In this YouTube monologue, JJ Virgin shares a three‑month personal N‑of‑1 experiment in which she and her husband performed fasted workouts, eating only after returning from the gym around 10 a.m. She reports that switching to eating a protein‑rich meal before training (around 8 a.m., workout at 9:30 a.m.) dramatically improved her lifting capacity, volume, and overall muscle‑building results. Virgin cites experts Dr. Gabrielle Lyon and Dr. Stacy Sims, who emphasize the importance of early‑day protein intake to promote muscle protein synthesis, prevent catabolism, and support bone density. She explains the anabolic‑catabolic cycle, noting that nighttime is catabolic while a morning protein hit shifts the body toward anabolism. For situations where a pre‑workout meal isn’t possible—such as travel—Virgin recommends a “next‑best‑thing” drink containing essential amino acids, creatine HCl (her Chia Teen powder), taurine, magnesium, and electrolytes (Electro Replenish). This supplement blend helps mitigate performance loss when training on an empty stomach, though she acknowledges it isn’t a full substitute for a proper breakfast.
Chapters
I will tell you that I did a little experiment. I'm always N of 1ing on myself, like always biohacking, seeing what happens. And I like to do one thing at a time so I can really tell if this is the thing or not. And so for 3 months, my husband and I did fasted workouts. We didn't eat until we came back from the gym, which was usually around 10 o'clock. Wake up around 6:30, you know, we'd have our coffee. No one's going to stop me from my coffee, I can promise that. And then we'd go to the gym with just electrolytes. And I'll tell you what, when we went back to eating before we worked out. Now we eat around 8, go work out around 9:30. Game changer in terms of my ability to lift more. And the reality is when you go to the gym, it's all about the volume, the load, how much you can work out. So if you can work out harder, you're going to be able to build more muscle, which is gonna give you better muscle tone, which is gonna give you better bone density. So super duper important. And I say this, and experts are saying this, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon and Dr. Stacy Sims both say that eating protein early in the day is critical for maintaining lean muscle mass and preventing catabolism, muscle breakdown. And if you think about it, we are building up and breaking down muscle throughout the day. When you are eating protein, when you're doing resistance training, you're triggering muscle protein synthesis. And then when you aren't doing that, times away from that, you start to go into muscle breakdown and you're turning over throughout. You're not just always building up. But you don't want to be breaking down more than you're building up. When you go to sleep at night, you're going to be more catabolic, right? And then when you wake up in the morning, when you have that protein hit, that helps move you into the anabolic stage too. So test that out with yourself. If you've been one of those people who likes to go and work out without— before eating, see how you feel, see the difference. And I will tell you, if I'm in a situation where I have to go work out first thing in the morning, like if I'm traveling and I'm going to miss my work out if I don't go first thing in the morning. Here is my hack. I take essential amino acids. So I have a product called Amino Acid Power by Reignite Wellness. So I take that along with my Chia Teen powder, which is creatine HCL made in the USA, plus taurine and magnesium, and my Electro Replenish. I put those 3 things in a big drink bottle and I drink the whole thing, and I find that I'm fine if I do that. Still not quite the same as having had breakfast and waited an hour, but it's my, it's my next best thing. And sometimes, you know, it's either that or miss a workout. I'm gonna do the next best thing.
