Yet another 55 year young Venus bucks the trend; Meet Anita

Anita is ecstatic with her results!

Anita is ecstatic with her results!

 

Anita placed in our last Venus Transformation contest and is ecstatic with her results.  I had the pleasure of working with this amazing lady and watching her achieve her results.

 

Here is her essay from the contest:

My journey When I came to America from Belgium after marrying my husband, as an immigrant, I was mistreated an thought lesser by my peers. I ignored the hateful comments though and started my family, and had two kids, they turned out very well, god bless their hearts. Aside from the ridicule I received for being an immigrant, I was met with intolerance for also being hearing impaired.

These people just never understood my predicament, or tried to understand. This always made me so low and ashamed about who I was. I started doing the Venus contest in February of 2015, and I must say it is the best thing I have ever done in my whole life.

I lost weight, gained muscle, and better yet I gained confidence in myself. The journey is not yet over, still many miles to go, but one day I will succeed. One day this emotional roller coaster will come to an end, and I will walk away from it victorious.

Filled with the knowledge of how I turned the negative comments of others, into my strengths to do this challenge. As well as use that strength to change into the woman I am today. Thank you Roberta Saum , for being my strength, and it is thanks to you that I look this amazing. I am 54 going 55 years old, and I’ve never felt this good in my life before, until now.

Anita

 

Anita struggled with her weight a long time. Venus helped her buck that trend in her mid 50's!

Anita struggled with her weight a long time. Venus helped her buck that trend in her mid 50’s!

 

I had the honor of answering Anita’s questions this last year as she moved along.  Most people just need a little confirmation that they are doing the right thing and trusting the process.

Anita is hard of hearing so we could not do an interview, so she wrote this additional story of her journey for you:

 

I have simply no words what to say about me placing in Venus contest. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. It is amazing how far I came and how proud I am of myself and I dare say so, it was my dream to lose weight.

The highest I weighted was 213 lb and lowest weigh was 135lb.  My present weigh is now 145lb give or take, Roberta has taught me that it is okay and normal to fluctuate so much, especially we we are taller.

I would not make it this far without this program and all the support I have from Roberta and her group on Facebook , especially you everyday posting good or bad things like we were mind readers, lol,that why I believed!! We are proof we are never to old to get fit, we might not look like a fitness model but we will feel and look better and stronger everyday, we just glow more confidentially.

Here are my answers the most common questions:

 

  • How did I find Venus? When I was so fed up by being so tired and having joint pains all the time and overweight (now I know why was I so tired, from the extra weight!).  I quit smoking to become a healthier me. I decided to go on fitnesspal and put myself in a research mode, then I found Roberta and started following her for about a year before I signed up for Venus contest.
  • How did I enjoy the Venus workout? The intensity of the workout, deficit plan with the menu was a plus, work out plan,this is a great program when you first start out.
  • Which workout did I do? I used both 12 weeks fat loss and final phase which I did several times.
  • What kept me motivated? All the good comments and pictures in the Facebook group Nibbles Fitness by Roberta.  I loved seeing all the people working out with that have health issues and working out everyday, just made me see everything in another light, and looking at before and after pictures sure gets my butt in the gym.
  • What did I do for my diet? I started eating less and used my little scale to keep track of what I was eating, mostly meat veggies less dairy and over 100 grams of protein, more carbs early in the day not at night. Most of all I needed to eat gluten free for my own health issues.
  • How did I change my workouts with Venus? When I started Venus, I did not follow the program as planned.  I did less reps and I just worked out in my own tempo until I was stronger and more sure I could do all the work out without any injury. That was so far my way of building up strength.  I took my time and 1 year 7 month later I built up more strength.  Now I workout everyday and I like cardio, cycling or on the treadmill for 30 + minutes.
  • What supplements did I use? I use a Bliss Go pack,  Phormula-1 protein, Level-1 protein, Ignition, and Megawatts is the best energy drink. These are the best supplements ever.
  • How did my life change?  I used to spend so much time reading on the internet all the time and I decided to stop reading and get my butt in the gym!  I followed Venus and Nibbles on Facebook and the support is tremendous and it never fails.
  • Did I get support from family and friends? My family were supportive but I could tell sometimes the look on their face, how long will this last?  Nonetheless, they are proud of me.  I had them hide their junk food, lol, and I told them to eat candy at work and not around me at home!
  • What was the biggest struggle?  The hardest part is the food. I love to cook and I love to eat.  So I learned that if I want cheese cake in the evening I simply get it and eat it. I used to panic, but now I have learned that you are not going to get fat overnight. You just can’t do it everyday.  Treat yourself once in awhile
  • How did I feel when I saw my contest pictures?  I was amazed when I saw my pictures! I got so many compliments and that I look so happy. I truly was and still am on cloud nine.  I was shocked that at my age 55 I could do this. I think we are a rare breed trying to get over the hill and I love it.
  • What is my best advice for you? When I first started, I took little baby steps.  Nobody said you have to all the workouts at once.  Find your own tempo and work your way up. I did 1 or 2 reps of all the workouts for 1 month.  Never give up!  Even if you don’t feel like it, go to the gym even (even if it is for 10 min).  I have been there and done that, I have a full time job and I found a way to fit it in and I am loving it.
  • How did my life change?  This program changed my life, I became stronger and more confident.  I just glow and wherever I go and people heads are turned, lol, and this is fun!
  • Where did I get support? This program shows you how to meet your goal.  There is always support on Facebook.  You can ask your personal trainer how to do better for yourself, whoever your trainer is, but mine is a very special lady and her name is Roberta Saum, without her I would not be here.
  • What makes me the most happy? I am so happy that I can wear beautiful clothes and they make me feel sexy about myself, because it fits and it is a small size. I can finally say to myself “you look good baby”.
  • How did this effect the relationships with people in my life? The behavior of the people all around you changes. I have more haters and mostly it is women, but I know they are struggling with their own weight too. They think my life is perfect, but it is far from it. I am honest whoever ask me about my weight loss, I try to be nice and give complements even if I don’t get them anymore!  I give compliments to the guys to and it’s fun to feel like an eye candy at the gym, lol, and that is fine with me. I love the attention.
  • What did I change for lifestyle? I live a healthier life style now. I still drink a glass of beer everyday with my meal now, but it is usually before 5pm.  I don’t eat carbs late in the afternoon anymore.
  • What is my last piece of advice? The most important thing is you need to find a role model, that is fit and lean and has been there and done that. It can be anybody, your trainer or someone on Facebook who you can talk to and answer all your questions. Never compare yourself with this person, but make the most of it. Never give up when you ate junk food the day before, forgive yourself and start over.  You are not going get fat overnight, trust me.  It takes years to get fat.  Take pictures even if you don’t want to.  You will see the difference after one month even when the scale wont budge. I tell you what, throw out the scale!  The scale is so discouraging, even now for me.  It makes me I feel like I wanna give up.  Search fitness for models on line, that is my motivation.  It doesn’t matter how hard you workout everyday, but to lose the extra fat you need to do the calorie deficit. I did all my Venus workout 3 times a week and I just hired a personal trainer to set up a new program.  My new trainer is showing me the body language. how to work your muscles and find better to find my balance. Who knows, I might do a fitness show.  Imagine that at age 55!  I can live my dreams, but I will always need my Venus sisters to get my motivation and give all the help they ask me!!

Thank you for having me, love you all and remember we can do it!! WE ARE PROOF!!

Anita

 

Look how beautiful Anita is now, and yes she enjoys getting attention now too!

Look how beautiful Anita is now, and yes she enjoys getting attention now too!

From 250 pounds to Fitness Coach in one year

Beth placed in our last Venus Transformation Contest and has evolved into the most amazing online person and coach.  It was so fun to have the pleasure of watching it all unfold before my very eyes.

 

Beth saved her own life, listen to her podcast to find out how.

Beth saved her own life, listen to her podcast to find out how.

 

I first came upon Venus Factor back in August of 2015. Back then I weighed 220 pounds and was embarrassed about how I looked. I wouldn’t leave the house, nor did I want to be seen in any pictures. I hid behind clothing and was depressed with no self confidence.

What was worse, I had already spent money, time and effort into other companies who all claimed to help me loose weight and inches.

Nothing was working and as a result of being so desperate, I ended up in hospital in liver failure.

So, naturally, when I came upon Venus, I was skeptical. I figured this was just another ploy to get money and leave me in worse shape than when I started.

However, it did not take me long to start seeing results for myself. Results I had wanted and hoped for all along. This past May I decided I would go for the 12 week challenge to help push me towards my last goals. I wanted to be challenged and push like I hadn’t been before.

I was! Not only have I lost weight and inches, more importantly, I have gained my self image back. My confidence!

Now, I like being involved in pictures, and I don’t feel the need to hid behind clothes. I enjoy getting out with my family and am able to be more actively involved with my kids!

I have seen so much change in myself these last 12 weeks, that I often have to look twice in the mirror to be sure that what I am seeing is real!

I am stunned with what I become, like I am still dreaming a dream I never want to wake up from. I know I still have some work to do, and that’s OK.

I know that as I continue to follow the calorie deficit days, the eat up days, fasting and the exercises I will finish what I have started!

I am excited for that.

Being healthy is more than just looking good. It’s a deeper level of loving yourself, in spite of our flaws, that marks us.

 

 

Beth is no longer depressed or facing liver failure.

Beth is no longer depressed or facing liver failure.

 

Weight is something that I have not always struggled with. I was always the tall, athletic one. The one out running, playing sports and, on the occasion, breaking bones. Ya. Fun, huh!

I noticed that my weight really didn’t start to get out of hand till during my first pregnancy. From there, I kept climbing up the scale. Each pregnancy, and I had 4, I gained another 20-30 pounds till with my last one, I weighed 250 pounds. Over an 8 year period of time, I had gained 100 pounds.

I was obese. I was. And that was very depressing. I hid from life. I hid behind clothes, didn’t want to leave the house. For months I tried to loose the weight, I ate salads and started making smoothies because that’s what the internet said was the healthy thing to do. I ate less, ate more, tried this and tried that.

All my searching for that “quick fix”, that “thing”, that would magically reverse all the weight. Nothing was working. All it did was destroy my body till I was in the hospital with a severely damaged liver. It wasn’t until I found The Venus Factor that I actually started making progress. Started to see the results that I had been waiting to see all along.

That was all the motivation that I needed to keep on doing what I was doing!

With this last 12 week contest, I decided that I was close enough to my goal that I may slack off if I didn’t have that kick in the butt I needed. So, I signed up in May. It was a roller coaster, that’s for sure! I am so glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone to do this.

I didn’t do it so that I could win. Winning really never was a thing for me. I needed the motivation to keep on keeping on. There were times that it wasn’t easy, times when I didn’t want to, and times where cutting corners and giving up would have been easier than finishing. But, I pulled though. I had the support of my family and friends around me, and I pulled through.

 

Beth really had fun with her contest photo shoot!

Beth really had fun with her contest photo shoot!

 

Moving forward, I am not really sure what is in store for me. I know that journey will be fun. I know that I cam able to do a lot more than I first thought possible. But where I finish up, the sky is the limit!

If we learn to push past our dreams, learn to make higher goals that we think may be attainable, you will find this drive within yourself to just keep pushing!!

So that’s what this next part of my journey will be.

– Coach Beth

 

Beth-VT17-blue-shirt-plank

Feel free to follow Beth on Instagram or find her on Facebook.  You can email her or find her posting daily in the Nibbles Fitness Facebook group.

It’s not too late to achieve your own dream and join our current Venus Transformation contest.

In the meantime, be inspired by coach Beth in her podcast below, listen now or save it for later:

Today is the start of VT18 of the Venus Transformation Contests

Wow, time is sure flying by.  It doesn’t seem that long ago that I entered VT3 back in the day.  And the days just keep rolling by.  So the time to do this is NOW.

There is always life in the way, so the more we do this the more the healthy lifestyle becomes just a part of who we are.

Here’s the duration of the contest:

VT18:   Start August 22 – End November 21

The link to join is RIGHT HERE.

 

What is the Venus Transformation Contest and who can join?

Any Venus customer with a login to the downloads area can join.  If you don’t place in a contest you can enter as many times as you want.  There is no fee.

But there are amazing prizes.  The best prize of all is the empowerment and health in your own life.  The ability to enjoy life more, gain confidence, and improve every aspect of your life.  Many have improved marriages and improved confidence in their jobs, hobbies, and activities in their communities and families.

There are the other prizes too:

The Transformation Contest place has prizes for placements:

  • First place: $500
  • Second place: $350
  • Third place: $250
  • Fourth place through tenth place: $200

Or each winner can choose the Immersion Membership instead of the cash prize.

Watch the short video to learn more about how it works and when to enter your pictures during the window of time:

To find out about previous contests go HERE, and please read the RULES and REGULATIONS.

I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year bring to all the amazing Venus ladies.

 

ADDITIONAL SPECIAL CONTEST ENTRY INFORMATION:

If you are a previous contest winner, or have already “transformed” and want to share professional pictures and your story you can join the contest as a “cover or calendar girl”, simply email me for details.

OR, if you have made a transformation and have a story and before and after pictures to share and are willing to do a podcast interview with us like Heidi did in VT17, you can still have a chance of placing, simply email me and let’s get this party started!

Never Settle!

Never Give Up.

Live Your Dream.

-Coach Roberta

PS Anyone who wants coaching is welcome to sign up for Premium One-On-One-Coaching and pick the coach of their choice.

VT17 Contest Winners Announced (beautiful pictures included)

And the VT17 winners are…  Drum roll please…

And it is important to note this is merely a 12 week window in the journey of all these women.  They all have a much bigger story to tell.  That is why we did something special in this contest and we will continue to do this going forward if you submit your stories to us.  You have a chance to win even when the contest time period does not fit your current season of life.

First Place – Deborah

VT17 Deborah BnA Collage

 

Second place – Lisa

VT17 Lisa BnA Collage

 

Third Place – Kimmy

VT17 Kimmy BnA Collage

 

Fourth Place – Teresa

VT17 Teresa BnA Collage

 

Fifth Place – Amy

VT17 Amy BnA Collage

 

Sixth Place – Anita

VT17 Anita BnA Collage

 

Seventh Place – Elizabeth

VT17 Elizabeth BnA Collage

 

Eighth Place – Melissa

VT17 Melissa BnA Collage

 

Ninth Place – Monica

VT17 Monica BnA Collage

 

We did something special for our tenth place this time.  It will come as a complete surprise to her because she did not enter the contest.  Heidi just turned 60.  She has a special story to tell and you can listen to it in the podcast below.  She really struggled even after getting Venus because the fact of the matter is that some people need a little help understanding how to use the program.  Once she figured it out, everything clicked for her.

If you have a unique success story to tell and are willing to share your pictures and do a podcast with us, simply contact me and let’s do it.  It does not matter how long it takes you, make it a lifestyle.  Sometimes the 12 week contest fits your life and other times it doesn’t.  We all have the various seasons in our life.

Tenth Place – Heidi

VT17-BnA-Heidi

Heidi recently celebrated her 60th birthday with an 18 mile bike ride. She is super happy with her life now and you can hear the enthusiasm in her podcast interview. She is very inspiring!

Heidi recently celebrated her 60th birthday with an 18 mile bike ride. She is super happy with her life now and you can hear the enthusiasm in her podcast interview. She is very inspiring!

 

Congratulations to all the winners!  What beautiful pictures.  What hard work.  It all paid off.

And the journey continues.

We will be contacting all of the 1st to 9th place ladies to see if they want to share their story and possibly do an interview, and of course Heidi already shared her story and I’ll contact her about her prize.

The Transformation Contest place has prizes for placements:

  • First place: $500
  • Second place: $350
  • Third place: $250
  • Fourth place through tenth place: $200

OR, any of the winners can choose Immersion which is worth more than any of the prize dollars.

Find out more about the Venus Transformation contests, they can be very motivating.

What about online coaching?

Many of our successful clients decide to invest in one on one coaching. You are welcome to choose which coach you would like to work with.  Our premium coaching program works for many!  Contest winner Andrea talks about what coaching did for her in our Venus podcast.

 

When is the next contest?

VT18: Start August 22 – End November 21

So next Monday there will be a post here on the blog with the link to enter, in the meantime check out the rules and regulations.

So get ready for more awesomeness this year!

Never Settle!

Never Give Up.

Live Your Dream

-Roberta

 

Listen to Heidi’s energetic story in the podcast below or download save it for later:

The Deadline for VT17 is in TWO WEEKS. Are you ready?

The deadline to get your before and after pictures in is August 1st at midnight Eastern Time.

Contest Rules and Regulations

How to enter a Venus Contest

Check Out the Previous Contests

 

Most of the winners had no idea how far they came and some almost didn’t finish. So don’t let your own mind stop you from finishing.  If you need some help deciding what to do please feel free to email me roberta.saum@gmail.com.  You are not alone, although the process feels lonely sometimes.

 

Remember this is a lifestyle you want to keep.  The contest is merely a stop along the tracks.

 

Here’s a video of of many Venus Veterans having fun (except the handsome young man G’Angelo  in the first clip), some are previous winners and all the rest are Venus ladies who never entered the contest. Not everyone needs or wants to enter a contest. It’s not a requirement to have a Golden Venus Life!

 

If it’s something you want to do, go for it!

We are here for you.

-Coach Roberta

 

The 2016 Venus Transformation Contest Schedule:

  • VT16:   Start January 11 – End April 11

  • VT17:   Start May 2 – End August 1

  • VT18:   Start August 22 – End November 21

Venus friend of a Venus friend sheds 60 pounds.

Today the VT17 contest deadline is 5 weeks out so we figured you would like to hear from one of our last contest winners.  Andrea is friends with Danell who placed in a Venus contest.  Andrea was pretty impressed with Danell’s results and decided to give the Venus program a shot.

The VT17 contest deadline is August 1st, 2016, it will be here before you know it!

Speaking of Danell, she is still doing great and I recently had a little Venus meetup with her and we had a blast together!

 

Andrea is pretty happy with her results! I would be too!

Andrea is pretty happy with her results! I would be too!

 

And she did a pretty amazing job in the Venus contest too!

And she did a pretty amazing job in the Venus contest too!

 

Here’s what Andrea had to say in her own words:

 

I have always been fairly active,I was big in to body building 24 yrs ago, I ran marathons about 15 yrs ago, then about 11 years ago I tore my ACL snowboarding. Well after surgery and coach time the lbs came creeping back.

I had several life challenges and relationships that contributed to a negative mind set toward my health and fitness and decided a few extra lbs was no big deal.

Well hello 222lbs and my body rebelling against the extra lbs and I decided it was time to make a change! I joined a gym 4 years ago and was successful at taking off 60lbs over a years time.

I then moved changed jobs and eventually met an amazing man who I am blessed to have in my life! With that new relationship though my routines suffered I put them in the back burner and the lbs crept up again.

Andrea-D-Venu-holding-medal

I struggled with getting back on track. I did create an exercise space that I love so that I would want to be in it, going to the gym is just not an option with work hours and travel time so I love my home gym!

In December or around there I saw a post from my friend Danell about winning a Venus contest her after pictures were amazing so I clicked on the link and read more. I asked her a few questions and jumped in.

Wow finally an easy to follow doable program that fits me. This is definitely a lifestyle anyone can live with!

-Andrea

Andrea is still happy and enjoying life!

Andrea is still happy and enjoying life!

Both Danell and Andrea are active in the Nibbles Fitness Facebook group and Andrea can be found enjoying life and active on her personal facebook profile.

Listen to Andrea talk about her experiences in the audio podcast below or save it to listen to later:

 

The Stay At Home MOM Venus makes it happen! (Meet Tara)

Tara is one of our amazing success stories! And her story is not over yet.

Tara is one of our amazing success stories! And her story is not over yet.

 

We all have a story.  We all have struggles. And the journey continues for all of us as we reach our goals and learn to live our lives.  It is not easy so there is no reason to be jealous or feel bad when you see others succeed.  I know it tends to make us all feel just a little insecure.

So just KNOW, that it is never easy for anyone.  Everyone has their battles you know nothing about. No one is ever perfect at this game, they just learn to never give up.

Even you.  You just need to keep going and never give up!

One of our Venus Veteran’s, Pam, was Tara’s local trainer and it’s how Tara learned about Venus.  So the three of us (Pam, Tara, and I) decided to get together to put Tara’s story in a video and podcast (audio podcast is below).

 

Tara (in blue), and Pam (in pink) and I decided to get together to document Tara's success story.

Tara (in blue), and Pam (in pink) and I decided to get together to document Tara’s success story.

 

Here’s what Tara wrote in her own words:

I have been on a long weight loss journey. In 2013 I decided to make a change. Weighing 211#’s, and not wanting to go up another pant size, I started eating clean and biking.

It worked out well with a weight loss of 40#. With that, I got comfortable and a little more lazy with my food choices.

However, I kept up the cycling a few days a week. By January of this year, I had put on a few pounds. Enough to make me uncomfortable.

I joined a weight loss challenge. I had some success with that, but again bounced back to the uncomfortable range after a necessary surgery.

So, with some input from friends, I looked into the Venus Program.

I’m a ‘stay at home’ mom, so the 3 day a week workouts seemed reasonable. I joined a gym and made my workout schedule with every intention of fulfilling it.

We are all feeling pretty Venus "bright" in Pam's backyard. Letting our Venus Light SHINE!

We are all feeling pretty Venus “bright” in Pam’s backyard. Letting our Venus Light SHINE!

 

Three Venus days and 2 cardio days per week. The food was a tough hurdle to leap, but I managed to maintain a deficit on most days.

With the tools that Venus has given me, I am currently at the lowest weight since having my first baby 16 years ago.

That’s a HUGE milestone for me.

I also know how to keep improving.

The knowledge of my deficit calories vs my maintenance calories empowers me to accomplish my next milestone.

One of these days I will see the abs that are hiding from me now. I know they’re there and they’re strong, yet they still hide.

The ever changing workouts keep me from getting bored and help me to feel my progress in strength.

This is so MOTIVATING!!

I’m proud of my accomplishments over the past 12 weeks and can’t wait to continue along this journey.

-Tara

Tara is very motivated to keep going and is currently in our Venus Transformation challenge.

 

And the video interview in Pam’s beautiful California backyard:

 

 

You can listen to the audio podcast below or download it for later:

Tara is very happy!

Tara is very happy and enjoying her new empowered life!

 

 

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Mom of four sheds the Frumpy with Venus!

Scotti is a mom of four.  She gained 100 pounds after her first born set of twins!  She lost and gained it back before finally embarking on the Venus journey.  She’s lost 35 pounds since starting Venus. As she says in her podcast, this all makes sense now.  It’s simple.  Not easy but simple.

Scotti is a mom of four, and is a NO EXCUSES woman. Amazing!

Scotti is a mom of four, and is a NO EXCUSES woman. Amazing!

 

She turned it around and it feels like for good!  Here’s what Scotti said in her own words:

 

Since finding the Venus Index Program late August, 2015, I have lost 35 lbs. I found Venus at a time when I was about to give up on the idea of losing weight and accept that I was a frumpy mom.

I stumbled upon Venus through a Facebook recipe link. I watched the video and thought, “Why Not!” Little did I know, I was about to change my outlook on food consumption, losing weight, cardio, and weight training.

I found Venus to be easy to follow and very flexible. I started with eating at a deficit first. I had never counted calories before.

Previously, I had success losing weight using Weight Watchers and Herbal Magic, but neither program taught me about calories and I gained the weight back.

I started delaying my first meal of the day, which made eating at deficit sustainable. I loved the inclusion of maintenance days. I knew that once or twice a week, I could have my favorite ice cream, pasta dish, or date night at a restaurant.

Once my food consumption was on track, I added in weight training.

I had been taking a kickboxing class three mornings a week for the past 2 years, I decreased my kickboxing classes to twice a week and incorporated the Venus 12 Week weight program twice a week.

It took me almost 5 months to complete the first 12 week weight program. Then, I moved on to Final Phase. I really, really like Final Phase. The first 12 weeks on the Venus Program, I lost 20 lbs.

I decided to join the contest for some extra motivation.

I told a friend about the contest and asked if she would take my pictures.

The contest, combined with being accountable to my friend, really helped me stay focused. I had some difficult weeks during the contest where I just wanted to eat. I listened to many Immersion podcasts to help keep me focused.

I shopped for photo shoes, a bikini, and booked my tan at various low points to help with motivation. I also took progress photos at the end of each month so that I could see my progress.

During the contest, I lost a further 15 lbs and 4.5 inches off my waist.

I can now see my beautiful muscles and I love it. I am not finished yet. I have some more fat to shed and some muscles to build.

I now have the tools to make this a reality. I am NOT a frumpy mom.

-Scotti

 

Scotti is active in the Nibbles Fitness Facebook group and in her last post there she said “I have increased my strength so much with the Venus Program that the ladies in my kickboxing class will no longer partner with me. I have mixed emotions about this – proud of the strength gains I have achieved and sad that I no longer fit in with the general population.

Listen to Scotti’s podcast now or save it for later:

Contest winner Tracey Brings Out Her Inner Warrior!

Tracey lost 11 pounds and 3 inches in 12 weeks.  That’s about the average for most women in 12 weeks and it is always very hard earned.

 

I learned from this competition is eating that third cookie is not the end of the world, but it is important to not give in to that little voice saying, “Well, since you blew your calorie count, you might as well give up now and just eat the rest of the box”. I remind myself that occasional treats are ok. I just need to maintain self-control so that I can enjoy treats from time to time.

I learned from this competition is eating that third cookie is not the end of the world, but it is important to not give in to that little voice saying, “Well, since you blew your calorie count, you might as well give up now and just eat the rest of the box”. I remind myself that occasional treats are OK. I just need to maintain self-control so that I can enjoy treats from time to time.

 

Here’s what Tracey said in her own words:

This competition was a very interesting experience for me. As you can see from my numbers I didn’t lose a lot of weight. And I certainly didn’t hit my goal, not even close. But I did have a positive change in my way of thinking.

That is where this competition benefited me the most and for that reason, I decided to submit my photos and essay. Growing up I was always very athletic, playing sports all year round and never worrying about my weight.

Then in High School I developed knee problems caused by years of running and jumping on the basketball court. That was the beginning of bad choices, self-pity and rapid weight gain.

Over the years I tried different diets and programs but my heart just wasn’t in it. I kept making excuses and continued to feel sorry for myself. When I heard about Venus Factor last year, I stopped and listened.

Then I spent time thinking about it and decided I would commit to this program. Although the decision to enter the competition was easy, taking and submitting those photos was not. I looked long and hard at those photos of myself realizing how unhealthy I had allowed myself to become. I was embarrassed to say the least. And quite unhappy (as you can tell by the look on my face). But I was determined to give this a try.

It hasn’t been an easy 12 weeks but I chose to sign up as a way to challenge myself and to give myself a much needed kick in the butt. Surprisingly, I was able to incorporate the exercise part of the program into my daily life with no problem. I even reached a point where I began enjoying the routines. I’m not very coordinated but over time I was able to successfully complete all but one of the exercises, that Stability Ball Curl Up is simply beyond my abilities at this time, but I’ll keep trying to get the hang of it. However, the rest of the exercises I was able to do, and as a result, I feel physically stronger.

I can actually feel the muscles in my arms and legs and hope that soon I can see them more clearly defined as the fat drops away.

The tricky part of this adventure for me was eating healthy. This meant making the right food choices, eating the proper portion size, and watching my calorie intake. I struggled with this for the first 10 weeks of the competition. I kept promising myself that tomorrow I would start eating better but tomorrow didn’t get here until the majority of the competition was behind me.

I also struggled with self-pity, about denying myself all the tasty treats I was used to eating and telling myself there was no way I could function on only 1000 calories a day. I fussed, whined and fought the idea until finally, in week 11, I went back and reread one of John’s emails (Stop Identifying as Your Struggle and Bring out Your Warrior). He reminded me to take care of myself because being healthy is a good thing and should be treated in a positive way.

Then I reread other emails I’ve received over the past few months. The words of encouragement and the stories of inspiration reminded me why I was doing this. I want to be happy and part of that comes from being healthy. I let these words sink in and really take root in my mind and heart.

As I did, I was able to push aside the excuses, self-pity and doubt. I knew I had to build a new habit of being health conscious, but as with any habit, it takes time, consistency and effort.

So with my new found focus, I began working to build this new habit and soon I began to see and feel the changes. My clothing started to loosen up a bit, my body started to feel stronger, my energy level increased, and I felt happier.

With all these positive strides, it became easier to make good decisions and to remain vigilant about good choices. I started by concentrating on making it through a few hours, then through a whole day, and before I knew it I had made it through two days and then 5 days.

In time, I know it will become easier to make good choices on a regular basis because I will be able to feel and see the difference.

Another thing I learned from this competition is eating that third cookie is not the end of the world, but it is important to not give in to that little voice saying, “Well, since you blew your calorie count, you might as well give up now and just eat the rest of the box”.

I remind myself that occasional treats are OK. I just need to maintain self-control so that I can enjoy treats from time to time. And the key to enjoying the occasional treat, is to not over-indulge.

This competition has been a difficult journey for me but a beneficial one, too. It helped me become more conscientious about how important it is to treat my body with the respect it deserves by making healthy choices.

I know I still have a long way to go before I reach my final goal but at least now, I know I can do it because I believe in myself.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank you all, especially John, for creating such a wonderful program. I will definitely be recommending the Venus Factor to family, friends and anyone else who wants get healthy.

-Tracey

Listen to Tracey’s podcast now or download it for later:

What’s it like to be a 56 year young Venus Figure Competitor?

BEVEL-Rhonda-Competition-side-pose-1

Rhonda is 56 years young and won our VT contest back in the day when she was 5o. She’s still living the dream and the golden Venus lifestyle and going strong.  She has found the fountain of youth.

Rhonda did it! There she is on stage at age 56.

Rhonda did it! There she is on stage at age 56.

 

It was a fun day, she did her first competition at the same venue I did mine so I went down to support her.

 

I went down to meet Rhonda and watch the competition at the Sheriton in Sacramento.

I went down to meet Rhonda and watch the competition at the Sheraton in Sacramento.

 

Dang, it always makes me realize how small I am when I stand next to another person.  Rhonda is tall!

Another amazing picture of Rhonda on stage.

Another amazing picture of Rhonda on stage.

 

Here’s what Rhonda did to prepare:

 

Everyday was very consistent, only small tweaks were made along the way. I started each day with 3/4 c egg whites plus 1 whole egg scrambled and 1/3 c oatmeal, tea or black coffee.

After lifting workout and before cardio I would have a protein isolate shake (30 gr p)

The rest of the meals, which were to be about 2 1/2 hours apart, consisted of 4 ounces chicken, turkey, or fish and 4oz of sweet potato or rice, and a steamed veggie such as broccoli, asparagus, green beans, spinach, Brussels sprouts, or squash.

Generally, I ate this 3 times a day, so all in all, I ate 5-6 meals a day.

My workouts consisted of 4-5 weight training days. Splits such as back/biceps, legs/shoulders, chest/ triceps with the first one repeated for 4th workout of week. I also added in core and calves and more glute work on less intense days. Cardio was 30 minutes on stair-climber or incline treadmill, 5 days. About half way through, that increased to 45 minutes, 6 days a week.

This seemed to really work well for me and fortunately I didn’t have to give up much more in the way of food. I did eliminate the carb at the last meal of the day towards the end.

 

Rhonda at the Sheraton waiting to go on stage!

Rhonda at the Sheraton waiting to go on stage, looking pretty dang hot!

 

Rhonda was pretty proud of what she achieved. It was an honor to be there as her friend.

Rhonda was pretty proud of what she achieved. It was an honor to be there as her friend.

 

Rhonda built some friendships that day and had a great time.  Since then we’ve gotten together and had some fun.

I went down to visit Rhonda for a few days after the competition and we had a blast!

I went down to visit Rhonda for a few days after the competition and we had a blast!

 

And of course we had some amazing workouts, because that's just what we do!

And of course we had some amazing workouts, because that’s just what we do!

 

And we had fun, both of us 55 and 56 years old, living our dream:

 

I hope you enjoyed her pictures and story.

You can listen to her podcast now or download it for later:

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