Interview

Meet VT19 Winner “Miss Consistency” Stacy

May 7, 2017 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

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:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Contest, fat loss, Health, Interview, motivation, Podcast, transformation, Uncategorized Tagged With: diet for weight loss, The Venus Factor, transformation contest, Venus Index, Venus index Transformation, Venus Index Workout, weight training

And the VT19 Contest Winners are IN!

April 20, 2017 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

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:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Bodyfat, calories, Contest, fat loss, Interview, transformation, Uncategorized, weight loss Tagged With: The Venus Factor, transformation contest, Venus Index, venus index contest, Venus index Transformation, Venus Index Transformation Contest, weight training

Pick One Thing

March 6, 2017 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

Jackie learned to start with just one thing. It doesn’t have to be “all or nothing”, in fact most of us women need to ditch the all or nothing mentality about getting into the shape we want.

“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.”

Jackie got control of her life. She still does the Venus workouts and it’s the perfect tool that empowers her life to the fullest.

Here’s what Jackie wrote in her contest essay:

My Experience with the Venus Factor System: My Venus Transformation journey began in March 2015 at 190 pounds and what started as a desire to lose weight and get fitter has become much more. My confidence and self-esteem have improved. I have significantly more energy, I am physically stronger, and I am more resilient.

Initially, I was overwhelmed with all of the material and where to start. I thought, “What’s one action I could take?” I would figure that out, and I would do that and then ask myself, “OK, what’s next?” I had many stops and starts along the way. In the beginning, the exercises seemed really difficult to me. I was so embarrassed about how I looked; there was no way I was going to a “beautiful people” gym in Los Angeles to work out.

One of my steps was to figure out what I needed to work out. I ordered some small dumbbells (3, 5, 8 pounds) and I had a mat and an exercise ball. Doing something had to be better than doing nothing, so I go up in the morning and went out to my garage and attempted the workouts without weights at first. I tried working out at different times and found that in the morning before work was the time I would most consistently hit.

The exercise ball was my nemesis. The video doesn’t show how to get on the ball. I kept rolling off and looking quite ridiculous. In the beginning, I could barely do a modified plank on my knees. At first, my goals were to get 3 workouts in during a week. I noticed that I was proud of myself on those days when I got up and worked out. I felt proud of myself on the day after the workout when I was going slowly up the steps because I was sore from lunges instead of because I was short of breath and joints hurting.

Eventually my goal became to get through an entire 12-week program without missing any workouts. I would look ahead at my schedule for the week and decide what days were best. I figured out how to do the workouts in the hotel gyms while on travel. I was so excited when I outgrew my dumbbells and upgraded to the Bowflex dumbbells and have a bench, and barbell too.

During VT18, I was on the Venus Final Phase. I started training for a ballroom dance performance and competition and was challenged to a 22-pushup challenge for 22 days by a friend. I was thinking to myself, I was in a fitness contest, of course, I need to accept the challenge. There’s no way I would have even considered that that in the beginning. While training for the dance performance, I injured my foot (October 2016). My foot was in a boot for a week. I couldn’t dance, but the timing worked out that I could still do the workouts. I was explaining to the doctor that I was preparing for a competition and asking what I needed to do to get back. As she was telling me what I needed to do, she said that she finds it difficult to work with athletes when they don’t heed medical advice. I’m not sure what else she said – I had never been called an athlete before! That made my week!

One day I was talking to my daughter, and she stops and says, “Mom, look at your calves!” and started commenting on the definition of the various muscles. While I’ve enjoyed the workouts and feel stronger and happier, tracking food was a challenge for me. In the beginning, I started realizing how much of what I did was centered around food. Right outside my office was the snack area and I called it the “cookie gauntlet”. I would avoid eye contact. I discovered I had more success when I packed my lunches in advance. I could have what was in my lunchbox, and I was OK. I discovered I had trigger foods. The one cookie turns into more, then I be tired and plop on the couch in front of the TV and continue to eat.

Looking ahead at my schedule helped too – I would put my eat up days on days with business lunch or special dinner. MyFitnessPal app made it much easier to track, but I needed to work on consistency. I would make progress in weight loss when I did track. I noticed that on days when I knew I was going over, tended to be the days that I wouldn’t track. Maybe it was because I didn’t want to write it down. I realized that I would not be able to save the day if I didn’t actually track.

At first the 1000 calories seemed so low. I also felt that I couldn’t focus at work at 1000 calories, but at 1100 – 1200 my brain checked back in. As long as I stayed below maintenance, I was OK and knew that the loss would not be as fast.

Breakfast was difficult for me to skip, but I also found that running around after work that I didn’t have to have dinner, or I could have a much smaller portion. For me, cutting down on TV time resulted in cutting down on mindless eating in front of TV.

In the beginning, I started by just taking one action at a time and making it a habit. I was feeling better and losing some weight but I didn’t think the target measurements were achievable.

I felt better for each improvement. 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.

-Jackie

I love what Jackie has done. Is she not beautiful? She proves that this can be done at any age. You do have the power within you!

Listen to Jackie talk about her experience and how her life is empowered with health, happiness, and agility. You can listen now or download for later:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Bodyfat, calories, Contest, Diet, Exercise, fat loss, Food, Health, Interview, Podcast, weight loss, Weight training Tagged With: bodyfat, Fit at 50, goal setting, The Venus Factor, Venus Index, venus index contest, Venus index Transformation, Venus Index Transformation Contest, Venus Index Workout, weight loss, weight training, working out for shape

Teresa used Venus to unwind 35 years of fad diets.

November 8, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

Teresa had to unwind 35 years of fad diets!

Teresa placed in our last transformation contest and here’s what she wrote in her own words:

After 35 years of battling with food and exercise I have won! Venus has helped me conquer this lifelong struggle which I never thought was possible. Due to the Venus program I’m healthier, happier and have a new confidence that permeates everything!

I’ve been more successful at work, and my relationships with friends and my family have improved. This is because I have put my health first. I have an extremely stressful full -time job that requires travel. I’m married and have 3 young boys, ages 12, 9 and 7. There are so many distractions and excuses to not take care of myself and for so long I gave into them.

Once I decided that my health and how I feel about myself come first, I am happier, I’m centered which benefits everyone around me. I started this journey approximately 28 weeks ago and I KNOW that I will continue it for the rest of my life. I lost 20 lbs and 21.5 inches, I still can’t believe how much my body has changed!

I am 46 and when I started Venus I was fatigued by diet and exercise. I wasn’t sure if I could do it, if I could try again. Something changed when I heard John’s sister’s story, I was moved and I thought maybe I can do this. I decided with conviction that I would fully commit one last time, I would go all in! This time was going to be different. I took a chance and said I’m going to follow this program without question. I thought what’s the worst thing that can happen…I won’t lose weight? I said to myself, no excuses, no turning back and let’s see.

Not only did I lose weight, which in the end, doesn’t matter so much to me, I changed my body and I changed the way I eat. I didn’t have to give up food that I enjoy, I mean NOTHING! What a revelation! I modified and measured and planned and was careful. I was shocked at how well I did during the first 12 weeks and that I didn’t feel deprived at all.

I was so excited I wanted to continue my journey and I’ve almost completed the Final Phase program. I utilized all the elements of the program; the community, podcasts, diet suggestions, and the work-outs. It’s perfect if you like a program that has a variety of ways to connect with the information and the sponsors. The Community was an amazing outlet and my fellow Venus sisters and coaches supported me. Knowing they were there, that I could check in every day helped me feel less alone and motivated.

Due to the technology, you can access Venus anywhere, anytime and it TRULY changed my life. I have lost and gained weight so many times in my life I really can’t count. I’ve tried every program on the planet, Weight Watchers, Diet Center (old..i know), Body for Life, Detoxes, South Beach, Zone, the list goes on and on. I’ve even had a personal trainer. While some things worked here and there, nothing was sustainable. Several factors contributed to my success on this program, the single most important for me was that my relationship with food changed.

Venus allowed me to think about food and exercise in a completely different way. I have always enjoyed working out but I was one of those people who thought cardio was the only way and I had not done much weight training.

Now, I sincerely look forward to weight training and the impact it has on the body is FANTASTIC! I’ve slowly incorporated cardio back into my life but now it’s just for enjoyment, it’s not about needing to burn 100’s of calories. I’ve learned so much from Venus about myself and about the workings of the human body.

I am no longer a slave to the scale, it does NOT define me. I don’t mind feeling hungry, in fact I like it now. My body continues to change and I see muscle definition that was NEVER there before! I know that I will never go back to my old ways. I know this because throughout the last 6 months, I’ve been tested.

I’ve had bad days, I’ve had a week or two that I didn’t work out at all. Nothing happened! I didn’t completely fall apart, I didn’t unwind, and I just got back to handling my food and work outs. Because of Venus I have the tools to manage my weight and food.

I love the support and friendship of the community, there are so many resources available to aid in your success. You just have to want it, and before you know , you will have a new sculpted body that others envy.

Just imagine and take the leap, if I can do it, ANYONE can!!

VT18 is winding down and we at the Venus Factor want to see you succeed. I’ll be making a new contest schedule for next year soon. The next contest will be in Mid January 2017. Stay tuned for updates.

The deadline for VT18 is midnight Eastern Time November 21st. Enter your final pictures HERE.

Dieting for weight loss is hard for everyone so don’t feel alone. It will require some sacrifice. No one achieves their goal without hard work and some sacrifices.

If you want help with the last few weeks of the Venus contest feel free to join my Venus Factor Contest Prep Facebook Group. I will help you every step of the way. Any Venus contest competitor is welcome to join.

Listen to what Teresa had to say in her interview, she is an absolute pleasure, or save the podcast for later:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Bodyfat, calories, cardio, Contest, fat loss, Health, Interview Tagged With: diet for weight loss, goal setting, The Venus Factor, transformation, transformation contest, venus index contest, Venus index Transformation

The last 10 pounds at 54, Meet Lisa

October 10, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

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!

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!

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Contest, Interview, motivation, Podcast, transformation Tagged With: diet for weight loss, The Venus Factor, transformation, transformation contest, venus index contest

All the Girls Who Dream; Meet Monica

September 26, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

Monica is achieving her dream of being a personal trainer, with the help of the Venus program.

To some people this may not seem like a lot, but to Monica her young life prior to Venus was stealing her dream. In reality, everyone who has more weight to lose can finally reach the last 10-15 pounds and find the struggle is much like Monica’s. This last stretch has it’s own set of struggles. The tools learned in Venus will apply even more critically at this stage of the game.

Not knowing how to navigate the over abundance of food in modern society was hindering Monica from achieving her dreams, but now she has overcome victoriously!

Monica always had this dream of helping others.

Here’s what Monica wrote about the Venus Factor:

My experience with the Venus Factor has been the absolute best weight loss/healthy lifestyle experience I have had. For such a long time I had focused on various diets or popular approaches to weight loss, but I was unwilling to take the challenge to count calories.

I was also ignorant of how many calories I ACTUALLY NEEDED on a daily basis! Especially knowing my maintenance calories has helped me to keep from just gaining all the weight back. In the past I did some extreme things to lose weight, but I had no idea what my maintenance calories were so I would eat as I was used to eating and would gain it all back.

After joining the Venus Factor, I saw results that I could rely on, and I learned skills and patterns of living that I have incorporated into my day to day life that also have enabled me to KEEP the pounds off! In these last 12 weeks of counting my calories (which, believe me, I used to HATE doing!)

I actually came to my husband and told him how much I enjoyed counting calories because it enabled me to eat snacks and goodies that I used to think were devastating for me, but now I can eat them as long as they fit into my calorie budget.

Food doesn’t control me anymore. I am in charge of choosing and deciding what and how much I will eat and it has brought so much more enjoyment and freedom!

I used to be afraid when I would go to someone’s house or a restaurant and not know what they were going to feed me because it could “ruin” all my efforts! Instead, now I just take into account my plans and I just eat a bit less before and after those meals and leave enough calories for those meetings.

Monica knows the importance of having support and giving support.

Again, freedom is the word I would use to describe my journey with Venus Factor. Its been amazing!

My husband has also been overwhelmingly appreciative of the Venus Factor as it has kept me from “yo-yo” dieting and has helped me to have a more balanced emotional perspective to my personal fitness goals.

The Venus Factor has also provided helpful and motivational community as well as appropriate and accurate information which helped to guide me toward effective weight loss.

I am a personal trainer and now I am pointing others toward the Venus Factor too, so that they can finally see REAL results!

You can find me on Facebook!

-Coach Monica!

Monica has achieved her dream!

“My husband has also been overwhelmingly appreciative of the Venus Factor as it has kept me from “yo-yo” dieting and has helped me to have a more balanced emotional perspective to my personal fitness goals.”

Listen to Monica’s inspiring podcast now, or download it for later:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Diet, Exercise, fat loss, Food, Interview, Podcast, Weight training Tagged With: diet for weight loss, The Venus Factor, transformation contest, venus index contest, Venus index Transformation

From 250 pounds to Fitness Coach in one year

September 5, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

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.

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.

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!

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

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:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: change, Contest, fat loss, Interview, transformation, Uncategorized Tagged With: The Venus Factor, transformation contest, Venus Index Contest Interview, Venus index Transformation, Venus Index Transformation Contest

VT17 Contest Winners Announced (beautiful pictures included)

August 15, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

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

Second place – Lisa

Third Place – Kimmy

Fourth Place – Teresa

Fifth Place – Amy

Sixth Place – Anita

Seventh Place – Elizabeth

Eighth Place – Melissa

Ninth Place – Monica

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.

Tenth Place – 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!

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?

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:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Contest, fat loss, Health, Interview, Uncategorized Tagged With: becoming a venus, diet for weight loss, Fit at 50, goal setting, The Venus Factor, Venus index Transformation, Venus Index Transformation Contest

Previous VT contest winner is now one of our BEAUTIFUL cover winners

July 11, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

Meet Malissa again, she placed in our VT11 contest.

With only 3 weeks left in VT17 it’s perfect timing for learning from someone who has figured out how to do things after a contest and stay successful. Malissa has done an amazing job of maintaining!

Malissa is one beautiful woman who has learned how to keep going with the Venus lifestyle. She felt she over shot the mark a little during her previous contest. She has now found her happy size range and has learned to roll with the seasons over the years.

She’s pretty happy with her life right now!

Malissa’s diet has evolved, she found that she can’t eat as low as she did during the previous contest. What she eats has changed a little, and it ebbs and flows with the seasons. She has a tough battle as she works night shift as a nurse.

Malissa loves to share her recipes and workouts on Instagram. She is a constant source of inspiration knowledge and is very active in the Nibbles Fitness support group.

Malissa posts on Instagram daily!

It’s been extremely rewarding to watch Malissa grow on social media and gain a following. She’s found the Golden Ticket to happiness and health.

Here’s one of her recent recipe posts, yummy!

Check out what Malissa has to say about dealing with the ebbs and flows of life and maintaining. She’s proved it can be done, with class!

Listen to her podcast now or save it for later:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Contest, Exercise, Food, Health, Interview, Maintenance, Uncategorized, weight loss, Weight training Tagged With: becoming a venus, goal setting, The Venus Factor, transformation contest, venus index contest, Venus Index Contest Interview, Venus index Transformation, Venus Index Transformation Contest, working out for shape

Venus Veteran Kimberly Shares Her Secrets to Maintenance Success

July 4, 2016 by Liss Graham Leave a Comment

Kimberly has been using Venus systems for over 5 years and placed in Venus’ very first open contest.

Kimberly placed in the VT1 Open Category back in 2011

Since 2010, she has continually improved her physique despite health challenges and global relocations. Kimberly knows what it takes to maintain and improve your physique!

Kimberly, Liss, Jenny, and Lou Ann in Vegas

So when I thought about interviewing veterans about maintenance, this sweet friend came straight to mind. I have seen her in person and even worked out together; we got to meet in 2014 in Vegas at a Venus meet up. Kimberly looks every part Venus.

Liss, Jenny, Roly, Carla, and Kimberly after workout at the Cosmopolitan

Here is what Kimberly has to say-

During the VT1 competition back in Jan to April 2011, I set a goal for myself. An “Every Day Venus”. I wanted a body shape and appearance that I could have everyday. A body that was not dependent on heavy dieting, posing or lighting tricks. I wanted to learn a way to maintain a look that is athletic and lean….all the time. There is no doubt Venus has taught me that.

Kimberly in August 2011 After Venus Contest

I have maintained at Venus for over 5 years now. Every Day. At first it took some work and focus as I built new habits and ‘normals’ for myself. I was also a little scared about losing this new body that looked good and was strong and healthy. It took a while to realize that I didn’t have to be perfect and worry about things, I just needed to be consistent and gently correct the process when I got feedback from my waistband or body that I was slipping a little.

Kimberly in 2012 at Maintenance

My key learnings have been:

Aim for consistency not perfection. Don’t stress the small things; a big day of eating or a missed workout doesn’t matter. Intervening early when the pendulum swings out makes it easier to stay on track

Find a pattern to keep calories within your target zone as a lifestyle. For me it is easy to skip breakfast and eat normally the rest of the day. Look for low calorie substitutions you can use for every day eating

Lift heavy. You won’t look like a man and even if something does get a little more than you would like, it is easily reversed by changing exercises

Even if you have health issues, don’t give up. A strong and healthy body makes such a difference in managing symptoms and may even enable you to fix some of the root causes

Over the past few years I have continued to improve my metrics (refer to table). I am actually a little ‘extreme’ in my unders and overs. Each one of us is unique but we all have the potential to create our best body with this program. It is important to recognize that we all have our own look, and that you cannot ‘shop’ about for the best body parts from others. Celebrate what you have.

Kimberly in 2014 at Maintenance

In my original VT1 essays, I wrote “This is a competition and someone will win. Whatever happens, I have already won – I know my dream body, I know how to get it and I know how to maintain it.”

Five years on…..and I am still winning!!!!

Kimberly in 2015 at Maintenance using Venus Index

Kimberly’s Metrics Using Venus

Height 5’3.5″	Venus	May 2011 (VT1)	Current
Weight	122 lb	105 lb	110 lb
Shoulder	39.1	39.1	42
Waist	24.3	23.5	23
Hips	34.4	33.0	36.5
Bicep		9.4	10.5
Chest		33.3	34.5
Upper thigh		17.6	17.6

Kimberly’s transformation story Kimberly’s VT1 interview with John Barban – An Everyday Venus

Kimberly in the Venus Community

Watch Kimberly’s interview with Liss below:

Listen to Kimberly’s interview with Liss below:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Bodyfat, calories, cardio, change, Contest, Diet, Exercise, Health, Interview, Maintenance, Uncategorized Tagged With: Anything Goes Diet, body composition, goal setting, maintenance, muscle growth, Venus Index, Venus Index Workout, weight loss, weight training, working out for shape

And the VT19 winners are… Drum roll please…

First Place – Stacy

Second place – Dawn

Third Place – Karen

Fourth Place – April

Fifth Place – Netty

Sixth Place – Jennifer

Seventh Place – Kathy

Eighth Place – Dewina

Ninth Place – Nikki

Tenth Place – Tina

Cover Model Winners

Barb

Candy

What about online coaching?

And the VT17 winners are… Drum roll please…

First Place – Deborah

Second place – Lisa

Third Place – Kimmy

Fourth Place – Teresa

Fifth Place – Amy

Sixth Place – Anita

Seventh Place – Elizabeth

Eighth Place – Melissa

Ninth Place – Monica

Tenth Place – Heidi

What about online coaching?

When is the next contest?

Here is what Kimberly has to say-

Kimberly’s Metrics Using Venus

Watch Kimberly’s interview with Liss below:

Listen to Kimberly’s interview with Liss below:

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