JJ Virgin is a celebrity nutritionist, a speaker and best-selling author, and a single mom to two teenage boys. Keeping her energy high and her body healthy is only one of her top priorities. And there are days when her schedule is completely nuts.
JJ’s food philosophy is fast, convenient, and healthy. She cooks whenever she can, because she likes knowing the ingredients of her food. But often she needs to grab and go, so she prepares ahead.
Although she outsources many tasks, she still loves to grocery store. She reads labels to avoid sneaky sugars and additives, which sometimes show up in even seemingly healthy food. JJ travels about half the time, so she plans ahead. She pre-preps ingredients, devises a daily menu plan, and remains flexible. She knows life happens.
Here is a typical day for JJ:
Breakfast:
She starts her day with Bulletproof Upgraded coffee, then within an hour of waking up, she has a protein shake. She likes having one less decision to make.
Her shake consists of non-soy, nondairy protein powder with leafy greens, frozen berries, avocado, ground flaxsweed and unsweetened almond or coconut milk. When she travels, she takes the ingredients for her shake and a NutriBullet.
Lunch:
At midday, JJ throws together a precooked protein and a big salad, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar. As an alternative, she may have some grilled protein and lots of veggies, or another protein shake. She makes it a rule to eat every four to six hours, and she never skips meals.
Dinner:
Even though she often works late, she has dinner early in the evening. She sticks to a low-sugar-impact plate that includes lean protein, healthy fats, lots of non-starchy vegetables and slow carbs. An example might be wild-caught salmon, spinach and lentils, or grass-fed beef with broccoli and quinoa.
JJ seldom snacks. She finds that eating within an hour of rising and consistent mealtimes prevents hunger between meals. Once in a while she indulges in some organic, low-sugar dark chocolate and almond butter with a glass of pinot noir.
If she’s out with friends, she has a rule for dessert. She enjoys three bites, then puts down her fork.
JJ never eats artificial sweeteners, agave, other sugars and trans fats. She also avoids gluten and dairy. She occasionally indulges in coconut-milk ice cream or yogurt.
Exercise:
JJ doesn’t spend hours at the gym. She may do weight resistance in the morning at the gym, then burst training in the afternoon. On super-busy days, she may combine them.
Supplements:
A big believer in supplements, JJ carries all-in-one packets that combine a professional quality multivitamin mineral with fish oil.
Other Lifestyle Factors:
JJ’s bedtime regimen includes a hot bath and chamomile tea (and occasionally a glass of pinot noir). She takes a sleep supplement that combines melatonin and other sleep nutrients. She also enjoys regular massages and time with friends to reduce stress.
She always keeps a big canteen of water close by, and sips it throughout the day, except during meals.
One of the things she considers most important is what she calls “intentioning.” Every morning, JJ writes down the things for which she is grateful, along with her short and long-term goals. She shares those with accountability partners, and retains focused on her desires.
