Michele Carved Five Inches off her Waist with Venus

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You would never know it by looking at her, but Michele is a mother of three and grandmother of two.  At the age of 58, she came to Venus wanting to tone up her legs, but was blown away by the changes she was able to make to her entire shape.  It is unusual that someone comes to us with the nutrition component nailed down, but Michele’s mother had instilled in her the ability to intuitively portion control so it was the workouts that made the difference for her.

We talk a lot at Venus about stumbling forward because that is how life will always be.  There are going to be ups and downs and parties and hardships and it is our goal for you to walk away with not only an improved physique, but also with a few tools to roll with the punches.  You are stronger than you think.  Michele broke her toe during the first week of the contest and endured a major health scare, but she stumbled forward to success.  Her pictures are the undeniable proof!

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You can listen to her interview here:

Mountain climber, Amparo Used Venus to Sculpt Her Shape

Oh the patience and perseverance of this lovely Venus.  Amparo placed in our most recent VT13 contest and I had the pleasure of speaking with her recently about her transformation.  If you have ever gone weeks without seeing the scale move, I encourage you to listen in.  With quiet calm she remained determined and stayed the course each week without seeing the scale go down for ten weeks!!  Clearly changes were happening elsewhere.  Here are her before and after pictures:

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“I’m 57 years old and have been active most of my adult life.  I have run marathons and half-marathons; my passion is hiking which I’ve done but not enough to obtain the definition I always wanted. I’ve tried gyms, but it’s not my cup of tea.  I’ve tried personal trainers, but it gets very expensive, and really also it boils down to the fact that I like to work out alone. I found Venus Index thru Facebook.  It caught my attention with the explanation of the symmetry of the body.   Even though I was skeptical of the pictures and the results,  I wanted to try it, because it made sense.  I’ve tried it several times, never really completing the full 12 weeks of training, but this last time I decided to enter the contest to be accountable and the curiosity of finding out how much I could change my body. The weight came off very slow, it actually took 11 weeks for the scale to move, but when it did, I was ecstatic! Elated! So my journey will continue; it doesn’t end with the contest.  It was the platform I needed to give me confidence. Thank you Venus!

Here’s another before and after:

Screen Shot 2015-06-22 at 4.34.48 PMA big thank you to Coach Liss for joining us also.  We had a blast talking and Amparo gave some wonderful advice!

 

-Coach Jenny

Listen here:

Looking Good At 50 and Beyond – Lorie’s Story

During the phase of life when many women struggle with their weight and body image or just decide to let “nature take its course”, Lorie took a look in the mirror and decided that there was no reason she should settle for anything less than the best for herself. Inspired by all the changes she saw her own daughter make using the Venus program, Lorie decided to start working out with her so that she could learn for herself how to change her lifestyle and fitness for the better. What happened as a result? Lorie lost an amazing 24 pounds in just 12 weeks and she ended up placing in our recent VT11 contest. Here are her before and after pictures:

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In her own words, this 50 year old mom and grandmother told us, “I babysit for my 2 year old grand baby while my daughter goes to work. In that 2 years I have enjoyed eating way too many snacks, cokes and just about whatever I wanted. I did not go too many places, so I just wore my sweats all day and the weight has just crept up on me. I really was feeling depressed, and it was harder to run and play with my grand baby. I decided to do something about It. I joined the Venus contest, and now 12 weeks and 24 pounds later I am seeing muscles I thought were gone forever.”

lorie_after 1During her transformation process, Lorie learned how to change her eating habits and the way she thinks about food and snacks. She also learned that she actually enjoys working out at the gym and seeing the changes in her body and feeling the improvements in her strength and overall fitness. Now Lorie has committed herself to the process of ongoing and lifelong change. Pleased with her results, but not willing to backslide or ever give up, Lorie told us that she plans to keep applying all that she has learned so far and to keep working on her habits, lifestyle choices and fitness level.

Lorie has figured out what so many people never realize – that having a fit, strong and beautiful body is a lifelong “project” worth pursuing for the many riches it brings. I so enjoyed spending time talking with this wise and engaging woman who has so much to offer and share and we are so proud she chose to share her journey with us!

– Coach Lita

 

Listen to our conversation with Lorie here:

Today is THE DAY; Venus Transformation Contest starts NOW

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The 14th Venus Contest starts today and is a great way to get motivated to change your life.

It is about YOUR LIFE. Don’t you want to change it for the better?

All you have to do is own a copy of the basic Venus program to enter.  There is no fee to enter.  You can enter anytime during the next 12 weeks (May 11 through August 3), but you’ll want to take your pictures and measurements as soon as you can.

Here’s what you do to enter after taking those pictures and measurements:

Go to your downloads area.

Venus-Contest-Start-Downloads-link-and-Contest-Button

Venus-Contest-start-Contest-Dasboard

Venus-Contest-start-entry-form

Venus-Contest-Start-NonBikini-Form

If you need help with your transformation participate in our Online Community or if you Need a Coach you are welcome to choose the one you want when you sign up for coaching.

The online community is free to all Venus members and it’s the same login as your downloads login.  Remember that the more active you are with others, the more help you will get, just like in REAL LIFE RELATIONSHIPS, it’s a give and take.  At the same time there are many who will help you when you “come and go” every now and then.  There are lots of nice Venus ladies in there willing to help when they can.

If you are a previous contest winner and want to enter the Calendar Girl category simply enter your current measurements and previous contest pictures so we know to expect final pictures later.

More than anything, HAVE FUN, and enjoy the journey because this is a LIFESTYLE we teach and not a 12 week lose fat at all costs contest.

See you on the inside!

-Coach Roberta

And the Venus Contest Winners Are … VT 13 Winner Announcement

The 12 week contest only shows the small window of time at the end of their transformation.

The 12 week contest only shows the small window of time at the end of their transformation.

 

Before I announce the winners of the 13th Venus Transformation contest it’s important to note that what you see for the contest is merely the last 12 weeks of a long transformation for all of these women.

What makes our contests unique is that they are not fat loss at all contests. The focus of our program is to learn a sustainable healthy lifestyle. That is why it is important for so many to stay active in our private online community for women only.

Our program is designed to build your best female shape while losing weight at the best rate for yourself.  For many women that might only be 10-20 pounds in 12 weeks.  Our program is designed to help women keep their hormones stable while sustainably losing fat and building muscle tone.

In the weeks ahead you will have the chance to see and hear the bigger story for all of these new Venus winners.

Alright then, on with the announcement so many have been waiting for:

 

First Place – Kirsty

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Second Place – Karen

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Third Place – Michele T.

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Fourth Place – Michelle N.

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Fifth Place – Tracie

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Sixth Place – Amparo

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Seventh Place – Annette

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Eighth Place – Laura

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Ninth Place – Melisia

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Tenth Place – Michele A.

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Venus contest news; things are changing up for the better

Leanne before and after

Leanne before and after

 

The next Venus Transformation contest (VT14) starts on May 11th.  Do not attempt to enter your pictures before May 11th.  The contest entry form will open on the 11th.

The current contest winners for VT13 will be announced right here on the Venus Blog next Friday May 8th.

As many you inside the Venus community have noticed, we have a new online platform.  The team behind the scenes is making things better for all of us.

There will be a new contest entry form:

Venus-contest-dashboard-with-arrow-frame

 

Once you get there and click on the contest it will be obvious where to put your measurements and pictures.

The following will be needed from you:

  • Age
  • Weight
  • Height
  • Shoulders
  • Waist
  • Hips

 Pictures (bikini or two piece) used for primarily for judging:

1) Front – Facing camera with arms at your side

2) Side – 90 degrees to the camera with your arms at your side

3) Back – Facing away from the camera, with your arms at your side

The pictures need to be full body head to toe. It is very important that for your front, side, and back poses your arms are down at your sides but not covering your waist and that they are full body head to toe pictures.  Do not crop out your face or your feet.

4) Newspaper picture –   This should be a current issue of the national or local newspaper in order to validate the day you took the picture. You need to take a picture in this same group of pictures with the current day’s newspaper in your hand and the front page visible.

 

Pictures (NOT bikini) used for winner publications and future publications:

This can be in workout clothes, yoga pants, dresses, skirts, or whatever you are comfortable with that also shows your change in shape when comparing before and after.  We would like to publish more pictures that are non-bikini like Leann’s picture.

5) Front – Facing camera with arms at your side

6) Side – 90 degrees to the camera with your arms at your side

7) Back – Facing away from the camera, with your arms at your side

The pictures need to be full body head to toe. It is very important that for your front, side, and back poses your arms are down at your sides but not covering your waist and that they are full body head to toe pictures.  Do not crop out your face or your feet.

8) Newspaper picture –   This should be a current issue of the national or local newspaper in order to validate the day you took the picture. You need to take a picture in this same group of pictures with the current day’s newspaper in your hand and the front page visible.

So as you can see, there will be eight pictures to enter.

As you make progress during the 12 week contest look for pictures of when you were at your biggest weight.  We would like one submitted with the final pictures.

We will only use first names for all publications.

The only deadline is the last day of the contest, August 3rd.

All start and finish entries can be entered any time during the 12 week contest window:   May 11th – August 3rd

We look forward to hearing more progress stories and can’t wait to announce the winners of VT13

-Coach Roberta

Tiffany Found New Life When She Found Venus

Recently, I had the honor to spend some time talking with Tiffany who placed 3rd in our recent VT11 Venus Transformation Contest. Here are her amazing before and after photos:

Tiffany_BnA_Back Tiffany_BnA_FrontTiffany_BnA_Side

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Although Tiffany made incredible progress in just 12 weeks, like many of our beautiful Venus success stories, her overall process spanned many months and continues to this day as she works on maintaining her new body and settling into a new lifestyle that includes activities she never thought possible.

Faced With Adversity, Tiffany Fought Back!

You see, Tiffany started her journey back in early 2014 when debilitating joint pain sent her to her doctor looking for answers. Tiffany was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder and under instructions from her physician, she went looking for a program to help her shed some unwanted weight and improve her overall fitness. That is when she found Venus and never looked back.photo

Tiffany is not only a fighter – she’s a survivor. Facing crippling pain and a body that seemed to be crying for her to just give up, Tiffany refused to be defeated. Determined to improve her health, she made a plan of attack and fought her way through two 12 week rounds of the Venus protocol to get to her final results. Tiffany never made excuses and she never gave up!

Here is a picture of Tiffany’s complete “before and after” transformation. In just 6 short months of hard work, Tiffany went from being terrified of wearing a bikini to Bombshell Beautiful!

Stronger Than Ever Before…

Now over a year later, this busy working wife and mom of three active kids enjoys a lifestyle she never dreamed of leading before. Tiffany gave herself the gift of self love by fighting for her life and she got much more than an amazing physical transformation in return. She got her life back and she has a new found self confidence that can only be forged in the fires of change.

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Not only is Tiffany no longer afraid to wear a bikini in public, she bravely puts herself out there in other ways, too. An inspiration to all around her, Tiffany’s positive drive and determination has brought her family closer together and they now enjoy endurance training, weight lifting and hiking together. Tiffany even volunteered to coach for her daughter’s school basketball team! Clearly, she is perfect for the job because at the game of life, Tiffany is a winner.

-Coach Lita

Listen to our very special podcast interview with Tiffany here:

 

The deadline for the Venus Contest VT-13 is one week away; April 13

Come join our community of successful women!

Venus has winners of all ages!

 

What about “prep” for the Venus contest?

It’s totally up to you if you want to do any version of “prep week” before your final photo’s or not. It’s not a requirement and it’s completely personal preference. The Venus Factor “Slim in Seven” is a good program and not as drastic as the old school fitness competitor prep week.

If you decide to follow the Venus Factor “Slim in Seven” there is a daily diet protocol designed by John Barban. A lot of people ask how do they know what percentage their protein, carbs, and fat are? The best way to do this is to use a tool like Myfitnesspal to set your macro percentages. In the MyFitnessPal menu you can do this by going into your Home menu, then Goals, then the green “Change Goals” button, then select “custom”, then Continue.

 

To set your macro percentages in In the MyFitnessPal menu; go into your Home menu, then Goals, then the green “Change Goals” button, then select “custom”, then Continue.

To set your macro percentages in In the MyFitnessPal menu; go into your Home menu, then Goals, then the green “Change Goals” button, then select “custom”, then Continue.

 

Keep in mind it doesn’t have to be exact.  You can change things up depending on how you feel or how much stress you are under.  As you can see from the experiments of many of us what matters most is all the work in the weeks and months ahead of time.

Whether you are finishing the contest as a transformation, cover, or calendar girl you are not required to have a professional photographer.  Be proud and make your best presentation ever!  Celebrate your hard work and success by giving it your best effort and having pictures that you will cherish for the rest of your life.  It’s a record and a reminder for you on what you have accomplished.

Preparing For Your Contest Photo Shoot – Part 1: Posing Practice

Preparing For Your Contest Photo Shoot – Part 2: Photography And Lighting

Preparing For Your Contest Photo Shoot – Part 3: The Final Week

 

What to do with your final Venus contest photos?

When you submit your final photos the bikini type outfit will be used primarily for judging purposes only. Please feel free to submit other final pictures in nice clothes of your choice that still show off your new shape; for example a dress, skirt, jeans and tops, sports outfits, hobbies outfits like tennis, golf, yoga, etc.

We would also love to have a before picture that tells your full weight loss story so others can see that there is more to the story then just the 12 week contest window.

Get ready for AMAZING!

Will you be next?

Get your final entries in by midnight Eastern time April 13th.

Use the contest entry form (the same that you used to enter the contest).

The contest entry form has easy steps that will prompt you to enter the following items:

  • front pose
  • back pose
  • side pose
  • newspaper pose
  • up to 15 cover pictures of your choice
  • your 250 word or more essay (please include your age in the essay)

and your measurements:

  • height
  • weight
  • shoulders
  • waist
  • hips

Note: If you have errors with the contest tracker please clear your browser history or cookies and try again.

We are looking forward to the amazing results of your hard work.

Coach Roberta

If you have any questions or problems with uploading your pictures email me: roberta.saum@gmail.com

Contest rules and regulations

Contest schedule for 2015

What about carbohydrates and resistant starches? Uncensored Podcast

How do carbohydrates change when cooked and then cooled?

How do carbohydrates change when cooked and then cooled?

 

Find out about carbohydrates and how they interact with your body. There is an aggregate of 4 calories or energy per gram, but it’s not always that amount that gets absorbed into your body. The chemical makeup of the food changes as it’s cooked, or cooled, and some of it is irreversible. Different versions will effect your gut bacteria differently.

 

Listen to what John and Brad have to say about this topic:

 

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…

What does it feel like to be a 53 year old Figure Competitor?

The best part for me was showing John this picture and his reaction was "Holy smokes! Ro you look fabulous!" That means more to me than any trophy!

The best part for me was showing John this picture and his reaction “Holy smokes! Ro you look fabulous!” That means more to me than any trophy!

 

Today we are exactly 3 weeks out from the Venus Transformation VT13 deadline. The last day of this contest will be April 13th.

Many Venus ladies have been asking about my recent experience with a fitness competition so I figured this would be a good time to write about that. It’s a good time to discuss how to prepare for your final photographs for the current contest as you will need to plan ahead.

 

What made me decide to do a fitness competition?

I found Coach Miles though my friend Lauren Monday. Lauren is the model who helped me with a photo shoot for the final pictures I submitted for Venus Transformation contest #4.

Lauren is a bikini model and now a bikini competitor with several shows under her belt.

I saw Lauren’s posts with Miles on Facebook. I decided it would be fun to try something new so I gave Miles a call. I had no intention of competing in a fitness show but I found myself surrounded by other fitness competitors who had a lot of energy. I quickly made friends and was easily accepted into the group. It didn’t take long for my friends and Miles to convince me to join in the fun and try to compete as a masters figure competitor.

We decided on the Sacramento Pro Show in November 2014. I’m 54 now, but I was still 53 back in November last year.

I increased my workout sessions with Miles and got started with some posing practice.

I found posing practice to be harder than working out. As Miles knows I LOVE to workout, and I love to work hard. I quickly learned that posing was going to require many hours of practice at home, which I did.

 

Here's a picture of me with coach Miles just last week. Even though I don't plan to compete again, I still train with Miles once a week to "keep my head in the game".

Here’s a picture of me with coach Miles just last week. Even though I don’t plan to compete again, I still train with Miles once a week to “keep my head in the game”.

 

What changed with my diet?

Diet was really fun because I already knew what to do. Miles taught me to get a little more protein in with egg whites and protein powder. I already knew how to diet with Venus by using lean meat, vegetables, and just enough healthy carbs for energy. I taught Miles about Eat Stop Eat and working out fasted and we quickly became a dynamic team. Those principles helped Miles tweak his own plan and keep his fitness goals.

Miles began helping his other clients with the Eat Stop Eat principles and it was pretty exciting to watch others achieve better success by using what I had learned from Brad Pilon and John Barban. It’s great to see others ditching the fitness myths regarding when to eat and how often.

Miles taught me to get more protein in with the same amount of calories. I hadn’t thought of using egg whites and it for some reason it was a hard concept for me. What, you mean throw away the yolks!? So I got the liquid egg whites in a carton.

I have never had much use for protein powder. I prefer to eat solid protein as opposed to protein drinks. I don’t get much satisfaction out of drinking my calories.

Miles teaching me to include egg whites and protein powder along with the lean meat and fish I already consumed was a real eye opener. You can really pack in a lot of protein in a small calorie budget! I didn’t really like egg whites or protein drinks so worked to come up with various protein custard recipes and that suited me fine.

As far as the calorie deficit I took it nice and slow. I didn’t do anything drastic. I just set my own schedule and did a nice slight deficit for about two months. Even then it’s pretty hard to do when you are already pretty lean. I started out at about 12% body fat and got down to something below 10%. Even with a slight calorie deficit there is nothing easy about doing it.

 

What changed with my workouts?

I learned from Miles how to do some very precise weight lifting splits to develop the specific muscles for a figure competitor. My having done the Venus workouts were a perfect base to start with. I mainly needed a spotter to help me push just a little harder and add in the splits. For me I needed to work the the muscles harder in all areas but specifically needed the most work on my shoulders and upper back for the Figure physique.

I still did the Venus workouts on the days I didn’t work with Miles.

I learned those last 2-3 reps with a spotter were crucial for developing more muscle definition.

 

The competition mindset

I knew going into the show that I would need a strong mindset. I knew I needed to be happy with how I’d built my own body and not let the judges decide upon my own happiness.

Even going into it with that strong and positive mindset, the competition day was a hard day for me. It really threw me for a loop emotionally.

I have absolutely no regrets, but I can not say the day itself was fun. It wasn’t.

The Lauren Jacobson interview with John was helpful for knowing that even a few years ago when the Bikini and Figure classes were just starting that it was unclear as to what the judges were looking for. It seemed like bikini class is not quite as lean and muscular compared to the figure class, but it turns out that is not always the case. Every show is different and with every set of judges; it’s a constant moving target for each show and it has not gotten any better.

 

Here I am in the open class lineup with much younger women.

Here I am in the open class lineup with much younger women.

 

What about “prep week”?

It was a difficult week because I decide to experiment with the traditional old school “prep week” or “peak week”. It’s a much more hard core version of our Venus “Slim in Seven”.

I ate fairly normal all week except I cut out foods that make me bloated. For me that is dairy, wheat, and foods with a lot of long ingredient names (which I typically avoid anyway). I ate more nuts, dried fruit, salmon, turkey, banana, and gluten free crackers. I ate a little more low carb and higher protein at the beginning of the week and increased the carbs later in the week.

I limited my water all week which was a disaster. I was miserable and probably ate a little too much fruit/nut mix the last few days. It’s hard to keep track when you have containers of it and are staying in a hotel (and miserable, thirsty, stressed, and sleep deprived.)

This is what Kristen Shaffer has to say about water intake for prep week:

—DO NOT DECREASE WATER INTAKE—

You’ve heard it a thousands times – deplete your water the last week. DO NOT DO THIS. You will step on stage looking stringy and flat.

Why?

Because studies have shown that water is mostly stored within our muscles. So if you decrease your water intake, your body will adjust by actually retaining more water outside the muscles, making you look bloated. Additionally, your total water retained will decrease, but since most of it is stored in your muscles you will lose precious muscle mass.

The only time you want to limit your water intake is the day of your competition, and the only reason is to not have a full-looking tummy. So only sip water that day when you are thirsty.

 

Coach Trish Wood IFBB Pro not only thinks the same, but she also thinks you just drink the normal amount of water on competition day. Trish has been at this game a very long time and knows what she is talking about, in fact her client (Rachelle Mittelstet) just got first place in both Figure class A and 1st place figure Masters’s 40+ this past weekend and the Governors Cup competition in Sacramento.

If I had competed again I would have been in those same classes with Rachelle. I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready for that again.  But it’s okay, I don’t have to compete to be happy with what I’ve achieved.

I have a comparison picture from approximately 5:30 pm the night before the competition and approximately 5:30 am the day of the competition. I’d spent a miserable night in the hotel room tossing and turning, I was thirsty, hungry, stressed, and the tanning solution painted on me was absolutely atrocious.

 

With the difference in angles and the tan it’s hard to say if there is much of a difference or not. Both Miles and I thought I was a little flat on competition day, but I'm not sure it matters much. The work was done and there wasn't much fat left.

A 10 hour overnight comparison. With the difference in angles and the tan it’s hard to say if there is much of a difference or not. Both Miles and I thought I was a little flat on competition day, but I’m not sure it matters much. The work was done and there wasn’t much fat left.

 

With the difference in angles and the tan it’s hard to say if there is much of a difference or not. Both Miles and I thought it seemed like I looked the best a couple days prior to the show and then got slightly flatter and less defined each day.

Regardless, everyone agrees – even John and Brad – that the real difference is in the work during the weeks and months prior to the event. It’s best not to torture yourself too much this final week if you don’t need to.

The process affects everyone differently. I’ve heard a couple of people say the Slim in Seven process is no big deal, but others have reported that it was hard. It’s a good process to follow but keep in mind it’s a guideline that can be adjusted to your own needs, just like everything in the Venus program.

 

How did the competition day go?

Participating in a competition is a pretty big investment. You need a good coach for your workouts and posing practice. You need an expensive competition suit, shoes, tan, hair, makeup, nails, hotel, entry fees, and a membership to the fitness organization you are competing under.

 

Several of my friends met up and got our hair done in the hotel room. Even though I was nervous this was kind of fun!

Several of my friends met up and got our hair done in the hotel room. Even though I was nervous this was kind of fun!

 

I’d only seen a couple of fitness shows, so I really didn’t know enough. I had misconceptions about the judging “callouts” as you shall see in the following story.

The first time on stage in the morning is when all the real judging happens. The audience is small. The “entertainment” part of the show happens in the evening. In some ways the evening is more fun because they have fun music and a master of ceremonies.

Being up on stage was totally different compared to practice at home. There are bright lights in your eyes and you are crowded up on stage with not much time to move from one pose to the next. They rush you though everything like cattle in a line. It didn’t seem like there was enough time to get the figure poses correctly set.

The venue for the show I was in wasn’t comfortable for the competitors. We had long staging hallways and the stage floor was uneven with a lot of metal hinges and screws sticking up.  It’s hard enough to walk around in 5 inch heels, let alone trying to balance on an uneven floor.  I was deathly afraid of tripping on the metal pieces. It made it really hard to balance.  I’m sure each of us felt we were in the worst spot ever.

When they do the judging they move you around in the lineup for comparison. You aren’t supposed to compare yourself to others right? But it’s hard when you are in an environment where they are doing just that. I didn’t find that at all fun, especially at my age around young women with pretty skin. Man it was hard.

In every class I ended up out at the end of the lineup, which I assumed was “last place” in the call out. I was literally in tears up on the stage wondering what the heck I did wrong. I’d entered five different competition classes so it was a lot of work to keep getting up on stage. Every time I went up I got more discouraged. My coach and all my friends were not with me. I felt alone and lost. It was nothing like all the weeks and hours I’d spent practicing and having fun with my friends at the gym.

After the morning judging session I ran to my room and cried for hours. I finally mustered up the strength to go find Miles and some of my friends and I know they felt bad because there was nothing they could do to make me feel better.

I didn’t want to go back up on stage for the final evening show. I knew I was in last place and I was just filling the gap for the show. But I was determined to go and do my best out of sheer principle.

 

I took a nap and finally mustered up the strength to go face Miles and my friends downstairs.

I took a nap and finally mustered up the strength to go face Miles and my friends downstairs.

 

When evening came I cleaned up my tear smeared makeup best I could. I hadn’t brought any makeup and the makeup artists were gone. I didn’t really care. I just wanted to get it over with.  I was driven with sheer principle that I wouldn’t quit or pack up and go home, although I desperately wanted to.

Then we lined up to get on stage again. In the evening the schedule was a little different because they had NPC novice competitors (of which I was a part of) mixed with the IFBB pros. When the show got behind schedule they held up the NPC women’s masters groups I was in so that the IFBB pro men could be on schedule. That meant two of the groups I competed with had to wait in the hallway in high heels for nearly an hour. It was pretty darn miserable for us because we couldn’t sit down without messing up the glue that held our suits in place. We couldn’t get our “pump” on with the little weights there because we were waiting too long.

Even though all of us girls were so miserable being held hostage in the hallway, ironically it was the best part of the day for me regarding social interaction with others. We had a chance to really talk about real fitness life nitty gritty. I told the ladies there in the line that it was the best part of the day for me.

 

Here I am with the top 5 winners in the Masters Figure 35+ class. I'm actually the oldest one there at age 53. I'm in 5th place.

Here I am with the top 5 winners in the Masters Figure 35+ class. I’m actually the oldest one there at age 53. The others are all under 40. I’m in 5th place.

 

I got a lot of compliments from some of the other girls. They told me my whole package, suit, hair, physique, etc were put together nicely. It made me feel good because I was pretty darn insecure about the whole thing. It sounded like they were genuine and that’s what felt good to me.

That’s where I learned from the others that each show is different regarding the judges. Whether it’s figure or bikini class it’s hit or miss if they want a softer smoother look, or a ripped shredded look. You have to decide what you like best for yourself and know that you’ll do well in some shows and not others.

It’s a pretty big investment for a hit or miss like that.

I was in absolute shock when I got a fifth place trophy for Masters Figure 35+, it made me realize I was wrong about the callouts. Only the judges know what’s really going on. It really was hit or miss like the girls said when we stood in the hallway.

 

I was in shock that I got a trophy! I took a quick selfie before I stepped into the elevator to head up for a shower I couldn't wait for.

I was in shock that I got a trophy! I took a quick selfie before I stepped into the elevator to head up for a shower I couldn’t wait for.

 

As I walked back through the maze of hallways with my trophy I passed the huge lineups of other girls going up toward the stage. I got a lot of congratulations and high fives. But I realize how few actually get to go home with any hardware. I barely got the one I got. I didn’t feel like it meant much. Don’t get me wrong, I was darn happy to have it, but at the same time I realize that each and every woman that showed up to compete that day deserved a trophy.

Every single woman there worked hard and put in the same effort I did. They were all beautiful in my eyes.

 

Even though I didn't get a trophy picture with Miles, I was just so happy to shower and be done with it. We waited for the other competitors so we could all go have a yummy dinner.

Even though I didn’t get a trophy picture with Miles, I was just so happy to shower and be done with it. We waited for the other competitors so we could all go have a yummy dinner.

 

I was so happy once I was done with the ordeal, got my shower, and could sit in comfort with my dear friend Miles.  I was happy to get the trophy.  I was happy to get John’s response because I still like it when John is proud of me.

 

What about the Venus contest?

It’s totally up to you if you want to do any version of “prep week” before your final photo’s or not. It’s not a requirement and it’s completely personal preference. The Venus Factor “Slim in Seven” is a good program and not as drastic as the old school fitness competitor prep week.

If you decide to follow the Venus Factor “Slim in Seven” there is a daily diet protocol designed by John Barban. A lot of people ask how do they know what percentage their protein, carbs, and fat are? The best way to do this is to use a tool like Myfitnesspal to set your macro percentages. In the MyFitnessPal menu you can do this by going into your Home menu, then Goals, then the green “Change Goals” button, then select “custom”, then Continue.

 

To set your macro percentages in In the MyFitnessPal menu; go into your Home menu, then Goals, then the green “Change Goals” button, then select “custom”, then Continue.

To set your macro percentages in In the MyFitnessPal menu; go into your Home menu, then Goals, then the green “Change Goals” button, then select “custom”, then Continue.

 

Keep in mind it doesn’t have to be exact.  You can change things up depending on how you feel or how much stress you are under.  As you can see from the experiments of many of us what matters most is all the work in the weeks and months ahead of time.

Whether you are finishing the contest as a transformation, cover, or calendar girl you are not required to have a professional photographer.  Be proud and make your best presentation ever!  Celebrate your hard work and success by giving it your best effort and having pictures that you will cherish for the rest of your life.  It’s a record and a reminder for you on what you have accomplished.

Preparing For Your Contest Photo Shoot – Part 1: Posing Practice

Preparing For Your Contest Photo Shoot – Part 2: Photography And Lighting

Preparing For Your Contest Photo Shoot – Part 3: The Final Week

 

What to do with your final Venus contest photos?

When you submit your final photos the bikini type outfit will be used primarily for judging purposes only. Please feel free to submit other final pictures in nice clothes of your choice that still show off your new shape; for example a dress, skirt, jeans and tops, sports outfits, hobbies outfits like tennis, golf, yoga, etc.

We would also love to have a before picture that tells your full weight loss story so others can see that there is more to the story then just the 12 week contest window.

Get ready for AMAZING!

Will you be next?

Get your final entries in by midnight Eastern time April 13th.

Use the contest entry form (the same that you used to enter the contest).

We’ll need from you:

  • front pose
  • back pose
  • side pose
  • newspaper pose
  • up to 15 cover pictures of your choice
  • your 250 word or more essay (please include your age in the essay)

and your measurements:

  • height
  • weight
  • shoulders
  • waist
  • hips

We are looking forward to the amazing results of your hard work.

Coach Roberta

If you have any questions or problems with uploading your pictures email me: roberta.saum@gmail.com

Contest rules and regulations

Contest schedule for 2015

 

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