Top Cheat Foods That Are Actually Good for You

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.

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I'm JJ Virgin, PhD dropout.

Sorry, mom turned four time New York.

Times Best Selling author. Yes, I'm a Certified Nutrition Specialist, Fitness hall of Famer, and I speak at health conferences and trainings around the globe. But I'm driven by my insatiable curiosity and love of science to keep asking questions, digging for answers, and sharing the information I uncover with as many people as I can. And that's why I created the well Beyond 40 podcast to synthesize and simplify the science of health into actionable strategies to help you thrive. In each episode, we'll talk about what's working in the world of wellness, from personalized nutrition and healing your metabolism to healthy aging and prescriptive fitness. Join me on the journey to better health so you can love how you.

Look and feel right now and have.

The energy to play full out at 100. 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 your reset could be a real goal this time. Don't let financial opportunity slip through the cracks. Use the code virgin@monimal.com in your browser for half off your first year. That's 50% off. Your first year@monarch.com with the code Virgin.

This episode is brought to you by Diet Coke. You know that moment when you just need to hit pause and refresh. An ice cold Diet Coke isn't just a break. It's your chance to catch your breath and savor a moment that's all about you. Always refreshing, still the same great taste. Diet Coke make time for you time.

I get asked all the time, what do you do on your cheat days? Here's the reality. I don't believe in cheat days. I've actually found foods that feel like you're cheating. Bagels, cereal, syrup, pudding. But they're healthy for you. Want to hear more? I'm going to flip the script for you on what indulgence can look like and show you how you can eat foods that feel like you're cheating and that are good for you. Full disclosure, I love fizz, I love sparkling stuff and I especially love soda. Back in the day, I was a full blown diet soda addict. So what do you do with that? Do you drink regular soda?

Do you drink diet soda?

Actually, you drink neither. I've got a way better recommendation for you. So first off, there are these amazing little sweet drops that you can add to sparkling water and it will taste just like a soda. Next thing that you can do, I'm totally hooked on these are Zevia. Zevia comes in a host of flavors and it's stevia sweetened soda. And then this is my hubby's favorite, Olipops. They've got them in orange, they've got them in Coke, they've got them in root beer, all sorts of flavors. They're a prebiotic soda that is good for you. So if you're one of those people like me that just loves the soda, here's how you can have your soda and feel good about it.

All right.

I was at the store and they had this cookies and cream yogurt was called a flip where it had Greek style yogurt and cookies with it. It was like 19 grams of sugar. Here's how you can make something just like that without the 19 grams of sugar. And crank the protein up too so you get Chobani zero sugar yogurt. Now this is great if you're not dairy intolerant. It's Greek style yogurt.

High in protein.

They've got all sorts of great flavors, but I especially love cookies and cream. And then you get Catalina Crunch. This is a high protein, high fiber cereal. 110 calories in a half cup. But in that you're getting like 10 grams of protein, I think 10 grams of fiber around there. So all you do is take your yogurt and top it with your Catalina Crunch. Now here's some other things I love to use Catalina Crunch for. I make an amazing pie crust out of this. So I do a dairy free cheesecake. And you can also do this just to make regular fruit pies. And I will use the graham cracker crust and I'll use a little ghee and it is amazing. It's a high protein crust. You can also make a really amazing smoothie and throw a little bit of this on top to crank up the protein and crank up the fiber. So this is one of these things I used to love cereal growing up, especially golden Grahams. This is my replacement. What if I told you there was a syrup you could use that would actually lower your blood sugar instead of hijacking it? Yep. This is called RX Sugar syrup. It is amazing. And when you use this, about 10 grams of this, it sweetens stuff up without the calories and it actually lowers the blood sugar response. It's from a rare sugar. It's actually good for you. I am pretty much hooked on the caramel one, but the chocolate one's a great one to put into your coffee too. So these are things that you can put into your yogurt. You can add them into your smoothie, you can put them on desserts, and they are guilt free and actually good for you. So I recently discovered these little simply delish puddings that I am just totally hooked on. They're basically cornstarch and erythritol with a little bit of flavoring, whether it's stevia and vanilla or cocoa powder and stevia. And here's what I do with them. They are super low calorie and basically 4 grams of net carbs. So what I do is I take one of them and I add in some of my Reignite wellness collagen peptides to pump it up a little bit, kind of beef up the protein and you make this thing and it takes like five minutes in the fridge to set. I mean, they set almost immediately. So I make it.

I add in a little bit of.

One of my nut milks. I like to use the flax milk because that's got some protein in it too. I add in my collagen protein peptides and then I throw on top a little bit of cocoa whip. This is the greatest stuff. I'll add in like 2 tablespoons of cocoa whip. I'll sprinkle on a couple of Lily's dark chocolate chips. They've got no sugar, and if you really want to go crazy, you can add in a little bit of dark chocolate RX sugar over the top. Amazing taste, kicking up the protein. Basically no sugar. And it will absolutely wow guests if you're having a dinner party. All right, you probably never thought I was going to talk about bagels, except one of my friends turned me on to better buns. First of all, I had to buy it just for the name alone. Come on. But then I found out they have a lot of different things with gluten in them. So if you're not gluten intolerant, these could be great. But I was looking for the gluten free, and I found the better bagel. And this thing is amazing. So in one of these bagels, I'll show you one. We'll have show and tell. There are 3 grams of net carbs, 110 calories, 10 grams of protein, and get this.35, 35 grams of fiber. Here's what it looks like. You cut it in half, you toast it, you get a massive fiber hit. It's basically fermented plant protein and psyllium husk fiber and agave fiber. And here's what I do. I toast it on up, and then I add in some Kite Hill almond cream cheese. So if you're gluten intolerant and dairy intolerant, you go, I want a bagel with cream cheese. I gotcha. This is fantastic. This is a high protein, way, high fiber way to get that. Get that bagel without all the carbs, right? And if you're again, not gluten intolerant, they've got some other amazing things like pretzel rolls and brioche as well. All right, so there's the inside scoop on the best cheap foods you can see they're not really cheap foods. Be sure to join me next time for more tools, tips, and techniques you can incorporate into everyday life to ensure.

You look and feel great and are built to last.

Check me out on Instagram, Facebook, and my website, jjvirgin.com and make sure to follow my podcast@subscribetoj.com so you don't miss a single episode. And hey, if you're loving what you hear, don't forget to leave a review. Your reviews make a big difference in helping me reach more incredible women just like you to spread the word about aging powerfully after 40. Thanks for tuning in and I'll catch you on the next episode.

Foreign.

Hey JJ here. And just a reminder that the well Beyond 40 podcast offers health, wellness, fitness and nutritional information that's designed for educational and entertainment purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it.

Replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Make sure that you do not disregard, avoid or delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your healthcare professional because of something you may have heard on the show or read in our show notes. The use of any information provided on the show is solely at your own risk.

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Listeners, this is Anne Boeckle, 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 take 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.