Well Beyond 40
Well Beyond 40

Well Beyond 40

JJ Virgin

Overview
Episodes

Details

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.

Recent Episodes

Stress and Poor Sleep Are Blocking Your Weight Loss Goals
DEC 22, 2025
Stress and Poor Sleep Are Blocking Your Weight Loss Goals
How do stress and sleep disruption stop fat loss? And what can you do to get your body working with you, not against you? I hear it all the time: you’re eating right, lifting weights, and doing cardio, yet the weight scale won’t budge. In this episode, I break down how chronic stress and poor sleep quietly sabotage fat loss by disrupting cortisol, insulin, hunger hormones, and metabolism. I also share the exact strategies I use to protect my sleep, calm stress, and keep my metabolism working with me instead of against me. What you’ll learn: (02:42) Why chronically elevated cortisol drives insulin resistance, belly fat, and steady weight gain over time. (04:32) How stress hormones increase cravings and rewire appetite toward sugary foods. (06:59) How short sleep disrupts leptin, ghrelin, and blood sugar control. (07:46) Why even one night of poor sleep can increase insulin resistance and slow metabolism. (09:22) How poor sleep disrupts growth hormone release and muscle repair. (11:27) Why eating protein first and pairing it with fiber stabilizes blood sugar and supports fat loss. (14:57) How meal timing and caffeine cutoffs directly impact cortisol and sleep quality. Love the podcast? Here’s what to do: Subscribe to the podcast. Leave a review. Text a screenshot to me at 813-565-2627 and wait for a personal reply because your voice is so important to me. Want to listen to the show completely ad-free? Go to http://subscribetojj.com Click “TRY FREE” and start your ad-free journey today! When you’re ready, enjoy the VIP experience for just $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year (save 17%!) Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/poorsleep Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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25 MIN
Lose the Weight Loss Meds with Dr. James Hill
DEC 17, 2025
Lose the Weight Loss Meds with Dr. James Hill
When coming off weight loss medications, how can you prevent your appetite from surging? Also, how can you keep the weight off? In this episode, I explore with Dr. James Hill what really keeps weight off for good. We break down why the strategies that help you lose weight are not the same strategies that help you maintain it, especially in the era of GLP-1 medications. Together, we uncover the science-backed habits and mindset shifts that can help you create a lifestyle that supports your healthiest, happiest self for life. Dr. James Hill is a world-renowned obesity researcher who’s spent over 40 years studying how people lose weight, and more importantly, how they keep it off. He’s the co-founder of the National Weight Control Registry and author of a new book that helps people transition off GLP-1 medications without regaining weight, all delivered with his signature clarity, compassion, and common sense. What you’ll learn: (05:01) Why only about 20% of people keep weight off long-term and why this number may be even lower. (08:19) Why weight loss and weight maintenance require completely different strategies. (11:22) How GLP-1 medications have changed the landscape by helping more people finally reach their goal weight. (12:17) The three pillars of long-term weight maintenance: appetite management, physical activity, and mind state. (14:38) Why pairing high protein intake with resistance training helps protect muscle and improves metabolic health. (22:22) How “mind state” influences your ability to overcome setbacks. (31:26) Why successful maintainers average around 12,000 steps a day and schedule one hour of planned exercise daily. (35:30) The early signs of weight regain. Love the podcast? Here’s what to do: Subscribe to the podcast. Leave a review. Text a screenshot to me at 813-565-2627 and wait for a personal reply because your voice is so important to me. Want to listen to the show completely ad-free? Go to http://subscribetojj.com Click “TRY FREE” and start your ad-free journey today! When you’re ready, enjoy the VIP experience for just $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year (save 17%!) Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/hill Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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51 MIN
Foods I Eat EVERY DAY As a Nutrition Expert
DEC 15, 2025
Foods I Eat EVERY DAY As a Nutrition Expert
How can the foods you choose each day shape your long-term health and vitality? Also, what simple nutrition principles do I rely on that can help you feel stronger and more energized? In this episode, I break down the exact foods I eat every day, and why the old ideas of “good days,” “bad days,” or “cheating” set you up for failure. I walk you through my personal food rules, including why protein comes first, why fiber is a non-negotiable, and how healthy fats and hydration shape your hormones, metabolism, and energy. What you’ll learn: (02:42) Protein’s role in muscle maintenance, metabolism, and blood sugar stability. (05:04) Why animal proteins have a superior amino acid profile. (10:50) How fiber regulates hunger, blood sugar, gut health, and metabolic function, and why most women need far more. (15:26) Daily non-starchy vegetables, slow-low carbs, and the phytonutrients that I prioritize for optimal energy. (17:46) Why healthy fats don’t make you fat and how to choose anti-inflammatory everyday fats. (20:33) How omega-3s support muscle, brain function, hormone balance, and long-term metabolic health. (28:52) The importance of electrolytes, hydration, and key micronutrients like magnesium and taurine for cellular health. Love the podcast? Here’s what to do: Subscribe to the podcast. Leave a review. Text a screenshot to me at 813-565-2627 and wait for a personal reply because your voice is so important to me. Want to listen to the show completely ad-free? Go to http://subscribetojj.com Click “TRY FREE” and start your ad-free journey today! When you’re ready, enjoy the VIP experience for just $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year (save 17%!) Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/nutritionexpert Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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36 MIN
Why Heart Disease Is the Number One Killer of Women with Dr. Jayne Morgan
DEC 10, 2025
Why Heart Disease Is the Number One Killer of Women with Dr. Jayne Morgan
Are you overlooking early symptoms of heart disease because they don’t look “typical”? In this episode, I chat with Dr. Jayne Morgan—one of the world’s leading voices in women’s cardiology—about the number one killer of women: heart disease. She explains how pregnancy complications, hormonal transitions, and overlooked symptoms silently raise risk long before most women ever get screened. Together, we break down what tests matter, what symptoms never to ignore, and how every woman can take charge of her cardiovascular health starting now. Dr. Jayne Morgan is a powerhouse cardiologist on a mission to revolutionize women’s heart health with clarity and honesty. She’s also a Pilates instructor, a fierce educator, and one of the few women boldly challenging the blind spots in traditional cardiology training. What you’ll learn: (01:52) Why heart disease—not breast cancer—is the number one killer of women and why most women never see it coming. (04:29) How Dr. Morgan realized women’s symptoms were dismissed as “atypical,” leading to delayed care and missed diagnoses. (07:26) The subtle early symptoms women experience—fatigue, jaw pain, nausea, shortness of breath—that are often confused for anxiety. (13:38) How pregnancy complications can sometimes predict future heart disease risk. (15:21) Why combining cardiology and obstetrics is essential. (26:39) What happens to heart disease risk during perimenopause and menopause. (37:11) Why movement—not formal “exercise”—is one of the most impactful daily habits for reducing heart disease risk. (45:08) Which tests every woman should ask for, including calcium scoring, thyroid panels, and cholesterol markers. Love the podcast? Here’s what to do: Subscribe to the podcast. Leave a review. Text a screenshot to me at 813-565-2627 and wait for a personal reply because your voice is so important to me. Want to listen to the show completely ad-free? Go to http://subscribetojj.com Click “TRY FREE” and start your ad-free journey today! When you’re ready, enjoy the VIP experience for just $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year (save 17%!) Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/jayne Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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72 MIN
Is Olive Oil Making You Gain Fat?
DEC 8, 2025
Is Olive Oil Making You Gain Fat?
Should you toss out your extra virgin olive oil and ditch the Mediterranean diet? In this episode, I break down the new study that sparked headlines claiming olive oil makes you gain fat—and explain what the science actually found. I walk you through the difference between healthy extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and the high-oleic industrial seed oils used in the research, and why lifestyle and total diet matter far more than a drizzle of olive oil on your salad. What you’ll learn: (02:00) What the 2025 Yale Cell Reports study actually tested and why oleic acid triggered fat-cell hyperplasia under very specific high-fat, high-processed-food conditions. (03:25) Why the issue isn’t olive oil itself but the stacking of multiple high-oleic, ultra-processed oils common in the Western diet. (05:00) How caloric surplus, processed foods, and sedentary behavior—not moderate EVOO intake—drive fat gain. (06:36) How the polyphenols and antioxidants in EVOO reduce inflammation, support heart health, and protect cells. (07:29) Why choosing high-quality oils, avoiding industrial seed oils, and using small dark bottles preserves nutrient integrity. (09:01) How to balance fats—from omega-3s to saturated fats to monounsaturated fats—to optimize metabolic health and inflammation. (11:06) Why creating more fat cells isn’t necessarily harmful, and why overfilled fat cells drive metabolic disease. Love the podcast? Here’s what to do: Subscribe to the podcast. Leave a review. Text a screenshot to me at 813-565-2627 and wait for a personal reply because your voice is so important to me. Want to listen to the show completely ad-free? Go to http://subscribetojj.com Click “TRY FREE” and start your ad-free journey today! When you’re ready, enjoy the VIP experience for just $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year (save 17%!) Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/oliveoil Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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19 MIN