Have a Social Life without Taking Down Your Diet

Hey, it's J.J. here.

You know, I've been talking about environmental toxins forever and laundry detergent is a sneaky one. A lot of them contain harsh chemicals like dyes, preservatives, and even UV brighteners.

Those brighteners don't actually clean anything.

They just coat fabric so your eyes think things look whiter or brighter. That's more chemicals I don't want on my family sheets or skin. And if you've got sensitive skin or allergies around the house, this can be a big problem. That's what got my attention about Earth Breeze. It looks like a dryer sheet, but it's actually laundry detergent. You toss one in the washer and that's it. No pouring, no mess, and no heavy plastic jug. Their packaging is lightweight cardboard, which helps reduce plastic waste. And if you choose the fragrance free option, it's gentle, hypoallergenic, non irritating and non sensitizing.

I really like how simple it is.

And how fresh and clean everything comes out without those unnecessary chemicals. Right now you can try Earth Breeze for up to 40% off with free gifts@earthbreeze.com virgin that's earthbreeze.com virgin for up to 40% off plus free gifts on your first order.

Hey JJ here. Every year around this time, I get the urge to make my home feel a little extra special. A space that feels just like the holidays. And Wayfair is my go to for that. Think cozy textures, twinkly decor, warm lighting, and all those little touches that make you want to curl up with a good book and a blanket. You'll usually find my book stacked on a great little end table I got from Wayfair, proof that function and style can coexist. Now, whether you're adding last minute hosting essentials, picking out gifts for loved ones, or refreshing your decor for the season, Wayfair makes it easy with beautiful finds, great prices and fast delivery. And when the holidays wind down, Wayfair has everything you need to tuck it all neatly away. Smart storage solutions for every room from the kitchen to the closet. Plus, with free shipping for any order over $35, that's fast delivery and a total peace of mind. It's the perfect mix of joy and order, bringing the holiday spirit in, then storing it all with EAs ready to make your home feel as good as it looks. Get organized, refreshed and ready for the holidays. For way less, head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. Wayfair Every style, Every home that's W A Y f a I r.com Ray.

Ban meta glasses come with open ear audio so you can listen to your favorite music without blocking out the world around you.

Hey, Meta, play Gorgeous. Here's Gorgeous by Doja Cat.

You can also ask Meta AI questions.

Hey Meta, when's Doja Cat's next concert?

Doja Cat is playing at the Los Angeles theater next Tuesday.

Sweet Ray Ban Meta Glasses available at Ray Ban stores and other authorized retailers.

Welcome to the Virgin Diet lifestyle show with your host, celebrity nutrition and fitness expert in New York times bestselling author J.J. virginia.

You've made the commitment. It's time to take back control over sugar and finally drop those extra pounds. So you go and clean out your kitchen. You stock it up with healthy foods, and you get started. And then it happens. You get the invitation to a friend's dinner party. So you go with the best of intentions, even letting everyone there know that you're on the sugar impact diet. And the next thing you know, they're spending the entire evening trying to get you to eat high sugar impact foods. You fight it hard, but you finally succumb when your friend tells you that she's so hurt that you won't just have a little bite of her homemade pie. I mean, come on, just a bite won't hurt, right? And heck, it's made from fruit. So you take the bite, then another and another, and you wake up the next morning feeling depressed, frustrated, frankly, defeated and ready to give up. Sound familiar? You know, I think we've all been in this situation more than once and got taken down by it. Well, not anymore. I'm going to give you some simple strategies to fend off the peer pressure so you can still have a social life without taking down your diet and your health in the process. I mean, there's so much more to food than, well, food. It's really love. From being a baby and having your mom feed you to the birthday and holiday celebrations, to that box of chocolates for Valentine's Day. And it's really the love that we want to share. So if your friend has decided to have the pint of ice cream, she wants you to grab a spoon, too. And it goes further than that. It turns out that weight gain may actually be contagious, meaning you can catch it from your friends. A study published in the New England Journal of medicine looked at 2,067 people over 30, 32 years. And it turns out people were more likely to become obese when a close friend became obese. In fact, their chances increased by 57%. And what's crazy is that proximity didn't matter. That friend could be a neighbor or live in another state.

Hey jj, Virgin here.

Okay, real talk.

So often the holidays sneak up on me.

Travel, gifts, hosting, you know, all the things and suddenly it's like, wait, who.

Spent what and where?

And I know I'm not the only one who's looked at a bill in January and thought, wow, that escalated quickly. If you want to keep your finances under control this holiday season, you need to be using Monarch. It's rated the Wall Street Journal's best budgeting app of 2025. Monarch is the all in one personal finance tool that brings your entire financial life together in one clean interface on your laptop or on your phone. Monarch lets you link everything and gives you real time visibility so you're not shocked later. Right now I've been checking the holiday spending category so I don't accidentally start the new year with that dreaded debt hangover. And honestly, just seeing everything laid out is already helping me stay more aware. This season. Monarch does the heavy lifting. It links your accounts in minutes, gives you smart categorization and super clear visuals. Yes, that end of year reset could be a real goal. This time. Don't let financial opportunity slip through the cracks. Use the code virginonarch.com in your browser for half off your first year. That's 50% off your first year. @monarch.com with the code Virgin, the holidays.

Are all about family. But at the Chrysler Wrap of the year sales event, it's all about you. Enjoy every mile in the most awarded minivan in America, the Chrysler Pacifica with the most standard safety features in its class, available Stow n go seating and the available Stow and back built in vacuum. Make the most of the holidays with a great deal at the Chrysler Pacifica. Wrap up the year sales event based on Ward's small van segment based upon the latest available competitor information. Chrysler is a registered trademark of FCA US llc.

One of my long term weight maintenance strategies is to find fitter, healthier friends so this doesn't happen. But that doesn't mean you have to get rid of your current friends or family to stay on the program. There are some simple ways you can get them on board so they're going to support you rather than sabotage you. First one, enlist their help. Explain why you're doing this, why it's so important that you do it, and how much you appreciate their support. Now ideally, number two, you're going to get an accountability partner or support Group to stay connected. So you aren't going to go it alone. Think of this as your lifeline. I also love here doing some contests. Get your friends together and say, hey, whoever, like, keeps the sugar out this week, we're gonna throw a bunch of money into the kitty and that person's gonna win it and go get a manicure, pedicure, or a day at a spa. Contests are awesome. We put them into both our Sugar solution online program and our Virgin diet challenge. Now, keep a journal. If you know that you have to write it all down, all of it, you're going to be far less likely to succumb. And this is one of the things I tell people in journaling because people tell me, oh, yeah, I keep it in a journal. But then I messed up, so I stopped. I'm like, no, no, no, no, no. When you keep a journal, you write the good and the bad. That's the point. And it's really interesting. There was a study done on weight loss that found that the single biggest determinant to success was whether you wrote it down or not. In fact, the people who journaled were twice as successful as the people who didn't. Next one. Always give the hostess a heads up ahead of time and get them to be an ally. So they're going to look out for you and intercept those food pushers. And if possible, and this is a biggie offer to bring a dish, then you know that there's something there that you can eat. Now, the reverse of this, though, is important too. Number five, don't make a big deal out of it. You know, if you walk into a party and you say not eating sugar, it's like people there are going to go, oh, we're going to take her down. It's like it's a challenge and they're determined to break your resolve. You know, if you don't really say anything about it, if you don't talk about it, if you don't make a big to do, they won't actually even notice. People are much more involved in what they're doing than what you're doing. Okay, number six, if you were getting totally poked and prodded about this, explain that you were working with a health expert or a doc on a split health issue. And while that cookie or the cake or the pizza looks so good and it smells amazing, you're just going to have to pass right now. Or if all else fails, use one of my favorite lines from our community. No, thanks. I'm driving. For more great strategies on how to deal with peer pressure, text 58885 and enter JJ peer the number one that's JJpeer the number one C space, your first name space, and your email address. Again, you text to 5885 and enter JJ peer1space, your first name space, and your email address. In the Sugar Impact Diet, I help you clear up the confusion around sugar and take back the control that sugar has over your life. In just two weeks you're going to lose your sweet tooth and shrink your waistline, so why wait? Start those two weeks today.

Hey everyone, did you like this episode? Be sure to subscribe for the next one and tell a friend. If you'd like world class training and cutting edge information, Visit the Virgin Diet.com.

Hello listeners, this is Anne Bogle, author, blogger, and creator of the podcast what Should I Read next? Since 2016, I've been helping readers bring more joy and delight into their reading lives. Every week I tag all things books and reading with a guest and guide them in discovering their next read. They share three books they love, one book they don't, and what they've been reading lately, and I recommend three titles they may enjoy reading next. Guests have said our conversations are like therapy, troubleshooting issues that have plagued their reading lives for years, and possibly the rest of their lives as well. And of course, recommending books that meet the moment. Whether they are looking for deep introspection to spur or encourage a life change, or a frothy page turner to help them escape the stresses of work, school, everything, you'll learn something about yourself as a reader and you'll definitely walk away confident to choose your next read, with a whole list of new books and authors to try. So join us each Tuesday for what Should I Read Next? Subscribe now wherever you're listening to this podcast and Visit our website whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com to find out more.