Debunking Health Myths and Aging Gracefully with a Nutrition Expert

And the gold medal for healthy aging and teaching others to do the same goes to… JJ Virgin. A triple-certified holistic nutrition expert, personal trainer, Fitness Hall of Famer, and bestselling author, Virgin has established herself as a force in the health and wellness space. She’s launched two multimillion-dollar businesses: a seven-figure personal brand and the Mindshare Collaborative, a leading professional health community.

Virgin specializes in optimizing health for those in their 40s and beyond through science-backed strategies. She is passionate about the healing power of nutrition, and her mission is to change the way people view aging and longevity. And if that’s not enough, she tries to challenge herself at least once a day—sometimes even twice a day. 

“We have to do things that are hard for us because then we can do hard things,” Virgin says.

In the latest episode in The Art of Being Well, Dr. Will Cole and Virgin tackle some of the most confusing wellness topics: how much protein is necessary, why the leucine threshold matters for muscle growth, and how plant-based eaters can optimize their diets. You’ll also learn about intermittent fasting and the difference between body composition and weight loss.

For more health tips and tricks for aging healthily, listen to this week’s episode of The Art of Being Well.

Exercise and Aging Go Hand-in-Hand

Aging should not be a deterrent to exercise. After the age of 30, studies show that you experience three to eight percent of muscle mass loss a decade. “You don’t do less as you age. If you do less as you age, you do less. You actually have to do more. Like I am working out more now and working out harder now than I was in my 20s,” Virgin says.

Virgin has a knee replacement, hip replacement, and a broken foot. “I share that because people will use something like that to say, ‘This is why I can’t do anything.’ But this is why I have to do these things.”

To build lean muscle as you age, Virgin says the best mode of exercise is weight lifting. She began training at 16 with her high school football team. “There were no gyms. We literally had figure salons and jazzercise. So weight lifting has always made sense to me.”

The most important thing to consider when you are over 40 is to not only build muscle but to build strength and power. She focuses on doing squats, lunges, pushups, box jumps, step ups, kettlebell swings, and other calisthenic and plyometrics movements.

How Much Protein Should You Really Have

There’s so much information out in the wellness space on protein consumption, but Virgin says it’s important to keep it simple. “When you look at your diet, you can make it so simple. Before you major in the minors, you have to major in the minors. Protein is a major.”

Protein gives your body the essential amino acids that we can’t make ourselves. Leucine is one of those essential amino acids that stimulates muscle protein synthesis. Minimally, Virgin suggests eating .7 grams to one gram of protein per pound of our target body weight. Plant-based eaters should aim higher.

When you dial your protein incorrectly, the ripple effects are vast. Virgin suggests using a protein scale and a food tracking app: “If you just did that for a month, you’d get a clear picture of how much protein you’re eating.”

As we age, our bodies become less efficient at converting amino acids and exercise stimuli into muscle. “Because we are not as good, we need more [protein],” she explains.

Optimizing a Plant-Based Diet

All plant-based proteins are low in something, typically in one of the amino acids. Virgin suggests pushing a little higher on the number of grams of protein to mitigate this. 

“We store amino acids in the muscles. We don’t want to break those down,” she notes. One hack for plant-based eaters is supplementing with essential amino acids. “Essential amino acids should be a super tool in your diet. Have them for breakfast and dinner to help you rebuild muscle.”

The Leucine Threshold 

Virgin says that current theory suggests 2.5 to 3 grams of leucine activates muscle protein synthesis. As you age, you need more—between 3 to 4 grams of leucine. To turn on muscle protein synthesis, it is crucial to focus on getting 30 to 40 grams (40 grams for plant-based meals) of protein at breakfast. 

“This allows you to get the leucine you need to stop the breakdown of muscle,” she says. “We have muscle protein turnover. If all we do is build up muscle, we are in trouble. If all we do is break down muscle, we are in trouble. As we age, we tend to break down more than we build up. So we want to balance it.”

Virgin prioritizes eating protein first. “Eating protein for me is easy because I have a hack. If you think of eating protein first, you won’t have the problem of getting too full. I know there’s all that stuff out there about eating your veggies first. Protein gives you a lower blood sugar response.” 

For breakfast, she suggests Greek yogurt with bone broth protein, blueberries, and flax. 

Intermittent Fasting

According to Virgin, there are a couple of baseline rules to intermittent fasting. You should modify your fasting routine based on your health goals. 

One rule is to stop eating at least two hours before bed: “As you are getting ready to go to sleep, melatonin is coming up and cortisol is going down. If you eat at night, you will impair your sleep and have higher blood sugar when you wake up.”

Virgin suggests waiting to eat a few hours after waking up and giving your body time. “Get your cortisol up, your melatonin down, and get your pancreas back online. Then, have breakfast. The time of your first meal should depend on your body and your goals.”