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Ask Nicola; Closet Eating

August 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment
You are not alone in this. Find a friend or someone you can trust.

You are not alone in this. Find a friend or someone you can trust and get it out in the open so you can face it.

What can you do about closet eating?

Overeating usually happen in two major situations:

1) When you are influenced socially.

2) When you are alone.

Today we will focus when you are alone.  You are facing yourself.  This is a moment with an opportunity to learn or face why you might overeat.  What can you do about this?

This is a vulnerable time.  It’s a common theme to hide and eat.  People do this because they don’t want to be seen or face the shame of being overweight.  It increases a vicious circle.  Shame is usually driving the emotion.  It is a very painful place.  You can be stuck in this unhappy and shameful place.

The goal would be to eat in a similar way whether you are eating alone or in a social setting.

What is the first step in getting away from shame in secretive eating?

Admit it.  Get out of denial about it.

Then you can face it.

You are not alone in this.  Find a friend or someone you can trust.  Write a journal.

Nicola and John talk about what to do about closet eating.

Dr. Nicola Bird

Nicola’s Online Program

Listen to John’s interview with Dr. Nicola Bird here, and please “like” it when you’re done:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Food, Health, psychology, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Targets, Goals, and Missions

August 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment

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

 

When you are reaching your goal you may have a role model. Once you get to your goal you become your own role model. It's your new target proximity.

When you are reaching your goal you may have a role model. Once you get to your goal you become your own role model. It helps you learn your new range or proximity to the target.

Today’s Topic:  Targets, Goals, and Missions

Maintenance is hard.  At some point you arrive at a point of diminishing returns.

You have arrived at your goal.  You reach a point where you look in the mirror and say “That’s my body and that’s me, and that’s pretty good.”

Before you got to your goal you may have had a picture of someone else, a role model or a fitness model.

But once you have arrived there, you have photographic evidence.  You have pictures.  Without that you don’t really know.  It gives you your reference.

You can’t have goals, targets, and missions for maintenance without having gotten “there” first.

You don’t you want to compare yourself to others, but it’s okay to have a model to help get you to your goal.

Once you get to your goal, your new model is you.  It is your proximity to the target.  You have a range you like to stay in.

There will be times when you are not as tight, muscular, or sharp, and you can reel yourself in.  You are just getting back to YOU.

Your measurements help; it is your target.  It helps keeps you on track.

You got the body you want, then to keep it you want to do the least amount of work to keep within range.

Once you decide on your target, goals, and missions you need to set up your “inner circle” support group.  You need to include people who are going to help you stay on track and exclude those who hinder you.

Set a goal date to help keep your team or inner circle on your side.  It can be an special event, a vacation, another photo shoot, whatever you want to keep you motivated.

 

IMMERSION Clients May Login and Download Podcast Here

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

 

 

Filed Under: Podcast, transformation, Uncensored Podcasts S03 Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

VT8 12-Week Transformation Winners Announced

August 19, 2013 by 1 Comment

The VT8 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 – Julie J

Julie lost 33 more pounds after entering the Venus contest.

Julie lost 33 more pounds after entering the Venus contest.

Even in mid life and with many health obstacles Julie found a way to succeed. She said the Venus program was a real eye opener for her.

Even in mid life and with many health obstacles Julie found a way to succeed. She said the Venus program was a real eye opener for her.

Second Place – Carlie A

Carlie lost a couple of inches in her waist and gained muscle in her shoulders; This got her to her VI ideal. This is not an easy task.

Carlie lost inches in her waist and gained muscle in her shoulders;
This got her to her exact VI ideal metrics.

Changing your body composition like Carlie did is not an easy task.

Changing your body composition like Carlie did is not an easy task.

 Third Place – Lourdes C

Candy lost inches and gained muscle, again this is no easy task.

Lourdes lost inches and gained muscle.
Again, recomp is no easy task, especially at age 47.

Candy said "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."

“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.”

Fourth Place – Kerry Z.

Kerry lost 9 pounds in 12 weeks and got down to her exact VI ideal metrics.

Kerry lost 9 pounds in 12 weeks and got down to her exact VI ideal metrics.

Kerry didn't let her traveling job be an excuse to not achieve her fitness goals. With Anything Goes Diet and Eat Stop Eat she make it work for her life.

Kerry didn’t let her traveling job be an excuse to not achieve her fitness goals. With Anything Goes Diet and Eat Stop Eat she makes it work for her life. No excuses!

Fifth Place – Lori A.

"My middle daughter saw my legs one day and was like, 'Mom, you are wearing shorts and you have better looking legs than I do!' "

“My middle daughter saw my legs one day and was like, ‘Mom, you are wearing shorts and you have better looking legs than I do!’ “

Lori lost 2 inches from her waist and 8 pounds in 12 weeks. Not bad for a hard working mom.

Lori lost 2 inches from her waist and 8 pounds. Pretty good results for a hard working mom in just 12 weeks.

Sixth Place – Jessica Y

Jessica lost 2 inches off her waist.

Jessica lost 5 pounds and 2 inches off her waist.

Jessica gained the muscle she wanted. She spent most of her life as a size 8-12 and now shes down to 0-4.

Jessica spent most of her life as a size 8-12 and now shes down to 0-4 and she’s gained the muscle she wanted.

Seventh Place – Aima K

Aima weighed 100 pounds before and after, but she cleanly lost fat and gained muscle - this is what we call "recomp" and it requires hard work and patience.

Aima weighed 100 pounds before and after, but she clearly lost fat and gained muscle – this is what we call “recomp” and it requires hard work and patience.

Aima didn't get much support because everyone said she was "skinny" already, but she knew what she wanted and she worked hard to get it.

Aima didn’t get much support because everyone said she was already “skinny”, but she knew what she wanted and she worked hard to get it.

Eighth Place – Lea A

Lea lost four pounds and got closer to her VI Ideal metrics.

Lea lost four pounds and got closer to her VI Ideal metrics.

Previously she at 6 meals a day and worked out hard with a personal trainer but it was the Venus program that finally got Lea results.

Previously she at 6 meals a day and worked out hard with a personal trainer but it was the Venus program that finally got Lea the results she wanted.

Ninth Place – Daphne D

At age 43 and a stay at home mom for a very large family Daphne still managed to lose 8 pounds and cut 2 inches from her waist.

At age 43 and a stay at home mom with 10 kids Daphne still managed to lose 8 pounds and cut 2 inches from her waist.

Daphne worked very hard in spite of all her life stress and you can see the muscle tone she gained here in just 12 weeks.

Daphne worked very hard in spite of all her life stress and you can see the muscle tone she gained here in just 12 weeks.

Tenth Place – Lorraine G

"Never have I EVER experienced the sheer amount of positive comments and reinforcement I've seen in the last month! People spontaneously talk to me about fitness."

“Never have I EVER experienced the sheer amount of positive comments and reinforcement I’ve seen in the last month! People spontaneously talk to me about fitness.”

Even at age 60 and a huge amount of life stress Lorraine managed to gain muscle, lose 7 pounds, and 2 inches off her waist in just 12 weeks.

Even at age 60 and a huge amount of life stress Lorraine managed to gain muscle, lose 7 pounds, and 2 inches off her waist in just 12 weeks.

 

Each one of these women worked very hard to achieve their success in just 12 weeks.  Many are in mid life and experience much of the stress we all face at that time; jobs, kids, elderly parents, hormone issues and yet they still found a way to make huge progress on their fitness goals.  One thing we emphasize in the Venus program is that we are making changes for life and that the contest is merely a 12 week snapshot, a moment in time, or an en route train stop on our life long journey for health and happiness (not fat loss at all costs).

If you are in the online community please congratulate each of these women for their accomplishments or feel free to comment below, and please feel free to hit the LIKE button!

-Ro

VT9 will start September 1st and end November 24th

 

Filed Under: Contest, transformation, Uncategorized, weight loss Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ask Nicola; Emotional Eating vs Emotional OVER-Eating

August 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment

 

The thing to remember is that the stress and the need to want to eat a treat that makes you feel good; it is a moment. Let yourself have the moment. Factor it in because you are human.

The thing to remember is that the stress and the need to want to eat a treat that makes you feel good; it is a moment. Let yourself have the moment. Factor it in because you are human.

Emotional Eating vs Emotional OVER-Eating

Everyone emotionally eats.  Sometimes it happens like clockwork.  It might be from certain events that cause stress.

The thing to remember is that the stress and the need to want to eat a treat that makes you feel good; it is a moment.   Let yourself have the moment.

You do not have to keep eating to the point of overeating.  Slow down.  Take a moment to enjoy the food.

Have the chocolate.  Pay attention.  Give yourself the permission to have that chocolate and then just have it.  You can always have more again next time.

Do not deny it.  It needs to be factored in.  Plan on it.  Know it is going to happen. Remind yourself that you can have it again.

Be mindful of the emotion at the time.  You have not do beat yourself up about it.  You can contain it.  You can learn to manage the moments.

Every human being has these cravings and urges.  It doesn’t mean there is something wrong with you.  It does not mean you have to give up your goals.  Factor in that you are human. Give yourself some flexibility.

Dr. Nicola Bird

Nicola’s Online Program

Listen to John’s interview with Dr. Nicola Bird here, and please “like” it when you’re done:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Food, Health, psychology Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Weight Training: “Were You Born For This”?

August 5, 2013 by Leave a Comment

 

Was I born for this? Not necessarily.

Was I born for this? Not necessarily.

While at the gym today I noticed a caption on the TV screen for what looked like a golf tournament advertisement that said “They were born for this”.  I was listening to music on my MP3 player and not actually watching TV so I don’t completely know what the advertisement was about.  I don’t watch TV at home so I still don’t really know what it was about.  It looked like it was about pro golf players.  I did an internet search and the hits confirmed it was about this years PGA tour.  That is all I know, I didn’t search any further.

Was I born for this?

It got me to thinking about what I spend a lot of time doing lately and the question for myself “Was I born for this?”

Sometimes it feels like yes everything in my life seems to have added up to this point. It feels like what I am doing is my purpose and that it makes an impact on others.

Yet when I think about my family, genetics, relatives, or even my identical twin, none of them have done what I have done regarding fitness (and yet I am also nothing special myself).

It reminds me of a book I read once called “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell.  The first two chapters of this book resonate with me on my experience.  The first chapter was about opportunity and coaching; I definitely missed the boat on that one for the first part of my life.  The second chapter “The 10,000-hour rule” explains why I seem to be good at knowing how to design my own diet and just do the productive workouts every day.  I’ve been doing both consistently for over 30 years.  I Just didn’t have good coaches or good tools until a few years ago.

With the Venus Factor I finally got the tools I needed to succeed

I now have John Barban, Brad Pilon, the Venus program, and Eat Stop Eat which all gave me the coaching and tools I needed to finally succeed in my fitness goals.

And then the skills I have developed during my 25 year career at Hewlett Packard seem to have set me up for doing various jobs recently for the Venus Factor.  I could not have planned it but it seems everything fell into place.  It reminds me of the Seneca quote that goes something like “Luck is when preparation and opportunity meet”.  Sometimes you don’t know what you are preparing for but your passion leads you somewhere.  Especially if you work hard at what you love and simply make the best of the situation at hand, even if it is not yet the work you are most passionate about.

“Were you born for this?” does not really apply to weight training.

Back to the gym:  It made me realize that the question “Were you born for this?” does not really apply to weight training.  We were all born for it and we can all use it to fit our own lifestyle.

It is especially necessary for women because lifting weights just 3 times a week on a consistent basis will ward off osteoporosis.  When I was 51 I got a DXA scan that showed my bone density was that of an athletic 30 year old woman.  That is a direct result of weight lifting.

Women can do the minimum (3 days a week) or take it to higher level conditioning and workout nearly every day.  That is the beauty of the Venus Factor program.  It is not a one size fits all program.

It is a program that women at all levels can participate in; as a beginner, as an advanced athlete, as someone who enjoys working out in the privacy of their own home, as someone who likes a public gym, as a stay at home mom, as a traveling executive, or from any walk of life.

Consistency is the key to being an Every Day Venus

John told this story that I think applies:

The other day I was sitting in a local coffee shop and a guy walked in that recognized. It took me a few moments to remember how I knew him.

Then it hit me, he was a subject in one of the exercise experiments I did when I was in graduate school.

Back when I was doing research in exercise and nutrition I was running an exercise study where I had to make people do a pretty intense workout for 90 minutes at about 70% VO2 max.

That might sound a little technical so let me explain what it means.

VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen your body and muscles can consume and use during exercise. Most people can only sustain their true max for a few moments until they have to back off or stop completely.

The best athletes in the world can stay there a bit longer, but it’s still very short lived. The point is nobody actually workouts out at VO2 max; this is just a way to measure how conditioned you are. It also has a genetic component. In other words some people just have a higher VO2 max even if they don’t work at it.

So in our study we set the intensity level of the workout to 70% VO2max. 70% VO2 is also known as ‘anaerobic threshold’ which is the intensity of cardio (running, cycling etc.) that feels like it’s almost becoming a sprint but not quite a job. In short, it’s right at the edge of what you can handle for long duration.

It’s hard!

Back to the coffee shop:  The guy who walked in had the highest VO2 max of any of our subjects and was in the best condition of anybody we studied.

He was about 6’4 225lbs, big, lean, muscular, and well-conditioned. He kind of reminded me of the Winklevoss twins from the movie ‘the social network’.

…that was then.

Now he looks like he is about 70lbs overweight, and I’ll bet he doesn’t have the endurance or muscular conditioning he did when he was younger.

If you asked me to bet on who I would guess would be in shape 15 years after that study, this is the guy I would have bet on. He had it all.

The point of this story is to explain to you that even the most genetically gifted people still have to work out regularly and pay some attention to their diet in order to maintain a great looking physique and top conditioning.

Nobody is going to lift the weights for you. Consistency from day to day, month to month and year to year is the key to being an Every Day Venus for life.

 

No one except my husband saw the potential in me early on

For me it was kind of the opposite of John’s story at the coffee shop.  People looked at me in the past and didn’t see any potential.  My husband Randy said he saw something special in me a long time ago.  He called me his “diamond in the rough”.  It’s nice to have someone who believes in you.

No one saw potential in me except my husband Randy who believed in me.

No one saw potential in me except my husband Randy who believed in me.

The slow weight creep started for me in my mid 30’s and continued into my late 40’s where at 5’1″ I peaked out at over 171 pounds.  I did not achieve my fitness goal until I was 50.  The Venus program took me beyond even my wildest dreams with fitness and changed my life completely.  I spent the first half of my life working hard but I was barely average.  My genetics did not look like anything special.

Two years after achieving my Venus goals I am still enjoying the Venus lifestyle

I am enjoying the Venus lifestyle. In the Caribbean two years ago, last summer in Las Vegas (green bikini), and last week in the locker room.

I am still enjoying the Venus lifestyle two years after achieving my Venus goals. In the Caribbean two years ago, last summer in Las Vegas (green bikini), and last week in the locker room.

 

So here I am two years after achieving my Venus fitness goals and still living the dream.  You do not have to “be born for this” and as John has coached us “you are not at the mercy of your genetic shape if you don’t want to be”:

 

In fact you could even say that most people are not genetically perfectly proportioned and that we all have some sort of genetic imbalance or asymetry to our predetermined muscle size that we need to work on.

The good news is that you are not at the mercy of your genetic shape if you don’t want to be.  You can always train yourself toward better overall proportions.

The concept of building a proportioned physique should be your goal if you’re working out to improve the look and shape of your body.

Working with your genetic strengths and weaknesses in mind will help you direct your effort towards the most efficient use of your time in the gym and get you to that proportioned physique in the shortest period of time.

For a look at what we consider the ideally proportioned physique have a look at some of the contest winners from the recent Adonis Index and Venus Index contests.

And you can do it too!

Speaking of contests:  Next Sunday August 11th is the last day of our current contest (VT8).  VT9 will start September 1st and end November 24th (just in time to enjoy the holiday season).

So remember, anyone can do it who decides and then puts the work in.  You don’t have to be “Born for this” like the PGA tour golf pro’s.  I look forward to meeting some new Venus girls in the contest interviews.

-Ro

Filed Under: change, fat loss, Uncategorized, weight loss, Weight training Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Growing into Venus- Nutrition

August 2, 2013 by 4 Comments

Last time, we talked about age and training age– they should guide training and frequency. Today, we will discuss nutrition.

Liss After VI

As a child, I ate until I was satisfied and only what tastes good. The pattern is to continue eating until satiated by feel- it is called eating intuitively. At some point I changed the way I ate in order to change my body.  This is when I first dipped my toes into dieting or nutrition.

Eating Less

Most people understand that to lose weight the goal is to eat less calories. So the first step for many is to do just that- so I ate less. It is common to overdo it at first. I pushed too hard and I got burned out quickly. I was miserable, hungry, and ready for something else.

The Magic Bullet

Then I started the search for the perfect diet- because I felt like eating less was not structured enough or too hard for me. I wanted to change at any and all costs. So I found complicated systems and approaches because they must know better. There are all kinds of diets out there- Atkins, South Beach, Weight Watchers, Maker’s, Zone, Vegan, HCG- just to name a few. I gave one a shot, and had some success. But after a while I tired out and so I researched another to start on. I started trying some supplements too- maybe fat loss pills, apple cider vinegar, and/or protein powders. I also dabbled in meal frequency, timing, and food combining.

Giving Up

After years of trying every diet, timing, and supplement out there- I had given up. I was broken. I gained all the weight back, or was struggling to keep up with the current diet plan. I was exhausted, nothing had worked, and I had spent a lot of time and money. I might of even had orthorexia now- issues around certain foods. I though to that I was going to have to accept that this is what I was going to look like. Does this sound familiar?

The central issue with “dieting” in the sense of the word- is that is not sustainable. The creators of a diet never talk about what your life is supposed to look like after the diet- and nobody ever thinks about the end at the start of their quest for the perfect diet. We all have busy schedules, vacations, and social events to attend. These things tend to get in the way of diet plans.

Lifestyle

At some point, I hope it clicks for you like it did for me. When you start to wrap your mind around your training and nutrition as a lifestyle- most of what you had been doing will change too.

  • I no longer diet. Honestly, I do not like that word. I watch my calories over the course of a week instead of trying to make a specific calorie goal each day.
  • There are no forbidden foods. Anything goes. I eat what I want- as long as it is in my calorie budget. I eat things that I like and that make me feel good- lots of fresh vegetable and fruits.
  • I watch that my protein intake is decent everyday- at least 80 grams.
  • I fast (ESE style) weekly, especially if I have a social event coming up.
  • Everything is more moderate- no feast or famine. I am kind to my body.
  • Consistency is key. It not about being perfect, it is about getting right back up when you stumble.
  • There is no 21 day or 6 month diet plan. I may set certain goal days to look my best for a photo shoot or an event which just requires a few weeks of tightening up a bit to be ready. I stay within striking range.

It is just my life- no end date. These are just things that I do, without much thought. I have been doing them for over a year since I stepped off the diet bandwagon and found success with the Venus Factor system.

 

Back to the Beginning

Funny thing is- the ultimate goal is to come right back to where we all started. Eating by feel, stepping away from counting and the scale. Monitoring by a look. Stopping when full. Eating only what tastes and makes you feel good.

 

In summary-

  1. Do not over complicate things. Eating less to change your body, like you first thought, was always right. You just have to find ways to make it work for you.
  2. There is no magic pill or diet or food or supplement or timing or combining…. or anything else I Ieft off! Calories are king.
  3. Be moderate, it is not a race. Adopt a healthy way of life- training and nutrition.
Filed Under: calories, Diet, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Fat Cat Who Became a Lean and Mean Adonis

July 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Squeeky before and after pictures.

Squeaky before and after pictures.

Little does one of our cats know that I’m writing an article about him becoming an Adonis kitty.

What kind of a name is Squeaky?

We’ve had “Squeaky” for about 10 years now.  First, you are probably wondering what the heck kind of a name is “Squeaky”?  Well, we live in a remote area right next to a wild canyon.  Let’s just say when it comes to the outdoor pets only the smart and strong survive.  We have a couple of indoor cats who can never go outside because they wouldn’t survive.

Squeaky is one of the outdoor “ranch cats”.   Usually we wait just a bit to name some of the ranch pets, and by then some part of their personality becomes a highlight and makes it easy to pick a name that describes them.

 

Squeeky weighed about 17 pounds most of his adult life. He is 10 years old now and weighs 13 pounds.

Another before and after comparison. Squeaky weighed about 17 pounds most of his adult life. He is 10 years old now and weighs 13 pounds.

 

Squeaky has always had this sort of cute, low volume, squeaky sounding meow. Whenever we go outside and he hears us, he comes trotting towards us from a long way off,”squeaking” the whole way.  It’s really kind of cute.  So he got the name Squeaky.

Squeaky suddenly started moving around more and lost weight

Several weeks ago we noticed that he takes off to somewhere up the road and stays away, sometimes over night or for a day or so, and then comes back.  All of our pets are fixed so we know there is no girlfriend involved. We’ve also noticed that he seems kind of wiry and is more active now, and he’s lost a lot of weight.  We were worried that he might be sick or have hyperthyroidism which is common in cats.

We took Squeaky to the vet and they checked him out and did blood work and it turns out he is absolutely healthy, not a thing wrong with him.  For all of his adult life he’s weighed about 17 pounds.  He was fat.  Now he weighs 13 pounds.

We never even knew Squeaky was fat.  We always thought he was just big and muscular compared to his siblings; we thought he was strong and “beefy”.  The vet said he was perfect now; the epitome of health.  Lean and mean.  Randy and I laughed and said “He’s become an Adonis kitty!”

 

We were happy to learn that Squeeky wasn't sick, in fact he had simply become an Adonis kitty! Lean and mean.

We were happy to learn that Squeaky wasn’t sick, in fact he had simply become a healthy, lean and mean Adonis kitty!

What changed for Squeaky?

We started thinking about what changed? Well he used to hang around with one of his brothers, another Mackerel tabby we had named Tiger.  But Tiger recent passed away due to stomach cancer.  Squeaky and Tiger were buddies and they hung around the ranch together.

Now that Tiger is gone, Squeaky is more active and trots up the road to the neighbors property to hang out sometimes.  He comes and goes a lot.  He simply eats less and moves more, so he lost weight and became an Adonis.

 

Squeeky on the top tier when he used to hang about the property more. Now he trots up and down the road, back and forth, and is simply more active.

Squeaky on the top tier when he used to hang about the property more. Now he trots up and down the road, back and forth, and is simply more active.

 

Regulating food intake is key

We’ve noticed over the years that some of our pets just sort of self regulate their eating.  Most are active because they have plenty of room to move around.  But some will eat until they get fat and we have to regulate their food.

Funny it’s just like people.  Too much food makes us fat. Sometimes we have to regulate what we eat to either lose weight or maintain.  It is really the same simple principle.  There is nothing wrong with our metabolism, there is nothing wrong with us, we just need to learn to navigate the over abundance of food that we are constantly bombarded with. It really is that simple.

It was kind of the same way for me having been over weight most of my life.  I never realized how small I was or even what my true shape was until I lost all the weight.  People thought I was strong and big boned.  You don’t really know what you have under all that fat until you get there.

I found out there is really no such thing as “big boned”; I think that’s the sort of look you get when you have muscle AND fat (at least it was for me). Once you lose the excess weight you realize it’s easier to move and you have more energy.

Just like we noticed with Squeaky.

The other thing is that I never knew that I ate too much.  I’m not sure how that fact was lost along the way during my years of yo-yo dieting and in the mountain of diet and fitness information I had accumulated along the way.

It wasn’t until I immersed myself in the Venus Factor lifestyle that the idea finally solidified in my mind; I’m small, I don’t move as much as my ancestors did to survive (even with intense gym workouts), therefore I don’t need so much food.

The key for me wasn’t in a calorie counter, calculator, chart, or book (although those are a good place to start), but actually in learning to watch my body change over time according to the amount I ate, as well as paying attention to the ebb and flow of how I feel.

 

California Mule deer, Doe and Fawn; in the lower left the Doe is nursing the fawn.

Randy took these pictures while we were sitting on our deck during a lunch break; California Mule deer in our back yard, doe and fawn. In the picture on the lower left the doe is letting her fawn nurse.

Life in the wilderness

On another note regarding the wilderness area we live.  As I was downloading the “after” pictures of Squeaky I noticed some fun pictures Randy took about the same time.  It’s quite common to see mule deer in California, but it’s rare to see a doe nursing her fawn.

This doe and fawn were literally in our back yard just below our deck, and you can see the fawn nursing in one picture.  The fawn was barely walking on wobbly legs.  They were quite amazing and beautiful.

I hope you enjoyed the little animal story.  Until next time,

-Ro

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

How a Type 1 Diabetic Lost 40 Pounds and Improved Her Health Using The Venus Factor

July 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Molly before and after.

Molly before and after.

How a Type 1 Diabetic Lost 40 Pounds and Improved Her Health Using The Venus System

Today we have an interview with Molly Carbone. Since January she has lost over 40lbs on the Venus system, but the even more impressive thing is as a type 1 diabetic she has cut her insulin dose in half and cut her blood sugar down to a level she could never get to before.

Molly’s story is proof that Venus can work for you even if you have something like diabetes. Listen to Molly’s story and hear how she dropped the weight, and got control of her body and her health.

 

Molly lost 40 pounds in spite of type 1 diabetes using the Venus program.

Molly lost 40 pounds in spite of type 1 diabetes using the Venus system.

 

Listen to Molly’s story below and learn how she dropped the weight and improved her health:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Health, Interview, Uncategorized, weight loss Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Growing into Venus: Age and Training Age

July 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Upon listening to the recently released Uncensored Podcast- Fitness Trends 2013, I got to thinking about my specific age, training age, and my nutrition age. I have been at this for longer than a decade even though I found Venus a short year ago. Man, I have come a long way in a year.

Today we will discuss age and training age, next time we will look at the evolution of nutrition as you grow in your training.

LissbeforeVI

Age and training age

I just turned 29. I have been weight training on and off since I was 15- making my training age 10 years if I take out the periods that I was not doing anything. My training was certainly never for specific for a look before I found Venus. I would consider myself to be middle-to-younger within the age ranges of Venii. I enjoy Venus phase 3 training sessions 4 days per week at an hour or more. I also generally run for an hour 2 days per week. I take one rest day per week.

I doubt that when I am 59 this training schedule is going to work for me, or even when I am 39 or 49. Running will probably be too jarring on my joints; I might find biking or swimming more pleasant. Maybe my rest days will need to be more frequent. I might have some injuries that I need to work around, so I will be cognizant of that. I will probably do strength training for more days that I do now because I enjoy it.

When I was 19, my training schedule certainly did not look like this either. Firstly, I was not in this kind of condition. My cardio training sessions were shorter, and focused more on higher reps when I did weights. It was the only thing I knew to do, I was not yet versed in the how and why yet. Secondly, my training was not as consistent. I maybe made it to the gym 3 days per week, 2 of them were probably for cardio on a machine.

Tailor the program for you

My point is this- your age and training age matter when you are talking about your training schedule. There is no one size fits all.

  • If you are new to training, 3 days a week of Venus is probably more than enough.  You will start to get into a groove and work up to more time in the gym over time.
  • If you have been at it for 10 years, then you can go 5 or more days a week and lift and work in some cardio as needed. You know when too much is too much. Be careful not to push yourself to the point that you end up with an injury- this is how it happens!
  • Those who have been at it for twenty or more years can lift 6 days a week along with daily cardio if they wanted to. They know that they are not going to get the huge muscle and strength gains like they used to, it all about preserving at this point.

Some parting thoughts-

  1. Learn to listen to your body. Take a rest day when needed.
  2. Train in ways that you enjoy.  If you are dreading a work out, you need to re-evaluate.
  3. More just to do more is never good. Always approach training with the idea of doing the least amount to get the best result.

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Filed Under: Exercise, stress, Uncategorized, Weight training Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Young Mom Finds the Venus Factor to Be A Way of Life Instead Of a Means to an End

July 15, 2013 by 4 Comments

Today we are honored to listen to Dom who placed seventh in the 7th Venus Index Transformation Contest.

Dom found a system that works for her even while raising two young children under two years old.

Dom found a system that works for her even while raising two young children under two years old.

 

Check out her beautiful transformation pictures:

Dom before the 12 week contest

Dom before the 12 week contest

 

Dom's contest stats.

Dom’s contest stats.

 

Dom after the 12 week contest

Dom after the 12 week contest.

 

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

Finally, this is something that works for me. As a work at home mom of 2 kids younger than 2, I was looking for something simple but real. Not just a quick fix, but a way of life that would fit into my life.

I found that in the Venus index. I like that there is science behind it, it is not just a fad or trend, I can approach it on my terms. And most of all, it works! Prior to joining the VI community I exercised exclusively OUT of the house. I thought I needed to GO someplace to be motivated by someone. VI has shown me that I can do this by myself, for myself. I can integrate this into my life right here at home and I can shape it to fit my needs. The principles of Eat Stop Eat really resonated with me and I love that the workouts are all laid out for you to follow.

Never having been a part of an online community prior to this I have been blown away by the amount of support on the forum. I am proud to call my Venus sisters my friends and I have been so grateful for their support 24/7 via the community and privately. Bottom line, this is the first program I have followed through with long term. I am learning to integrate it into my life slowly, and while I am not all the way to my VI metrics yet, I am working towards it at a pace that has me confident that this is a new way of life for me!

One of the things was how much I appreciate that this program is a way of life and that it has given me the tools–through both the programs (ESE and VI factor workouts) and the community, to control what I can control.

Between working, raising two little girls, taking care of my house and family, it is hard to carve out “me” time.  In the past this would snowball because I would be frustrated when I missed a workout and then eat more, and then I would be discouraged from eating more and not want to exercise.  Of course, then it would become this vicious cycle and before I knew it days would have past where I ate more than I wanted too, didn’t exercise, felt bad, blahblahblah.  It would all change next week, next month, next year, as soon as I got through whatever the next big hurdle was THEN I would start over.  I’m sure this is familiar to so many of us!

I have found this program so sustainable because it is just one day at a time, one step at a time.  If I eat too much today, I eat less tomorrow.  Better yet if I eat too much this morning, instead of blowing the whole day, I just eat less later on.

To take it one step beyond that, I can plan ahead and if I KNOW I want to eat too much tomorrow or next week, or later today because I have plans, I can plan ahead and eat less NOW in preparation.  Similarly, I work out when I can and if I can’t make time today I will make some tomorrow. By making this a way of life instead of a means to an end, I have let go a little and in doing that I have actually gained more control.

 

Dom kept on going even after the contest because this is her new way of life.

Dom kept on going even after the contest because this is her new way of life.

 

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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