Venus Index Transformation Contest

Mom of four sheds the Frumpy with Venus!

June 13, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I decided to join the contest for some extra motivation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Scotti

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

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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

Contest winner Tracey Brings Out Her Inner Warrior!

June 6, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

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

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

Here’s what Tracey said in her own words:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Tracey

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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

Venus Veteran Naomi Maintaining Awesome into her 50’s

May 23, 2016 by Liss Graham Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Bonus Results of Getting Lean and Strong

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Naomi

Get in touch with me:

My WebSite where I blog regularly

My FaceBook Page – Naomi Rules

My Instagram Page

Here is my Venus Index community profile.

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

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

Naomi and John Barban at an exercise video shoot

Naomi Before Venus and After in 2012

Naomi before and after Venus through the years

Some pro tips from Naomi

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

Naomi Maintenance Feb 2016

Naomi Maintenance April 2016

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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

Today is the start of VT17 of the Venus Transformation Contests

May 2, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

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

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

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

The link to join is RIGHT HERE.

What is the Venus Transformation Contest and who can join?

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

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

There are the other prizes too:

The Transformation Contest place has prizes for placements:

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

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

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

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

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

Never Settle!

Never Give Up.

Live Your Dream.

-Coach Roberta

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

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

VT16 Contest Winners Announced (beautiful pictures included)

April 25, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

And the VT16 winners are… Drum roll please…

And it is important to note this is merely a 12 week window in the journey of all these women. They all have a much bigger story to tell.

First Place – Kim

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

Second place – Gail

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

Third Place – Scotti

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

Fourth Place – Rebecca

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

Fifth Place – Andrea

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

Sixth Place – Melissa

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

Seventh Place – Brenda

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

Eighth Place – Amanda

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

Ninth Place – Tracey

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

Tenth Place – Deborah

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

Cover Model Winners

Next we have our cover model winners. The neat thing about these ladies is they are previous contest winners who are proving that this lifestyle is something you can keep for life. It’s not just a 12 week contest, it’s a lifestyle. It takes a while to learn, but it can be done!

Vanessa

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

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

Helen

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

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

Malissa

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

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

Congratulations to all the winners! What beautiful pictures. What hard work. It all paid off.

And the journey continues.

We will be contacting all of these ladies to see if they want to share their story and possibly do an interview.

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

What about online coaching?

Many of our successful clients decide to invest in one on one coaching. You are welcome to choose which coach you would like to work with. Our premium coaching program works for many! Contest winner Andrea talks about what coaching did for her in our Venus podcast.

When is the next contest?

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

So next Monday there will be a post here on the blog with the link to enter, in the meantime check out the rules and regulations.

So get ready for more awesomeness this year!

Never Settle!

Never Give Up.

Live Your Dream

-Roberta

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

Today is the DAY! Get your VT16 entries in by midnight EST

April 11, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

Today is the day to get your final pictures submitted.

You have until midnight tonight EST (Eastern Standard Time)

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

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

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

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

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

I can wait to start seeing all the AMAZING RESULTS!

-Coach Roberta

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

What about online coaching?

When is the next contest?

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

Filed Under: change, Contest, Uncategorized Tagged With: diet for weight loss, goal setting, The Venus Factor, venus index contest, Venus index Transformation, Venus Index Transformation Contest

How Holly used Venus to make Empowered Food Choices for Life

March 28, 2016 by Roberta Saum Leave a Comment

Holly wasn’t looking for a fat loss program. She was looking for a strength training program.

But she ended up getting addicted to the amazing Immersion podcasts with John and Brad, and learning how to make better food choices and got so much more! Holly got an EMPOWERED LIFE!

Here’s what she wrote:

After a lifetime of struggling and obsessing about my weight and watermelon belly, I had decided to accept that my lean and athletic self image would ever match the woman looking back from the mirror.

I would just have to be a “border line obese” (as my Doctor stated) marathon runner, hiker, paddler, sailor, scuba diver and cyclist, that continually received the comment “you like outdoor stuff?!” as though a woman my size would not be able to manage.

I was tired of obsessing about food intake and what I could/could not eat. I have always loved cooking and meal planning, making a menu for the week and then shopping from that menu but I simply no longer wanted all the different “eating plans”

I had tried and failed at: Eat Right for your Type, South Beach, Shred and Atkins.

I just wanted to make a menu and cook based off my families’ activities and what sounded good.

I also knew, as my running, cycling coaches, paddling partner and my arms after pulling lines and equipment told me: “You have to start incorporating strength training.”

I use to lift in college but that seemed like a long time ago, and every time I had tried to get back into the routine it failed. I was not ready and it felt forced.

Lifting, I realized was also very boring to me. How had I ever completed 4-5 one hour lifting workouts a week!

That is when I began the all important Google search. I did not believe the Venus Factor information at first, thinking “Great, another way to be obsessive”.

I know the basic rules of weight loss: eat less-work more, but had never had any desire to “starve”.

The thought that 1,000 calories was enough was a little shocking. I struggled with keeping under 1,200!

I had never fasted, either.

The lifting is what caught my attention. A 12 week program that builds on its self, starts at about 30 minutes and does not say how much/little weight to use and bounce it’s on my phone.

That means on work days when my running partner and I don’t run I can lift on my lunch break.

I already had weights in my office and my running partner had a heavier set in hers!

I purchased the program for that piece alone.

Since it came with a whole app and immersion, I began listening to all the podcasts and learned about the contest.

As a “self competitor” I decided to go for it, what could I loose, if anything it would keep the strength training motivated.

I decided I would follow the whole program. The first 24 hr turned into a 32 hour fast, which was the hardest fast of the whole program; after that one the rest were relatively easy!

After 12 weeks I have learned that I can eat whatever I want, no more being obsessive, just being aware of what is going in is enough.

I have taken a full minute off my running pace and my knees are much happier these days. I have not made it to my Venus Index numbers yet but am very close and I finally feel that the athletic woman in my head is the woman seen in the mirror.

Now that I know what to do and most importantly how to maintain I’ll never have to feel like the overweight athlete again!

-Holly

Holly is really happy with her new Empowered Venus Life!

Listen to her podcast now or download it for later:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: calories, Contest, fat loss, Interview, transformation, Uncategorized Tagged With: The Venus Factor, transformation contest, Venus index Transformation, Venus Index Transformation Contest, Venus Index Workout, working out for shape

Maintenance with Venus Veteran Carly

March 7, 2016 by Liss Graham Leave a Comment

Carly has been using Venus systems for over 3 years. She did a phenomenal job with her initial transformation and her continued results display the hard work she puts in. Her transformation stretches out further than a 12 week period though, she has lost FORTY pounds using Venus!

Carly before starting Venus in 2013 and after VT14, unbelievable!

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

Before children, I never worked out. I never counted calories. I didn’t have to work hard to keep my figure. I was young then too and now I’m older. All my factors have changed so I need to change my habits in order to keep the figure I desire. I am thirty two years old. I have two children. My son is six years old and my daughter is three years old. I found Venus in June 2013, two months after I had my daughter. I had a lot of weight to lose. I was ready to hit the gym to lose my baby weight. Liss Graham was teaching Venus at my local gym so I decided to join her class. By April 2014, I hit my weight loss goal. I had dropped FORTY-FIVE pounds! I was in my measurement goals with the nutrition calculator. But once I hit that goal, I already had another goal in mind. TONING!! I kept using Venus from April 2014 to May 2015 but I felt like I was just in the motion and not really learning or thinking about how to better myself. I felt like I was in limbo. For me, it has been hard to build muscle. I didn’t know what I was doing. I felt stronger every time I lifted and I was getting sore but I couldn’t grow. I wasn’t pushing myself to the level I could have gone. Even though, I was very successful with weight loss, I felt like I didn’t know how to maintain my weight and I didn’t know how to tone the muscles. For me it was like, “Well, I lost all this weight but now what?” I felt uneducated on how to maintain my weight and build muscle at the same time. To reach this goal and to get motivated again, I decided to join a contest. I felt like I truly started TONING when VT14 started. When I joined the VT14 my mission was to tone up every muscle from head to toe. I added more days of lifting. I went to the gym six days of the week instead of the recommended three. I watched my intake more. I researched more by listening to podcasts and reading fitness articles. I started following fitness guru’s on Instagram and facebook. I dedicated more time to reading and understanding the VENUS program. Sometimes I even worked out twice a day. I took advice from other Venus expertise. Liss Graham came for visits at my gym and I learned from her every time. She’s an AMAZING coach by the way! I took professional pictures every 6 weeks to help push me along. I had some vacations during the contest and I didn’t want it to derail me. I used myfitnesspal and held myself accountable for every meal. I was dedicated to making progress. Twelve weeks later, I felt like I had the body of my dreams. I know what to do now to keep my transformation. I can see my growth with photos. I know how to keep toning my body without being lost in the process. Venus has educated me on how to be healthy and fit for life. Venus has helped me reach my weight loss goal and my toning goal. Venus has given me the body that I craved. Before children, I weighted one hundred and seventeen pounds. I weigh less now and have way more muscle. I look way better after kids then I ever did before kids. I have been very successful with Venus and have hit many goals. I didn’t know anything about fitness before Venus. I think everyone should watch the how to videos and learn how to eat right and learn what a simple carb is versus a complex carb. I literally didn’t know anything! The biggest change for me is making trips to the grocery store. I know not to just look at the pretty labels on the boxes that are misleading to shoppers. I know how to read ingredients and what to look for in them. I read the nutrition label, which I used to ignore. Venus has changed my life and for the better. I eat clean now. I have the confidence and education it takes to make Venus a lifestyle and not a fad. I’ve done it for three years and I plan on doing it for the rest of my life. It is too good of a program to ever stop doing.

Carly’s Metrics

	Weight	Height	Waist	Shoulders	Hips
June 2013	150 lb	63 in	33.5 in	41.5 in	42.5 in
February 2016	113 lb	63 in	26.8 in	36.0 in	36 in
Deltas	-37 lb	0 in	-6.7 in	-5.5 in	-6.5 in

Carly (right) with Venus veteran and friend Julie (left)

Carly is a beautiful Venus! Nothing can stop her now!

Carly, Coach Liss, and Venus friends at the Moore County YMCA

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Interview, Meetups, Sage Advice, transformation, weight loss Tagged With: Anything Goes Diet, becoming a venus, body composition, cardio, diet for weight loss, Eat Stop Eat, goal setting, losing pregnancy weight, muscle growth, supplements, Venus Index, venus index contest, Venus index Transformation, Venus Index Transformation Contest, Venus Index Workout, weight training, working out for shape

Laura Found Venus to be a Healthy Lifestyle NOT a Get-Fit-Quick Scheme

February 15, 2016 by Liss Graham Leave a Comment

Laura placed in our recent VT15 Venus Transformation Contest.

She did a phenomenal job and her results display the hard work she put in.

Laura lost 7 inches from her waist and 7 inches from her hips in only 12 weeks! WOW!

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

“My experience with the Venus Factor system”

I have to say that I was a teeny bit skeptical about the Venus System when I first went through all the elements. Yes it made sense from a scientific point of view, but there are so many other get fit schemes in the market that I wanted to make sure I was putting my beloved body through a safe and trustworthy system. I then researched and discovered that John Barban is a fitness genius and has plenty of credibility. His explanations are valid, so I make the commitment and signed up! The primary focus I took was on the eating system using the morning fasts about 4 days per week, which made reaching the deficit goal much easier! I was not hungry apart from some days on a couple difficult weeks. Juicing from time to time helped me to get in extra vegetables and healthy nutrients. The forums are also great to read, they were instrumental to me at the beginning to wrap my head around how to really implement this into my life on a daily basis. The fantastic tips I learned from Roberta, Lissa (ah-mazing recipes thanks) as well as the other coaches and regulars on the posts and podcasts gave invaluable, uplifting recommendations. I have weights and other personal fitness gear so I could do modified workouts if I was working from home, on my back deck or would make the trip to a gym. I also bike to work a few times a week though as warned, that can be a little too much and make me more hungry and tired, so I avoided excessive cardio. Since I work in the field of health and physical education I wanted to be walking my talk more since I had got out of past routines over the last year with extra stress and responsibility adding pounds on. The Venus Factor system was the vehicle I needed to get there! The first few weeks of my subscription I lost 4 pounds but there was no contest to start until late August, then I lost the rest of the pounds and inches here in Contest 15! I am delighted to have improved my body to where I feel stronger and more energetic. I can even say focus is better. I have received several compliments and am motivated to keep going in order to shred, shape and tone even more! This is the end of one contest but the beginning of a new framework that is now over the weeks ingrained into me, on how to live a healthier lifestyle. I’m going to keep going until I reach my goals. Thanks Venus Factor!

Laura’s Metrics

	Weight	Height	Waist	Shoulders	Hips
Before	151 lb	67.5 in	36 in	45.3 in	42 in
After	141 lb	67.5 in	28.8 in	42.3 in	35 in
Deltas	-10 lb	0 in	-7.3 in	-3 in	-7 in

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Bodyfat, Contest, Diet, Exercise, fat loss, Interview, Podcast, transformation Tagged With: Anything Goes Diet, becoming a venus, body composition, bodyfat, Contest, contest interview, diet for weight loss, Eat Stop Eat, fat loss, muscle growth, The Venus Factor, Venus Index, venus index contest, Venus Index Transformation Contest, Venus Index Workout, weight training, working out for shape

Heather Found Venus was the Solution to Fat Loss and Maintenance

January 25, 2016 by Liss Graham Leave a Comment

Heather at one of her heaviest weights before finding Venus and after, WOW!

Heather placed in our recent VT15 Venus Transformation Contest.

She did a phenomenal job and her results display the hard work she put in. Her transformation stretches out further than this 12 week period though, she has lost over 30 lbs using Venus!

Heather before starting Venus in 2015 and after this 12 week contest, unbelievable!

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

My experience with Venus has been amazing. My life long search for the program that works is finally over. I have found it and I am hooked. I am a 47 year old woman with a wonderful husband and 4 terrific grown children. However I was struggling with self-image problems, low self-esteem and was just unhappy inside. Like many other Venus ladies, I tried every diet program out there, and purchased several exercise DVD programs. I was successful in my goal of losing weight but as soon as I hit a certain point the motivation to stick with it disappeared and the weight started to climb back up. I had convinced myself that I was just meant to be overweight and my genetic chemistry was preventing me from being slim. Then in March of 2015 I found Venus on Facebook. I listened to John’s story about his sister and how he developed something that was specific to women who battle with this issue. In my first 12 weeks on Venus I lost 20 pounds and 24 inches off my body. One thing I had never done in previous weight loss efforts was to combine the diet and the lifting. I had done both separately thinking it was enough by itself. The other aspect of Venus that was hugely motivating for me was the all the information I got through the podcasts and blog posts. I love, love, love John and Brad’s podcasts. I listened to them whenever I could. They blasted away every myth I grew up believing, every misconception that I had adopted just because a fitness professional said it and I was finally able to break away from all the bad information that I had stored in my head and replaced with the facts that John and Brad’s research had taught me. So after my first 12 weeks of the Venus program, it was May and summer was coming. I decided that I would take a break from actively losing, and applied the same principles of the program but eat at maintenance most days and at a deficit 2 days each week. As August approached I had maintained my 20 pound weight loss. I was ecstatic. I had never ever done that. In the past as soon as I stopped following the weight loss program, instantly the weight started creeping back up. This was when I decided that I would enter the contest to further motivate me to continue my journey. Here I am today at the end of the contest and I am more motivated than ever to continue my journey to get to my ideal Venus Body. I am not there yet but I am loving my new body, my new outlook on life, my new self-confidence. Not just my body changed, but my life changed…and people have noticed. This journey has been amazing and I am so grateful for John, Brad, Liss, and Roberta and all the ladies on the forum for their constant efforts to encourage us, educate us and provide effective tools for every woman to utilize in reaching their fitness goals. Thank you all.

Heather’s Metrics

	Weight	Height	Waist	Shoulders	Hips
Before	140 lb	62 in	31.5 in	41.7 in	37 in
After	131 lb	62 in	29 in	38.8 in	36 in
Deltas	-9 lb	0 in	-2.5 in	-3 in	-1 in

Heather is a beautiful Venus! Nothing can stop her now!

Heather’s AWESOME Home Gym

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Contest, Diet, Exercise, fat loss, Interview, transformation, Uncategorized, Weight training Tagged With: Anything Goes Diet, becoming a venus, body composition, bodyfat, Contest, contest interview, diet for weight loss, Eat Stop Eat, fat loss, goal setting, transformation, transformation contest, Venus index Transformation, Venus Index Transformation Contest, Venus Index Workout, weight loss, weight training, working out for shape

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

Some pro tips from Naomi

What is the Venus Transformation Contest and who can join?

And the VT16 winners are… Drum roll please…

First Place – Kim

Second place – Gail

Third Place – Scotti

Fourth Place – Rebecca

Fifth Place – Andrea

Sixth Place – Melissa

Seventh Place – Brenda

Eighth Place – Amanda

Ninth Place – Tracey

Tenth Place – Deborah

Cover Model Winners

Vanessa

Helen

Malissa

What about online coaching?

When is the next contest?

What about online coaching?

When is the next contest?

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

Carly’s Metrics

Carly, Coach Liss, and Venus friends at the Moore County YMCA

Laura placed in our recent VT15 Venus Transformation Contest.

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

Laura’s Metrics

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

Heather’s Metrics

Heather’s AWESOME Home Gym

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