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Learn how to stay committed and motivated; Interview with Michelle

March 3, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Michelle-large-canvas-WEB

Isn’t she beautiful?!

 

One of the things that Michelle said in her interview that also worked for me; Stop looking at the scale and measuring tape and just hit the gym and your calorie budget!  It was actually the first time I’d heard of someone else following the same method I used to protect my psychic space, except she had Jake recording her metrics without her looking at the scale or tape measure!  How clever is that? What an awesome team Jake and Michelle make.  I loved hearing it.  John held up the interview for a moment to give us all a few words about the value of doing just that.

Just focus on the process day after day for weeks on end.  Just do what you need to do, and track it with on a calendar or online tracking tool – track the PROCESS.  If you know you are really doing the process and not eating extra that is not accounted for (diet is usually the hardest part) then it will work.  But you will not get the linear feedback that matches the linear day to day effort.  You have to be patient and wait for the progress.  Watching water boil or grass grow is no fun – do what ever else you need to do while waiting.

-Ro

Michelle placed First in our VT-9 Transformation contest.

 

In the end, I am completely shocked by the outcome! I have never been so confident in a bikini in my life! The best part is that without knowing it, not only was I losing fat throughout the program, but I started building muscle and a shape that I have never seen before and didn’t even know I had!

In the end, I am completely shocked by the outcome! I have never been so confident in a bikini in my life! The best part is that without knowing it, not only was I losing fat throughout the program, but I started building muscle and a shape that I have never seen before and didn’t even know I had!

 

Here is what she has to say in her own words:

My name is Michelle Hahn, and I am 31 years old. I have been self-conscious about my weight since I can remember and never remember feeling comfortable and happy with my size/shape.

 I have been exercising on and off since I was a teenager, and the closest I think I came to comfort with my weight was when I got married 5 and a half years ago. Even then, I remember wishing my stomach was flatter and feeling uncomfortable in my bikini on our honey moon.

 Over the following 4 ½ years, the scale kept creeping up and before I knew it, I had gained 35 pounds and was feeling horrible.

 I started trying different exercise and diet programs, only to fail again and again, which took a toll on my confidence in ever changing. And even after all my efforts, nothing fit, I had to keep buying bigger and bigger sizes, and was on the border between regular and plus size clothing. In November of 2012, my husband and I started seriously thinking about having children, and I really started to think about the impact my extra weight would have on my pregnancy, the baby, and the ability to bounce back after the pregnancy, and also about how I had never really felt good about myself physically.

 I decided that it was time to get in the best shape of my life, to feel great about myself finally, and to adopt a lifestyle of healthy eating and exercise to set an example for our child(ren) so they wouldn’t struggle with weight the way I have my whole life.

 First I tried a workout that was 3-4 days per week and concentrated on certain muscle groups in each workout. I was very consistent with that, started regular cardio workouts, and started counting calories. I eventually got bored with it, and my husband had found Adonis and started it in January, and he had great things to say about it and it sounded very interesting, so I ended up buying the original Venus program in March.

 I started the program and actually entered the contest in May, but at the time, I was in grad school and had a lot of stress and deadlines, so ended up missing workouts and gained back about 15 of the 23 pounds I had lost since the previous November.

When school was basically over towards the end of July, I rededicated and decided to enter the September contest. We had decided to start trying to get pregnant after we take a vacation in December, and I also booked a photo shoot for motivation.

Over the 12 weeks, I definitely had ups and downs. There were times when I had moments of weakness and went over my calories, but overall, I was pretty consistent with sticking with my weekly calories based on the virtual nutritionist calculations. I completed the original venus program and most of the final phase program within the 12 weeks by doing 4-5 workouts per week throughout the contest.

 I took progress pics along the way, and my husband was a huge support throughout the process, especially the last week. I also was lucky enough to have the help of Allen Elliott, who planned out my workouts and diet for the last week leading up to the final pics. Amazing of him to do that, and the results really showed in my final pictures.

 In the end, I am completely shocked by the outcome! I have never been so confident in a bikini in my life! The best part is that without knowing it, not only was I losing fat throughout the program, but I started building muscle and a shape that I have never seen before and didn’t even know I had!

 And what was great was that I just had to follow the workouts that were already designed to do that for me, and I didn’t have to consciously think about how to build certain muscles to create the shape that would look best, which is good because I wouldn’t have known how. It was crazy because I just followed the programs and by the end, I had a figure that hours of cardio and calorie counting (which is what I think a lot of women do to just get “thin” and end up with no shape) could never have gotten me to.

 The best thing about Venus in my opinion is that while it is definitely challenging, it is not impossible to stick with because it is not so extreme that the majority could not sustain it. And what helps with making it so easy to sustain is the variety.

 I loved how the workouts were different every day because I never got bored. For the first time in my life, I actually enjoy working out. There are times it is still difficult to get to the gym, but once I am there, I actually enjoy the time I have set aside to improve my body.

 And Venus is the program I will definitely stick with for life because it finally made me successful in getting the body and the comfort with my body that I’ve always wanted. I know it will help me maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout my pregnancies and help me bounce back more quickly afterwards. I’m just so glad I am finally done searching for what works.

 Contest inputs:

 Height 70″

 Start weight 167 lbs, shoulders 44″, waist 31″, hips 42″

End weight 147 lbs, shoulders 42″, waist 27″, hips 38″

After the contest Michelle enjoyed a vacation with her husband Jake.

After the contest Michelle enjoyed a vacation with her husband Jake.

 

Listen to Michelle’s interview here, and please “like” it when you’re done:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Contest, fat loss, Interview, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Beware of Fitness Goal Hijacking

February 28, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Michele and Christina on the left took me under their wing at the Spartan workout. Next to them is Andi who was our instructor for the day.

Michele and Christina on the far right took me under their wing at the Spartan workout.
Next to them is Andi who was our instructor for the day.
It was a really fun day!

What are your reasons for weight loss?

What are your reasons for embarking on this journey in the first place?  What are your goals?  Keep them in the forefront of your mind as you move forward.

I remember when I was frustrated, overweight, and obese for so many years.  My goal at first was simply to get back to health, maybe wear a size 8 or so (the smallest I’d ever been as an adult), and just be able to enjoy life and physical activities with my family the way I’d used to.

Since I started working in law enforcement I also wanted to be a super fit chick and be able to do all of the physical duties well.  What happened instead, to my absolute horror and disappointment, is that my weight crept up until I’d finally reached the obese category.

I hadn’t yet learned what the Venus system taught me; that there was nothing wrong with my metabolism – I’m just a tiny person.  Tiny people don’t need so much food. When you are overweight it’s hard realize how small you really are, but your height should give you a clue.

In general, when you are short – you are tiny.  Just because you have a lot of muscle for your height doesn’t mean you get to eat more (if you want to stay trim). My muscle is off the charts high and I still only get to eat the same amount as the average 5’1″ female.  That’s because muscle does not burn as much energy as your internal organs.

Even when we exercise many of us don’t really get to eat that much more either.  Of course we burn some energy when we work, but not nearly as much as all the HRM’s report. Even at 12% body fat I don’t get to eat that much more, although I do have to consider it more now when deciding how much to eat each day. I base the amount on how I feel – not a calculator or what some fitness guru says.

If I’m gaining fat that is a huge clue, in fact the only clue, that yes I am eating too much food if my goal is to lose or stay the same.

The bottom line is that you can’t outwork or outrun too much food.

My goals changed along the way.  I had reached size 8 before joining Venus.  Why did I keep going?  My friend told me about Eat Stop Eat and I wanted to learn WHY what I was doing for fat loss finally worked.  Through Eat Stop Eat I found the Venus Factor.

With Venus I found the goals to achieve the ideal shape intriguing and frankly I LOVED the workouts.  So with these two programs I exceeded my wildest dream of ever being fit. I even finally impressed some pretty fit guys at the Sheriff’s department and yes I can now do my physical duties well!

It’s okay to change your goal, but it’s important to think about why and make sure you don’t let your fitness goals get hijacked.

Here’s how I let myself get goal hijacked

I have a couple of examples where I still tend to get goal hijacked if I’m not thoughtful about WHY I’m doing what I do:

1) I sometimes still try to get to a size 2 – it is a goal hijack

2) I sometimes still want to test my race strength – it is a goal hijack

Neither of these fit my long term purpose; to be healthy, functionally strong, have a good quality life into older age, and feel good about my shape.  Yet I find myself striving for both of those at times and I have to pause and think about it.  It’s not wrong to pursue either of those, it’s just that sometimes I might have other goals and these may conflict with those.

When my dear husband Randy can see that I’m pursuing hijack goal #1 he sometimes shakes his head.  That was the size when I was 10% body fat for my Venus Transformation Contest pictures for VT3 and VT4.  When I tell Randy “but I don’t fit into some of my favorite jeans anymore!”, he replies “Then you bought the wrong size pants!  Go buy the right size!”

So I take a deep breath and realize I let myself get goal hijacked once again by going down a strange female emotional path.  We are all human after all. The best I can do is be aware that this is what happens to me and then get back on the right track. I just let it go and remember why I started this journey in the first place.

John likes to remind me that I already proved what I needed to prove when I finished my contest pictures.  I’m done.  I don’t ever have to do it again.  I don’t have to keep proving it.  I can just live my life now.  I’m happy and healthy.  But I am merely human, I get sidetracked with these hijack moments, and I am a bit hardwired to keep improving and be my best.

So I’ll just keep reminding myself that I’m living my dream already, and Randy will keep nudging me when he sees me veering off track.

I almost let my goal get hijacked again with Spartan races

Recently I almost let myself get hijacked again with #2.  I had started training a client who wants to improve her strength and get a bit leaner for Spartan Races.  I’d never heard of Spartan races before and it kind of sounds like fun, so I went to a Spartan workout event to check it out.  It was a fairly intense 2 hour workout.

I met a woman close to my age with the daughter of a friend of hers, Michele and Christina.  I had never been to one of these events so they took me under their wing during the workout and we had a fun picture taken at the end of the day.

When I checked in at the event they had T-shirts for everyone.  I’m pretty small, only 5’1″ and with the small T-shirt fitting kind of loose and being middle aged I could tell no one really thought much of me at first.

But as the hundreds of people lined up in rows and I blended in with the crowd for the 2 hour workout people around me started noticing me purely by my strength. With no prior experience I could pretty much do anything the instructor threw at us.

At rest we were supposed to hold the plank position. For example when the Spartan instructor (Andi Hardy) said do 10 pushups, she also said if you can whip them out quickly and it’s too easy then keep doing them or get in the plank position and rest there. Then she said if pushups are too easy (me me, yes, pick me! haha) then do the dive bomber pushups.

So I started doing dive bomber pushups. Then when she called out burpees I did the dive bomber pushups with those – and yes that finally got me tired out by then end. I was able to do the duck walk across the gym, alligator crawl, and a bunch of other stuff.

It was all a FUN DAY, I got a really cool T-shirt, I made some new friends (Michele and I are staying in touch), and I re-established my long term goals, but I must admit it aggravated the arthritis in my hips for over a week afterwards. I am 53 years old after all, and my hip problems are hereditary.

Here’s a video of the dive bomber pushup:

For me the day was a real testament to the awesomeness of the Venus Factor workouts.  Venus is all I ever do besides a little HIIT running and low intensity cardio.   Venus workouts made me functionally strong.  This is why I recommend the 3 day a week workout as cross training for these types of endurance races.

The reason I can even do the dive bomber pushup is a direct result of the Venus Factor workout, so I called it a Venus Factor dive bomber pushup – but it is not actually part of any of our workouts.  From now I will almost always do the dive bomber pushup when the workout calls for pushups.  Why?  Because I can – and it still fits my long term goals.

Michele has done several races and said she can tell I’m strong enough right now to any of them, even the long races. So I got caught up in the idea.  I almost let myself get goal hijacked again.

What happened after I paused to ponder my fitness goals

The week after this event was a reminder to me why doing this type of workout too often goes against my current goals.  Even though I’m strong and was able do whatever was thrown at me there that day – I paid for it later.  I’ve been a bit sore all week, swollen from the soreness, bloated, and extremely hungry all week.  So hungry that I know I went over my maintenance intake several days.  I also had a bit of fatigue induced insomnia (this happens more in my middle age) which also helped to increase my hunger hormones.

As disciplined as I am with food it’s not enough to combat this type of hunger.  It’s not an “I’m bored” or “I just want to eat more” hunger.  It’s a deep hunger caused by fatigue.  It’s the type of hunger that if I try to fight too hard I won’t be able to sleep and the hunger will increase.  Some of this is caused by the fact that I’m still extremely lean for a female (as shown with a DXA scan).

So I ate a bit more food, choose healthy food, ate it slowly and with purpose, until I’d had enough that I could sleep peacefully. I was not happy that I ate more than maintenance, but I know I ate what my body needed at the time.  This does not help me stay lean if that’s what I want, so this type of training goes against my goals.

If I do a Spartan Race it will be for fun with a team, maybe once a year or so. I’m pretty much done with too many of the ultra intense workouts that push me to extreme, make me fatigued, and increase my hunger hormones through the roof.  On occasion it can be a good test of my strength.

I just need to know that I will have a week of extra hunger, bloating, and aggravated arthritis after an event.  It’s not something I want to do very often.

On the other hand I could change my workouts to include some Spartan workouts.  I could condition myself to do more animal moves, burpees, climbing ropes, mud crawling, and spear throwing and I wouldn’t get quite as sore from an event.

But that would increase my core and as you can see from the video my core is pretty thick for a female even now at 13-15% body fat.  It’s not always so attractive.  It’s part of what I don’t like about my shape, and it is partly why I tend to want to strive for getting leaner and back to a size 2.   Another drawback for me is that my arthritis would still be aggravated by those types of workouts.

So again there is nothing wrong with deciding to do any kind of intense race or workout if it fits your goals and your lifestyle.  Even though it would be a totally fun challenge for me, getting competitive just doesn’t fit my main goal for fitness at this point in my life.

I’ve already achieved my fitness and shape goals.  I just need to maintain, which alone takes effort and I’m a pretty busy girl these days.

What will you do to keep on track with your own goals and not allow them to get hijacked?  Remember your long term goals and why you chose them.

If you decide to change your goals think about WHY you are changing them and does it really match how you want to live your life?

Have a great weekend!

-Ro

 

 

Filed Under: Bodyfat, Diet, Exercise, stress, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

“Venus has taught me to live, not just diet”; Interview with Lou Ann

February 24, 2014 by Leave a Comment

“Venus has taught me to live, not just diet. It isn’t always easy, but it is beautifully simple: eat whatever I want within my calories, and lift weights. The most monumental mental shift I’ve made is no longer having an “all or nothing” mentality, meaning I don’t punish myself emotionally and then blow off the rest of the day/week/month because I screwed up. I can LIVE and ENJOY my life as a Venus!”

 

Lou Ann placed 3rd in our VT-9 Transformation contest.

Here is what she has to say in her own words:

Doing Venus is perhaps the single most empowering decision I’ve ever made. I’ve literally struggled with my weight since birth. Because I was very premature, my parents felt the need to feed me…a lot. Consequently, I was the fat kid. When I graduated college I’d ballooned to 225lbs and I’ve continued to yo-yo for 20+ years.

Jenny Craig (even became a manager for them!), Quick Weight Loss, South Beach, UltraFit…I’ve been successful losing on every one. I’ve probably lost 200lbs in my adult life, but this is the first time I have absolute confidence that I will maintain because Venus has taught me to live, not just diet. It isn’t always easy, but it is beautifully simple:  eat whatever I want within my calories, and lift weights. The most monumental mental shift I’ve made is no longer having an “all or nothing” mentality, meaning I don’t punish myself emotionally and then blow off the rest of the day/week/month because I screwed up. I can LIVE and ENJOY my life as a Venus!

I started this journey after seeing photos taken on my 40th birthday (UGH!) and deciding I WAS NOT going to look or feel that way on my 41st. Since beginning, I’ve lost 25lbs and now have less than 10 pounds to VI. I’ve already achieved my shoulder and hip metrics. If I never make it to my VI waist, that’s OK, but I’m going to give it my best while celebrating all I’ve accomplished along the way.

Height 67”

Start: Weight 174 pounds, Shoulders 56”, Waist 35”, Hips 42”

End: Weight 156 pounds, Shoulders 40”, Waist 25”, Hips 38”

You can find Lou Ann’s blog in the Venus online community and be inspired by her story.

 

Listen to Lou Ann’s interview here, and please “like” it when you’re done:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Contest, Interview, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

The scale does not matter when you have a stunning female shape! Uncensored podcast

February 19, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Carla has a stunning shape!

Carla has a stunning shape!
It is a perfect Venus Ideal shape which she got using Venus Factor.
You can have your own perfect ideal shape here too!

 

In today’s uncensored podcast John and Brad talk about the Venus Index Ideal shape, why it matters more than the body weight scale, and when it’s time to ditch the scale.  The body weight scale is a necessary tool when you need to take corrective action for being over weight, but once you get to a healthy body weight – typically for females that might be 30% body fat or less, it is not so useful as a tool.  In fact, it might be hindering your progress.

Proportions and shape matter more than the numbers.  It is the look that is stunning, not the number.  See that picture of Carla? It does not matter what she weighs or what size clothes she wears.  She happens to have the Venus Ideal measurements and shape.  Some of us have our best shape and the measurements don’t EXACTLY match the ideal – but they are close, and the look and proportions are still stunning.

We all have our unique gifts regarding our shape, and everyone can have a chance to achieve their best and most stunning look.  When you do, the measurements will be very close to the Venus Ideal.

I hope you enjoy the podcast as much as I did.  John and Brad plan to do more of these podcasts specifically for us ladies and I can’t wait to hear what they have for us in the coming year.

 

IMMERSION Clients May Login and Download Podcast Here

(If you are using Venus Index Mobile, go to the left menu -> My products -> right menu -> Uncensored Season 3 -> enjoy, you can assign star to add it into Favorites for easier access next time, if you don’t have access to Uncensored Podcasts you can purchase Immersion Package inside the App Shop)

Not a Venus Index IMMERSION client? Click here to find out more…

 

 

Filed Under: Shape, Uncategorized, Uncensored Podcasts S03 Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

You don’t have to be perfect in order to succeed at your fitness goals; Interview with Nadjia

February 17, 2014 by Leave a Comment
"One of the best things about being a Venus is the access to the community. I am convinced that the biggest part of my success was the support from other Venus women. It would be easy not to put myself out there or make myself accountable to these women, but I would not have been successful. I would say to anyone wanting to make the most out of this program to use the tools that are provided. Take advantage of the forums, podcast, emails, and don’t be afraid to ask questions!"

“One of the best things about being a Venus is the access to the community. I am convinced that the biggest part of my success was the support from other Venus women. It would be easy not to put myself out there or make myself accountable to these women, but I would not have been successful. I would say to anyone wanting to make the most out of this program to use the tools that are provided. Take advantage of the forums, podcast, emails, and don’t be afraid to ask questions!”

 

Nadjia placed 7th in our VT-9 Transformation contest.

Here is what she has to say in her own words:

I joined Venus in the summer of 2013 after hearing about it from Brad Pilon’s blog.  What I was looking for was an end to the constant striving for the perfect body. The striving was enslaving me.  I needed something I could realistically keep up well into my aging years, while enjoying it.

One of the first transformations was learning to accept the truth, and then act on it. I could complain or wish for things to be different, and that would keep me right where I was. I am learning to recognize that my body just doesn’t need as much food as I was feeding it. When I want to eat more than I need I try to figure out why, and then address that issue instead of just mindlessly eating.

Another attitude shift happened in the last half of the 12 weeks. I noticed that I stopped counting down until the end of the contest. I wasn’t thinking about it all the time. It had become a lifestyle instead of a goal. I consider the contest to be a time to stop and celebrate how far I’ve come. I will continue on until I meet my Venus metrics. Then, I will learn how to live in maintenance.

One of the best things about being a Venus is the access to the community. I am convinced that the biggest part of my success was the support from other Venus women. It would be easy not to put myself out there or make myself accountable to these women, but I would not have been successful. I would say to anyone wanting to make the most out of this program to use the tools that are provided. Take advantage of the forums, podcast, emails, and don’t be afraid to ask questions!

Height 64”

Start: Weight 129 pounds, Shoulders 41”, Waist 30”, Hips 37”

End: Weight 121 pounds, Shoulders 39”, Waist 28”, Hips 35”

 

You can find Nadjia’s blog in the Venus online community and be inspired by her story.

 

Listen to Nadjia’s interview here, and please “like” it when you’re done: Игровые автоматы бесплатно и загрузок дополнительных программ не нужно. Для игры в игровые автоматы абсолютно каждый посетитель нашего игрового зала, без регистрации и без смс. Выбираем сначала платформу автоматов, потом — сам аппарат. Вы можете играть бесплатно и без смс. Выбираем сначала платформу автоматов, потом . igrat-avtomaty-vulkan.com Игровые автоматы бесплатно абсолютно каждый посетитель нашего игрового зала, без смс. Выбираем сначала платформу автоматов, потом — сам аппарат. Вы можете попробовать игровые аппараты прямо сейчас, регистрации и без регистрации, запустить их можно онлайн без дополнительной загрузки. Игровые автоматы онлайн без регистрации, запустить их можно онлайн казино Вулкан .

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: cardio, Contest, Exercise, Health, Interview, transformation, Uncategorized, weight loss, Weight training Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

How to Walk the Calorie Tightrope for Fat Loss and Maintaining

February 7, 2014 by 2 Comments

I summarized my fat loss journey in the 3 minute video recorded a few days ago.  I mentioned how I learned the tricks about how to keep my shape. I learned how to walk the tightrope through the online Venus community.

 

About the tightrope…

So about the tightrope…

We get a lot of questions regarding how much to eat, when to eat, when not to eat, and how to time meals.  We have a lot of information regarding this, but it’s all just suggestions and things to try.  What really matters is starting somewhere; trying something, experimenting, and finding what works for you.  The answer is truly IN YOU.

It is like walking a tightrope.  No one can tell you EXACTLY how to do it, you have to step out and find your own balance.

Total freedom with food

We have total freedom with food;  we all get to decide what we put into our bodies and when to do it.  Never again do we have to allow someone else to tell us what and when to eat, or how much to eat.

What works for one person may not work for another person.

This is the main reason why our system is not a one size fits all DVD program; because there is no such thing.  Everyone is uniquely different with just a couple things in common;

  • We are human and we make mistakes.
  • We must all experiment and find what works.
  • We all need a calorie deficit in order to lose fat.  End of story.
  • We all need some resistance training to build our shape, improve our quality of life, and increase bone density.
  • We all have to learn to walk our own “tightrope”

 

Where you are in your fat loss journey matters

The calorie tightrope is slightly easier to walk when you have a higher body fat percentage, then it gets a bit trickier as you get close to your goal because of The theory of fat availability:

 

The Theory of Fat Availability:

  • There is a set amount of fat that can be released from a fat cell.
  • The more fat you have, the more fat can be used as a fuel when dieting.
  • The less fat you have, the less fat can be used as a fuel when dieting.
  • Towards the end of a transformation, when body fat is extremely low you may not have enough fat to handle a large caloric deficit anymore.

At the extreme low end, when your body fat cannot ‘keep up’ with the energy deficit you’ve imposed on your body, the energy MUST come from SOMEWHERE. This is when you are at risk of losing lean body mass during dieting (commonly referred to as ‘starvation mode’). This happens at extremely low levels of body fat, under 6% in men and 12% in women [Friedl K.E. J Appl Phsiol, 1994].

 

The good news about this is that if you are overweight you know you don’t have to worry about “starvation mode” because it’s a myth unless you have extremely low body fat.   Think about it; There is no such thing as starving fat people!

Even so, when you are overweight and embark on the calorie deficit for fat loss it is hard. It is corrective action for a health problem we all got ourselves into and it’s not the way we were meant to live our lives.  So of course it is not fun!  

 

Learning to walk your own tightrope

We can give you highly accurate guidelines like we do with our Venus Factor Virtual Nutritionist but it is just an estimate or place for you to start.  You will have to experiment, step out on a limb and learn to walk the tightrope.  One side is too much food and the other side is not enough food.

Our calculator does not tell someone how much to eat, it gives someone a RANGE to experiment with.

You have to look at the upper and lower limit, pick a place to start, then YOU GET TO DECIDE and will need to adjust depending on how your body reacts.  Remember, you have total freedom and YOU are the one in charge of your body.

No one can tell you exactly how to balance on the tightrope.  All they can do is give you a few tricks and tips.  Then you have to take a few steps and learn how to walk the rope.  You have a training rope, you have a safety net, and when you fall it’s not the end of the world.  You just get up and keep going.  Eventually your balance gets better and better.

 

The walk on the tightrope changes for you as you go along

The cool thing about our online community is that you can read stories about what works for others, and try something new and see if it works for you.  Some things will work for you, some won’t.  Some things will work for you now but not later, and then yet again it might work again in a new season of your life.

The balance constantly ebbs and flows, every day is different, every week is different, every season is different, every person is different. The calculator can’t give you the answer. Other people can’t give you the answer.  The answer is literally IN YOU.  You have to find it.

 

You are not broken!

Brad Pilon wrote something very interesting recently along these lines about how your body ebbs and flows:

 

A deficit is NOT a number less than what a calculator told you to eat. And a deficit is certainly NOT any amount of calories less than what you are used to eating. The amount of calories it takes to be in a deficit is also NOT fixed – it changes from day-to-day and month-to-month, depending on a number of factors including your activity level, body composition, age, and a whole host of other factors. It is a moving goal post that is and always will be defined by a loss of body mass.

If you eat a prescribed number of calories from some diet given to you by some weight loss coach and you do not lose body mass, you are NOT BROKEN, the diet was.

 

 

Brad and John are full of wisdom that they love to share with us in their blogs, in the uncensored podcasts they produce, and in our immersion coaching calls.  All of us in this community are successful in our fat loss journey because of what we have learned from these guys.  We all try our hardest to share what we learned inside the Venus community.

 

Will you step out on a limb and learn to walk your own tightrope?

As you embark on your weekend what will you do to further your progress?  Will you step out on a limb and starting learning to walk your own tightrope?

Remember to have some patience and allow your body some time to make the changes happen.  If you try to rush and are impatient it actually slows down your progress in the long run.

If you are in the “last 10 pounds” category it can take much longer per The Theory of Fat Availability.  Being impatient at this point in the game is a definite sabotage point.  If you really want to win this game focus on having patience.

 

On another fun note I took this picture this morning because it finally snowed here in the Sierra Nevada’s in California (it has been a drought here this winter).  If you watched the video you might have noticed the wind even though I was in a fairly sheltered spot – the storm was coming – and I was freezing in the video!

And yes, this is my back yard! 🙂

The weather changes fast in the mountains!

The weather changes fast in the mountains!

 

Have a great Friday and week-end!

-Ro

PS  The Venus Factor 2014 Calendar is HERE.

 

Filed Under: Diet, Exercise, fat loss, Health, Uncategorized, weight loss, Weight training Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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February 6, 2014 by

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If You Want to Change Your Shape, You Need to Change your Life: Uncensored podcast

February 5, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Denise is in her 60's so there is no excuse. She's learned to change her life so she can keep her shape.

Denise is in her 60’s so there is no excuse.
She’s learned to change her life so that she can keep her shape.

 

It’s February so the extra crowds in the gym might be slowing down a little now.  Any time is a good time to start your fitness goals, but the new year is a common time to start.

Some people show up in January hoping it will all be done in February, but it just does not work that way does it?  The problem with this mentality is that it is not life changing.  Real change requires you to change your habits for life.  You can’t just fix everything in one month and go back to the way you were living your life that got you overweight and out of shape in the first place.

The most important thing is that you are making a LONG TERM lifestyle change.

If you are going to make this step, it’s going to take a shift in the way you live your life.

The first month is the toughest, then it’s all about changing habits that eventually just become the way you live your life.  Over time it doesn’t take much thought, you just do what you need to do.  It becomes part of who you are.

Why is exercise is important?  It’s not just good for you, it’s a structure – like a steering wheel – it creates a mind-frame for changing your body.  It makes the day have something going for it, and gives you incentive to keep up with everything including good food choices.

The habits of good diet and exercise each feed on each other, it has a snowballs effect when you do both, and your progress accelerates and your life changes.

DIET (two diets):  Diet from food and diet from fitness media (limit your reading of fitness media).

Be patient because it won’t happen as fast as you want it to, but patience is what will finally bring you the results.

Today John and Brad talk about the Venus philosophy of weight loss and how to change your shape for life.

 

IMMERSION Clients May Login and Download Podcast Here

(If you are using Venus Index Mobile, go to the left menu -> My products -> right menu -> Uncensored Season 3 -> enjoy, you can assign star to add it into Favorites for easier access next time, if you don’t have access to Uncensored Podcasts you can purchase Immersion Package inside the App Shop)

Not a Venus Index IMMERSION client? Click here to find out more…

Filed Under: Exercise, fat loss, Uncategorized, Uncensored Podcasts S03, Weight training Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Have Venus, Will Run

January 24, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Running and Venus

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An annual family tradition

I ran my second ever half marathon this past weekend in Houston, TX. It has become an annual family tradition- which I would have thought was crazy and unattainable before I got fit with Venus. It is great to have a fit family but I have never been a fan of running. I have struggled with asthma my whole life and running tended to set it off, so I generally avoided it. I did learn to enjoy lifting weights thanks to Venus though. So when the whole family decided in 2012 to run a half marathon together, I figured I could do it too since I had made an incredible transformation during VT5. So we signed up.

The race expo is heaven for a fitness junkie

The race expo is heaven for a fitness junkie

My first attempt at running a half marathon

I trained for the 2013 Chevron Houston Half Marathon using a typical fourteen week prep schedule which involved cutting way back on lifting to make time for two shorter runs a week and one long run. I got so burned out. I started dreading my runs.

 

There was an added benefit to all the running. My asthma started to lessen over the next few weeks of training; then it disappeared all together. My doctor did a lung function test when I told him about the change. The results were stunning. All the running had increased my vital lung capacity to the point that it basically compensated for my asthma. We were both pleased by the outcome though surprised.

 

The higher levels of running did cause an unintended consequence. My hunger levels went through the roof. Although I was just maintaining my physique at that point, the hunger levels were difficult to deal with. I felt like I was constantly restraining myself just to maintain.

 

But the training was effective. Other than a brief spell of tendonitis that put me out for a couple of weeks, I did very well in the race much to everyone’s surprise- including me. I ran it in two hours and nine minutes.

After shocks

I was done with everything running-related after the race last January. I quit running for about six months and only lifted six days a week. No cardio whatsoever of any kind. I just could not make myself run, or do any cardio for that matter. I just wanted to lift so that is what I did. However, my asthma started to return- although it was better than before.

Best part of the race is what to wear!

Best part of the race is what to wear!

A new plan

About six months into my cardio ban, we found out in June 2013 that we were selected to run in January 2014 half marathon via the race lottery. I knew that I had to do something different this year because my burnout from the previous year was not good.  I decided that I would continue lifting as much as possible. What fit my schedule and my mood was to lift 5 days a week- Monday through Friday. Then on Saturdays, I would do one long run. I scaled my runs up slowly at a mile a week, then dropped it back right before the race.  Within a few weeks of resuming running, my asthma subsided again. My hunger was manageable. I had found my happy place.

My husband & I after the half

My husband & I after the half

I had my doubts with this new plan though. I was honestly just expecting to just finish. Maybe keep my time from the year before (2:09), or maybe slightly slower.  I just really wanted to beat my husband! I knew that lifting weights was beneficial to runners because Coach John had discussed it in both Roberta and Laura’s podcasts.

Race Weekend

On Saturday, we ran a 5K. I blew my previous 5K personal record out of the water, running it in 26:05. Almost a minute faster that my previous PR! And the funny thing was that I pushed it, but tried to hold back so that I would not be sore for the half marathon the next morning.

My running partner & I before the 5K

My running partner & I before the 5K

At that point, I knew if I set my mind to it- I could totally finish the half in under two hours. And so I made a personal goal.

The cool thing is that I beat my previous time by almost 13 minutes, and am proud to say my time was below 2 hours. One hour and fifty six minutes (1:56) to be exact. I even beat my husband and the rest of our family!

Weight lifting makes better runners

Coach John and Liss

Coach John and Liss

After the race, I was so elated and had to let Coach John know! He was happy for me and said that, “Runners don’t get that a stronger muscle has more endurance. They just run and neglect other types of conditioning.” I KNEW this in my head.  John discussed it in detail in Roberta’s podcast. It all made sense.

 

The best part is that I think I might actually enjoy running now. Even though there is no race looming in the future, I plan to keep my lifting and running schedule the same. My hunger is manageable. My asthma is non-existent once again. I found my “for now” happy place!

 

 

Filed Under: Health, Muscle Growth, Shape, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Why Right Now Is the Best Time to Lose Fat – Uncensored

January 22, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Liss gained fat due to the effects of our modern North American culture and learned how to take corrective action through the Venus Factor system. Not only has she lost the fat - but she has successfully kept it off with the Venus lifestyle.

Liss gained fat due to the effects of our modern North American culture and learned how to take corrective action through the Venus Factor system. Not only has she lost the fat – but she has successfully kept it off with the Venus lifestyle.

 

The experiment you don’t ever want to be in!

John and Brad are going to talk about an experiment you never want to be part of.  Yet it’s exactly what our modern North American society unknowingly engages in and is why our society is becoming obese.

I found this study interesting because I am an identical twin.  I’m really glad my twin sister and I were not a part of this experiment! Even so, I think I have experienced the same thing as the guys in the experiment simply by living in the environment of modern North America.  Like many of you, I gained a lot of fat due to not understanding the effects of our modern environment on our health.  The good news is that anyone who decides to can get their health back and the Venus Factor program is designed to help you do just that.

The study was done in Quebec in the late 1980’s. The subjects consisted of 24 sets of male twins with ages ranging from 18-27. They were sequestered in a university dorm for 120 days.  The experiment was to see what happens when you overeat by 1000 calories a day.   During this time they were not allowed to train -they were only allowed to walk for 30 minutes a day – supervised.  They only ate the food they were provided in a very controlled environment.

They were young men in very good shape.  Their average body fat went from 11.3% body fat up to 18% body fat by the end of the experiment.  The average waist size increased from 29.5” to 33”.

The average fat gained was 18 pounds, the fat weight gained ranged from 9.5 pounds to 30 pounds.  The twins in each pair had similar gains.  Everyone gained fat.

Why did some gain more than others?

Metabolism was the pretty much the same for all.

There was a fair relationship with testosterone preventing some fat gain – just a little.

Cardio training seems to help prevent future fat gain

Those that gained the least amount of fat were in the bestVO2 max cardio shape at the beginning of the experiment.  Remember they did not train during the experiment.

The cardio fitness has lasting effects; it seems to prevent or protect against weight gain.  Cardio doesn’t seem to affect actual fat loss much, but it seems to help prevent the gaining of fat and be a sort of buffer or shield against future fat gain.

Research shows it only takes 6-8 weeks of cardio training for both the up regulation of Vo2 max and the muscle enzymes responsible for increasing their oxidizing potential (or ability to burn fat), after which they begin to plateau.  A good experiment could be to have a block of cardio included in your exercise routine every so often, especially as part of primer before starting a fat loss program.

The bottom line – take corrective action and the sooner the better!

The dark side of the experiment is that everyone gained fat.  None of them ever got back to the level of leanness that they were at before the experiment.  They continued to gain weight over five years and ended up being close to what they were at the end of the study.

The bottom line is that no matter when in your life you allow yourself to overeat and gain fat, if you never do a compensatory under eat to correct it will never go away.  Corrective action must be taken, the sooner the better.

Don’t ever stop training.  Don’t let your waist size increase much. 

If you have corrective action to take – get serious about taking the corrective action as soon as possible.

 

To hear more about what John and Brad have to say about the experiment you don’t ever want to be in and listen to today’s uncensored podcast click on the link below.

IMMERSION Clients May Login and Download Podcast Here

(If you are using Venus Index Mobile, go to the left menu -> My products -> right menu -> Uncensored Season 3 -> enjoy, you can assign star to add it into Favorites for easier access next time, if you don’t have access to Uncensored Podcasts you can purchase Immersion Package inside the App Shop)

Not a Venus Index IMMERSION client? Click here to find out more…

Filed Under: Bodyfat, calories, Diet, Uncategorized, Uncensored Podcasts S03 Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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