Well Beyond 40

What actually causes the “bulky” look people blame on lifting? I’ve been lifting weights for over 40 years, and I want to finally put the fear of getting “bulky” to rest. In this episode, I break down what really happens when you lift, why muscle actually makes you leaner, and how women have a built-in advantage when it comes to staying sculpted. I also share exactly how I balance training, nutrition, and recovery to build strong, toned muscle that supports powerful aging. What you’ll learn: (00:10) Why lifting weights does not automatically make your body bigger or bulkier. (02:35) How muscle acts like “metabolic Spanx” to tighten and support your body. (03:19) Why building muscle improves insulin sensitivity and fat burning. (04:07) How progressive overload is the key driver of muscle growth. (06:42) Why compound movements should come before isolation exercises. (09:21) How training close to failure supports results without overtraining. (12:34) Why mobility work matters more than stretching before lifting. (16:36) How protein, carbohydrates, and recovery work together to build muscle. 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/lifting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do the world’s longest-lived populations eat differently? In this episode, my guest and I unpack what the world’s longest-lived people actually do to stay healthy well into old age. Dan Buettner and I also explore why longevity isn’t about biohacking or supplements, but about designing your environment, your food, and your daily routines to work for you. Dan Buettner is a National Geographic explorer and bestselling author who’s spent decades studying the world’s longest-lived people in the Blue Zones. He’s known for turning cutting-edge longevity research into practical, real-life strategies that actually stick. What you’ll learn: (04:07) Why Dan says longevity isn’t about discipline or biohacking, but long-term environment design. (04:51) What centenarians across Blue Zones have eaten consistently over decades. (07:36) Why the belief in a “quick fix” is the biggest misconception about longevity. (10:13) How daily walking and natural movement add years of life expectancy. (12:25) Why getting up and down from the floor may be one of the best forms of exercise as you age. (16:42) How living in hilly or steep environments is linked to longer life spans. (19:16) How flavor science was used to make healthy Blue Zones food irresistibly delicious. (27:01) Why Blue Zones cultures avoid snacking and eat most of their calories earlier in the day. 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): http://jjvirgin.com/bluezone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you following a "healthy" diet that was actually designed by marketing experts instead of food experts and medical researchers? In this episode, I expose the ugly truth about the Food Guide Pyramid and how this "pyramid-shaped lie" was built on marketing and sponsorships rather than actual science. We’ve been told for decades to build our meals around grains and fear fat, a strategy that has contributed to the explosion of obesity and metabolic disease. Today, I’m sharing my "JJ’s Plate Method" to help you reclaim your metabolism by prioritizing protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich vegetables. What you’ll learn: (00:05) Why the Food Guide Pyramid was marketing, not nutrition science. (02:28) How USDA priorities favored agriculture and industry over public health. (03:10) What recent research says about dietary guidelines and rising metabolic disease. (04:45) Why MyPlate failed to fix the problems of the original pyramid. (05:04) How low-fat, high-carb eating drove insulin resistance and weight gain. (06:36) Why protein intake is critical for muscle, metabolism, and aging well. (08:16) How to build JJ’s Plate using protein, healthy fats, vegetables, and fiber. (12:22) Why building muscle matters more than following outdated food rules. 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/foodpyramid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do detox cleanses often make you feel worse instead of better? Also, what simple daily habits can support detox without extreme cleanses? In this episode, my guest and I break down why detox fads are failing women over 40 and what detox actually means at a physiological level. I’m joined by Sinclair Kennally to explain how the liver, gut, bile flow, and hormones all work together. We reframe detox as a lifelong support system—not a quick fix—so your body can truly heal, thrive, and age powerfully. Sinclair Kennally, CNHP, CNC is an award-winning detox expert and the founder and CEO of Detox Nation, where she helps people uncover the root causes of chronic illness. After nearly losing her life to mold and toxic overload, she turned her hard-won recovery into a mission to teach safe, sustainable detox that actually works. What you’ll learn: (01:52) Why detox is not about flushing toxins but supporting your body’s natural detox pathways. (04:27) How quick cleanses can trigger “retoxification” and make symptoms worse. (06:20) Why detox must be a long-term lifestyle approach, especially after 40. (10:26) How bowel regularity and gut motility are the foundation of safe detox. (15:07) Why bile flow is critical for digestion, toxin removal, and metabolic health. (19:04) How toxin overload shows up as anxiety, histamine reactions, and skin issues. (23:20) Why toxic burden directly impacts thyroid function and metabolism. (35:41) Simple daily habits—like clean protein, healthy fats, and bile support—that make detox safer and more effective. 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): http://jjvirgin.com/sinclair Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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