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Questioning Metabolism

December 11, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Jenny Weaks is one of our contest winners who knows how to walk the line; pushing hard with nutrition and workouts yet allowing the body to recover so she can keep a healthy metabolism.

Jenny Weaks is one of our contest winners who knows how to walk the line; pushing hard with nutrition and workouts yet allowing her body to recover so she can keep a healthy metabolism.

What is metabolism?

 It’s a vague term.  It is the sum total of the various chemical functions in our body, not the calorie cost of those functions because that’s your metabolic rate, but your metabolism is actually how are all those functions working and are they working properly?   Most people are actually interested in their metabolic rate.

There are many different ways to measure this and the outcome will be different for each method, but at the end of the day it doesn’t really give you what you need to make a change to your body.

Generally people think that a higher metabolism is better or that a higher metabolism feels more energetic.  In fact people can’t really even feel metabolism.  

What you really want is a healthy metabolism. 

Mainly all you need to do is avoid exhaustion and systematic fatigue.

People push themselves too hard with both a calorie deficit and exercise, get fatigued, and then blame their metabolism.  What they really need to do is stop pushing so hard without giving their body a chance to recover.

Don’t try to make too much happen too soon.

Exhaustion is in your control, metabolic rate is not.

To hear more about what John and Brad have to say about metabolism and metabolic rate click on the link below.

IMMERSION Clients May Login and Download Podcast Here

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

 

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

VT9 12-Week Transformation Winners Announced

December 6, 2013 by Leave a Comment

The VT9 results are in and the transformations and final pictures are simply amazing!

One thing I love about the focus for women in the Venus program is “The focus is proportions and shape (rather than weight loss at all costs or building muscle like a guy)” – John Barban.

Congratulations to everyone who entered and finished!  This took hard work on the part of everyone and it shows.

Here are the winners:

First Place – Michelle

"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."

“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.”

Second Place – Anna

"Venus changed my life because it changed my habits. My everyday routine became my way of living. I feel very strong and healthy now and I have lots of energy."

“Venus changed my life because it changed my habits. My everyday routine became my way of living. I feel very strong and healthy now and I have lots of energy.”

Third Place – Lou Ann

"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!"

“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!”

Fourth Place – Danielle

"I found the key to my success this time was John's secret of "never let them see you sweat". I never complained about dieting or bragged about hitting the gym 5-6 days/week. Instead I made it a personal journey and made sure to still enjoy social eating with my friends (within reason)."

“I found the key to my success this time was John’s secret of “never let them see you sweat”. I never complained about dieting or bragged about hitting the gym 5-6 days/week. Instead I made it a personal journey and made sure to still enjoy social eating with my friends (within reason).”

Fifth Place -Valerie

"I have tried so many diets over the past 15 years and I did initially lose weight on them, but I would get to a certain point to where I would stop losing weight and eventually the weight came back on. With the Venus Index, I finally can see my body changing shape, getting stronger, and feeling healthy. Now that I am at the end of the contest, I can truthfully say that I feel like I finally have control over my body to shape it through a sensible diet and exercise program."

“I have tried so many diets over the past 15 years and I did initially lose weight on them, but I would get to a certain point to where I would stop losing weight and eventually the weight came back on. With the Venus Index, I finally can see my body changing shape, getting stronger, and feeling healthy. Now that I am at the end of the contest, I can truthfully say that I feel like I finally have control over my body to shape it through a sensible diet and exercise program.”

Sixth Place – Heidi

"With a steely resolve and a take no prisoners attitude those first 4 weeks flew by in textbook perfection and with them weight and cms flew off me so fast I was certain I'd be skeletal before the 12 weeks were done. It was exhilarating, I didn't hate my body anymore and when I pulled on trousers, I could button them up whilst continuing to breathe normally."

“With a steely resolve and a take no prisoners attitude those first 4 weeks flew by in textbook perfection and with them weight and cms flew off me so fast I was certain I’d be skeletal before the 12 weeks were done. It was exhilarating, I didn’t hate my body anymore and when I pulled on trousers, I could button them up whilst continuing to breathe normally.”

Seventh Place – Nadjia

"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!”

  Eighth Place – Stephanie

Stephanie BnA

“I appreciate the look that other Venus women have, but I don’t try to look like them because my body is different. It’s all about the best shape I can achieve. Although my 12-week contest is behind me, my journey isn’t over yet. I plan to be a Venus gal for life. I feel wonderful and I am so proud of myself for taking on this challenge. If I can do it, anyone can! “

Ninth Place – Melissa

"I now weigh 142 pounds and it just keeps coming off! The compliments come from people every day. I am a more confident and outgoing woman now. I do not want this journey to end! I will continue to strive toward my Venus Index Measurements. I love the Venus Factor program! Anybody can do this! Thank you for changing my life forever! :)"

“I now weigh 142 pounds and it just keeps coming off! The compliments come from people every day. I am a more confident and outgoing woman now. I do not want this journey to end! I will continue to strive toward my Venus Index Measurements. I love the Venus Factor program! Anybody can do this! Thank you for changing my life forever! :)”

Tenth Place -Rhea

"At 54 and four kids later, I decided I wanted to actually complete one full 12-week program. The “nutritional piece” of most programs I own (30) have too many rules. Being a recovering bulimic, rules can trigger my perfectionism. Now I’m the size I was in college, pre-marriage and pre-children! I never thought I could do it without being active in my disease. Amazingly, I feel sexier than I ever have, which my husband is thrilled about."

“At 54 and four kids later, I decided I wanted to actually complete one full 12-week program. The “nutritional piece” of most programs I own (30) have too many rules. Being a recovering bulimic, rules can trigger my perfectionism. Now I’m the size I was in college, pre-marriage and pre-children! I never thought I could do it without being active in my disease. Amazingly, I feel sexier than I ever have, which my husband is thrilled about.”

 

Cover Girl Naomi

Naomi Clark - Venus Cover Girl

Naomi Clark – Venus Cover Girl

 

Cover Girl Liss

Liss Graham - Venus Cover Girl

Liss Graham – Venus Cover Girl

 

Cover Girl Jenny

Jenny Weaks - Venus Cover Girl

Jenny Weaks – Venus Cover Girl

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

Questioning Body Fat Percentage

November 27, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Caroline and Tori are fitness competitors who both got in amazing shape and hit their Venus ratio's. Both had 23 and 24 percent body fat in their legs yet 5-7% in their upper body. The main thing here is everyone depending on their genetics and heredity will compartmentalize fat differently on their body.

Caroline and Tori are fitness competitors who both got in amazing shape and hit their Venus ratio’s. Both had 23-24% body fat in their legs yet 5-7% in their upper body. The main thing here is everyone, depending on their genetics and heredity, will compartmentalize fat differently on their body. You can’t compare yourself to others.

What is so important about body fat percentage?

Hydrostatic body fat percentage is the gold standard.  It is the method which every other method is calibrated on.  There are no assumptions; they use just the properties of your body in the water.

What is so important about of your body fat percentage?  It’s a number.

It reminds Brad of eating for calories when you need to lose weight when really you just need to eat the right amount of food to lose weight.  People like to go to an online calculator and find out they are supposed to eat 2712 calories a day as an example, then they don’t lose weight and they think their metabolism is broken.  The calculator just gave them the wrong estimate for their body.  People forget that the body is the end game, not the calculator, chart, book, theory, or what someone else did to lose weight.

The total over all body fat percentage does not tell you a whole lot unless you reach a dramatically low percentage that it is irrelevant.   It’s just like how your overall body weight on the scale doesn’t tell you a whole lot either.

DEXA/DXA is the most accurate and is the key for a health standpoint because it tells you regional fat percentages.

Everyone stores fat differently

Brad and John have a lot of data to look at and today they focused on two female fitness competitors who were both approximately 15% body fat which is very low for females.   This is dramatically low for a woman.   One of them had 6.9% in her trunk (her upper body from the waist up).  The other one had below 5% in her trunk (she had a full set of shredded abs and her back was totally visible). 

Tori and Caroline are fitness competitors that places first and third in their respective categories so they were both in amazing shape.  Neither of them looked awkward, they both looked totally feminine.

Both had 23 and 24 percent body fat in their legs.  See the difference between the upper and lower body?  The main thing here is everyone depending on their genetics and heredity will compartmentalize fat differently on their body.

So another female could have 20% in her legs, but maybe 11% in her upper body, and roughly the same overall body fat percentage as Tory and Caroline and look totally different.  If she tries to compare herself to these fitness competitors (or anyone else for that matter) at the same overall body fat it totally falls apart. 

Everyone stores body fat in different patterns.  These storage patterns are genetic and you cannot manipulate them.  There are some schools of thought that you can manipulate them with diet but there is no data or measurements that prove this theory.  The theories are purely anecdotal and guess work. 

Don’t let body fat measurements hijack your goals

Setting a goal as a percentage body fat can mess you up.  It is a form of goal hijacking.

If you get down to your golden ratio and then would need to go a lot leaner to get the ab definition it could change your overall aesthetic to not be as visually appealing.  Also total body fat percentage is totally dependent on how much muscle mass is there.  Body fat is relative to your lean body mass.  So if you increase your lean body mass without losing any fat your overall body fat % drops.

Body weight and body fat percentage is only useful if you have a “shape” to go with it or a measurable goal like Venus or Adonis Ideal or Ratio.

 

What is your goal?

What is your goal?  To get to a certain size?  A certain weight?  For some of us it was to simply leave our obesity behind, become healthy and functional, have the ability to walk or hike with loved ones, and enjoy a better quality of life and not necessarily become a bikini model.

When I first joined the Venus Factor my goal was to get down to a size 8 which was the smallest size I’d ever been as an adult.  The goal setting in the Venus Factor program enabled me to exceed that by several sizes.  In fact I had no idea how lean I got until I had a hydrostatic body fat test which showed I’d gotten down to 10.5% overall body fat (I am 5’1″ and I was 116 pounds).

It was good that I had the test at that time because it helped me to understand that I needed to increase my food intake and give up trying for the Venus Ideal waist.  I didn’t realize that I was an outlier yet.  I had no idea what I had achieved.

 

I was trying to get down to my Venus Ideal waist and didn't realize that at 10.5% overall body fat there was no where left to go, nothing else left to lose.

I was trying to get down to my Venus Ideal waist and didn’t realize that at 10.5% overall body fat there was no where left to go, nothing else left to lose.  On the right I was at 11.5% at the time of my DXA scan.  With unusually high LBM for my height getting to my Venus Ideal waist is not a realistic goal for me, and that is okay, I get to work with the genetic hand I’m dealt.

 

I’d gotten down to probably slightly below 10% overall body fat for my Venus Transformation VT4 photos (at 109 pounds.)  This was the only time ever that I got to my Venus Ideal waist, for a mere moment in time.

A year later I had a DXA scan which showed that I’d gone up to 11.5% overall body fat with 105 pounds of lean body mass. My Android fat was 5% (.4 pounds) and my Gynoid was 16.8%, so like Tori and Caroline my legs were significantly higher compared to my upper body.

As John said this is typical for females. I was 51.5 years old at the time of the DXA (over a year ago) and because of my age I might have lower estrogen levels.  My hormone panel shows normal levels but I’m clearly in the season of my life where estrogen levels start waning. This may make it more possible to gain muscle and get to a lower body fat for females later in life.

I was very proud of the fact that DXA showed my Visceral Adipose Tissue (VAT) at .06 pounds!  From a health standpoint this is really good, although it’s probably not necessary to be that low.

 

How do body fat tests help you learn to maintain fitness?

I’ve lived my life for several years now floating 12-13% overall body fat and sometimes up to possibly 14-15% (just a guess).  The body fat tests were good for giving me a health marker and a rough idea about where I’m at depending on how my clothes fit.

I find tremendous freedom in no longer needing the body weight scale.  I know how my clothes fit and if I need to slim down just a bit I know how much to eat to make that happen, nothing else is really needed for me to maintain (except to keep up with training!)

My body fat level is unique to me.  It doesn’t make me better or worse than anyone else and shouldn’t be used as a comparison. It doesn’t mean anything to me but a health marker and a bench mark that goes with my pictures and my look and shape at that level.  That said, I’m learning to feel good about myself even when I don’t live my life at that 10% benchmark and can move up a little in body fat and not be too hard on myself.

By listening to podcasts like this today I learn more about my body.  This helped me to feel good about what I’ve achieved.  I am still maturing in my fitness life and will continue to constantly learn.  Listening to Leigh Peele podcasts are also helping me learn about my body and my fitness level as I mature in this process.

 

What happens when you get close to your Venus Ideal goal?

If you are following the Venus Factor System you will find that you will learn more once you get closer to your goal.  The goal setting in this program is a perfect place to start and will allow you to achieve exactly what you want and most likely exceed your expectations for yourself.

Some ladies get very close to the ideal and say this is close enough, they’ve achieved what they wanted, now they just want to enjoy life and keep what they’ve achieved.  And they go on to do exactly that.  It is great.  It fits their lifestyle and they move on.

Others will reach the Venus Ideal at a much higher body fat than I did, and that is perfect.  I kind of envy women with that genetic hand.  Sometimes if they try to go lower in body fat to get “ripped abs” or whatever it won’t look as good because they go beyond the Venus Ideal.  The Venus Ideal is based on what the human eye finds the most pleasing, and that is why the formula is used in art.

Other women will find they build muscle fairly easily because of their genetics and so will also likely reach a lower body fat level if they keep going with the fat loss.  Denise and I are in this category.  We live our day to day life with our waist circumference slightly above the Venus Ideal (or like me several inches above) and it’s just as good as those who get to live exactly at the ideal with more body fat.  Neither is better or worse, it just is what it is.

It is just as well and okay for women who find living slightly above the ideal ratio at a higher yet still quite healthy body fat level. After all it’s about being healthy, functional, having a better quality of life, and enjoying more time with your loved ones.

What matters is what makes YOU happy and healthy.  Once again, you, your body, and your life are the end game; not the system, program, workout, diet protocol, theory, ideal metrics, book, chart, calculator, or what someone else says or does.  You get to decide what makes you happy and all these tools can help you get to that point.

It really all depends on the genetic hand you are dealt.  You won’t know what you have until you lose enough fat.  The best way to lose significant fat is to divide and conquer while also weight training to the best of your ability.  The Venus Factor workouts are the best I’ve found for my build and have enabled me to reach my genetic potential in a way that at least my husband and friends around me say is still pleasing to the eye and still feminine yet strong.

What will you do to achieve your best genetic potential that fits your life?  I would love to hear about it.

-Ro

 

 

Find out what John and Brad have to say about questioning body fat percentage:

IMMERSION Clients May Login and Download Podcast Here

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

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

What about Genetic Differences in Performance?

November 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment
These are some of the very first Venus Transformation contest winners ever. They trusted John and Brad back in the day.

These are some of the very first Venus Transformation contest winners ever. They trusted John and Brad back in the day. They each have their own unique genetics and nothing stopped them from becoming their best.

 

You can achieve your best regardless of your genetics.

These are some of the very first Venus Transformation contest winners ever. They trusted John and Brad back in the day. They each have their own unique genetics and nothing stopped them from becoming their best.  John Barban and Brad Pilon learned from the trials and errors of these girls struggles to lose fat and build their best shape.

The experiences and data collected on these first contest winners, along with those of us in the subsequent transformation contests and other research enabled John to develop a new diet protocol called the “The 12 week Undulating Metabolic Override Program”.

The protocol included in the Venus Factor 12-week Fat Loss System is designed to help prevent “crashing” and allow your body some recovery from a calorie deficit, teach your body to become efficient at utilizing protein for muscle repair and recovery, and to teach your body to become more efficient at burning carbohydrates.

The secret to the Venus Factor is the magic of the support community along with hormone research and the experiences of those who succeeded and sustained their fitness level.

The secret to the Venus Factor is the magic of the support community along with hormone research and the experiences of those who succeeded and sustained their fitness level.

What about genetic differences in performance?

  • There is research to show genetic differences effect performance.
  • We constantly compare ourselves with others in the gym and watching sports events.
  • We can’t help doing that, but you should at least try and compare yourself to someone of very similar genetics.
  • Genetics play a huge role in success; it plays a bigger role than anyone ever wanted to admit.
  • It doesn’t mean you are not a good person or equally of value as a human if you don’t have specific genetic gifts.
  • It doesn’t seem fair. No matter how hard you practice you won’t be the same as someone who is truly gifted.  Life is not fair. 
  • If everything was equal the person who did the best hardest work wins.  This is not what happens. Genetics plays the bigger role.
  • We are all unique.
  • But at the same time genetics should not be a reason to not work hard to be your best.
  • It is not an excuse to not work hard to achieve your best.  As far as performances compare yourself to your own performance; improve yourself.
  • What you can achieve?
  • Knowing about genetics is great way to understand what other people have achieved.
  • John and Brad go into great detail into how genetics affect various sports. 
  • It does not always mean if you train harder you will get the same results as someone else.
  • It does not mean you should give up training.
  • Everyone is capable of change.
  • Don’t base any of your metrics on performance.
  • All that matters is your own results.
  • How you respond to exercise and diet is unique to you.   You can try things that others do, but it does not mean it will work for you. Also what works for you will change over time. You will have to experiment to find what works for you.

John gives a long explanation about how genetics affect certain sports – I almost spit out my coffee on my screen!

Oh my gosh I never knew! When John described specifically what on the body makes a good runner I almost spit my coffee out all over my screen.  Why?  Because I’ve spent over 30 years trying to be good runner and I am completely the opposite of what makes a good runner.  The good news is that it does not really matter.  I always concentrated on merely improving my own PR (Personal Record).

Once after my dear husband Randy was my “support team” for a 50 mile race he said it was funny to see me during various parts of the race.  I didn’t look like anyone else there, I was short and stocky, with thick limbs, totally the opposite of what John describes in the podcast, even for what makes a good runner in the hot climate.  It was so crazy to learn this today.

It makes me realize that I’ve always done well with running in spite of having the completely wrong genetics for good performance.  Even when I was slightly over weight I typically placed in most races in the top 1/3.  There were even a few times when I placed in the top three for my age group, and twice in my life I placed first overall (in smaller races).  I love running and I still do.  So having the completely wrong genetics didn’t stop me from achieving my best and enjoying a sport that I love.

Once I did the Venus workout system for awhile I found that it improved my running performance.  Earlier this year, at age 52, I completed my best PR for the half marathon and a then two months later I got a first place for my age group the Komen Rock The Race Sacramento 2013 5k.  I still very much enjoy the sport of running.

 

My own genetic experiment

Brad talks for a moment about the nature vs. nurture controversy.  Not by choice but I have had a chance to see a bit about what can happen a lot with nature vs. nurture in my own life.  I have an identical twin and we are both nearly 53 years old now.  I mentioned a bit about my upbringing and showed a picture of my twin and I when we were little girls in “Ten Thousand Ways that Won’t Work“.

My twin and I have not lived together since we were eleven years old.  We have taken two very different paths in life.  Since we have identical genetics we can both look at each other and it’s like looking in the mirror and seeing what could have been if we each made different lifestyle choices.  It gives us each a very unique perspective.

My identical twin and I were 21 years old in this picture. Only about 50% of my friends are able to guess which is me.

My identical twin and I were 21 years old in this picture. Only about 50% of my friends are able to guess which is me.

 

You can change your shape.  You can achieve your dream.  You can affect many things that you have control over.  You can build muscle.  You can lose fat.  You do not have to accept where you are.  You do not have to accept being over weight or obesity, regardless of your age or the amount of body fat you have at the moment.  At some point you may have to accept certain genetic limitations, but you will never know until you try.

There are no athletes in my family.  There was no example for me to see what I could achieve for myself.  I always suspected I might have some athletic ability.  There were a couple of times when I was young when I came close, but no where near what I achieved after finding the Venus Factor at age 50.

It wasn’t until I strove for the Venus Ideal and learned the truth about my nutritional needs that I far surpassed what I ever dreamed possible for myself.  At almost 53 years old I believe I have now reached my genetic potential.  Now I’m working just to stay healthy, functional, have a good quality of life (as much as in my control), and to keep a shape that I feel good about in my every day life.  I am enjoying the Venus lifestyle very much and I have maintained my level of fitness for several years now.  I’m still pretty darn happy about that.

-Ro

 

Find out what John and Brad have to say about Genetic Differences in Performance:

IMMERSION Clients May Login and Download Podcast Here

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

 

Filed Under: Muscle Growth, Podcast, Uncategorized, Uncensored Podcasts S03 Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

For Everything There Is a Season

November 1, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Liss is one of our Every Day Venus ladies who knows how to flow with the seasons.

Liss is one of our Every Day Venus ladies who knows how to flow with the seasons.

 

What about goals and systems?

There has been a lot of talk recently in our community about the difference between goals and systems.  Many of us read an interesting article recently on the Summer Tomato which gave us some food for thought.

Most of us have learned over time in our weight loss journey that there is no one size fits all.  No method that works for everyone.  No single right way or wrong way.  It all varies from person to person.  It all varies for a single person as you go through all the different seasons of your life.

What works for diet changes over time with your seasons.  What fits for physical fitness varies over time with your seasons.  What works for your successful mindset varies over time with your seasons.

Mind, body, and your life circumstances; all have their seasons.  Sometimes goals are appropriate and other times systems are appropriate.  You can move in and out of these as you please.

Much of what works with the Venus Systems is that the goal metrics we shoot for are mostly a range.  The weight goal is a range, the hip circumference is a range, and although the shoulders and waist are specific, most of us learned in the end that it’s also kind of a range.

The range is learned once you lose the “excess fat” and get fairly close to the specific ideal.  You learn what works for your individual lifestyle.  You learn what your body is once you get down to a healthy level.

Each body is different, even for two people of the same height, you learn to work with what you got.  You have control over some things and not other things.  You learn acceptance.

Liss is a perfect example of someone who uses goals and systems, and flows with the seasons in her life; balancing her family life and fun summer vacation times. She writes about much of this on her blog and in our private online community.

 

Goals and systems for the calorie deficit.

The diet and ability to sustain a calorie deficit changes with time.  Many of us found we could do an aggressive calorie deficit once or twice, but then it takes it’s toll and we find it’s no longer a good idea.  The season changed on us.  It’s a new season for some of us and we can’t do that anymore.

That is why John and designed the Venus Factor fat loss protocol in our manual.

Much of the time the season that comes upon us is out of our control.  Women in mid life have hormone changes.  Heck we females have hormone changes all of our lives between normal cycles, having kids, nursing kids, mid life, various health issues, it seems endless.

We have learned to roll with it and it is the same with our diet and whether our not we can sustain a calorie deficit.

Many women with find that with monthly cycles a calorie deficit is just not going to happen for one week a month.  They realize that it’s actually a win to simply eat at maintenance that one week in addition to any other days they might eat at maintenance.  Trying to force the issue will result in disaster.  This is not to say that some women can’t do it.  Most will find it extremely difficult.  This is normal.

Your ability to eat at a calorie deficit changes with the seasons in your life; work stress, family stress, health stress, changing hormones, you name it.  It’s always okay to eat at maintenance.  Always always always.

 

Always look forward, take a deep breath and stay positive

If you still need to lose significant body fat to be healthy remember that eating at maintenance is always a win. The same goes for if you are already at a healthy body fat and you just want to get a little leaner; this is a slower process and in many ways harder.  Eating at maintenance is always a win.  I will type this again; Eating at maintenance is always a win.

The only losing game is a long string of over eating and this usually happens when you simply give up. Just because you over eat one day or so, or even a few days or a week, it does not mean you have ruined all.

You can’t go back and change it, just move forward.  Just keep moving forward.  Leigh Peele gives really good advice, she said the same thing in her forum and on her Facebook page recently.

 

Don’t live in regret or have those moments where you get down on what you have done, could have done, etc. It’s a waste of time and literally achieves nothing because you can’t time travel. You can’t change the past. Nothing can be done. What you can do is push yourself now, today and the days that follow to make smart moves towards the direction of being a person you are proud of. When you are prideful in yourself, you accomplish things.

When you have doubt, lack self trust, or judge yourself in such a harsh manner – what is there to do than cower in your own insults? After all, no one knows better low blows than the ones we can throw at ourselves.

Don’t throw those blows. Look forward instead.

-Leigh Peele

 

Never beat yourself for eating at maintenance or even over eating sometimes.  Again the only thing harmful is self loathing or beating yourself up and then giving up.  It does no good.  It has no value.  It’s more than a waste time, it’s toxic.

Think of eating at maintenance as something necessary for your health and periodically part of your over all long term weight loss goal (or system if you choose to focus more on the process than the goal).

If you need to shift your mental mindset to stay positive and healthy do it.  Learn to roll with it like you’ve learned to with many other things in your life already.

We are all different, we all have to find our own way in a sense, but what worked for me in most of my fat loss cycles was focusing on the system and not the end goal.  It gets me to my goal, which is a specific shape and feel that I like for my body.  It does me no good to look at the scale anymore.  It does me no good to look at the tape measure anymore.  It does me no good to get a DXA scan.

What does me good is meandering in the direction of a calorie deficit with a fierce mindset (because it’s hard) yet learning to take maintenance breaks as often and as long as needed.  I can tell by how I feel.  I can tell by how I sleep.  I can tell by how strong I am.  I can tell by my ability to take on stress.

 

The answer is in you

As you go through the Venus Factor systems, listen to the coaching calls, read what others do, listen to the success stories in the contest interviews, research and experiment, but learn to listen to your own body.  It has the answer even better than a calculator estimate or the protocol or theory in the manual.

Your own body; it is the end game.  It tells you when you ate too much.  It tells you when you ate too little.  It tells you when you pushed too hard.  It tells you when you took on too much stress.  It tells you when it’s time to adjust your priorities.  It tells you when it’s time to change your mindset.  It tells you when it’s time to switch from a goal to a system, or back to a goal, or any combination of the two.

Everything we do in the journey here at Venus is a lifestyle and it’s long term.  Take the time.  Make the time.  You are worth it.

Learn to roll with the seasons.

It is training for maintaining.

Have a fabulous weekend,

-Ro

 

Filed Under: Bodyfat, calories, Diet, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Another Venus and Adonis Power Couple; Lourdes and James

October 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Today we are honored to listen to Lourdes Cota who placed thrid in the Eighth Venus Index Transformation Contest.

Lourdes got the fitness level she always wanted at age 47.

Lourdes got the fitness level she always wanted at age 47.

 

Lourdes before and after the contest.

Lourdes before and after the contest.

 

Changing your body composition at age 47 is no trivial task, especially for a female.

Changing your body composition at age 47 is no trivial task, especially for a female.

 

Lourdes health issues motivated her to get fit. And she did a phenomenal job!

Lourdes health issues motivated her to get fit. And she did a phenomenal job!

 

Read what Lourdes wrote about her experience with the Venus Factor:

 

A little about me, I am a 47 year old, single mother, with two wonderful kids. I work a full time job as a Quality control engineer and try to take life one day at a time. I started working out 4 years ago, but had a scary incident occur when I passed out during one of my workouts.

Opening my eyes and having strangers standing around me, with no understanding as to what had just happened was extremely frightening. Upon visiting my doctor, I was told that I had Bradycardia, or in layman’s terms, a slow heartbeat.

To combat the Bradycardia, I had to have surgery where a doctor surgically implanted a pacemaker under my skin, on the left side of my chest, just below the collarbone.

As you can imagine, having to have a pacemaker implanted in your body, connected to your heart, makes you think about life, your future, your health, your children and my list of concerns went on and on. Not to mention, the visible scar is a constant reminder. All of this was very overwhelming and I became very cautious in everything I did.

Armed with a basic understanding of the fundamentals of wellness and their value in living a long life, I always ate high quality nutritious foods, as such I was relatively thin. But, also knowing my cardiovascular system needed attention, especially now, I tried to push my fears aside and began exercising again.

To be honest, some days, just getting in to the car was a challenge, as I was fearful that I would have a repeat of the day I passed out.

For many years I went to the gym, only going through the motions, lifting the same (way too light) amount of weight, doing the same (non-challenging) exercises, the same (boring) cardio, all in the same order, day in and day out. UGH!!!!!

Upon meeting my boyfriend James Tonda, (who introduced me to the Venus Index) he observed my angst about the many things I listed previously.

After learning of my condition, he explained to me that Bradycardia is not considered dangerous and that quite often athletes have Bradycardia just from working out as hard as they do. He explained that the heart, much like the rest of our body can adapt to exercise stress and a fit persons heart doesn’t have to work as hard as say someone who is out of shape or not as fit, thus creating a lower pulse.

To say I felt like a huge weight was lifted off of me is an understatement. Finally, I was seeing a beacon of light that all of my panic was unwarranted and I could safely start living my life again!

Upon getting back to the gym, after the many years of redundant, non-challenging workouts, I expressed my frustration that my body just doesn’t seem to respond to exercise, even though I went to the gym regularly.

Well, interestingly enough, I was given the same example by James about the body’s ability to adapt to stress and since I had performed the same exercise regimen over and over with no increase or change in intensity, my body had adapted and as such, my body would not change unless my intensity did.

Enter Venus Index!!! James had been using the Adonis Index workouts and highly recommended I try out the women’s version, named Venus Index aka VI. The variety in the workouts and the level of intensity was incredible.

For the first time, I started noticing changes in my body that I liked very much. I even learned to appreciate the soreness that followed a grueling workout. (I included a picture of James and myself in my pictures)

Having the very user friendly and detailed Venus workout program, was like having a GPS to get from one destination to another, without having to worry about getting lost or taking unnecessary detours. I found myself feeling very empowered when going to the gym, versus the feeling of intimidation that I used to experience. Now I can confidently walk in to the free weight section of the gym and feel like I belong there!

I followed the VI workout exactly as it is presented. Not knowing a lot about nutrition, I leaned on James for his experience, but have paid close attention and understand much more than I ever have.

To make it easier as a couple, we both followed the same nutrition regimen with the only variation being our caloric intake. We both utilized the “Anything Goes Diet” by John Barban and fasting via “Eat Stop Eat” by Brad Pilon.

For example:

1. Monday thru Thursday, I followed the 16/8 fasting model, only eating 8 hours out of each day.

2. From Thursday at 7:00 PM to Friday at 7:00 PM I fasted for 24 hrs. eating dinner after working out Friday evening.

3. Saturday was Cheat Day, normally averaging 3000 calories, but a few of those days exceeded 4000 calories. Let me tell you that I am addicted to Gluten free Chicken Pesto Pizza followed by a slice of carrot cake? What an amazing feeling knowing that I can eat those weekly, with confidence that I will not get fat.

4. Sunday morning after breakfast at 7:00 AM, I fasted again for 24 hrs., starting the process all over Monday morning.

Supplementation wise: I use Muscle Milk “naturals” protein powder as a meal replacement when I’m at work, as my job does not always afford me the luxury of stopping to eat, BioTRUST “LeptiBurn” & “Pro-X10” and a generic Creatine – 5 grams two times/day. James used a pre-workout supplement (Extreme Rush) from Blue Star Nutraceuticals that he loved, but I did not because of my pacemaker and not knowing the effect it might have.

I purchased the Venus Index workout just as the 8th Venus Transformation contest aka VT8 was getting ready to start. Since James was entering the Adonis contest, I decided to take the plunge and go for it too!

What a blast this experience has been. From the amazing workouts, to learning about fasting, practicing posing and actually seeing muscles, shopping for and buying a Fitness posing suit, to actually posing for a professional photographer for my final pictures.

The Venus Lifestyle has given me the knowledge and confidence that I am now looking to compete in either the “physique” or “bikini” class at one of the local bodybuilding shows.

I am forever grateful and appreciative of everyone involved in the creation of the Venus & Adonis Index Lifestyles.

Regards
Lourdes “Candy” Cota

 

Lourdes and James; The Venus and Adonis power couple!

Lourdes and James; The Venus and Adonis power couple!

 

Lourdes interview with John is short and sweet, and it’s kind of nice to hear the voice of the winners in our community.  Please “like” it when you’re done:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Muscle Growth, transformation, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Don’t Be Disappointed If You Can’t Live Your Daily Life at a Low Body Fat Level.

October 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment

When you reach your fitness goals you still go through a maturing process

It sounds odd but once you hit your fitness goals, especially if you’ve exceeded your expectations, you will still go through a maturing process.  You learn to adjust to a shape and size that you have to be happy with.  Usually most of us want to be back to our leanest.  That is the benchmark we all compare ourselves to.

I don’t use a scale anymore, or even a tape measure.  I might get on a scale a couple times a year, and an occasional DXA scan (which is the only method I trust for true body fat %).  After a couple of years now I base my “range” on three sets of clothes – mainly determined by pants/waist sizes as that is mainly where the fat fluctuates.

I exceeded my own goal when I got down to 10% body fat. Once we do this this is our benchmark, but we can't live our day to day life there.

I exceeded my own goal when I got down to 10% body fat. Once we do this it is our benchmark, but we can’t live our day to day life there. The Venus Factor system IS what got me to exceed my wildest expectations for myself.

Why we need periodic refeeds

Leigh Peele’s Starve Mode book and recent podcast are helping me learn to mature in my journey. Leigh’s explanations and research are helping me to learn why we can’t live our day to day lives at a super lean body fat level.  It’s helping me understand why we need breaks from the deficit (sometimes called a refeed).

I will admit, all along I’ve always hated the term refeed and I didn’t believe that we needed them.  I saw too many people using a refeed as an excuse to eat too much. I just wasn’t willing to go there.  I was afraid of getting fat again.  To be perfectly honest that seemed like my worst nightmare after how hard I worked to achieve my goal.

Now I know that a refeed is not meant to be a free for all – eating as much as you want – for as long as you want – binge.  It just means eat at maintenance.  Yes, it’s that simple.  Eat at maintenance, and if you’ve been doing the reverse taper (it’s built into our nutrition calculator) then that is probably not much higher than your slight deficit anyway.

We have some refeed days built into our Venus Factor 12 week Fat Loss manual, but based on how you feel you might need extended periods of eating at maintenance.

Relax, the slight calorie deficit still works

The first time I hit this higher range over a year ago I almost had a meltdown.  It’s hard when you have worked so hard to lose body fat; you still have a fear of gaining it all back.  For the most part, if you are paying attention that is just not going to happen. 

Give yourself a month or two of doing exactly what you already know how to do and you will be back to being comfortable again. 

It probably won’t be the last time.

Relax. Take a deep breath.  Work on the deficit when you can, then take a break from the deficit and be patient.  It does still take a calorie deficit to lose fat.  But take it slow.  Easy does it.  Trust the process.  Trust your body.  It will be a delayed reaction. 

What you do now can take up to three weeks to show results.  The first week is the hardest, the next week gets better, then you find your groove, and each week gets better.  You keep plugging along and it’s not very exciting, but you know what to do.

After a while your clothes change how they fit and you start seeing more muscle definition again.  Once you start seeing small changes like this it keeps you motivated to keep going. 

Women are meant to have a higher body fat compared to men

Women are meant to have a certain level of healthy body fat, more than men.  It is nature’s way of survival for us.  We are not really meant to manipulate our bodies to be super lean, but some of us do it anyway and we have to learn how to manage this in a healthy manner.

If we are not careful we can actually develop eating disorders, so we must learn to stay healthy and take care of ourselves.  I have never had an eating disorder and I don’t intend to start down that path, ever.

I'm learning to accept that this level is very healthy and livable, and I'm fine right as long as I want or need to stay here.

I’m still convincing myself that the higher end is okay.  I can shoot for slightly lower if I want, or I can stay where I am as long as I want to or need to.  It’s okay either way.  Whatever is livable, sustainable, or fits with my life and stress level at the moment in time, or the season in my life.

 

So probably the biggest struggle for me is accepting that I’m okay even at my highest end of the range, shown in the collage, all very recent pictures from the last several months up to a few days ago.  Learning to accept this is a normal part of the maturing process.

First of all body fat level does not matter.  Finding the shape and look you like matters more.  Once you find that it might be good to know what the level is, but it’s not entirely necessary.

My body fat percentage tends to be on the very low side mainly because my lean body mass (LBM) is on the very high side.  At 5’1 my LBM (per DXA) is 105 lbs., for most women my height this is 98 lbs. or under.  Comparison is not a good idea, for me or for anyone else.

We are all different.  I have to accept that this is me; this is how I’m designed.  I love lifting heavy and I love feeling strong.  I love my gym time.  I wouldn’t be happy without it.  So yeah I’m big for my height and that’s just how it is. In general I’m still a tiny person, I am only 5’1″ after all.

It doesn’t help me to know my scale weight or my body fat percentage anymore

Recently someone asked me what my weight and body fat percentage is right now.  I had to answer that I don’t know, and I don’t want to know.  I don’t think it does me any good to know.  I’d rather just learn to be happy with my shape and whatever clothes I decide to wear. I know how to eat at a slight deficit and that’s all I need to know.  I either decide to do it or not.  If I have too much stress or I am not getting enough sleep then a deficit for me is not sustainable.

I know which clothes fit and I know this is my high end.  All I know is I want to learn to accept and love where I’m at right now, while at the same time trying to get just slightly slimmer when I can.  I’ll know once I’m there by which clothes fit. 

I know how to get there; just a slight calorie deficit, taking breaks as needed, constantly listening to my body at various cycles of hunger and stress, sleep and energy level, and strength at the gym.  It’s all about energy balance and being tuned into your own body.

Learning to love your body right where you are at; It takes constant work.  It’s hard.

I’m still convincing myself that the higher end is okay.  I can shoot for slightly lower if I want, or I can stay where I am as long as I want to or need to.  It’s okay either way.  Whatever is livable, sustainable, or fits with my life and stress level at the moment in time, or the season in my life.

Just as Nicola explains in the podcast with John, learning to love your body takes constant effort and it’s not easy.  It does not matter where you are in your weight loss journey.  It takes work even after you achieve your goal.  It’s constant work.

The best time to start on that mental work is now, right where you are at.  Whatever level you are at, it is training for maintaining.

-Ro

Filed Under: Bodyfat, change, fat loss, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fourteen Years in the Gym and It Was Finally Venus That Gave Jessica the Shape She Always Wanted

October 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Today we are honored to listen to Jessica Young Carbonel who placed sixth in the Eighth Venus Index Transformation Contest.

She is the happiest and most comfortable with herself than she has ever been.

She is the happiest and most comfortable with herself than she has ever been.

 

When she saw her before pictures she knew she was going to have to work at this. She is very happy with the results.

When she saw her before pictures she knew she was going to have to work at this. She is very happy with the results.

 

Jessica found Venus changed her body and she felt the difference in the exercises.

Jessica found Venus changed her body and she felt the difference in the exercises.

 

Read what Jessica wrote about her experience with the Venus Factor:

My name is Jessica Young Carbonel. I am 27 years old and have worked/ been in a gym since I was 13 years old. For  the first time in 14 years that I’ve been able to say with confidence that I am happy with my lifestyle. Not just my  weight, my sizes, the way I feel but my entire life. My workouts have helped me and made a total difference in my  physique. Family have referenced my husband and I as “Models” and my jaw dropped!

I have adapted and stuck with the Adonis Workout program since January of 2013. I started with my husband who would  not stop playing podcasts and reading books called “Eat Stop Eat. ” Once I started I only stopped once when I  pinched a nerve from lack of stretching… (my fault I TOTALLY know better!)

My family has commented the most on my physique. For the first time I am buying sizes 0-4 when I have consistently  bought 8-12 ALL MY LIFE. I feel fantastic and am so motivated to keep up my work outs and my new lifestyle. I did  not utilize much of the forum/ community this time around but my husband and I are already planning on participating  in the next contest! Thank you for the introduction and the commitment for this new relationship. I am a devoted and  loyal follower!

 

The Venus Systems gave Jessica a complete lifestyle change, and she loves it.

The Venus Systems gave Jessica a complete lifestyle change, and she loves it.

 

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Interview, Shape, transformation, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How to Remain Consistent While Maintaining Fitness; Calorie Intake and Training Are the Key

October 2, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Here’s the next episode of the UNCENSORED Podcasts Season 3.

 

The "Skinny Brad" is on the far right.

The “Skinny Brad” is on the far right.  If you are like me you are probably thinking “Skinny? He looks pretty good to me right there!”  Brad is just plain awesome.

 

Today’s Topic:  Brad’s 7 week experiment and DXA scan – PART 1

Brad Talks about his experiment after having just completed almost 7 weeks of no workouts, and no fasting.

The key to maintaining fitness is calorie intake and training.  While most of us already knew this, Brad proves this in a 7 week experiment using a DXA scan and some measurements (an experiment none of us really want to undertake – so thank you Brad for doing this for us!)

One interesting point Brad makes in the podcast is that water fluctuations within the body happen constantly.  Even while eating at maintenance, not fasting, and not exercising Brad experienced the sudden weight loss (nicknamed “Whoosh”) the morning after a large meal, and also random mornings of unexplained weight gains.

This is proof that the scale being used for monitoring fat loss over time is a “trend tool” and we all need to ignore the water fluctuations that randomly happen in our body.   While some water retention can be explained with sodium, DOMS, hormone cycles, and certain foods some reasons are unknown and appear to be entirely random.  Don’t get caught up in worrying about random water fluctuations in the body that happen on a daily basis.

Brad answers the following questions in the podcast:

  • The key to having strength and muscle is needing it.
  • Muscle gain and loss is transitory.
  • Fat gain and loss is transitory.
  • Why you shouldn’t worry about muscle loss during a fast.
  • How does muscle memory work?
  • How easy it is to gain muscle back.
  • When does scale weight matter?
  • What metrics should you pay attention to?
  • Why a DXA scan so important?

IMMERSION Clients May Login and Download Podcast Here

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

 

Filed Under: Bodyfat, calories, Podcast, Uncensored Podcasts S03 Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Kerry Takes Venus Workouts and the Community on the Road for Success

September 30, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Today we are honored to listen to Kerry Zeilinger who placed fourth in the Eighth Venus Index Transformation Contest.

 

I don't think Kerry realized that her true shape was an incredibly beautiful hour glass shape.

I don’t think Kerry realized that her true shape was an incredibly beautiful hour glass shape.

 

"I knew I was gaining weight but I didn't realize it was up to that level."

“I knew I was gaining weight but I didn’t realize it was up to that level.”
For most of us the 12 week contest is only a small window or one stop at a train station while en route to the rest of our life in our total transformation.

 

"I knew I had to either get a different career, or I had to find a way to take my fitness process on the road with me."

“I knew I had to either get a different career, or I had to find a way to take my fitness process on the road with me.”

 

Kerry got exactly to her Venus Ideal metrics at the end of the 12 week contest.

Kerry got down to her Venus Ideal metrics at the end of the 12 week contest.

 

Since Kerry was alone on the road with her job she relied on the Venus Community to be her family and support.

Since Kerry was alone on the road with her job she relied on the Venus Community to be her family and support.

 

Read what Kerry wrote about her experience with the Venus Factor:

In 2006, I took a position as a traveling consultant.  For the first year I was in the position, I  ate my meals like I was on a permanent vacation.  I gained 40 pounds in 1 year.  I was miserable at  that weight and knew I had to change how I travel.  I was still traveling so it was my attitude and  perception that had to change.

I made progress by the time I came to Venus but I was not doing the amount of strength training that  I needed to really scorch and sculpt my body.  My progress was extremely slow over the course of  years.  I was happy the weight was coming off but unhappy with the shape of my body.  I would always  say ‘Well I travel for a living’.  This is just once more excuse to add to the millions we hear every  day.

I decided that I was tired of making travel my excuse to getting to my desired body.  I really wasn’t  sure I would be able to speed up the process but I was going to give it my all.  Now that I have been  through the transformation, I realize traveling has advantages and disadvantages.

I love the Circuits and I think they actually fit my workout personality.  This meant I would stick  with strength training longer than I ever have.  I combined the Circuits with High Interval Intensity Training and Steady State cardio.  I  really think this was MY answer.  Part of it was having the deadline.  But, I also think my  perceptions have changed quite a bit since learning of Venus Index, Eat Stop Eat, and Anything Goes Diet.  The support on the  community is spectacular.  I don’t post as often as I like but I always know there will be support  and truly honest opinions when I need the truth.

 

Kerry's slick new shape now matches her slick car. I am partial to this particular car myself.

Now Kerry’s slick fun new shape matches her slick fun car. I am partial to this particular model car myself.

 

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: calories, Contest, transformation, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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