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What does it really mean to be a powerful woman, especially when your body, health, and identity are constantly evolving?
In this episode of Everyday Ancestral, I sit down with health leader and bestselling author JJ Virgin, who has spent decades redefining what strength looks like for women. From breaking barriers as one of the first female celebrity trainers to becoming a powerful voice in women’s health, JJ brings raw honesty, humor, and science-backed wisdom.
She opens up about how she built boundaries in a male-dominated industry, why she believes women must put themselves first, and how ancestral principles like muscle, mindset, and nourishment are the real keys to longevity. JJ’s story, from working five jobs at UCLA to creating groundbreaking nutrition formulas and leading a global health business community shows what’s possible when you refuse to settle for average health or small thinking.
Why This Matters to You
Chasing the scale or the latest trend and still not feeling better? You’re measuring the wrong thing. JJ explains why shifting to body composition, building muscle, not just losing weight, restores energy, metabolism, and confidence. Add before you subtract. Start meals with protein and let the rest fall into place.
Overwhelmed by health noise? You don’t need more hacks, you need the majors. Get morning light, move daily with resistance training, manage toxins where you can, and prioritize sleep. Listening to your body is the most radical move you can make.
Feeling isolated in your goals? Your community shapes your outcomes. Find fitter friends who normalize early nights, real food, and workouts. Put your oxygen mask on first, your people are watching and learning from you.
Noticing midlife shifts? Don’t wait. Track what matters with a bioimpedance scale, eat to support muscle, and consider targeted tools discussed with JJ like creatine for energy and brain support, sauna for detox, and working with a practitioner on hormones. This season can be powerful when you lead with strength, not scarcity.
Actionable Advice
Prioritize strength before scale. Ditch the bathroom scale and focus on building lean muscle, it’s your best anti-aging tool.
Eat to support your muscles. Start every meal with quality protein and build from there.
Add before you subtract. Instead of cutting everything out, add nourishing, ancestral foods first.
Find fitter friends. Surround yourself with people who live the lifestyle you want, your health mirrors your community.
Respect your rhythms. Manage light, sleep, and toxin exposure to align with your natural biology.
JJ Virgin’s journey began as a UCLA student working five jobs to make ends meet while breaking into a male-dominated fitness world that didn’t know what to do with a strong, outspoken woman. She built her career from those early gym floors, training celebrities, pioneering functional nutrition, and refusing to compromise her integrity in the process. After facing personal tragedy and guiding her son’s recovery from a near-fatal accident, she transformed her pain into purpose, becoming a leading voice in women’s health, mindset, and resilience. Today, JJ empowers women to reclaim their strength, redefine aging, and lead with unwavering self-trust.
Links and Resources to Explore
Listen to the Full Episode – Available now on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.
Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish, it’s leadership. Listen in and discover how to reclaim your body’s wisdom, rebuild your boundaries, and live from strength.
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