137. Kicking Your Sugar Habit with JJ Virgin

In this episode, you’ll learn more about our problematic addiction to sugar (as well as what you can do about it) with celebrity nutrition expert JJ Virgin. JJ is the person who people go to when they’re ready to finally lose weight and transform their health and lives. Tune in to learn how to drop sugar, change your life, and feel better than you ever imagined! I can personally attest to how much difference it makes when you (mostly) quit sugar, so I can’t recommend this episode highly enough. Find Out More About JJ Here: JJ VirginJJ Virgin StoreJJ Virgin on FacebookJJ Virgin on InstagramJJ Virgin on Twitter In This Episode: [02:39] - What, exactly, is wrong with sugar? [04:15] - JJ talks about the problem with all-natural sugars such as honey. [06:19] - We learn what happens when we eat a candy bar or drink a soda. As she answers, JJ shares her surprise that candy bars are still available for sale. [08:56] - JJ talks about why fructose is the worst of all. [12:07] - JJ takes a moment to rant about the WIC program for underprivileged children in schools, which provides apple juice. [13:17] - Do artificial sweeteners also increase your risk of diabetes and the other diseases that JJ has been talking about? [15:30] - Which are the worst, and the least-toxic, of the artificial sweeteners? JJ points out that they’re all bad, and recommends some natural options instead. [16:56] - Exposure equals preference, JJ points out. [18:16] - The first step in getting off the hamster wheel and getting off your addiction to sugar is wanting to do so, JJ explains, then offers more advice on getting off of sugar. [22:01] - JJ talks about eating cantaloupe, watermelon, grapefruit, and other fruits typically considered healthy. [23:15] - Stephan mentions something that was helpful for him when he got off of sugar, which was going cold turkey. [25:46] - What’s the process for going from being a sugar burner to being a fat burner? [28:51] - Stephan points out how much of eating and snacking is based in habit rather than hunger. [30:34] - Is there such a thing as healthy snacking, and what kind of healthy snacks would JJ recommend? [32:52] - JJ talks about whether she recommends people take food sensitivity tests. [37:11] - Is there a particular gut microbiome test that JJ recommends? [39:39] - JJ shares her thoughts on kombucha, a supposedly healthy drink that has sugar in it. [41:00] - What sorts of genetics tests does JJ recommend? [43:19] - We learn about the problems with drinking water from plastic containers. [47:15] - JJ discusses what to do with the specific information on body composition that you can get from a smart scale. [49:05] - JJ offers some of her tips for taking care of yourself while traveling. [50:29] - Does JJ believe in water fasts, or detoxing by taking food completely out of the diet every so often? Links and Resources: JJ Virgin JJ Virgin Store JJ Virgin on Facebook JJ Virgin on Instagram JJ Virgin on Twitter The Virgin Diet by JJ Virgin The Virgin Diet Cookbook by JJ Virgin JJ Virgin’s Sugar Impact Diet by JJ Virgin JJ Virgin’s Sugar Impact Diet Cookbook by JJ Virgin WIC program Immuno Labs Jeffrey Zavik on the Optimized Geek Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory (DSL) 23andMe Simplified Genetics Kurt Johnson on the Optimized Geek PathwayFit Lissa Rankin’s TEDx talk