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

March 13, 2013 by 6 Comments

The deadline for the 7th Venus Index Transformation Contest on April 15th is quickly approaching.  This article is part of a 3 part series to help gear you up with ideas on how to make your photo shoot fun and successful.  We will cover posing practice, lighting, photography, scene setup, water load and deplete, bikini and shoe selection, tanning and other grooming ideas.

Preparing for your contest photo shoot – Part 1: Posing practice

When it comes to taking good pictures getting in shape is only part of the equation; it is the most important part but you still have to learn how to “present yourself” once you get there.  Posing is something you should start practicing now if you want successful pictures.  It takes some effort and can be tiring.  Like most “training” it works well if you can spread it out over time so you can rest in between sessions.  This gives you time to mull things over and come up with creative ideas to try out for the next session.  Always try to end your sessions on a positive note.

We already have a tutorial with Loren Jacobson and an interview with her; there is much to learn from Loren’s experience and wisdom.  I’ve tried this type of posing with a group of competition girls and it is hard; it takes practice.

One of the very first Venus contest winners, Alisha McGinn, did a phenomenal job with with taking pictures.  She took first place in two contests.  You can see the pictures and listen to what she did to make them so awesome during her interviews for the 1st Venus Index Transformation Contest and the 3rd Venus Index Transformation Contest.

Alisha is one of the first pioneers of the Venus Index program and her driving force, dedication, and trust in John and Brad have enabled most of us to enjoy new features of this program like the Reverse Taper Diet of which she is featured on the cover.

Alisha did so well on her photo shoot that her picture is featured on the cover of the Reverse Taper Diet manual

Alisha did so well on her photo shoot that her picture is featured on the cover of the Reverse Taper Diet manual

The Reverse Tape Diet manual and calorie calculator are included with the Immersion product.

Mandatory poses

You will need to take a mandatory front, side, and back photo, arms down, just like the before pictures you submitted.  These are for comparison but you want to make these look nice and show your best.  Once those are done you can be as creative as you want.  You can submit 10-15 photo’s if you wish.  You need the current days newspaper front page in a photo with you for each outfit and scene, they do not have to be in a “posed” picture.

Gather up photo examples

Spend some time finding pictures from magazines, supplement packages, advertisements, and internet searches and save or print them.

Here are some examples of pictures found online, in magazines, and even supplement packaging

Here are some examples of pictures found online, in magazines, and even supplement packaging

Practice imitating the various poses in front of a mirror.  Try it from various angles and you might find your right side or left side is better.  You will find that some poses look awesome on the model in the picture but not for you, or that with your physique it looks better with the same pose slightly modified, or even greatly modified.  This is where spending the time practicing will pay off.  Once you practice many different poses you will find the ones that look best for you.

Practice with a camera

Once you decide on poses that look best on you try them with a camera.  Lighting is important and we’ll get to that in part 2, but for now practice with a camera because you might find the poses need a few more adjustments.  Things are slightly different in the camera lens and on the actual photo.  If possible try taking the pictures in various light settings to see what looks best for your look on camera.

It is really important to practice with the camera whether you ultimately take the pictures at home or with a professional photographer.  If you choose to use a professional photographer you will want to know ahead of time what poses present yourself the best.  Many photographer’s may not be able to help much with posing or know what gives you your best look.

Change up the lighting

Try the same poses in different lighting if possible;

  • inside and outside
  • morning
  • middle of the day
  • sunset
  • sunlight streaming through a window
  • a lamp or two placed in various places around you
I practiced by copying online fitness model poses

I practiced by imitating online fitness model poses and experimented with lamp placement

Try different facial expressions

Some poses look best with you looking away, others look better with you looking into the lens as if you are looking someone in the eye, smiling or otherwise communicating to them with your expression.  Some girls can get away with a pout or sexy look while others look better with a simple smile.  Older women like myself usually do better with a smile while we might have done okay with a more pouting look in our younger days.

Have fun trying out new poses and expressions!

Have fun trying out new poses and expressions!

Try different stances

Front poses are usually best offset slightly with a kind of twist to show more of an hour glass shape, but you don’t have to follow any rules.  Find what works best for you.  I ended up doing some pictures offset and some straight on.

On the left; an offset stance with a slight twist shows of an hour glass. One the right; straight on. Try each.

On the left; an offset stance with a slight twist shows more of an hour glass shape. On the right; straight on. Try each if you want.

The back view pose

I found this pose to be the hardest.  In fact I spent a least an hour getting this one photo.  My extremely patient friend Judy helped me.  I emailed her what I had and she said “No that needs work”.  Then she pointed me to a fitness contest website (BodyBuilding.com IFBB Arnold Classic) with professional fitness models to attempt to imitate.  I took Judy’s advice and tried to imitate images from my computer screen.  I snapped some pictures, emailed her, and waited for her response.  She responded with feedback on what to improve and we repeated this process at least 10 or more times.  It was frustrating,  hard, and tedious but I am very grateful for the help I got from Judy.  It is a difficult pose but with practice you will see how you need to arch your back, set your head, neck, and shoulders.

I found the back pose to be the hardest but well worth it in the end

I found the back pose to be the hardest but well worth it in the end

 

Enjoy your own progress, your own physique, and have fun!

Most of all have fun and enjoy the progress you have made with your shape.  The end of the contest is only five weeks away.  If you have been consistent since the beginning you should be seeing some progress so enjoy those hard earned victories now while you keep moving toward your goals.

Do not compare yourself to others

One key thing to remember when using fitness model photo’s like this is to not compare yourself to them.  You have your own beauty, your own physique, your own gifts, and you have no idea what the model did to get her look.  The pictures are just examples for trying to figure out what poses bring out your best shape.  Do not aspire to be them; aspire to be the best you possible.

On Friday we’ll cover part 2;  Photography, lighting, photo scene selection and setup.

-Ro

 

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

An Original Venus Who Never Gives Up

February 25, 2013 by 1 Comment

Today John talks to Tina Roman who placed sixth in the 6th Venus Index Transformation Contest.

Check out her transformation pictures from the 12 Week Contest:

Tina Roman before pictures

Tina Roman before the contest

Tina Roman after pictures

Tina Roman after the contest

A tenacious original Venus knows how to stick with the program

Tina is one of original women to try out the Venus Index Workout when it first came out.  She has stuck with it since the beginning.

She got an email from Craig Valentine regarding Eat Stop Eat and that is how she found the Venus Index Workout by John Barban.

Like many of us Tina did the yo-yo on a variety of diets finding most of them complicated and unsustainable.  Tina found the biggest key in the Body Centric Eating Manual which is part of the Venus Index.  No one ever told her she was simply eating too much for her size.  She finally learned something that made sense;  the truth about calories.

Life is not fair but she realized that she had to stop eating the same size portions as her husband.  Portion sizes are designed for 6 foot tall men.

Tina really liked the goal setting metrics that are part of the Venus Index program.  This made sense to her.

Mindset is 90% of the battle

Tina had never had a problem with exercise, in fact she worked really hard and couldn’t seem to lose the fat.  She joined several Venus Index transformation contests and found that with each contest she dropped more weight each time.  Tina found most of the battle to be the mental mindset.  The contests and the Venus Index Community helped her get the mindset she needed to succeed.

Tina also found the the unsensored podcasts to be educational and motivational and attributes much of her success to listening to them.  It didn’t take long for her to want “all in” with the Immersion program.  She sees the value of investing in yourself and deciding you are worth it.

Tina's constant commitment to Venus Index brought her this far!

Tina a few months before the first ever Venus Transformation contest compared to finishing her last contest (VT6).  She has done a fantastic job!

Advice from Tina:

 

Read what Tina wrote about her experience with Venus Index:

I was always the thin girl in high school, no more than 100 lbs soaking wet. I started weight training to avoid “girls” gym  … Continue reading here.


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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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

Learn To Love The Gym By The Power Of Habit

February 11, 2013 by 2 Comments

Today John talks to Jessie T who placed Fourth in the 6th Venus Index Transformation Contest.

Check out her transformation pictures from the 12 Week Contest:

Jessie's pictures before the contest

Jessie’s pictures before the contest

Jessie’s pictures after the 12 week contest

It takes awhile for the mind to catch up with the body

Jessie tells John she still remembers herself as over weight with long curly hair.  She has a hard time recognizing herself in the mirror with short hair and being fit now.

It takes a while for the mind to catch up with the body.

She likes what she sees in the mirror now and was thrilled when she first started seeing her own ab definition.

Jessie said she would not have joined the contest if it were not for the Venus Index Community Forum. She said it was the best thing she ever did for herself.

The contest got her motivated to do the Venus Index Workout even though she hated the gym and with it she got amazing results.

All that matters is calories

Like many of us Jessie tried several different eating styles and did not get that all that matters is calories.

She found that most of the diets she looked at seemed to cater towards people’s desire to eat as much as they want;  all the fruit they want or all the fat and protein they want, and the list goes on.

She spent a lot of time finding many ways that did not work.  On some diets she was hindered by restrained eating.

She was sold on the program when she heard John and Brad talk about how there is no secret to weight loss;  eat what you want, just less.

Jessie loved Brad Pilon’s article “Fat Loss Divide and Conquer“and found she loves to fast.

She hated the gym, but now Jessie is a regular there known by name

Jessie had a bad experience at a gym once as so she hated the gym and didn’t really know how to lift weights.

After doing the Venus Index Workout she is not afraid to lift heavy and became a regular at her gym and now they know her by name.

Jessie didn’t have to stop running and in fact completed a half marathon during the contest.  She found that it does not matter if you do cardio or not.

She stopped doing cardio at the end of the contest and it did not hinder her weight loss progress.

Jessie was thrilled when she finally saw her own ab definition

Jessie was thrilled when she finally saw her own ab definition

Pick one thing, the power of habit

At one point after reading all the insane contradictory information in the diet and fitness industry Jessie realized she was paralyzed by analysis.

Once she joined the contest and focused on the workout and calories she realized that one victory spawns another and it starts snowballing into the rest of your life.

One good habit leads to the next as described in a book she read called The Power Of Habit by Charles Duhigg.

During the holidays she found if you just pick one thing to keep you on track it really helps.  She never stopped her workouts during the holidays and that kept her on the right path to success.

It is part of the power of habit.

She found that by doing this she learned to be consistent.

Links from the interview:

  • Eat Stop Eat – Diet Lifestyle protocol designed to help you to lose fat and regain freedom in your food choices
  • Original Venus Index Workout – Workout program for women that’s responsible for the most amazing transformations online
  • Venus Index Community – Friendliest and most supportive women’s only fitness community on the Internet

Advice from Jessie:

Read what Jessie wrote about her experience with Venus Index:

VT6 after photos and essay 250 words is by far not long enough to say all the things I
want to say about my experience. So I will simply share the lessons I realized …Continue reading here

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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

Transform Your Mind And Your Body By Keeping It Simple

February 4, 2013 by 3 Comments

Today John talks to Deanne Hernandez who placed first in the 6th Venus Index Transformation Contest.

Check out her transformation pictures from the 12 Week Contest:

deanna-hernandez-befores

Deanne before the contest

Deanne Hernandez - 1st Place - After Photos

Deanne Hernandez – 1st Place – After Photos

At the beginning of the contest Deanne did the Venus Index Workout but tried to eat gluten free because it sounded like a good thing to do.  Like many of us she was eating a certain way for no particular reason other than it seems to be the latest fad.  She realized she could not lose weight because she was still eating too many calories.  Her weight stayed the same during the first eight weeks of the contest.  She did not take her diet and calories seriously enough.  Then she got really motivated and kicked into gear, got motivated, got her correct mindset, took a good look at her calories, and ended up with some amazing results. You can change the way you look.  Deanne also decided to get involved in the Venus Index Community Forum and that helped her a lot.  She didn’t realize how much support and information was available there.  She highly recommends others to get involved there to help with your success.

Stay Motivated

Deanne realized that the process was mostly about mindset.  Like most of us have also learned she found she needed mindset techniques like cause and effect; “If I do this than what?”, and “You either do it you don’t.”  She decided she needed the contest with the end date to help keep her motivated.  She said the contest was the best thing she ever did for herself.  She realizes now that what she learned how to do during the contest is something she can do for the rest of her life.

Deanne loved listening to the previous contest winner interviews and loved to imagine herself looking like the pictures of Alisha.  Not only did the process transform her body but it transformed her mind.  She had spent most of her life with a poor image of herself and a lot of negative self talk.  The process she used during the contest and listening to Olya’s interview helped her stop the negative self talk.  She started treating her workouts and diet as gifts to her body.  She now treats herself with kindness and respect.

Knowledge Is Power

Deanne learned that managing the correct amount of calories, Eat Stop Eat, and eating foods you like were the keys to successful weight loss for her.  She learned the truth about calories from the Venus Index manuals and from the Venus Index community.  Deanne learned that the process was simple but not easy.  She decided to keep it simple and tune out all of the conflicting information that comes from the diet and fitness industry.

Keep It Simple

Deanne really liked April’s interview and the plan for doing the VI workout lifting weights three days a week.  Even though more advanced weight lifters can do the workout more days per week the three days per week kept it simple for her.  She decided she would do something every day.  Mostly she paid attention to her activity level for the day and tried to make sure she was taking 10,000 steps.  She walked while she listened to the Venus Index podcasts and that made it fun and enjoyable for her.  She decided that if she did not feel like exercising she would just do it anyway, even if she decided to make the workout easier or lift lighter.  Even on the days she decided to do an easier workout she found that once she got going she felt like pushing herself hard and it felt good.  She found that by doing this she learned to be consistent.

Deanne_After

Look what being consistent and motivated did for Deanne. She looks fabulous.

Links from the interview:

  • Eat Stop Eat – Diet Lifestyle protocol designed to help you to lose fat and regain freedom in your food choices
  • Original Venus Index Workout – Workout program for women that’s responsible for the most amazing transformations online
  • Venus Index Community – Friendliest and most supportive women’s only fitness community on the Internet

Advice from Deanne:

  • Don’t wait, Do something NOW.
  • Keep it simple
  • Figure out how many calories you need and go from there
  • Join a transformation contest
  • It is mostly about mindset
  • Set a goal with a date
  • Even if you don’t feel like it do an easy exercise
  • Exercise as a gift to your body
  • The process is simple, but not easy

Read what Deanne wrote about her experience with Venus Index:

I vaguely remember reading somewhere that the difference between success and failure was education. That idea now makes perfect sense after completing VT6. My failure in weight loss was completely due to my lack of education about the way the human body works. I was an overweight child, and my fittest years being in early college when I was the most active. After college, my weight crept on me and I went through …Continue reading here

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: Contest, Interview, Podcast, transformation, Weight training Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How to Sharpen your Sword and Win the Battle

July 13, 2012 by 4 Comments

Sharpen your sword first and prepare yourself to win the battle.

Losing weight and getting fit is hard.  All along the journey I have worked hard, experimented, learned from mistakes, acquired skills, and changed habits that will continue for the rest of my life.  As I worked through the maintenance phase of my journey I realized that all the skills I acquired along the way still come into play.

I have come to think of all the effort I’ve put into the journey as “Honing my Sword”.  I have created a sharp edged sword, used it in battle, won the battle, and I am continuing to keep my sword sharp and I still need to use it now and then.  It may not seem as daunting as when I first started the journey, but it still takes effort to keep my blade sharp.

The Various Tools

For some the tool that needs to be sharpened is the mental mindset against emotional eating.  For others it is consistency at the gym or even getting to the gym. For others it is using motivational tools and learning to find an easier way to think about food.

For everyone it is about setting up your environment for success.

The whole journey requires a lot of patience and even more so in maintenance since progress is much slower. Early in the process you tend to lose fat relatively quickly but you still have frustrating plateaus and life stresses that slow you down.

Even if you do everything right you will have plateaus. The body seems to make progress in “chunks” that are not linear. During these times I like to focus on the victories and “ride one victory to the next”; setting a positive mindset and tuning out negative thoughts.

Everyone has a victory to remember:

  • It could be friends or family noticing your weight loss or fitting into some new clothes (or some old clothes).
  • It could be reaching a goal you had set for yourself.
  • It could be completing a 24 hour fast or even skipping a meal.
  • It could be you getting compliments on how you look or a new personal best at the gym.
  • It could simply be you getting to the gym consistently for a period of time.
  • It could be someone in the gym noticing how hard you work out.

In maintenance you still have victories and the same positive mindset can be applied. One of the biggest victories that you should always remember is how far you have come; how much you have succeeded since you started the journey. Always be kind to yourself and reward yourself in ways that do not involve food. Items you need for the gym or new clothing are nice rewards.

Capture ways to remember your victories to help focus on them throughout your journey.

My Battle

The first picture is from 2005 and the second is from this year’s fitness photoshoot.

For me it was simply finally having the knowledge to eat less.  Getting to the gym and enjoying exercise was and still is integrated into my life as much as tying my shoes or brushing my teeth.

The Venus Index is still my all-time favorite workout and I believe it gave me the shape I now have.  It also helped me to belong to a support community and to have the support of family and friends in my life.

But after experiencing success I find I still need to put in effort to keep my mindset sharp and focus on the positive.  I still have to put effort into eating the right amount for me.  I still use every tool I have acquired and developed and honed and I now realize these will be what I continue to use for the rest of my life.

It’s Not Wasted Effort

What you do now will continue to benefit you for the rest of your life.

It is not wasted effort!

Do not be discouraged or think the effort only helps you get through the day today.  Not only are you resolving the specific situation you currently deal with, but as you succeed you are honing your sword and keeping it sharp for all future battles.

Sharpen your sword and win the battle,

– Ro

Filed Under: fat loss, Shape, stress, transformation, weight loss Tagged With: , , , , ,

Venus in 12 Weeks: Interview with Molly Piercy

October 17, 2011 by 2 Comments

Molly placed 4th place in the Venus Index Transformation Contest. She did a great job and in just 12 weeks completely transforming her body.

Molly Venus Index Transformation Front

Molly's front and side pictures.

Molly Venus Index Transformation Back

Molly's back shot.

 

In college, she played lot’s of sports and as a teenager gaining weight didn’t seem like a threat and staying lean wasn’t really a problem.

After she left school and started working, her lifestyle changed, more stress in her life, more food options and hormonal change caused her to gain weight. It was a slow process, so it wasn’t noticeable at first, but after a while she started to notice.

When you are young and playing sports all the time, getting and staying fit doesn’t seem like a big challenge. However, when you get older and life starts to get in the way, things start to change.

The vast majority of people stop working out or playing sports after they get out of school. Usually work is more important than health or being fit and suddenly it overtakes your whole life without you noticing.

It may be harder to get in shape and stay in shape when you’re in your 30’s compared to when you’re  a teenager, but it is definitely possible and just requires some effort on your part.

She  went to fitness conferences, started learning about hormones and their impact on weight loss and weight gain.

Nothing really seemed to work and if you have been in the fitness community for a while you know why, there is just so much misinformation that it’s almost impossible to get in shape without quitting your job to do so. However, this is just a bad perception that is rooted in the current fitness marketing.

Long story short Molly tried pretty much every diet and approach to weight loss.

After a while she found Brad Pilon and read his Eat Stop Eat book about intermittent fasting. After she read it, she was confused a little bit, so she actually called Brad and asked him about the specifics of his approach.

This was enough for her to start fasting.

She gave intermittent fasting a try and started fasting for 24 hours once a week for the next month. She found herself having difficulties going through the fasting (which is not unusual) as it takes several weeks to get used to.

Eventually she stopped fasting, it just didn’t feel like a good fit for her and she had a hard time keeping up with her workouts. Like she said in the interview, she just wasn’t ready for such a huge change, which was mostly mental.

As days past by she started wondering how some of her girlfriends manage to stay really lean year after year and the hormonal changes that she blamed for her problems seem to not affect them at all.

Deep down she probably knew what the answer is, but just didn’t realize it at that time. When she asked them, how do they do it. The answer was pretty simple: “I just don’t eat throughout the day.”

This was it. A few days after she started fasting again and this time she really stuck to it. Now she was ready and wanted to fast. And as she found out each fast was easier and easier until it became something she didn’t even have to think about.

You get stronger each time you fast and after a while fasting will start to feel natural. If you keep yourself busy during the day then you won’t even notice that you haven’t eaten yet and because most people experience an increase in alertness and productivity during a fast it’s kind of a win-win approach.

Aren’t You Starving Yourself?

The only problem she had to face was fasting around her close friends. When she went out to the beach with her girlfriends it didn’t take long for them to find out what she was doing.

They immediately started asking question and wanted to know whether what she was doing and how she could go the whole day without eating.

This is something you have to account for. Like Molly said, in a group of friends, when somebody doesn’t eat they will know it.

For Molly it was hard to fast around friends, because she was faced with just so many questions – why are you doing this? what about your metabolism? etc.

At the end Molly showed her pictures to her friends and they were really impressed. Now people are asking HER what she does and what should they do to get in shape and stay fit.

In the interview she also mentions the benefit of interactions she had on the Venus Index Community and how that helped her stay on track, get the right answers and keep motivated throughout the contest. The community provides the option to talk to the like minded people, who are not going to judge you and are on the same page as you, and have same goals as you.

The Last Weeks before the End of the Contest

The last weeks required a lot of mental effort to stay strong and finish strong. At the beginning it was fun, but it slowly evolved into a “I need to get serious about this” approach.

At the beginning she would weigh herself every week and was obsessed with numbers. And losing and gaining pounds of weight back and forth was discouraging, so she put the scale away for the remainder of the contest and decided to just weight herself at the end.

Weight loss just isn’t linear, so focusing on how many pounds you lose or gain on week to week basis might be discouraging and drive you insane.

Sometimes it not helpful to monitor your weight this frequently.

Molly also tried tracking her workouts in a calendar, but that didn’t work for her either. Everybody is different and you should find a way that suits you the best.

For Molly tracking her body weight, workouts and calorie intake didn’t work, but what did work was preparing for and planning the weak ahead. If there was a  big party during the upcoming week, she would try to fast before and after the party and even lower her calorie intake before she would actually go out that day.

Her diet consisted mostly of raw and organic low calorie choices that helped her watch her calorie intake without having to actually keep a meticulous count of her daily caloric intake.

If she was at the airport she would have fruit instead some chocolate bar. Another thing that she found helpful was protein supplements. She discovered that if she took a protein shake it would help her control her appetite and maintain a lower calorie intake. The key is to find things that work for your specific situation.

And for the last few weeks she even added 24 minutes of cardio after each Venus workout.

Despite her problems with her knees and all the social events she had to attend during the contest and all the traveling she did because of her work, she still managed to make a big change in her body. The photos speak for themselves.

Here is a summary of what Molly recommends to all women that find themselves in same place as she did before the contest:

  • In order to be successful, you need to do everything – follow a good workout, have a good diet plan that is sustainable for a long period of time and most of all you need to be mentally strong
  • If the scale sets you off emotionally, then don’t weigh yourself
  • If tracking your calories doesn’t work then don’t record, just watch
  • Eating very little processed food might help you watch your calorie intake
  • Drink only water, no caloric drinks
  • Limit your alcohol intake
  • There is no excuse for not being in shape, so start today and go Venus
  • You have to create a regime that is sustainable
  • Find what works for you and stick to it
  • You need to have an effective workout program that you enjoy
  • There are many opportunities to give up, but if you stick to it the payoff is going to be huge

 

Listen to the interview here:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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

How to Get Into Starvation Mode

August 15, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Starvation Mode. We’ve heard about it and now we’re going to give you a step by step guide on how to get into it.

Popular fitness media would have you believe that starvation mode is something you can fall victim to within a few hours after eating a meal.

This poster from the Minnesota Experiment shows you what starvation mode looks like

Common recommendations include eating every 3 hours, making sure you eat enough protein, eating a mixed macro nutrient ratio, paying attention to post workout nutrition etc.

These recommendations might be applicable to people who are experiencing true starvation mode… so how do you get there?

First of all starvation mode isn’t defined by the timing between meals, or the protein content of your meals, or even the amount of calories you eat.

Starvation mode as defined by the time when your body stops being able to metabolize fat for energy and turns to lean body mass – and happens at a
specific and measurable body fat mass.

For the vast majority of normal healthy people, there is no danger of ever being in true starvation mode.

Competitive bodybuilders and highly trained military personnel are likely the only people who can and will approach body fat levels low enough to experience true starvation mode.

Men and women each have a scientifically determined critical bodyfat mass, and an interesting area of research seems to indicate that as we approach these critical body fat mass levels we also start to experience true starvation mode.

In today’s podcast, we’ll discuss what these critical body fat levels are, and what it takes to get this low.

John

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For more information as well as how to get access to Venus UNCENSORED, click the link below:

 

Venus UNCENSORED Premium Podcast

 

Filed Under: Podcast, Uncensored Podcasts S01 Tagged With: , ,

How to Get Rid of Loose Skin

December 27, 2010 by 3 Comments

This is a question we’ve been seeing a fair bit so I figured I’d catch up with my buddy and plastic surgery resident Bryan Chung to try and answer it.

In order to figure out how to ‘get rid of’ loose skin we first have to determine what it is and how you might end up getting it in the first place.

Venus Index Reports how to get rid of loose skin

Is it loose skin, or just a bit more fat?!

This however is harder to determine than you might think as many factors come into play including:

1) Genetics – some people are just predisposed to getting loose skin easier than others

2) Age – as we age our skin becomes less ‘elastic’ and we become more susceptible to getting loose skin

3) Weight loss – if you lose a massive amount of weight you may have stretched your skin far enough that it won’t ‘snap’ back

4) Is it Just More Fat – Many people mistakenly think they have ‘loose skin’ when in reality they just have a bit more fat to lose.

In today’s podcast Bryan and I get to the bottom of the ‘loose skin’ issue and what can be done about it (if you determine that you really do have loose skin).

John

P.S. The audio is a bit rough on this one cuz I forgot my headset, it’ll be back to normal next week!

READ:

You can download the transcript here: How to Get Rid of Loose Skin

LISTEN:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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

Mindtricks & Tips for Transforming Your Body

December 20, 2010 by 12 Comments

In today’s podcast we interview one of the contest winners from a past Adonis Index transformation Jason Haynes.

Jason made a dramatic change over the course of two contests and his transformation has influenced and motivated many others to commit to making a real change in their body.

Jason will share some of the insights he gained from losing almost 60lbs to fundamentally change the look and shape of his body.

Venus Index Reports How to Transform Your Body

Jason knows what it takes to make a big time change!

He’ll also give you some tips and advice on what to expect when you decide to take the next step with your body and how others will react towards you. And make no mistake about it. The same hurdles, and barriers exist for men and women so the information Jason is sharing is seriously valuable.

This is a social and psychological exploration of what it’s like to make a big time change in your body and how to deal with other people and yourself once you’ve got to where you want to go.

This is also a bit of mental preparation for those of you who are going to be entering the first ever Venus Index Transformation Contest!

So listen up this is a good one!

If you want to read the transcript you can download it here:

Mindtricks & Tips for Transforming Your Body: An interview with Jason Haynes

John

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: fat loss, transformation Tagged With: , , ,

How to Get Rid of Cellulite

November 30, 2010 by 3 Comments

One of the first questions that came up in the Venus Index forums was about “Cellulite”…specifically, how do you get rid of it?!

To answer a question like this I need to recruit the aid of a good friend Bryan Chung. He is a a plastic surgery resident and has his Phd in Sports Medicine and a very informative blog at: Evidence Based Fitness

In today’s podcast Bryan and I get to the bottom of what Cellulite is and what you can do to get rid of it.

For starters ‘Cellulite’ is a slang term that has no scientific meaning, but physicians and researchers will know what you’re talking about when you refer to ‘cellulite’.

The reason women get it but men don’t is because there is a genetic difference in the basic structure of fat cells in women vs men.

Various options exist for dealing with cellulite including liposuction, fat injections (yes one of the treatments is to just cover the cellulite with more fat!) and the one I tend to favor; losing weight.

If you don’t have time to listen to the audio you can download and read the transcript here:

READ: How to Get Rid of Cellulite

John

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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