolism, weight gain, and even contribute to cancer, heart disease, and other chronic health problems. But, we’re not taught to navigate grief in our culture. How do we properly heal, balance, and reset our nervous systems? In this episode, JJ talks with Dr. Sherry Walling, a clinical psychologist, speaker, podcaster, author, and mental health advocate. Dr. Walling was catapulted into the world of grief and darkness after she lost her dad to cancer and her brother to alcohol addiction and depression. She needed to find a way to honor the grief and loss, while also staying in the fullness and beauty of life. In our culture, we’re taught to numb out or to get back up and go on with our lives. But we need to learn to grieve better because time doesn’t heal all wounds. “If we don't actively grieve, we're going to passively grieve,” says Dr. Walling. “And that creates a lot of complication for us in our body's systems.” Dr. Walling starts with the simplest place to start navigating grief. Then, she moves into deeper ways to move through our grief actively. When you do address your grief, it can lead to amazing shifts in your physical, mental, and emotional health – and we’re all navigating some type (or types) of grief in our lives. Don’t miss this empowering, uplifting conversation that we all need to hear! Full show notes: jjvirgin.com/sherry Read Dr. Walling's book Touching Two Words: A Guide for Finding Hope in the Landscape of Loss: https://www.amazon.com/Touching-Two-Worlds-Finding-Landscape-ebook/dp/B09JRSQC12 Read Dr. Gabor Mate’s book, When the Body Says No: Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection: https://www.amazon.com/When-Body-Says-Understanding-Stress-Disease/dp/0470923350 Listen to my podcast: When Stored Trauma Is Driving Our Health & Our Life with Aime Apigian: https://jjvirgin.com/main-podcast/trauma-responses-with-aimie-apigian-ep-466/ Learn more about Dr. Sherry Walling: https://www.sherrywalling.com/ Learn more about Dr. Joe Dispenza’s programs: https://drjoedispenza.com/ Listen to Dr. Sherry’s playlist to soothe and encourage you in the darkest moments of grief. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0D54J2QG6HRw4UooIv7XxJ?si=a92a802155694506 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 16, 2023 • 30min
All About Protein, Building Muscle, and Losing Belly Fat
Getting enough protein is essential to good health. But how do you know how much you need daily? And what do high-protein meals actually look like? In this episode, JJ answers these questions. She talks about why collagen is important and how to use it, along with how these peptides support muscle maintenance. She also provides her top tips and tools for losing belly fat. Whether you’re curious about how to get more protein or collagen into your diet, you’ll want to tune into this short, informative episode! Full show notes: jjvirgin.com/optimizeprotein Try this Body Weight Calculator: https://healthyeater.com/ideal-body-weight-calculator Read My Blog: How Much Protein Should You Eat In A Day?: https://jjvirgin.com/how-much-protein/ Listen To My Podcast: What’s A Loaded Smoothie, And How To Make One: https://jjvirgin.com/main-podcast/whats-a-loaded-smoothie-how-to-make-one-ep-410/ Get The Nutrition You Need With My Protein Shakes: Paleo-Inspired And Plant-Based: https://store.jjvirgin.com/collections/shakes Try My Collagen Peptides Powder: https://store.jjvirgin.com/collections/supplements/products/all-systems-glow-collagen Learn How To Use A Continuous Glucose Monitor: https://jjvirgin.com/how-to-use-a-continuous-glucose-monitor/ Learn How To Use A Body Fat Scale: https://jjvirgin.com/main-podcast/i-use-a-body-fat-scale-every-day-but-what-the-heck-do-all-the-different-numbers-mean-ep-317/ Listen To My Podcast Why You Want Brown Fat & How To Get It: https://jjvirgin.com/main-podcast/why-you-want-brown-fat-how-to-get-it-ep-433/ Learn More About Dr. Joe Dispenza’s Programs: https://drjoedispenza.com/ Read The Virgin Diet: https://store.jjvirgin.com/collections/books/products/the-virgin-diet-paperback Outsmart Sneaky Sugars With My Book Sugar Impact Diet: https://store.jjvirgin.com/collections/books/products/sugar-impact-diet-paperback-book Read My Blog To Learn How To Eat By The Plate For A Balanced Meal: https://jjvirgin.com/eat-by-the-plate/ Use code JJVIP1000 for $1000 off the Kooru Cold Plunge: https://www.koorucoldplunges.com/ Study: Resistance Training Combined with Collagen Supplementation: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32164702/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 11, 2023 • 46min
Aging Powerfully With Muscle Building, Nutrition, and Peptides with Dr. Eric Fete
When it comes to healthy aging, many women forget to build muscle. However, according to fitness physician Dr. Eric Fete, that component is critical. Muscle building helps you look and feel better, but it’s also for everything else related to your health, too, including metabolism. Muscle is the foundation, the framework, to help you move and function and exercise and live a good life. And as we all get older, we all lose it. When you focus on building muscle, you’ll help support your blood sugar, insulin function, brain health, and more. In this conversation with JJ, Dr. Eric Fete shares his tips and how-tos for building muscles and having strong bones. He gives ideas for newbies, along with an easy, travel-friendly fitness hack that JJ swears by. Then, they discuss the role of nutrition in fitness and healthy aging. Their tips are simple and doable – but they aren’t what many women are focusing on. After that, Dr. Eric gives a quick primer on peptides – a great additional strategy for many health solutions. Peptides can enhance the body’s function in many ways; however, the foundation is nutrition and fitness. Just start with the basics, and then build from there for your best health possible, in your 40s and beyond! Whether you’re a fitness fanatic or a muscle-building newbie, you’ll want to tune into this information-packed episode! Full show notes: jjvirgin.com/dreric Get Dr. Eric’s FREE PRIME-X Muscle Guide and learn the basics of muscle growth: https://drericprimex.com/muscleguide Learn How To Make The Perfect Protein Shake in my blog: https://jjvirgin.com/how-to-make-the-perfect-protein-shake/ Listen to my podcast for The Best Exercises for Aging: https://jjvirgin.com/main-podcast/the-best-exercise-to-protect-you-as-you-age-ep-461/ I recommend the TRX Trainer: https://www.amazon.com/TRX-Suspension-Training-System-Travel/dp/B01LXL27XI/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=YFZGX245L1 Dr. Eric’s video: Tactics to Avoid Sarcopenia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaeipKiFR84 Try my Collagen Peptides Powder: https://store.jjvirgin.com/collections/supplements/products/all-systems-glow-collagen Learn more about Dr. Eric Fete: https://drericprimex.com/ Learn now to Live Longer with Peter Attia: https://peterattiamd.com/ I use the Oura Ring to track my sleep: https://ouraring.com/ I use an Apple watch: https://www.apple.com/watch/ Camp Yoga in Tampa: https://www.welovecamp.com/yoga Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 9, 2023 • 19min
Healthy Fat Sources, Supplements While Fasting & Controlling Blood Sugar
In this episode, JJ touches on four topics. First, how do you choose fats that are good for you? JJ explains why you might already be getting healthy fat in your diet, and how to choose the healthiest sources. She also gives guidance on taking supplements while doing a clean fast, answers a community member’s question about controlling blood sugar and insulin, and shares how to choose a healthy nut butter (or how to easily make your own!). Full show notes: jjvirgin.com/healthyfats How to Build A Balanced Meal: Eat by the Plate: https://jjvirgin.com/eat-by-the-plate Support your body’s natural ability to sleep better with Sleep Candy™: https://store.jjvirgin.com/collections/supplements/products/sleep-candy Monitor your blood sugar with the continuous glucose monitor, I recommend: Nutrisense: https://jjvirgin.com/nutrisense How to Use A Continuous Glucose Monitor: https://jjvirgin.com/how-to-use-a-continuous-glucose-monitor/ Measure your body composition accurately with this Tanita® scale: https://amzn.to/3BNPJ2z Get all your foundational nutrients with Daily Essentials Multi + Omegas: https://store.jjvirgin.com/collections/supplements/products/daily-essentials-multi-omegas What to Eat and When for Muscle Mass: https://jjvirgin.com/main-podcast/what-to-eat-when-to-eat-and-why-for-muscle-mass-ep-494/ Track your sleep and other health factors with an Oura Ring: https://ouraring.com/ Apple Watch: https://www.apple.com/watch/ Garmin: https://jjvirgin.com/main-podcast/what-supplements-do-you-suggest-for-my-not-perfect-nutrition-regimen-ep-486/#:~:text=Apple%20Watch-,Garmin,-Click%20here%20for Recipe: Berries with Cacao-Nut Butter Spread: https://jjvirgin.com/recipe-berries-cacao-nut-butter/ Recipe: Fresh Fruit with Cinnamon Almond Butter: https://jjvirgin.com/recipe-fresh-fruit-cinnamon-almond-butter/ I get a DEXA body scan twice a year: https://dexascan.com/ I take Reignite Wellness™ Magnesium Body Calm: https://store.jjvirgin.com/collections/supplements/products/magnesium-body-calm Try Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar: https://amzn.to/3JIXpHp Try Designs for Health Berberine Synergy, a Metabolic, Cardiovascular + Liver Support Supplement: https://amzn.to/43NiSGu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 6, 2023 • 20min
The “Secret Killer” That Creates Weight Loss Resistance
Inflammation is a major threat to your health. In this episode, JJ discusses seven reasons inflammation makes fat loss nearly impossible, she reveals the one food you may be eating that can exacerbate your symptoms without you realizing it, and how you can reduce inflammation to feel better again. She also reveals the single most important thing you can do to make fat loss possible again in your body. Full show notes: jjvirgin.com/secretkiller Get your healthy omega-3s with Omega Ultras™: https://store.jjvirgin.com/collections/supplements/products/omega-ultras Read The Virgin Diet to discover how to eliminate 7 foods that cause inflammation: https://store.jjvirgin.com/collections/books/products/the-virgin-diet-paperback Get my Sweet Treats Recipe Guide, with 15 recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth without problematic ingredients: https://jjvirgin.com/sweet-treats-recipe-guide/ Read my book Sugar Impact Diet and retrain your sweet tooth: https://store.jjvirgin.com/collections/books/products/sugar-impact-diet-paperback-book Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 4, 2023 • 28min
Healing Your Hunger with Tricia Nelson
Transformational speaker and author Tricia Nelson joins JJ in today's podcast to talk about how to break free from the emotional eating trap. Tricia shares her own journey with food addiction, including how she lost 50 pounds and changed her life by identifying and healing the underlying causes of her emotional eating. Listen to find out how to tell if you have an issue with emotional eating or food addiction, why it's key to go beyond dieting and address the root cause of the problem, plus the simple steps you can take to heal your hunger and put an end to destructive eating for good! Full show notes: jjvirgin.com/healyourhunger Get Tricia Nelson’s free quiz to find out where you fall on the emotional eating spectrum: https://healyourhunger.com/are-you-an-emotional-eater-or-food-addict/ Learn more about Tricia Nelson: https://healyourhunger.com/ Read Heal Your Hunger by Tricia Nelson: https://www.amazon.com/Heal-Your-Hunger-Simple-Emotional/dp/B08N1KHX3Z/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=heal+your+hunger+by+tricia+nelson&qid=1656081829&sprefix=heal+your+hunger+%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-1 Try my 7 day protein first challenge for a stronger and leaner you: https://jjvirgin.com/proteinfirst Try Emily Fletcher’s Ziva Meditation technique for mindfulness and meditation: https://zivameditation.com/ Read my book The Virgin Diet to reclaim your health and reset your metabolism: https://store.jjvirgin.com/collections/books/products/the-virgin-diet-paperback How to Make the Most of Every Bite You Eat: https://jjvirgin.com/digestive-enzymes-make-every-bite/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 2, 2023 • 16min
Overcoming Weight Loss Struggles, The Pegan Diet, and How to Cross-Train Your Diet
If you struggle with weight gain, JJ recommends a new way of using the scale to better maintain your weight loss. She also talks about some of her personal struggles with weight—yes, it happens to the best of us! You’ll also hear her thoughts on Dr. Hyman’s Pegan Diet, what it means to cross-train your diet, and why you want to use different diets to achieve specific goals, such as helping support leaky gut syndrome or breaking through your sugar addiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 30, 2022 • 19min
The Top 5 Worst Foods for Your Blood Sugar
You know too much sugar is bad for you. But, you might not be aware of the sneaky ways that it gets into your food—even the kind you think is healthy! If you have poor blood sugar control, there will be serious consequences, so it’s critical to address what’s at the end of your fork. In this episode, JJ reveals tips and tools to discover what foods may be sending your blood sugar off the rails. When you normalize your blood sugar levels, you’ll look and feel better, reduce your risk of diabetes and heart disease, boost your energy, stabilize your mood, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 28, 2022 • 46min
Balancing Blood Sugar During Menopause with Dr. Beverly Yates
The trifecta of menopause, metabolism, and blood sugar seem to conspire against women as they age. Around 40 to 45, women’s blood sugar control begins to shift. One of the first signs is that the body doesn’t recover as quickly. As it continues, imbalanced blood sugar can lead to menopause complaints like weight gain, anxiety, and mood shifts. But there’s a way to fight back. Dr. Beverly Yates, an internationally recognized speaker and expert in diabetes, menopause, and metabolism, explains how women can regain control for improved energy and health by learning how to easily balance their blood sugar. She recommends using a continuous glucose monitor to better control the hormonal fluctuations and have a better day. This conversation explains ideal blood sugar levels, so you know what to look for. You’ll also learn why she thinks baseline blood sugar is higher in women today than it has been historically. Dr. Yates’ mother used to say, “Growing older as a woman isn't for the faint of heart.” But, this conversation with JJ Virgin and Dr. Yates provides an uplifting view on how your outlook on life begins to change as you enter menopause, plus tips to help you can easily regain control, so you don’t cause continuous harm to your body. Get Dr. Yates - FREE GUIDE - Continuous Glucose Monitors: Tips, Insights, And FAQs https://go.naturalhealthcare.com/cgm-ebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 26, 2022 • 10min
I’m Doing Everything Right So Why Is My Metabolism Still Slow?
Many folks think they have a slow metabolism because of low energy or difficulty losing weight. But you won’t truly know until you have the right tools to test. In this episode, you’ll learn about using a Bod Pod and body composition scale to get an accurate picture of your metabolic health, plus the role your thyroid plays in all of this. JJ also shares some quick tips on how you can kick up your basal metabolic rate (BMR) to get a faster metabolism and burn more calories throughout the day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices