JJ Virgin is an author, speaker and media personality. She speaks at major integrative medical conferences, appears regularly in the media, including on The TODAY Show, Dr. Phil and Access Hollywood, and blogs for the Huffington Post. She is the bestselling author of Six Weeks to Sleeveless and Sexy, creator of the 4X4 Burst Training Workout and co-star of TLC’s Freaky Eaters and Discovery Fit & Health’s Transformation Diaries. The Virgin Diet, was released in December 2012.


Health E-Insights: How did you come to develop the Virgin diet?

Ms. Virgin: For the past decade I’ve worked with people who struggled with extreme weight loss resistance. One culprit that I found frequently occurred via testing is food intolerance. Over time I narrowed down those food intolerances, which became the basis for The Virgin Diet. In the book, I ask people to pull these seven foods for three weeks, then challenge four of them in cycle two. When my clients do this, they eliminate symptoms like fatigue and headaches. They feel and look better than they have in years. And they are finally able to lose that stubborn weight.

Health E-Insights: What makes the Virgin diet so special?

Ms. Virgin: Rather than focus on calories or count something, we pull seven highly reactive foods that frequently stall fat loss and trigger numerous symptoms. Clients still have so much to eat, and they often tell me The Virgin Diet doesn’t feel like a diet, but that it’s effortless.

Health E-Insights: What are the top three things people should realize when trying to lose weight?

Ms. Virgin: It’s not about calories; it’s where those calories come from that matter. Even healthy foods can stall fat loss. And diets often suggest deprivation. The Virgin Diet is about making better choices rather than depriving yourself of the foods you love.

Health E-Insights: What is it going to take to reverse the obesity epidemic?

Ms. Virgin: Manufacturers have misled people about what foods are healthy. Being overweight is not someone’s fault, so the first thing we need to do is stop blaming ourselves. Then we need to pull those so-called healthy foods like fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt and whole grain bread, which are making us sick, fat and tired. We need to replace those with whole, unprocessed foods. Likewise, ‘getting more exercise’ is not the solution. We need to do the right kind of exercise. And we need to control stress and get optimal sleep to sustain staying healthy and lean.

Health E-Insights: If you could wave a magic wand and make a health change for people, what would it be?

Ms. Virgin: To stop thinking artificial sweeteners are legal and realize they create more damage than sugar. 

Health E-Insights: Do you have any health advice to pass on to our readers?

Ms. Virgin: Realize that foods you think are healthy may not be. The good news is that you may be eating these foods simply because you think they’re healthy, not because you enjoy them. Ditching those highly reactive foods and replacing them with satisfying alternatives can be the missing link to fast and lasting fat loss.

Sheldon Baker is well known for creating nutraceutical brand marketing and public relations campaigns. For Health E-Insights interview consideration, contact him at [email protected]. And follow him on Twitter @NutraInk.