JJ Virgin outlines a protocol to lose fat while keeping muscle: eat 1 gram of protein per pound of target body weight daily, with at least 40g at breakfast and dinner. Pair it with 30g of fiber to trigger GLP-1 release. Use a food scale and Cronometer to track precisely.
the Ozempic-mimicking protein protocol, because this is going to set you up for success. First of all, you're going to be eating 1 gram of protein per pound of your target or ideal body weight. You want to do this every single day. Now, I even push this a little bit more with caloric restriction because I want to ensure that you can hold on to your muscle as you're losing fat. And make sure that you're getting in at least 40 grams of protein in your bumper meals. Those are your first and your last meals of the day. And why I want you to make sure you're doing that is I want to make sure you're turning on your metabolic furnace in the morning and shutting down those cravings. When you eat in the morning, you're really setting the metabolic tone for the day. And then in the evening, I want you to do it because I want you to shut the refrigerator, right? So we're stopping those evening fridge raids when you eat your protein at 40 grams or more in the evening. Now, next up, grab yourself some clean, lean animal sources so that you're getting the most digestible and bioavailable sources with the best amino acid profile. So think of things like grass-fed, grass-finished lean beef. I especially love this because it is rich in a fatty acid called CLA, and this has been shown to actually help you drop belly fat. It's also rich in omega-3s, which are anti-inflammatory. And of course, grass-fed, grass-finished beef is nutrient dense. Think iron, think B12, think great minerals. And then I love wild salmon, also has those great omega-3s, which are anti-inflammatory, has great gut healing properties, and rich in antioxidants. Now, you are what you eat, ate, so be sure to choose clean, lean sources to avoid the toxins that could be in those factory-farmed animals. Now, if you're trying to get all of your protein from minimally processed plant-based ingredients, this is likely going to push you over the carb and fat levels you need to be able to be at in order to lose body fat, because just to get 40 grams protein, you'd have to eat more than 2 cups of lentils. That's over 500 calories. Or 5 cups of quinoa. That's over 1,100 calories. And by the way, that's not even getting in the balance of essential amino acids that you need. And that's also not getting in the 150 grams or more protein you need. Let's say if you're a 150-gram person. So you can see how quickly the calories and the carbs add up before you even come close to your protein targets. Now, there is a role for these foods, and that's part of that magic formula I talked about earlier. I want you to pair your clean lean protein with fiber. It's the perfect protocol as both of these work together to support the release of GLP-1. Plus, you get bonus points for fiber because fiber is so important for your microbiome, and you gotta have a healthy microbiome to produce GLP-1. Plus, of course, we know that fiber is really important for blood sugar stability. So think chicken thighs and lentils or salmon and quinoa for the win. And I want you to hit in fiber at least 30 grams or more a day. You'll be able to find out if you're doing this because you're going to be tracking on an app, right? And I love the Cronometer app because I'll be able to track how much protein I'm eating and I'll be able to track how much fiber I'm eating. And be sure that you're using a food scale so you'll know exactly how much you're getting. Do not try to eyeball it. We are notoriously bad at that.
