transformation

Venus friend of a Venus friend sheds 60 pounds.

June 27, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Andrea

Andrea is still happy and enjoying life!

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

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Contest, Diet, Exercise, fat loss, Food, Health, Podcast, transformation, Uncategorized, weight loss, Weight training Tagged With: goal setting, The Venus Factor, transformation contest, venus index contest, Venus index Transformation, Venus Index Workout, working out for shape

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

June 20, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here’s what Tara wrote in her own words:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That’s a HUGE milestone for me.

I also know how to keep improving.

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

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

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

This is so MOTIVATING!!

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

-Tara

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

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

Tara is very happy and enjoying her new empowered life!

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: calories, Contest, fat loss, Food, Health, Interview, Meetups, transformation, Uncategorized Tagged With: becoming a venus, diet for weight loss, goal setting, The Venus Factor, transformation, transformation contest, Venus Index, venus index contest

Mom of four sheds the Frumpy with Venus!

June 13, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I decided to join the contest for some extra motivation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Scotti

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

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Contest, Diet, Exercise, fat loss, transformation Tagged With: The Venus Factor, transformation contest, venus index contest, Venus Index Contest Interview, Venus index Transformation, Venus Index Transformation Contest, Venus Index Workout, weight loss, weight training, working out for shape

Contest winner Tracey Brings Out Her Inner Warrior!

June 6, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

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

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

Here’s what Tracey said in her own words:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Tracey

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Contest, Diet, Exercise, fat loss, Food, transformation, Weight training Tagged With: The Venus Factor, transformation contest, Venus Index, venus index contest, Venus index Transformation, Venus Index Transformation Contest, Venus Index Workout, weight training, working out for shape

Venus Veteran Naomi Maintaining Awesome into her 50’s

May 23, 2016 by Liss Graham Leave a Comment

Naomi is a veteran Venus who has been with Venus since the beginning in 2010. She successfully transformed her body and has maintained, and even improved her physique over the past 5 years as she progressed into her 50’s!

Here is what Naomi had to say in her own words:

“Hi! I’m Naomi Sandoval. I live in the USA but I’m not fat. I really do look like this photo. It’s crazy. Sometimes I pinch myself to make sure it’s true! I grew up during the 1970s when being fat was rare. It wasn’t rare in my family though. We all accepted that once we became adults, we’d get fat.

I skirted this “inevitability” thanks to the 1980s gym bug. I used exercise to stay ahead of weight gain. Until my mid-30s, I worked out 5 nights a week for 1-2 hours and was a weekend warrior doing whitewater C1 slalom paddling on rivers all up and down the east coast. It was a fun time for sure! I was also happy to preach to anyone about my way of life. Funny how my coworkers, all parents, didn’t really look too interested!

Unfortunately, this plan requires that you stick with it; eating more than you burn is going to lead to weight gain. There isn’t any magic ticket. I definitely fell prey to the work it off mentality.

When I became a mom, gym time came screeching to a halt and weekend warrior exploits became a fond memory.

Like most people, I found becoming a parent so time-consuming that I was not able to stay consistent with my workouts and I fell into the trap of believing that the weight gain was a result of pregnancy. I was told to love and accept my new body and be grateful for what it had given me.

Yet every morning, before I got out of bed, I felt my bloated flabby middle and wondered how I’d gotten like this. I’d remember what leanness felt like and do some magical thinking that today would be the day I’d wake up and find out this had all been a bad dream and I was still lean and trim as I’d ever been.

I’ll grant you that having small children is all consuming and is no time for personal growth. But that doesn’t do anything to temper the niggling feelings of dissatisfaction when you see this in the mirror.

If you look at many of my before photos, I’m slumping because I was constantly exhausted and in pain and didn’t even have the strength to sit properly, my smile is not exactly dazzling.

I wish I’d known then that eating less doesn’t take up any time! Heck, not eating at all once or twice a week is a huge time saver! And who doesn’t enjoy the added bonus of saving money on the cost of food not purchased! Letting go of the mythical 2000 calories a day I thought I got to eat (which did require some mourning, I’ll grant you) and finding out how much I actually needed to maintain and how much I needed to eat to reduce fat was like discovering the Secret to Life, the Universe and Everything! I’d become immobilized because I assumed if it took years to put the weight on, it followed that it took years to take it off. In actual fact, the bulk of my weight came off at about a pound per week. Towards the very end, that rate slowed to about ½ pound per week or less, which is excellent progress to avoid fat loss rebounds upon hitting the goal. After all, fat loss does require focus and effort. There’s no need to risk needing to do it all again or worse, rebounding and concluding that diets don’t work or your metabolism is broken!

The other piece of my journey was becoming aware of brilliant Venus Index ratio research as outlined in the Venus Index Workout program. Simply learning what was still not quite ideal about my shape and how to continue to make improvements has made all the difference. Achieving the ideal metrics has allowed me to finally present my body with full confidence.

A most wonderful thing happened to my family after my transformation. My husband jumped on board too! I won’t lie to you. It’s not possible to change your partner nor force them to do something they are not ready and willing to do. I’ll share a little secret with you should you find yourself in the same situation.

There are free podcasts! All the research, all the experiences of the winners, it’s all in there. So all you have to do is pop one in while you’re in the car together or doing dishes and let John’s soothing voice wash over your unsuspecting partner. I’m telling you, this stuff is pure gold! And when you’re ready to get out of The Matrix, get the Uncensored Podcasts.

Happy Bonus Results of Getting Lean and Strong

Pain management. Gone are the expensive supplements for joint pain. So long as I don’t get sedentary, I rarely suffer any neck or back pain and now these are caused by occasional lapses in correct movement form. My posture is easier to maintain when my muscles are strong and developed in a balanced fashion as per the Venus Index Program

Energy. It’s a funny thing about working out. Expended energy begets bonus energy for every day living.

Strength. Before it was a job to do the most basic of things like get on and off the toilet or squat down and get something from the floor.

Success spillover. Due to the Attitude of Accomplishment from following simple programs and seeing consistent results, other areas of my life fall into place.

Family success spillover. We are now all exercising consistently and have improved our body fat levels. Through leading by example, the family lifestyle of health just is. There is no nagging nor persuading the kids to move and they understand about enjoying treats, just not every day.

Sleep. There is nothing like being healthy, movement and the feeling of accomplishment to facilitate healthy sleep.

Mental focus. Gone are the binge induced foggy afternoons. The losing the thread of the conversation.

I come from a time when it was not the norm to be fat. I see us winding up in wheelchairs like in the movie Wall-E and far sooner than we all think. I would like to be the touchstone you can believe in as you find your way on your own journey to your best self. I want us to reverse this trend and return to being lean. As with all growth, you must take responsibility for your journey. I am here to offer experience, wisdom and motivation. You do the rest.

-Naomi

Get in touch with me:

My WebSite where I blog regularly

My FaceBook Page – Naomi Rules

My Instagram Page

Here is my Venus Index community profile.

My first interview with John after winning the Open Level I Contest

My second interview with John after placing in the Open Level II Contest”

Naomi and John Barban at an exercise video shoot

Naomi Before Venus and After in 2012

Naomi before and after Venus through the years

Some pro tips from Naomi

Put your health first
Realize that you can improve your health at any point
Find a sustainable look for your lifestyle
Explore nutrition and fitness, you can always learn more

Naomi Maintenance Feb 2016

Naomi Maintenance April 2016

Listen to Naomi’s interview with Liss below, or download it for later:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: change, Diet, Exercise, Maintenance, Sage Advice, Shape, transformation, Uncategorized Tagged With: Anything Goes Diet, body composition, bodyfat, diet for weight loss, Eat Stop Eat, Fit at 50, goal setting, john barban, podcast interview, Venus Index Contest Interview, Venus Index Transformation Contest, Venus Index Workout, venus interview, weight training, working out for shape

Ali lost 64 pounds and 42 inches with the Venus program and is not about to quit!

May 16, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

Ali lost 64 pounds and 42 inches with the Venus program and is not about to quit!

Ali has tried many programs and has yo-yo’d with her weight like so many of us. But she says this is the best so far, she has lost 64 pounds and refuses to quit.

She looks amazing already, but why stop now?

She knows she can get even better, and more than that, she knows she can keep it off for life.

Keeping it off for life is the best part.

You can find Ali active in our online community where she posted her progress picture recently.

She posted a really neat video where she surprised her dad by showing up as a new smaller person!

Ali’s best advice is just do it and get involved in the online community for the best support ever!

Here’s what Ali said in her own words:

I’m on the last week before I hit my one year anniversary of doing Venus. As some of you may know, I am planning to surprise my dad this weekend for his birthday. I have not seen him since May of last year, two months after I started. The picture on the right is the jumpsuit I bought to wear for the big “reveal” to my dad. The pic on the left is from 2009, when I was at my heaviest. I’ve come a long way baby, and can’t wait for my dad to see the changes!!
I think the big reveal to my dad was very successful. I stood there for about 30 seconds before he turned around. My step mom and sister both had their phones going to record, but my step mom mouthed the words “you look great” while dad was piddling with his phone!

I have been stuck for the last month, bouncing between 171 and 172. Finally this weekend, I broke through to the 160s!!! 169.6, to be exact, but it’s another milestone on this journey!!!

What is truly amazing to me is to think back, to 2010 actually, when I started another weight loss program. At the time I started, I weighed 263#. I did that program for about a year, but because of the monthly expense, I quit. I had hit the 50# mark with that program, but gained back about 20 pounds before starting Venus. To think that since that time I have lost almost 100# is simply AMAZING! That’s like a whole other person!!!

So here are my current stats since beginning:

Weight: -64.2# (started 233.8, currently 169.6)
Arms: -3.5″ (started 14″, currently 10.5″)
Calves: -1.75″(started 16″, currently 14.25″)
Chest: -6.25″(started 43.25″, currently 37″)
Thighs: -6″ (started 30″, currently 24″)
Shoulders: -5″ (started 45″, currently 40″)
Waist: -7.5″ (started 37.5″, currently 30″)
Hips: -12.5″ (started 54.5″, currently 42″)
Total inches lost to date is 42.5!!!

Here’s a fun video of Ali surprising her parents with her 64 pound weight loss:

Listen to Ali’s story now or download the podcast for later:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: change, Diet, Exercise, Interview, Podcast, transformation, Uncategorized, Weight training Tagged With: body composition, diet for weight loss, goal setting, The Venus Factor, transformation, Venus Index, Venus index Transformation, weight training

Today is the start of VT17 of the Venus Transformation Contests

May 2, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

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

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

Here’s the duration of the contest: VT17: Start May 2 – End August 1

The link to join is RIGHT HERE.

What is the Venus Transformation Contest and who can join?

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

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

There are the other prizes too:

The Transformation Contest place has prizes for placements:

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

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

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

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

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

Never Settle!

Never Give Up.

Live Your Dream.

-Coach Roberta

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

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

VT16 Contest Winners Announced (beautiful pictures included)

April 25, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

And the VT16 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 – Kim

I am seeing progress. I’ve lost weight and inches. I’m getting stronger. My clothes are fitting so much better. I like the way I look. And the most exciting thing is I’m starting to see cuts in my arms. I may get those arms yet!

Second place – Gail

At 60 years young that I could still lift strong and lose the weight, as well as, being able to run up stairs, carry heavy boxes and just generally feel so much better. My grandkids and I do Cha Cha Slide Planks together!

Third Place – Scotti

I can now see my beautiful muscles and I love it. I am not finished yet. I have some more fat to shed and some muscles to build. I now have the tools to make this a reality. I am NOT a frumpy mom.

Fourth Place – Rebecca

I entered this contest for accountability I had no idea that Venus could give me the tools to change my life. I had no idea that because of that choice I would find a great coach and an amazing support group. I can never say enough thank you’s to Brad and John and Roberta, but I will try. Thank You sooooo very much!

Fifth Place – Andrea

I’ve done every other fitness program and this is by far the easiest program to follow and make sense of. You can eat what you want, this makes it easy to stick to when at social events or gatherings. Thankful to have found such a user friendly proven results lifestyle!

Sixth Place – Melissa

The Venus program is empowering because the workouts give me a new confidence in myself that I can succeed and that I will be the best that I can be. Thank you to the creators of Venus, the entire Venus community, and especially to my friend Roberta Saum.

Seventh Place – Brenda

I love this program it gives you an avenue to let this ole body thrive and not just the excuse “oh it’s just my body type” or “This is what happens when you get older”. This non-athlete is actually starting to see what may someday be abs!!

Eighth Place – Amanda

The hardest part is trusting the process when the scale doesn’t move as much as you think it should. It is a battle and as long as you trust the process and keep moving forward, you will see results! Thank you Venus-You have improved my life beyond what I thought possible! I can’t wait to see what is to come.

Ninth Place – Tracey

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

Tenth Place – Deborah

I am 58 years young and love this program. I love that Venus Factor doesn’t deem any foods as good or bad. I still eat mostly healthy food, but have cut way back on the amount. I was simply eating way too much. I was used to eating as much as I wanted. That wasn’t too much of a problem until I added in lots of butter and fatty meats, high fat dairy, etc. All fine if watching the total amount eaten! Following the Venus Program, I’ve dropped the extra 10 pounds and know I can keep it off!

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!

Vanessa

It is a hard thing to understand; but as your body composition changes, the scale may move up or not at all. Truly the measure of your success is at comparing before and after photos from all angles. I have learned that when you feel like you are stuck in a stale-mate you need to take updated photos and compare. If you are truly following the process, you will actually “SEE” the changes in your body. The number on the scale is just that…a number.

You can read about Vanessa’s previous Venus Contest success story HERE.

Helen

I think utilizing the tools that Venus provides for members truly allows women to take what we learn and “run with it”, if we so choose. That has always been the most important part of Venus to me, I am given the tools and I make the choices. During this 12 weeks, I continued the Venus workouts, worked on my nutrition, and although the scale did not change much, my physique has and that is what I was hoping for.

You can read about Helen’s previous Venus Contest success story HERE.

Malissa

Every now and then this ‪#‎mom‬ need to take off the robe, this ‪#‎nurse‬ needs to lose the scrubs this ‪#‎gymrat‬ needs to put down the Dumbbells and just feel like a girl.

You can read about Malissa’s previous Venus Contest success story HERE.

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 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 our Venus podcast.

When is the next contest?

VT17: Start May 2 – End August 1
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

Filed Under: change, Contest, fat loss, transformation, Uncategorized Tagged With: Contest, Fit at 50, goal setting, The Venus Factor, transformation contest, venus index contest, Venus index Transformation, Venus Index Transformation Contest

The final deadline for VT16 is next Monday April 11th

April 7, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

It’s so easy to let your mind go down a path of never achieving what those other people have achieved.

But that’s not true!

All you have to do is never give up and keep being your best.

They did not achieve it overnight. In fact they didn’t do anything extraordinary other than never give up on the little steps every day.

Keep plugging along with the basic steps every day, even when you don’t feel like it. We all have days we don’t feel like exercising or making the right food choices, but we do it anyway.

We don’t even have to be perfect. In fact none of us are perfect. We just get right back up again after we make mistakes. We just keep going.

That’s the only difference between those who succeed and those who have not yet. They just keep going and never gave up!

What about the contest deadline next Monday?

No matter what you feel like take your pictures before you decide if you will finish or not. Most people are shocked when they see how much their body changed. Sometimes you won’t know until you put the pictures side by side.

Your essay should be at least 200 words and can be as long as you want. You can write about your background and all the things you have tried in the past. You can write about how much weight you have lost since you started the journey (not just these last 12 weeks). Write about what you like about the Venus program, what your struggles were, and how you overcame them.

Don’t forget to read the contest Rules and Regulations.

The deadline on Monday April 11th is at midnight EST (Eastern Standard Time).

Just go to the contest link and upload your pictures, measurements, and essay.

If you have any problems or questions please feel to contact me via email.

I can wait to start seeing all the AMAZING RESULTS!

-Coach Roberta

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

What about online coaching?

When is the next contest?

VT17: Start May 2 – End August 1
VT18: Start August 22 – End November 21

Filed Under: change, Contest, fat loss, Food, Health, transformation, Uncategorized Tagged With: brad pilon, diet for weight loss, Eat Stop Eat, goal setting, john barban, The Venus Factor, venus index contest, Venus index Transformation, Venus Index Workout, working out for shape

Can that last pesky 10 pounds go at age 53? Heck yeah, meet Cindy

April 4, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

Cindy looked good before but she knew in her heart she could do better. Does it matter what everyone else thinks when you KNOW you will feel better without that last pesky 5-10 pounds? No, it’s your choice. It’s your body. You get to own it and you can do it!

Here’s what Cindy had to say about Venus:

My experience with the Venus Experience I really don’t remember how I found Venus. It could have been through Facebook or a Google search. That was in October 2014.

I read the program and first thought that eating 1000 calories a day was just crazy. It went against everything that I thought I knew.

And working out while fasting? No way I could do that!

And I felt like I knew what to do to eat healthy and work out.

I read a lot and do a lot of research. I thought I knew it all!

I am 53 years old and have always worked out. Years ago it was Jazzercise. Since then, I’ve done Insanity, P90X, and joined a gym. I’ve lifted weights, done HIIT, hot yoga, you name it, I did it.

I enjoy working out, that’s never been a problem. Most people would probably say that I was in pretty good shape. However, I had been hovering around 135 pounds, no matter what I did. I know that’s not overweight and some people would be happy at that weight.

But I’m 5’5 and am small boned, and always wanted to lose at least 10 pounds. One day, a friend of mine stated that he thought he and his wife look pretty darn good considering they don’t work out. At all.

I took that to mean that they don’t look that different that me, who works out 4-5 days a week! And I eat healthy! Organic! Gluten and dairy free!

I should look REALLY good for all the hard work I put it!

Fast forward to summer 2015. Again, I was unhappy that with all my working out, I still was at 135-138 pounds. I kept thinking – it must be hormones, or my thyroid, I had half my thyroid surgically removed in July 2013.

I started reading again how important it is for women my age to lift weights and thought, well you bought the Venus program, let’s do it!

And so I did. In the past I must say that I’ve kinda done programs but not exactly followed it exactly. This time, I said I”m all in. And the only reason I entered this contest was the accountability. Someone had to hold my feet to the fire!

So I started with eating at a deficit at 1200 calories. But then I read how going down to 1000 calories really made a difference. So that’s what I did. But it was much more easily done when I fasted from 8pm to 12 pm.

And I found that I sure could work out fasted, it wasn’t that big of a deal. The first 2 weeks I was a bit hungry, but after that I got used to it.

Venus taught me that I just ate too much. And drank too much. I really enjoy red wine at night, but those calories sure add up! Increasing my protein helped me be less hungry and have fewer cravings.

I was ecstatic when I saw the scale going down. I was blown away when my my waist went down by 2 inches. Woo Hoo!

My favorite part- is how I deal with special occasions and going out with friends. Just plan for it. I have fewer calories the day before and less the day after and I can still have a good time and most of all, I don’t feel deprived.

This is sustainable and it is my way of life. I kept up with HIIT workouts that I love, but have incorporated the Venus workouts 3 days a week. I have never looked and felt better. The workouts are giving the shape to my body that I have wanted for such a long time!

I love lifting heavy weights, and it is so empowering! I guess it’s the simplicity of the program that is so mind boggling to me. It just makes so much sense. Eat fewer calories and lift heavy weights.

There’s a part of me that’s upset. I mean, I have worked out for years, and not have had these results.

Another thing that I did was if I worked out (and somehow thought I exercised 300 calories) then I ate them back! I love that Venus says to forget that! Don’t think about adding back those calories. Because in reality we have no idea how many calories we really burned.

Many days too, when I worked out hard, I ate a bit more or had a dessert or had an extra drink because I thought I deserved it. Hey, man, I just worked out!

I have lost only 11 pounds but look so much healthier and shapelier. Venus was exactly what I was looking for. I am super happy with my results my I”m not ready for maintenance yet. I can still improve!

One of the main reasons that I first bought Venus is because I saw Roberta and her amazing body and transformation. She was my age and had muscle! That made me realize that I can still build muscle at my age.

Boom!

-Cindy

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Bodyfat, calories, change, Contest, Exercise, fat loss, Interview, transformation, Uncategorized, weight loss, Weight training Tagged With: diet for weight loss, Eat Stop Eat, Fit at 50, goal setting, john barban, The Venus Factor, transformation contest, Venus index Transformation, weight training, working out for shape

Venus friend of a Venus friend sheds 60 pounds.

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

Mom of four sheds the Frumpy with Venus!

Contest winner Tracey Brings Out Her Inner Warrior!

Venus Veteran Naomi Maintaining Awesome into her 50’s

Here is what Naomi had to say in her own words:

Some pro tips from Naomi

Ali lost 64 pounds and 42 inches with the Venus program and is not about to quit!

Today is the start of VT17 of the Venus Transformation Contests

What is the Venus Transformation Contest and who can join?

VT16 Contest Winners Announced (beautiful pictures included)

And the VT16 winners are… Drum roll please…

First Place – Kim

Second place – Gail

Third Place – Scotti

Fourth Place – Rebecca

Fifth Place – Andrea

Sixth Place – Melissa

Seventh Place – Brenda

Eighth Place – Amanda

Ninth Place – Tracey

Tenth Place – Deborah

Cover Model Winners

Vanessa

Helen

Malissa

What about online coaching?

When is the next contest?

The final deadline for VT16 is next Monday April 11th

What about the contest deadline next Monday?

What about online coaching?

When is the next contest?

Can that last pesky 10 pounds go at age 53? Heck yeah, meet Cindy

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