Balancing Hormones and Thyroid Health with Dr. Amie Hornaman
12/06/2026 | 14 min
Could your “normal” labs be missing the real reason you feel exhausted, foggy, or stuck?
I’m joined by Dr. Amie Hornaman, known as The Thyroid Fixer, to talk about why so many women over 40 are told their labs are normal while still feeling tired, foggy, inflamed, and unable to lose weight. We dig into thyropause, Hashimoto’s, reverse T3, thyroid medication, and the exact labs women should ask for if they want real answers. My hope is that this episode helps you stop blaming yourself and start testing, advocating, and getting the support your body actually needs.
What you’ll learn:
(06:28) Why Dr. Amie Hornaman believes “thyropause” deserves more attention for women over 40.
(07:56) Why standard thyroid testing often misses what is actually happening inside the body.
(11:20) How Hashimoto’s, hormonal shifts, stress, toxins, and autoimmune triggers may contribute to thyroid issues.
(13:15) Why TSH alone may not tell the full story of your thyroid health.
(14:43) How reverse T3 can push the body into a survival-mode state that slows metabolism.
(17:22) Which thyroid labs Dr. Hornaman recommends asking your doctor to run.
(24:30) How thyroid symptoms and perimenopause symptoms can overlap and influence one another.
(43:35) How GLP-1s, inflammation, and thyroid optimization may intersect when used appropriately.
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Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/thyroidfix
If your routine or eating habits have changed recently head to BodyBio.com/JJVIRGIN to start supporting your gut.
Mitopure supports the cellular energy that allows your muscles to actually respond and adapt. Mitopure gummies make it simple. Visit https://timeline.com/jjvirgin for 20% off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dr. Rady Rahban Shares the Real Truth Behind Plastic Surgery
10/06/2026 | 43 min
What makes someone a good candidate for a facelift after 40?
On this episode of Well Beyond 40, I sit down with renowned board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Rady Rahban to pull back the curtain on the real truths, myths, and marketing traps surrounding aesthetic procedures. We dive deep into my personal journey with my recent facelift, explore why filler over-use can backfire, and examine why younger, healthier individuals are often the best candidates for natural surgical outcomes. Whether you are trying to navigate the confusing differences between a cosmetic and plastic surgeon or determining the right time for a procedure, this candid conversation provides the ultimate baseline for aging beautifully and safely on your own terms.
What you’ll learn:
(01:00) How cellular energy and declining mitochondrial health directly contribute to age-related muscle loss.
(02:48) Why a lack of specific fuels like butyrate can disrupt gut signals and create constant background hunger noise.
(06:01) The ways that cosmetic procedures can elevate an already grounded person's self-image when external features do not match their inner vitality.
(09:14) Why a doctor's heavy marketing budget and high prices do not automatically equate to superior surgical skill.
(12:28) The truth about the deceptive "honeymoon phase" of facelift swelling and how it sets unrealistic expectations online.
(16:39) What physically happens to facial anatomy after age forty and how the unmonitored filler craze leads to a puffy, distorted appearance.
(22:37) Why performing lesser changes on younger, healthier candidates yields far superior and more natural surgical results than waiting until later in life.
(25:21) The vital differences between board-certified plastic surgeons and cosmetic surgeons who operate in an alternative medical landscape.
Love the podcast? Here’s what to do:
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Text a screenshot to me at 813-565-2627 and wait for a personal reply because your voice is so important to me.
Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/drrady
Episode Sponsor: Try Qualia risk-free for up to 100 days and use code VIRGINWELLNESS for 15% off
If your routine or eating habits have changed recently head to BodyBio.com/JJVIRGIN to start supporting your gut.
Mitopure supports the cellular energy that allows your muscles to actually respond and adapt. Mitopure gummies make it simple. Visit https://timeline.com/jjvirgin for 20% off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Healthy Revisit: The Science of Toned Arms After 40
08/06/2026 | 33 min
This week, we’re revisiting one of my favorite episodes: Strong Arms After 40: Science-Backed Muscle Building.
In this behind-the-scenes episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on exactly how I've maintained strong, defined arms well into my 50s, and more importantly, why this matters so much more than just appearance. After decades in the fitness industry, I've learned that most women are approaching arm training completely wrong – focusing on light weights and endless cardio instead of the proven strategies that actually work.
I'm sharing the exact training principles I use and teach my clients, including why I don't focus on traditional bicep and tricep exercises, the critical importance of progressive overload, and how compound movements like pull-ups and push-ups can transform not just your arms, but your entire metabolic health. This isn't just about looking good in sleeveless tops (though you absolutely will!) – it's about building the muscle that serves as your metabolic engine, helps regulate blood sugar, and keeps you strong and powerful as you age.
What you’ll learn:
Why muscle mass is your "metabolic Spanx" and acts as a sugar sponge to improve insulin sensitivity
The surprising truth about muscle loss after 30 and why strength training beats cardio for long-term health
How grip strength serves as a powerful predictor of overall health and longevity
The exact volume, intensity, and frequency formula for building defined arms after 40
Why compound movements like pull-ups and push-ups are more effective than isolation exercises
The progressive overload principle and how to know when you're training hard enough
My muscle-first approach that prioritizes building strength before focusing on weight loss
How to properly fuel your workouts with strategic nutrition timing for maximum results
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Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/buildtonedarms Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Unlock the Power of Daily Walking
05/06/2026 | 14 min
What if walking is one of the most powerful prescriptions your doctor is not writing?
I’m joined by foot and gait expert Dr. Courtney Conley to talk about why walking may be one of the most underrated tools for healthy aging. We break down the step count sweet spot, why post-meal walks matter, when to add intensity with speed or weighted vests, and why gait speed can reveal more than you might think. We also get into the overlooked connection between aging, menopause, foot strength, balance, and fall prevention so you can stay strong from the ground up.
(00:08) Why Dr. Courtney Conley believes walking should be on every doctor’s prescription pad.
(01:13) How daily walking differs from strength training and why consistency matters so much.
(02:06) What your current step count reveals and why even 500 extra steps can make a meaningful difference.
(02:31) Why the real walking sweet spot may be 7,000 to 9,000 steps instead of 10,000.
(03:54) How too much walking can crowd out strength training and why balance matters.
(04:45) Why walking 10 to 30 minutes after meals can support healthier blood sugar.
(06:22) How gait speed may act like a sixth vital sign for aging, strength, balance, and brain health.
(09:43) Why foot strength and sensory awareness decline after 50 and how that can increase fall risk.
Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/KkS5sBYAAlE?si=-lFSFwh5e5g65u6o
Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/gaithappens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Herbal Solutions for Menopause with Dr. Suzanne Gilberg Lenz
03/06/2026 | 33 min
Could optimizing your testosterone levels as a woman be the missing piece to improving your sleep, mood, and libido?
In this episode, I’m joined by OB-GYN, integrative women’s health expert, and author Dr. Suzanne Gilberg Lenz for a powerful conversation about botanicals, hormones, and the menopause symptoms women should stop ignoring. We talk about how herbs like ashwagandha, rhodiola, black cohosh, Siberian rhubarb, saffron, and passion flower may support sleep, mood, hot flashes, blood sugar, and nervous system regulation. Most importantly, we dig into why symptoms like severe hot flashes, night sweats, and sexual dysfunction are not just annoying midlife inconveniences, but important signals your body is asking you to address.
What you’ll learn:
(00:00) Experiencing sexual or orgasmic dysfunction can act as a crucial early warning signal for underlying heart disease.
(00:10) Hot flashes and night sweats originate in the brain and can serve as major red flags for cardiovascular disease and dementia.
(01:44) Utilizing a clinically studied form of urolithin A helps renew mitochondrial health to improve muscle strength and function.
(02:41) Constant hunger and cravings often stem from a gut issue where cells lack the short-chain fatty acids needed to regulate appetite.
(06:04) Over thirty percent of conventional pharmaceuticals originate from the botanical world and traditional medicine.
(12:07) Starting with adaptogens like ashwagandha or rhodiola provides a gentle, powerful entrance point for managing nervous system and sleep issues.
(12:58) Siberian rhubarb acts as a selective estrogen receptor modulator to target brain and bone health without activating proliferation in the uterus or breast.
(16:25) Overcoming menopausal sleep issues requires evaluating lifestyle choices, blood sugar stability, and helpful botanicals like passion flower and saffron.
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.
Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/askdrsuzanne
If your routine or eating habits have changed recently head to BodyBio.com/JJVIRGIN to start supporting your gut.
Mitopure supports the cellular energy that allows your muscles to actually respond and adapt. Mitopure gummies make it simple. Visit https://timeline.com/jjvirgin for 20% off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
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