The Virgin Diet: The US Bestseller. JJ Virgin

if you happen to get constipated while travelling. You should only use them for a few days – don’t become dependent on them, as they may irritate the gastrointestinal lining long term with chronic use.

      

      I know it’s hard to believe that the foods you’ve always thought were healthy are actually causing you to gain weight, feel lousy and look at least 10 years older. But trust me, I’ve had thousands of clients – from students to CEOs to top Hollywood stars – lose stubborn extra pounds, look 10 years younger and feel better than they had in years. The Virgin Diet is the key for me, for them and for you.

       I’ve had thousands of clients lose extra pounds, look 10 years younger and feel better than they had in years.

      If you’re feeling sceptical, leaf through this book, read some of my clients’ testimonials and see whether you recognize yourself in them. Most important of all, give the Virgin Diet a try. I’m only asking you for 21 days, and in return, I’m offering you a lifetime of feeling and looking your best.

      Now, at this point, I’m going to give you a choice. If you’re totally on board with my reasoning and just want to get to the weight loss, jump right on over to Chapter 2 for a full explanation of what you’re going to be doing for the next 21 days and then turn to Part III to begin the Virgin Diet.

      But if, like me, you don’t like simply following orders and prefer to understand how your body works, read on. In the next chapter, you’ll learn exactly how the Virgin Diet will help heal your body, and in Part II, you’ll find out just how the 7 high-FI foods are affecting your weight, your energy and your overall health. In other words, I’m going to give you the most useful chemistry lesson you’ve ever had in your life. This is the chemistry lesson that’s finally going to help you understand why you haven’t been able to lose weight before – and why you’re finally going to be able to lose it now.

      

      Karen Bristing

      Age 48

      La Canada-

      Flintridge, California

      Height: 1.7m

      Starting Weight: 11 stone 3 pounds

      Waist: 79cm Hips: 104cm

      Current Weight: 10 stone 2 pounds

      Waist: 75cm Hips: 100cm

      Lost: 1 stone 1 pound

      I first heard about JJ Virgin through her book Six Weeks to Sleeveless and Sexy: The 5-Step Plan to Sleek, Strong, and Sculpted Arms. I started implementing her programme immediately – and seeing results – then I signed up for her online newsletter and heard about the concept of the Virgin Diet.

      I had never tried eliminating gluten and dairy from my diet, never mind soy, corn, peanuts and eggs. I had been trying to lose a stubborn 5 pounds for years, but I was never able to do it on the traditional ‘eat less and exercise more’ programmes. And believe me, I tried them all! I had even tried extreme exercise, getting up at 5 AM for a gruelling hour of outdoor boot camp. I did that for years!

      I also fell prey to ‘diet’ foods that were full of chemicals and artificial sweeteners. I was working out and I thought I was eating right. But the stress on my body kept me from ever getting below that number I hoped to see on the scale.

      Now, I am working out less, eating according to JJ and loving it. I weigh less than I have in 10 years. Not only did I lose the elusive 5 pounds, but also another 10 fell off my body for a total of 1 stone and 1 pound down! My skin is clearer, too. I found that as soon as I tried to add dairy back into my diet, my skin broke out. So dairy has stayed out of my life.

      The great thing is, I really don’t miss any of those foods. I have much more energy. My breakfast shake keeps me full until lunchtime. I no longer need to have some sugar after lunch to keep me going, and I don’t feel the need for an afternoon nap anymore. I fit into all the clothes in my closet, although buying more jeans in a smaller size has been fun.

      I am just so glad that I found this programme. I’ve recommended it to my friends, and I enjoy seeing their successes as well. All I can say is that it has changed my life.

      Jenna was a market analyst who routinely worked 12-hour days and rarely took a full day off. She was in her mid-30s, and she was as compulsive about her workout schedule as she was about her diet. She never took a bite she didn’t plan, and she insisted on eating healthy, organic and lean foods. In fact, I would have to say that despite her demanding schedule, Jenna put about as much energy into staying healthy and fit as anybody I’ve ever seen.

      Yet, for the past few years, Jenna had been struggling with slow but steady weight gain that didn’t seem to respond to her efforts to step up her workouts or cut back on her occasional treats. By the time I started working with her, she was more than 2 stone 2 pounds over her ideal weight – and just about frantic with frustration.

      That was nothing, though, to how she reacted when I told her she would have to cut the 7 high-FI foods out of her diet. She didn’t mind losing the sugar because she had pretty much cut it out anyway, and she was fine with giving up peanuts and corn, which she rarely ate. She could even wrap her mind around cutting out yeast and gluten because she was pretty much avoiding bread, pasta and baked goods already. But when she thought about cutting out her soy-laden protein bars, her low-fat Greek yoghurt, her freshly squeezed juice and her veggie omelettes, I thought she was going to go ballistic. And when I told her that fizzy diet drinks were off-limits, she was literally speechless for 2 minutes.

      When she could finally speak, she said just four words: “JJ, are you sure?”

      “I am.”

      Then she started to bargain with me. “Maybe I could have, like, one protein bar during the day? I don’t think they have much soy – and I really need a high-protein snack I can eat at my desk. And maybe if I’m really good about the other things, I could have yoghurt, like, twice a week? Or maybe three times? Ever since I gained all this weight, yoghurt and berries are just about the only dessert I ever get – and the berries are healthy, right? And maybe as a special treat, I could have, say, one omelette at the weekend, if I don’t use any butter and fry it in a non-stick pan? One omelette – that’s only two eggs a week. I won’t even use the yolks, just the whites! That’s reasonable, right? I mean, moderation in all things, don’t you agree?”

      “Look,” I told Jenna, “I know it’s tough to cut out so much, and after 21 days you might be able to add some of these foods, like eggs or dairy, back into your diet. But if you want this diet to work, it’s got to be 100 per cent compliance for the next 21 days. You have to cut out every single one of the top 7 high-FI foods. I’m not talking 99 per cent, I’m talking 100 per cent.”

      “But why?” Jenna asked, almost in tears. For a minute, she sounded more like a distressed little girl than the high-powered financial wizard I knew she was.

      I