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Orthorexia and Food Cults

September 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment

***As requested by many of you in the forums and over email, here is the Orthorexia and Food Cults podcast that was previous posted on the Adonis Index site earlier this year***

Orthorexia is a term coined by a physician Dr. Steven Bratman. It’s defined as an unhealthy obsession with health food…ironic to say the least.

Some people end up worshiping at the alter of a new food cult without even realizing it

Many people can fall victim to some degree of orthorexia as they search for the one ‘right’ way to eat, but each of these diets is nothing more than an unscientific fad that is more marketing and fear mongering than it is science.

Diet fads come and go and each one has it’s villian food and it’s hero’s all the way from it’s champion founder to the champion foods.

Low carb diets, blood type diets, raw foodies, macrobiotic, paleo and so on, each one will profess the merits of eating specific foods while removing many other foods from your diet for good. But is there really any proof that these diets can help you live healthier or longer or improve performance or the way you feel…or do anything at all?

In most cases these diets quickly become like a cult with all of the ugly consequences like becoming socially isolated from other people who are not part of the cult, the development of an elitist attitude about the given way of eating above any other form of eating and a general smugness of it’s followers as they assume they have become ‘enlightened’ to the one and only way to eat.

The reality is there is little if any scientific evidence to support any of these restrictive styles of eating. They are usually focused on minor and insignificant points about mixing and matching their ‘correct’ foods and miss the point of getting total calories under control and developing consistent exercise habits.

In todays uncensored podcast we’ll discuss orthorexia and food cults and how many of the diets that people read about and follow start to take over other parts of their lives.

We’ll also discuss how the champions of many of these cults don’t even follow their own recommendations.

John

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Filed Under: Food, Podcast, Uncensored Podcasts S01 Tagged With: ,

The Venus Effect: The Spotlight Will be on YOU

August 31, 2011 by Leave a Comment

So you want to get in shape, and not just average shape, but your best possible shape, your ideal VI numbers even. Well what does that really mean? Is it just some will power to diet and some determination in the gym (and possibly some energy drinks or caffeine infusion to power you through those workouts?)

Becoming a Venus brings new attention.

It’s actually much more than this. In fact, you may discover that the dieting and the workout will turn out to be the easiest part of the entire journey.

The self discovery, identity crisis, learning to be a Venus, and learning how to deal with people around you is what will likely prove to be the bigger challenge and the bigger steps towards your growth and ultimate transformation.

Your body is the first thing people judge you on before you ever have a chance to utter a word or explain who you think you really are on the inside.

The minute someone lays eyes on you they will have made a subconscious judgment about you. Fair or not, this is the world we live in and this is how human nature works, and this is why the Venus Effect is something you need to be aware of.

In todays podcast Brad Howard and I will discuss the Venus Effect and the attention “U” shaped curve that many women will go through as they transform into their Venus body.

On the one hand you can get a negative style of attention from being visibly overweight, or out of shape to a degree where you are not ‘average’ and do not fade into the crowd.

The next level of attention (or better stated lack thereof) is when your body is simply average looking. At this stage you’re safely anonymous. You won’t get negative or positive attention, you’ll just blend into the crowd. This is a safe and comfortable place to be.

The third level of attention is when you approach your Venus body. This is when the spotlight is once again turned directly on you. In this position you may be looked to as a leader, and you may feel a sense of being an imposter in your own skin.

Some people will support you that you never expected, and some people will turn their back on you that you never expected. You may have to shed some skin, you may need to re-evaluate some of your relationships.

Your body and your identity are inextricably tied to each other. You cannot change one without having to change the other. And once you make this fundamental realization you will be well on your way to understanding what the Venus Effect.

John

 

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Getting In Contest shape: Interview With Erik Ledin Part 2

August 29, 2011 by 1 Comment

This is the second part of an interview series I did with Erik Ledin. Originally it was never meant to be a two part interview, but Erik has so much to say that we just kept going…(I’m sure we could talk for 100 hours on this topic). So this is the second part of our lengthy conversation.

Part 2 of our interview with Erik Ledin

Today we talk about supplements, and what might be useful.

Expecting perfection will only set you up for disappointment. Setting realistic goals with realistic expectations is important to being in a positive mindset.

You also have to realize that the leaner and sharper you get the harder and harder the path becomes. The process might be the same, however you will discover that going from 25% bodyfat to 15% bodyfat feels much easier than going from 15% bodyfat to 8% bodyfat.The actual number of pounds lost might actually be less, but the effort increases exponentially.

We’ll also discuss metabolic efficiency and the law of diminishing returns from doing more and more cardiovascular training. It might seem that more cardio simply equals more fat loss, but this isn’t always the case.

You also must be wary of the so called perfect time to train or eat. If you’ve heard that cardio on the morning on an empty stomach is the best time to train, but you simply cannot get to the gym in the morning, or just flat out hate working out in the morning, then you simply won’t do it. This can lead to feelings of self doubt and failure, and a mindset that it’s just too hard to get in shape or that “it’s just not for you”.

The reality is that compliance and consistency is what will win the race. That means the workout and diet must fit into your life and not the other way around.

These are all factors you must consider when you decide to change your body.

The process is actually rather simple but not necessarily easy. It requires effort and consistency, but if you stick to it you can take your body as far as you want.

John

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VT3: 3rd Venus Index Transformation & Open Contest

August 28, 2011 by 3 Comments

The 3rd Venus Index Transformation and Open Contest is upon us. Here is everything you need to know to enter.

Top 6 in transformation and Top 6 in Open get prize money. You must be a Venus Index customer to participate.

Prize Money

Prize money for both Transformation and Open are as follows:

1st Place – $500
2nd Place – $350
3rd Place – $250
4th-6th Place – $200

Entering Before Pictures

Submissions of “Before” Photos will be accepted starting wed
Aug 31st. We will be accepting submissions for 7 days until
wed Sept 7th.

Mandatory before photo poses are the front, back, and side relaxed (arms at side) pose.

Mandatory newspaper picture within this photoshoot is required. For the newspaper picture we need to see you in the same position in each of the front, side and back shots. I need to see your body and your face with the paper. Once you’ve done the shots with the paper please redo them immediately without the paper, same outfit, same position, same location, same photoshoot.

There is now a mandatory Contest data chart that you can download
at this link –> ***VT3 Contest Data Chart***

Fill this chart out with your name, age, height, and you starting weight, waist, hip, and shoulder measurement. The chart has some built in functions to calculate your ideal VI numbers and how far you have to go to get golden.

Filling this chart out before and after the contest is mandatory.

You can watch this video on how to fill out the chart.
***Filling Out VT3 Contest Chart Video***

Before pictures must be submitted in a zip file labeled in the format of the following example:

“Jane_Doe_Before_Pictures_VT3”

Each picture must be labelled with your first and last name and the associated pose ie:

“Jane_Doe_Before_Front_VT3”

Picture size:

Please re-size larger picture files down to a size that has a height of approx 500 pixels.

Failure to label, or re-size the pictures correctly or zip the file will result in potential disqualification from the contest (these files can easily become lost if they’re not labeled and sent in correctly)

Before and After pictures are mandatory for all contestants even if you think you’ll be in the open category (the open category is essentially for those people who are ‘close’ to their ideal proportions whereas the transformation category is for all people no matter how far they have to go to get to their idea proportions)…if you make a big change but still have a ways to go to get to Golden you will likely be placed in the Transformation category…if you only have 10lbs or a few inches to go to get to golden then you will be placed in the open division.

The bottom line is not to worry about what category you think you might end up in. If you work hard, follow the program and put in a serious effort you’ll likely place in one of the two categories.

All contestants who place in the open division will qualify for the level 2 competition to be held in April 2012.

COVER MODEL AFTER PICTURES

A special note about taking ‘after’ photos. We are now looking at featuring some of our contestants on our book covers in the coming year. If you want to be in the running to be a Venus Index cover model we will be giving instructions on taking your best after photos. This doesn’t and will never require you to hire a photographer. We will be giving you instructions for taking great after pics with a regular digital camera and some simple lighting and a back drop you can put together at your house.

All contestants (both transformation and open category) will be in the running to become a Venus Index cover model. This is just a little bit more incentive to do your very best and take some kick ass ‘after’ pictures to show of your new VI body!

If you want to hire a photographer that is your choice, but we do not require it and will never ask anyone to do so. Past winners have done a fantastic job taking pictures on their own. I suggest you listen to all the contest interviews and learn what you can about taking after pictures.

Previous winners have set the bar high, now it’s time for someone to step up and blow us all away. Who is it going to be?!

John

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Contest Rules and Regulations:

This is the section with the boring legal stuff, you don’t have to read it all but it must be included in this post.

All entries become the property of the Contest Sponsor and will not be returned.

Contest Sponsor, its advertising and promotion agencies assume no responsibility for lost, stolen, delayed, damaged, illegible, incomplete, postage-due, garbled or misdirected entries or entries that have been submitted through illicit means, or do not conform to or satisfy the Contest Rules or for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer on-line systems, servers, access providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any entry to be received or traffic congestion on the internet or at any website, or any combination thereof including any injury or damage to an entrant’s or any other person’s computer related to or resulting from playing or downloading any material in the contest.


The Contest Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify, cancel or suspend this Contest should an external circumstances arise which are beyond the reasonable control of the Contest Sponsor. The Contest Sponsor is not responsible for any errors or omissions in printing or advertising this Contest.

The Contest Sponsor collects your personal information for the purposes of registration, program evaluation and to keep you informed about contest. The Contest Sponsor may, if consent was given during registration, also contact you from time to time with information about other ways you can lose weight.

The Contest Sponsor will not share any personal data about entrants with any
other party. The personal data collected for this Contest will not be used for any other purposes unless entrants provide explicit permission as indicated on the entry form. For more information about our privacy practices or to obtain a copy of our Privacy Policy, visit Privacy Policy

By entering this Contest, entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Contest Sponsor and their respective employees, officers, directors, agents, representatives, successors, assigns, advertising and promotional agencies from any liability for any loss or damage of any kind to the entrant or any other person in connection with this Contest or participation in any Contest related activities, including but not limited the taking of a urine test or, if declared a winner, the use or misuse of a prize or any portion of a prize including personal injury, death or property damage.

This Contest will run in accordance with these Contest Rules, subject to amendment by the Contest Sponsor. Contest Sponsor reserves the right to cancel, amend, modify or terminate this Contest or the Rules at any time in its sole discretion and without notice.

Entrants must comply with these rules, and will be deemed to have received and understood the rules if they participate in the Contest.

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

 

Filed Under: Contest, transformation Tagged With:

Learning to Maintain a Change: Interview With Erik Ledin Part 1

August 22, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Getting in shape is a lifestyle not a destination. It’s an ever evolving process that changes throughout life as you change.

Learning that your body and you fitness and your shape is a not just a moment in time, a contest, a one day goal, but rather it’s a lifestyle.

Erik is one of the best in the business at getting people in contest shape.

Sure you may compete in a contest, one of our contests, or getting in shape for an event or a photoshoot, but you must understand it’s just a stop along the way of the bigger journey of your life.

Date specific motivation can help push you to a new level of body composition and fitness can help kick start your journey, but it cannot be your only way to motivate yourself.

Adopting a lifestyle of training and fitness is with an eye on your diet as it relates to your body composition is truly a lifestyle change and a way to live for your entire life and not just a 12 week run at an event.

Today’s podcast is a part 1 of a two part series I did with a friend and diet/fitness coach Erik Ledin.

Erik has over 11 years of experience coaching people into the best shape of their lives from pro bodybuilders and fitness competitors to every day gym rats and stay at home mom’s who just want to finally get in shape.

We’ll dig into the psychology of diet, training, and the common post contest malaise that hits many competitors. We also talk about what it takes to finally adopt the true lifestyle of taking care of your body and staying in shape…the elusive state of ‘maintenance’.

Listen up cuz this is an awesome interview.

John

P.S. The audio file today ends rather abruptly, it’s not an error, it’s just my less than adequate editing skills!

P.S. You can learn more about Erik at his website: Lean Bodies Consulting

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Venus Index Contest Winners Announced

August 16, 2011 by 14 Comments

The second Venus Index contest is in the books and today it’s time to announce the winners. This contest was even harder to judge than the last contest. I really do agonize over this process as everyone did so well.

I want to say congratulations to everyone who followed through and completed the contest. It really is a special thing to get through the 12 weeks, stick to the commitment and see it through to the end. Many people will never, in their whole life, get through a 12 week transformation. Think about that for a moment, just 12 weeks of your entire life and it still is very difficult for people to stick to it.

So to repeat, give yourself a pat on the back if you made through the 12 weeks, this accomplishment already puts you in rare territory and you deserve a celebration.

Also, if you’re not familiar with the Venus Index or our philosophies, just go here and check out this video for more information.

Now, on to the matter at hand, here are the winners of the second Venus Index Transformation contest.

Venus Index Transformation Contest 1st Place: Felicity M

Felicity M Venus Index Transformation Winner

Felicity M VT2 Winner

What a difference 12 weeks makes!

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Venus Index Transformation Contest 2nd Place: Kimberley A

Venus Index Transformation 2nd Place Kimberley A

 

VT2 Second Place Kimberley

Venus Index Transformation 2nd Place Kimberley. Fantastic!

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Venus Index Transformation Contest 3rd Place: Heather Baker

Venus Index Transformation 3rd Place Heather B

Venus Index Transformation 3rd Place Heather B

A Venus at 48. Looks more like 28 to me!

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Venus Index Transformation Contest 4th Place: Molly P

Venus Index Transformation 4th Place Molly P

Venus Index 4th Place Molly P

Molly P Venus Index 4th Place

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Venus Index Transformation Contest 5th Place: Leora H

Venus Index Transformation Contest 5th Place Leora H

Venus Index 5th Place Leora H

Leora H Venus Index 5th Place

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Venus Index Transformation Contest 6th Place: Kassandra B

Venus Index Transformation 6th Place Kassandra B

Venus Index 6th Place Kassandra B

Kassandra B truly becoming a Venus

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Congrats to all who placed and to all who finished the contest. You are all amazing women!

Now on to the second portion of the contest. The “open” category is where we placed those competitors who have a great final shape regardless of how far they had to come to get there. Some made changes comparable to the transformation competitors. Others were maintaining a venus figure, while others still were making the change and pushing through those ‘last 10lbs’ to get to their VI body…so here they are.

Venus Index Open Contest 1st Place: Katherine J

Venus Index open 1st Place Katherine J

Venus Index 1st Place Katherine

Katherine looks fantastic!

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Venus Index Open Contest 3rd Place: Stephanie S

Venus Index Open 3rd Place Stephanie S

Venus Index 3rd Place Stephanie S

Stephaine Venus Index Open

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Venus Index Open Contest 4th Place: Denise D

Venus Index Open 4th Place Denise D

Venus Index 4th Place Denise

At 58 years young Denise is proof you can be a Venus at any age

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Venus Index Open Contest 5th Place: Suzanne M

Venus Idnex Open Contest 5th Place Suzanne M

 

Venus Index 5th Place Suze M

Venus Index Open Suze M

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Venus Index Open Contest 6th Place: Caroline S

Venus Index Open 6th Place Caroline S

Venus Index 6th Place Caroline S

Caroline S Venus Index Open

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A final congratulations to all who competed. If you see your picture on this post, expect to be getting an email from me to schedule an interview!

John

p.s. If you want to get your hands on the systems that helped these ladies made their fabulous transformations, just go here to see if the Venus Index Systems are for you!

Filed Under: Contest, transformation Tagged With: , ,

How to Get Into Starvation Mode

August 15, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Starvation Mode. We’ve heard about it and now we’re going to give you a step by step guide on how to get into it.

Popular fitness media would have you believe that starvation mode is something you can fall victim to within a few hours after eating a meal.

This poster from the Minnesota Experiment shows you what starvation mode looks like

Common recommendations include eating every 3 hours, making sure you eat enough protein, eating a mixed macro nutrient ratio, paying attention to post workout nutrition etc.

These recommendations might be applicable to people who are experiencing true starvation mode… so how do you get there?

First of all starvation mode isn’t defined by the timing between meals, or the protein content of your meals, or even the amount of calories you eat.

Starvation mode as defined by the time when your body stops being able to metabolize fat for energy and turns to lean body mass – and happens at a
specific and measurable body fat mass.

For the vast majority of normal healthy people, there is no danger of ever being in true starvation mode.

Competitive bodybuilders and highly trained military personnel are likely the only people who can and will approach body fat levels low enough to experience true starvation mode.

Men and women each have a scientifically determined critical bodyfat mass, and an interesting area of research seems to indicate that as we approach these critical body fat mass levels we also start to experience true starvation mode.

In today’s podcast, we’ll discuss what these critical body fat levels are, and what it takes to get this low.

John

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Set a Goal and Take it Seriously: Interview with Lauren Jacobsen

August 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment

In order to make a real with your body or your life you  first have to set a goal. The next step it to actually take your goal seriously. You’ve only got yourself to be accountable to and you’ve got to come up with your own reasons to take action.

Once you’ve got these two items in place you can achieve more than you ever thought possible.

Lauren's competition condition is extreme.

Going through the process of changing your body will also change your mind. You’ll learn about yourself, your limits, your strengths, your weaknesses, and how strong you really can be.

In a sense, taking your body to the next level will show you that you can also take your life to the next level…but you’ll never know what you’re capable of until you try.

In todays podcast I interview Lauren Jacobsen. She is a top amateur figure competitor and she shares her insights into the world of figure competitions and what it’s like to transform both her body and her mind.

We talk about her on and off season dieting and contest training and how her approach has changed over the years. Lauren explains that her overall capacity to handle more work and a diet that keeps her lean year round has changed from being a temporary “contest prep diet” into a lifestyle. If you stick to it long enough it eventually becomes a part of who you are.

Lauren definitely works hard and gets into world class shape, but you’ll find that she’s still grounded in who she is and knows that you’ve got to have your own reasons for getting in shape.

It doesn’t matter if you’re competing for your pro card, getting ready for a wedding/special occasion, or just trying to get

A softer look in her modeling shots.

into your best shape over the next 2-3 months. The rules of the game are the same. Set a goal, take it seriously, surround yourself with people who will support you and there’s no telling how far you can get.

It’s the challenge that forces you to grow and learn.

You can catch up with Lauren on her facebook fanpage here:

Laurens Facebook Fan Page

John

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Getting into “Stage” Contest Shape, Tracking Results is Key: Interview with Don Gauvreau

August 1, 2011 by 1 Comment

Prepping for a bodybuilding or fitness show is an inexact science. There are different ways to do it and different schools of thought on what is the best approach. Over the next few weeks I will be interviewing some of the best in the business at getting people into contest shape.

Today I interview Don Gauvreau. He’s has extensive experience formulating and developing sports supplements and has recently started his own brand of supplements. You can check them out here: Pharma Freak

Donny G definitely knows what it takes to get into contest shape.

Besides his own competitions, Don has coached many top level bodybuilders and fitness/figure competitors through their pre-contest diet/training to prepare for a show.

In this interview Don will give his advice and insights on the process of getting in shape for a show. We’ll talk about training intensity, volume, cardio, and how to make adjustments along the way.

We’ll also discuss the effect of changing diet along the way and what seems to work and what doesn’t.

At the end of the day there is no rules about what to do beyond what is working vs what isn’t working. This is the hardest thing for most people to grasp as we all want the final answer on what to do. The real answer is everyone’s body is slightly different and what works best for you may not work best for someone else.

With that said there are likely going to be some general guidelines for where to start, but after that, it’s all about recording and tracking your progress.

Tracking progress will allow you to make an objective determination of what worked and what didn’t. This is the single most important thing to solving the muscle building and fat loss riddle of your own body.

John

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Filed Under: Contest, Podcast, Uncensored Podcasts S01 Tagged With: ,

Steroids. Who is Using them? More people than you think!

July 25, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Testosterone. Growth Hormone. Insulin. Insulin Like Growth Factor. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG). Thyroid Hormone, Gamma Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB). Clenbuterol. Aldactone, Lasix (diuretics).

This is just a short list of the drugs that characterize the bodybuilding and fitness industry, as well as professional athletes and celebrities.

More people are on these drugs than you think

People at the very top of their professions use drugs just like the people who are at the entry level looking to get their foot in the door. From MVP baseball players like Alex Rodriguez, to 5 time olympic gold medalist Marion Jones, to iconic Hollywood celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, all have admitted using some sort of drug. (makes you wonder if anyone at the top can do it without some ‘help’)

Without a doubt more people use them than you think. It becomes obvious on top level bodybuilders – but it’s not so obvious when a pro athlete uses something for recovery, or when a celebrity uses something to redefine their look for an upcoming role.

The legal status of these drugs does not deter any of theses people from using them for their obvious performance enhancing and physique enhancing benefits.

They simply do what it takes to achieve the level of condition/performance that their given industry requires. It’s not a moral decision, it’s not a decision about integrity. It’s about staying competitive in their chosen fields.

In today’s podcast, I talk to our industry insider about the world of performance and physique enhancing drugs. We’ll get the lay of the land as it is today and discuss just how pervasive drug use is in each of these industries.

John

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