Meet VT19 Winner “Miss Consistency” Stacy

I’ve coined the name “Miss Consistency” for Miss Stacy here for a reason. She is relentless. Ever since I met her at the end of last year she has pushed through adversity, injuries, and set backs. She has posted on Instagram daily to help keep her Venus sisters motivated.  Her name there is Seriously.Stacy and yes that fits too!

If you are on Instagram and want motivation from a Venus sister who is the real deal, go follow Stacy @seriously.stacy there.

 

She is part of the Venus Factor Workout Accountability Group with these other Venus leaders in the group. She leads the pack. But not only that, she brings others along with her.

 

These are all real Venus leaders who help encourage others daily.

Kathy, Carey, Jen, Lisa, Stacy, Dewina, and Brenda are among the leaders helping others, and there are many more, ready walk aside any Venus lady who wants to come along.

They and many others have decided to start a mini challenge in the group where anyone who wants to participate or “Shadow” the next Venus contest will chip in for a final prize.  You do not have to actually be in the Venus contest to join the mini challenge.  Or you can do both.  All anyone in the community wants is for you to WIN at this game of life.  The VT19 winners participated in the group.

Women empowering other women.  That’s how they do it.

 

Here is Stacy talking about her winning strategy at being consistent and her relentless mindset:

And the VT19 Contest Winners are IN!

And the VT19 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.

First Place – Stacy

“I found Venus Factor on December 1st, the same day I discovered Roberta Saum. I didn’t fully dig in until January 1st, 2017. The contest came up and I thought, What Am I Waiting For? I looked forward to the workouts each and every day. Everyday I woke up, showed up and never gave up. I didn’t know what I was capable of until I tried. Most importantly, I realize this is where I belong. I finally have found what I have been searching for. Venus is indeed the game changer.”

Second place – Dawn

“Thanks to the Venus program I’ve lost more than 60 pounds and most importantly I’ve learned how to keep this new Venus body I’ve grown to love. One of my favorite things about the Venus program is the flexibility and the freedom to eat the foods I like, in moderation, without feeling guilty. This program taught me how to live a healthy lifestyle and still have a life. Thanks Venus for putting me back in the driver’s seat!”

Third Place – Karen

“I have much improved BALANCE! All this is new and with the consistency, a regular habit now. I enjoy moving rather than watching TV. I LOVED the podcasts and listened to them daily for about 8 weeks. I occasionally went into the community to read posts. I am not one to post myself but ventured out once in introductions and met Roberta. Then followed her on facebook…again, not posting but reading every morsel of her wisdom. I am feeling much better. People are noticing and commenting! I am making this my LIFESTYLE!! I think this is “IT”!! Thank you!”

Fourth Place – April

“People could definitely see me slimming up and started asking about how we did it. We would tell everyone about Venus and Adonis. I feel so much better about myself and how my clothes fit. It was really amazing to see the “before” pictures when I went to post my “after” photos. I knew I had changed, but wow! I’ll definitely keep at it this time. I really love the workouts. Although truth be told, I hate the lunges and squats and love the arm exercises so it’s just discipline and my type-A personality that keeps me sane. My husband and I are both in the best shape we’ve ever been in and eating very healthy.”

Fifth Place – Netty

“This is just a beginning for me. Though my loss is not great, I am grateful for the change. The venus workouts are great, along with Roberta Saum and the facebook accountability group that has really kept me going. I am looking forward to the next contest, but even more so to keep going and changing how I eat and workout. If theres one thing I’ve learned, is that I HAVE to change the way I eat!!!”

Sixth Place – Jennifer

“When I first started with the Venus Factor, I thought to myself that it was going to be too easy and not challenge me enough. How wrong I was! Not only were the workouts challenging but the support I received through Roberta Saum’s FaceBook support group encouraged me to continue on when I wanted to give up. Although we are ending this particular contest, my journey is far from over. I am happy to have made it this far and look forward to how much more I can accomplish with Venus Systems. Thank you!”

Seventh Place – Kathy

“I have learned to treat this as a journey and a lifestyle! I will step up my game when I need to, but I also live my life in balance. I have seen small changes in my body for this contest, but the mental and emotional changes are what really excites me. I will not stop. I will live this life as a strong, beautiful unique woman. I will make healthy choices to eat less and fuel my body. I will press myself in my workouts and see what this body can do. One of my favorite quotes is “You will never always be motivated, you have to learn to be disciplined.” “

 

Eighth Place – Dewina

“My name is Dewina and I turned 52 years old during this contest. I’m so thankful for this program because anyone can do it. it doesn’t matter what your age is or your fitness level. My husband actually found this program a few years ago when he purchased the Adonis program. I looked at it and after reading Roberta’s story I decided to go ahead and purchase it. I know with what I have learned and what I continue to learn I will be able to accomplish my goals and be the best version of myself that I can be. So I just want to say thank you for creating such a great program that is sustainable and for bringing such a great group of like-minded women together. I can’t wait to see where this journey continues to take me!”

Ninth Place – Nikki

“Now, with the exercise, I see such a difference in my shape. I even managed to lose more inches than I had before! I don’t really base my successes on how anyone but one person feels about my success, my husband. He is so proud of me! He tells me all the time how great I look and that he can feel the difference when he hugs me. That is such a huge win for me! I am so happy with the Venus Program. It has taught me how to be happy with my body, that I should be realistic, and how to make better choices. I know that I won’t get it right 100% of the time, but I know that with Venus, I can get back on track and keep having success.”

Tenth Place – Tina

Tina’s weight ballooned up during her time becoming depressed and medications that hindered her ability to understand hunger or the ability to feel full. Venus has helped her learn about the awareness of food and portion sizes.

 

We did something special for our tenth place this time like we did for VT17.  Tina is a Venus who has lost 100 pounds and was willing to share her story with you. She gets the Venus Immersion lifetime subscription for her prize.

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.

Cover Model Winners

Next we have our cover model winners. The neat thing about these ladies is they are previous contest winners who are proving that this lifestyle is something you can keep for life.  It’s not just a 12 week contest, it’s a lifestyle.  It takes a while to learn, but it can be done!

Barb

“I feel that this is the beginning of Venus Index for life! My husband says whatever you are doing, it’s really working and now he is starting to ask me to help him! I am starting Final Phase tomorrow, thanks to the encouragement of my girlfriends on the Thanksgiving Challenge. Roberta, you are one amazing human being. I hope I know you forever.”

 

Candy

” I actually have only begun. I look at my after pictures with great pride, realizing the hard work and determination it took to get to where I am today. I will continue to eat clean and exercise, and to commit to the Venus lifestyle. Thank you for this incredible program.”

 

 

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

We will be contacting all of these ladies to see if they want to share their story and possibly do an interview.

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 her Venus podcast.

So get ready for more awesomeness this year!

To help you get your groove going here’s the Tina’s podcast about how she lost 100 pounds and still finds the courage to keep going:

Fat loss with auto immune deficiency? Meet Barb

In spite of the odds with auto immune deficiency she did this and is also maintaining well.

 

Barb has Auto Immune deficiency and a lot of health issues will make the process go slow, but the process still works.  When she eats food that are not good for her she feels sick and then gets discouraged and has learned that she can “Save the Day” instead of going pell-mell and continuing on that path.

With her issues Barb finds she needs to have control of her food.  She loves to share her meals in my facebook support groups.   Here’s a couple of the meals she has posted:

 

 

Looks pretty good to me!

 

Here’s what Barb had to say in her own words, in her essay with her final contest pictures:

 

Oh wow, I am finished my first full Venus Index Contest! I am quite amazed, looking back over the past 3 months and the road I have traveled. It goes way back to when I was a teenager, when I first suffered from poor health. Throughout my life I have struggled and after having my 2 daughters, I realized I had to change many things so I could be here for them. I have worked really hard at managing an auto-immune disease and believe I can go into remission. Proper diet, exercise and sleep are crucial and I do ok with each but not consistently.

When my 14 yr old went through a mental health crisis last year I was a wreck. At times I was unsure that she would even make it. I didn’t sleep for about 8 months and subsequently ate poorly and was too tired to workout. I went to parenting classes at the hospital when she was in therapy and the onus was on taking care of ourselves in the midst of crisis. I worked so hard to keep everyone in my family taken care of (6 kids, one husband and one large dog) and made the final decision it was time for me to take care of myself.

When my daughter was on her way to recovery I joined Venus Index because I need this for ME. I have enjoyed the system and community thoroughly because it offers results and support. I think my favourite part of Venus Index is when I joined Roberta Saum’s Nibbles Fitness Thanksgiving Challenge. It was exactly what I needed to get me through to the end. All the participants were amazing women, all with the same weaknesses, strengths and challenges as me.

I felt so much love and support and reciprocated with heartfelt wishes of strength and encouragement to them. I have never joined a group like this because I always felt intimidated but with Venus Index I embraced the opportunity and haven’t looked back. Two of the most difficult moments were photographing myself in a bikini but I realized that I had to do it to move towards success.

I feel that this is the beginning of Venus Index for life! My husband says whatever you are doing, it’s really working and now he is starting to ask me to help him! I am starting Final Phase tomorrow, thanks to the encouragement of my girlfriends on the Thanksgiving Challenge. Roberta, you are one amazing human being. I hope I know you forever.

 

Here she is sharing about the good life and her social eating victories:

Late night post. I went to a fancy shmancy party my in-laws throw every Christmas. I made a plan for the day: extra cardio and I was way under maintenance the past 2 days. I volunteered to be the designated driver so I could avoid the alcohol. I bar-tended to keep busy and away from the food and made sure I ate really healthy all day. I feel so happy I took the time to think things out beforehand. I did enjoy some amazing cheeses, lean beef tenderloin, crudités and several glasses of water . Life is good

 

I had the honor of speaking with Barb on the phone and ask her to share her story.  She talks about all that she did to succeed and how she STAYS successful now.

Listen now or download the podcast for later:

The 2017 Venus Transformation Contest schedule

Believe that you can do it. It does not require special powers, it merely requires simple day to day steps. The Venus System can help you with those steps.  You don’t have to think about the workout, you pull out the page and it’s something different and fun every day. Yes you will be sore at first, but then the empowerment happens.

If you want daily support with the workout, we are very active in the Venus Factor Workout accountability group on FaceBook. You can join whether or not you decide to join the contest. Everyone is posting their workouts and daily victories and holding each other accountable in there.

If you want help preparing for the contest I’ve available to answer questions in the Venus Factor Contest Prep Facebook group.

Venus Next Year (2017) Contest schedule:

  • VT19: January 16 to April 10

And this is where you signup once you get a Venus login below:

(but only during the dates above) JOIN the CONTEST.

The Venus Contest rules and regulations are HERE.

And anyone is welcome to select their own premier Venus coach anytime, not just during the contest or for a contest.  Anyone that needs help, we are here for you.

Feel free to email me if you have questions.

Alright ladies, Let’s DO THIS!

-Coach Roberta

 

Venus Factor Week 1 Day 1 – Let’s DO THIS!

Meet Malissa again, she placed in our VT11 contest.

 

The Venus Transformation Contest VT19 is quickly approaching.  Many of us are getting a head start with the Venus Workouts in a 12 week workout challenge starting this week.  We will just roll into the new year getting done what needs to get done.

Feel free to join if you want some workout support. It’s the Venus Factor Workout Accountability group on FaceBook.

You can view the Day 1 Venus Factor work-along video to help you get started.

 

Ever wonder why the guys can do this so much easier?

One of the Venus ladies in the Workout Challenge group had a question about her son the other day.  Her son Mikey needs to lose weight and is doing the Venus workouts with her (which is actually great for the guys too!).  Anyway, she wanted to know her son’s maintenance calories so I ran them on the Adonis calculator.

Holy freakin maintenance calories! Maintenance Calories: 3145 cals.  Can any of us even imagine!!! Notice that he can eat 1200 and it won’t hurt his hormones so much. Not fair!! At the same time, guys can binge too so if he does that bumping it up to anything under maintenance consistently is the WIN just like us females.

NOW, does anyone notice the room of margin for error for calories? THIS IS WHY I came up with the “Calorie tightrope” we walk. A serving of something here are there can make or break a deficit for us. A freakin DAY OF OUR MAINTENANCE can make or break the deficit for this 25 year young 6 foot 5 male. NOT FAIR!!! We can scream it to the mountain tops how unfair it is, but it will not take away the excess fat on your body. Knuckle down and roll up your sleeves if you want it!! DANG, Let’s do this anyway!

 

Venus Next Year (2017) Contest schedule:

  • VT19: January 16 to April 10
  • VT20: May 15 to August 7
  • VT21: August 28 to November 20

And this is where you signup once you get a Venus login (but only during the dates above) JOIN the CONTEST.

I also have the Venus Factor Contest Prep group on Facebook which you are welcome to join.

And then there is the bigger support group with only women doing any workout, any diet, all empowering each other with love and support in Nibbles Fitness as we all nibble away at our goals.

Alright ladies, Let’s DO THIS!

-Coach Roberta

 

And the VT18 Venus Transformation Contest results are …

There is nothing easy about this process.  It’s a lifestyle. It takes TIME for people to learn a new lifestyle.  Be patient with yourself. Give yourself permission to be human. Never give up. The only difference between those who succeed and those who have not yet is persistence and learning to dust yourself off and keep going after you fall.

And our first place winner is Jackie. Her prize is getting her life back but she happens to get her choice of either $500 or the Immersion package.

1st Place Jackie

"For VT18, I felt like the various pieces all came together – consistency in exercise and nutrition. It was only during this contest that I feel like the target measurements might be real. What if I could achieve that? What would that feel like? I am looking forward to finding out."

“For VT18, I felt like the various pieces all came together – consistency in exercise and nutrition. It was only during this contest that I feel like the target measurements might be real. What if I could achieve that? What would that feel like? I am looking forward to finding out.”

 

The second place winner is Barbara and besides a beautiful shape for her body she gets the choice of $350 or the Immersion package.

 

2nd Place Barbara

"I feel that this is the beginning of Venus Index for life! My husband says whatever you are doing, it's really working and now he is starting to ask me to help him! I am starting Final Phase tomorrow, thanks to the encouragement of my girlfriends on the Thanksgiving Challenge. Roberta, you are one amazing human being. I hope I know you forever."

“I feel that this is the beginning of Venus Index for life! My husband says whatever you are doing, it’s really working and now he is starting to ask me to help him! I am starting Final Phase tomorrow, thanks to the encouragement of my girlfriends on the Thanksgiving Challenge. Roberta, you are one amazing human being. I hope I know you forever.”

 

Our 3rd place winner is Lynn who not only looks amazing in her dress, but she gets a prize of $250 or the choice of the Immersion package.

 

3rd Place Lynn

"Daily planning of food to go with you, so you are not tempted by unhealthy choices becomes easy and routine. Choosing to change my mind set to” Slow and Steady, while incorporating the Venous System has made the difference. Life is not a race. Venus Index bring it on, you rock!!"

“Daily planning of food to go with you, so you are not tempted by unhealthy choices becomes easy and routine. Choosing to change my mind set to” Slow and Steady, while incorporating the Venous System has made the difference. Life is not a race. Venus Index bring it on, you rock!!”

 

And not the least of all is our amazing 4th place Candy who looks absolutely stunning in her dress.  She wins the choice of $250 or the Immersion package.

 

4th Place Candy

" I actually have only begun. I look at my after pictures with great pride, realizing the hard work and determination it took to get to where I am today. I will continue to eat clean and exercise, and to commit to the Venus lifestyle. Thank you for this incredible program."

” I actually have only begun. I look at my after pictures with great pride, realizing the hard work and determination it took to get to where I am today. I will continue to eat clean and exercise, and to commit to the Venus lifestyle. Thank you for this incredible program.”

 

Congratulations to these beautiful ladies who put in a lot of hard work to make a transformation. Each of them lost 10-15 pounds which is above average for most women in the 3 month period of a contest.  They enter the holiday season with a winning strategy and ahead of the game compared to the rest of society.

Why are there only four winners this time?  Well first of all we don’t just fill up the ten slots, we pick those who showed a true transformation.  If the pictures don’t show a change or transformation, then they can’t be used.

But mainly there is nothing easy about this process. The is no magic pill or short cut. It’s going to take some true grit and determination. It’s somewhat simple yes, but it’s hard to implement the nutrition habits.  It’s easy to give up when you think you can’t do it anymore.  Sometimes you make all the human mistakes we all make with food intake, you think you are a failure, thus you give up.  But the fact of the matter all of us make a “controlled stumble forward” as John’s has said in his email.  You have to give yourself permission to be human and keep going anyway.

I’ve emailed everyone who entered this contest and had extended the deadline for them, but the overwhelming response was “I just couldn’t stick with the nutrition plan”.

So here’s a list of the most common mistakes and some solutions:

 

Problem: Eating a deficit that is too low for you. The Venus calculator gives you a range, not an absolute number.

Solution:  When you eat too low on your deficit days you will end up eating more uncontrolled on other days. The solution is to bump up your calories to something still under your maintenance number per the Venus calculator.  Consistency is more important that eating low. The turtle wins this race. Everyone that tries to do this too fast end up rebounding.  Aren’t you tired of the diet yo-yo?  If so, stop eating so low.  But at the same time don’t eat over maintenance. That’s how you win.  That is how you walk the calorie tightrope.

 

Problem: Not eating up to maintenance at least one day a week.

Solution:  You don’t have to follow an exact schedule on this, you can pick a day of the week that works best for you. Some weeks you need more than one maintenance day. Remember that eating up to your normal needs (maintenance) is ALWAYS A WIN.  It is not back sliding, it eating what you actually need.  Eating at a deficit is “corrective action” and is not meant to be long term. It is like taking medicine and some days the “medicine” causes too much stress on your body.  If it’s hard to add in a little extra food on those days start eating a little earlier in the day, continue to eat small portions but add in a little more healthy more calorie dense foods like fats and carbs (yum!!) – enjoy it!

 

Problem: Not getting enough protein.

Solution:  For your meal planning, focus on protein and veggies FIRST, then add a serving or two of both healthy fat and carbs, sometimes these are combined in other food choices already. The highest protein foods in the least amount of calories are in this order:  Egg whites, white fish, protein powder, bone broth, Chicken/turkey/ham, fat free Greek yogurt, fat free cottage cheese. The calorie to protein ratio drops off dramatically after that with all foods including other food labeled “high protein”.  Many foods have protein that are very high in calories.

 

Problem: Getting stuck in a rut with meal timing and thinking you must fast or delay your first meal of the day until afternoon.

Solution:  Intermittent fasting and fasting has it’s place for sure, but it’s not always the best answer for the day or season of life.  If you find yourself eating too much in the evening and not able to stay on plan, it’s not working.  If it’s not working it needs to be fixed.  By continuing the vicious cycle of fasting and binging you set yourself up for continued failure.  Remember it’s okay to change up the meal timing according to how you feel for the day.  You can always “Save the Day“.  What matters is the calories at the end of the day in the 24 hour period, extend that out 7 days, 30, 60, and 90 days for results.

 

Problem: Not giving yourself permission to be human.

Solution:  Accept the fact that you are human and will make mistakes with nutrition.  Stress is a huge factor. You can’t rely on willpower alone, you need to setup your environment for success.  When the nutrition didn’t go according to plan, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, take a deep breath, and decide to continue on.  We all have to do this. I still have to do this.

 

Problem: Not realizing that you are not really accurate with food intake, the “But I’m eating less and it’s not working” syndrome.

Solution:  This happens especially when you eat too low, because you will over compensate on other days by eating too high and not realizing it.  This is called “Mental Accounting“.  It’s very easy to make honest mistakes when tracking your food intake.  In addition there are many times things you missed on the food labels or with measurements of food, or with supplements that have calories.

 

Sometimes you have to be your own motivator and other times you need a little help and support from friends. If you want help and support I have a Venus Contest Prep Facebook group.  If you want to get started with a little New Years Challenge I have New Years Challenge support group where there is a prize drawing for participation.  Before long you will know how to create your own prizefighter victories every single day for the rest of your life.

 

Next Year (2017) Contest schedule:

VT19: January 16 to April 10

VT20: May 15 to August 7

VT21: August 28 to November 20

 

 

 

The deadline for VT18 is midnight Eastern Time Monday November 21st

Cross the FINISH for VT18!

Cross the FINISH for VT18!

 

This is just a friendly reminder that the deadline for the final entries for VT18 is Monday November 21st at Midnight Eastern Time.

The entry form CLOSES at that time.  The contest entry form will not work after midnight!

 

PLEASE READ THE CONTEST INSTRUCTIONS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS.  The only confirmation email you will get is the automated response from the contest tracker entry form.  The email address for YOU is the one you use for your Venus account.

Click here –> Contest instructions, rules, and regulations <– Click here

 

 

Here are the steps to enter your final pictures:

Use your Venus login to use the submission form.

Then use the VT18 contest form for the contest ending 11/21/2016.

You will not be fully entered if you don’t put a picture in each mandatory field.

 

PS Even if you did not enter, if you feel you have a good story you can still win a prize like Heidi, email me if you have a success story.

 

If you have any problems with the phone app try the web browser.

You will receive an automated email from the tracker tool after the pictures have uploaded.  This means YOU ARE IN the contest.

See the results of our previous contests.

The Venus 12 week contest is an En Route Train Stop in your life long Venus journey!

Have fun!

Never Settle!

Never Give Up!

Live Your Dream!

Coach Roberta

PS if you have any trouble with submitting pictures or data you can email me

If you are having TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES contact the Venus Support Team.

Any Venus customer is welcome to join the Venus Factor Contest Prep Facebook Group.

 

 

 

The last 10 pounds at 54, Meet Lisa

Lisa finally won what she wanted with Venus!

Lisa finally won what she wanted with Venus!

 

Lisa had a common struggle. That last 10 pounds or so.  It seems so impossible, but really it’s just the slowest.  This is where the rubber hits the road regarding trusting the process.

Many of you have a lot of weight to lose, that’s okay!  The journey teaches you how to deal with the last 10 pounds for the rest of your life.  For many the last 10 pounds is actually part of maintaining.  But it’s the hardest part alone from just “getting started”.  It is slow and the body weight scale is pretty much useless except for about checking about every 8 weeks or so.

Life happens, and you will repeat the cycle many times. That’s why it’s a lifestyle not a diet. That’s why it is important to learn sustainable practices.

I’ve had the absolute pleasure of watching Lisa on social media and learn the lifestyle, trust the process, and finally win her goal!

Here’s what Lisa has to say in her own words:

My experience with the Venus Factor System had been amazing! It has been what I’ve been looking for for so many years. My main objective when I joined the Venus Index Transformation contest was mainly to keep myself accountable. I knew deep down I needed to step out of my comfort zone (submitting  pictures) to achieve my goals. I needed a proven program and I got that with the Venus Index system.

I started the Venus Index workouts hoping to lose those 10 pounds, lose inches, gain strength and self confidence. I really wanted to change the shape of my 54 year old physique that was heading in the direction I wasn’t fond of, lol!

Last year I had  joined a local running club and committed to the Iron runner 15 race series. I focused totally on running and neglected the weight training. I made the mistake thinking I didn’t need to weight train anymore and that cardio was enough.

I learned that in fact I was really doing too much cardio and needed to get back to weight training.

The program has also taught me so much about nutrition. For example the amount of protein I needed blew my mind, I had no idea!

 

Lisa is pretty happy with her Venus life!

Lisa is pretty happy with her Venus life!

 

I learned that if you have the right tools and get your mind right you can achieve anything. Everyday does not have to be the same.

Nobody ever said it would be easy, but the plan is simple. Work it everyday, tweak it for you, never give up, trust the process!

I had to tell myself these things daily. I’m so happy to say I was able to achieve a 10.8 pound weight loss and a total of 9 inches overall. I’m also inside my ideal metrics, but at the high end. I’m a short person so the changes are slow and small.

I love the Venus Index system! I’m not quite where I want to be yet, but I know this program is one in which I can follow forever.

I’m a work in progress, it’s a lifestyle,  it’s MY lifestyle!

Lisa

 

I don't know about you but I think Lisa is stunning!

I don’t know about you but I think Lisa is stunning!

 

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

300 pounds to Fitness coach; Meet Kimmy

Kimmy is one of the most amazing and persevering women I've ever met. If she can do it you can too!

Kimmy is one of the most amazing and persevering women I’ve ever met. If she can do it you can too!

Dang, from 300 pounds to fitness coach with a full time job, a family, and 3 kids to care for.  If she can do it so can you!  Kimmy is absolute living proof that there should be no excuses.  Yes, sacrifices must be made to achieve your goal and it may take longer than others.  Kimmy learned to not compare herself to others and that is part of WHY she succeeded.  She also had to brush aside the mean comments from others, as that seems to be something we all experience when we succeed, especially from other women.  You have to learn that there is nothing wrong with YOU, the mean comments are all about the others and their insecurity about your success.  Just keep going!  You might need to make some new friends, but you WILL, you will end up attracting those who are successful and will support you.

 

Here she is, making it happen and looking very beautiful in her dress!

Here she is, making it happen and looking very beautiful in her dress!

 

Kimmy’s story is simply amazing.  She is a woman of extreme perseverance, and she is now coaching others to do the same thing. You don’t have to have super powers, you just have to keep going.  You have to decide you want it bad enough. You have to be patient and trust the process and have the vision that you can achieve the same thing.

Here is what Kimmy wrote in her own words:

This by far has been one of the most challenging 12 week endeavors of my life. Not only physically but mentally as well. I’m a busy mom who works full time with 3 children ages 14, 11 and 3.

In the fall of 2015 my husband was diagnosed with a condition called Menieres disease. If someone asked me what that was before, I would have told them “I have no clue.” Now I can say it’s one of the most miserable conditions an otherwise healthy person can be diagnosed with. In a nutshell, he suffers from violent vertigo attacks which leave him bed ridden sometimes days at a time. One minute he can be great and the next he’s violently ill and weak.

When this happens I become Mom of 3 but also sole care provider which isn’t always easy. Try telling your 3 year old “Just a minute, Mommy needs to do a workout” and guess how well that goes over. There were many days I was struggling to take care of everyone else and neglecting the importance of taking care of me too.

When the Venus Transformation 17 challenge was announced I decided this was my time to join. It gave me a goal to focus on, workouts to follow that were easy and a deadline towards reaching that goal. A goal without a deadline can go on forever without being achieved right?

I started day 1 full of gusto. I bought my newspaper and took starting pics. I was in this to WIN IT! My friend Michelle placed back in the 3rd Venus contest so this time it was my turn!!

Then the first week in tragedy struck. A dear friend and co worker took sick and died very suddenly. She left behind a loving husband (also a close friend and co-worker) and 3 beautiful children. I felt a deep sense of loss and pain for her family, our co-workers and for myself. This friend was always there for me when I needed someone. I reached out to her for parenting advice, work advice, marriage advice, you name it! Now just like that she was gone? How could this happen? Life all of a sudden felt shitty and unfair. The contest didn’t matter anymore. Working out didn’t matter anymore. I cried a lot and went back to old habits of binge eating junk food. I basically didn’t care – I felt bad and just wanted comfort.

This friend and I often talked fitness at work and we went to boot camp classes over the years and often compared training sessions. Losing her hit me really hard because it made me reflect on my own life and my own family. What would I do if I lost my husband or they lost me? I struggled for a while with this and if I’m completely honest, it still scares me.

I’m not sure when it happened but one day something just hit me and said “You know Rachel would never want you using her as an excuse for this behavior right?” From that moment on I decided I had to stop feeling sorry for myself and continue to push forward.

Eating through my emotions would hurt me in the long run and it certainly wasn’t going to help anyone else. Roberta and the rest of the girls from the Venus and Nibbles group were extremely supportive. I reached out to them a few times when I was feeling down and they helped pick me back up.

I posted some before and after pictures of where my journey began years ago at nearly 300lbs and realized just how far I’ve come. It’s easy to get caught up in comparing yourself to others but in the end the journey is yours and you should only compare yourself to YOU!

Someone else out there is always going to be smarter than you, faster than you, better abs than you, etc. Am I healthier, stronger version of Kimmy than I was 12 weeks ago? You bet and that’s ALL that matters.

 

Don't compare yourself to others. Just see how far you have come and keep going. Achieve your own dream!

Don’t compare yourself to others. Just see how far you have come and keep going. Achieve your own dream!

I look at these pictures and I’m very proud of what I accomplished in 12 weeks! I did it by eating real food, not too much and not too little – just enough. There are no gimmicks or tricks. I plan my workouts ahead of time and write them down in my journal. If I miss a day (hey I’m human), I make up for it the next day with no guilt. If I overeat a few calories for a family event, no problem, I work out harder and cut my calories a bit for other meals.

Venus has allowed me to find a balance and I love it. The relationships and friendships established since joining Venus are priceless. You won’t find a better community of supporters anywhere.

– Coach Kimmy

 

Kimmy knows how to get it done.  It is so fun to watch her enjoying life with her family and kids, planning camping trips and living life to it’s fullest.  You can follow her continued journey on Facebook, and follow her blog, and you can listen to her talk about all of this in her podcast below.

 

Venus women are real! Real women with real lives making it happen. It's easy to think it's all not true, but it's true and you can see how real the women are when you follow them on Facebook.

Venus women are real! Real women with real lives making it happen. It’s easy to think it’s all not true, but it’s true and you can see how real the women are when you follow them on Facebook.

 

Listen to Kimmy’s inspiring podcast now or save it for later.  And remember, YOU can do it too!  The podcast is in the link below:

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:

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