There Is Always A Workaround to Achieve Fitness; Says Daphne, Mother of Ten

Today we are honored to listen to Daphne Dyson who placed ninth in the 8th Venus Index Transformation Contest.

Daphne overcame a myriad of health issues and years of pregnancy to achieve her goals.  She said there is always a workaround; there is always something you can do.

Daphne overcame a myriad of health issues and years of pregnancy to achieve her goals. She said there is always a workaround; there is always something you can do.

 

Eight pounds and four inches in twelve weeks is darn good progress for a female with all the adversity Daphne faced and hurdled.  This is more the reality that most women face with weight loss.

Eight pounds and four inches in twelve weeks is darn good progress for a female with all the adversity Daphne faced and hurdled.
This is more the reality that most women face with weight loss.

 

I love Venus for the straightforward, scientifically-supported simplicity; do hard work in the gym this way, cut calories as is best for your body and lifestyle, and results will come.

“I love Venus for the straightforward, scientifically-supported simplicity; do hard work in the gym this way, cut calories as is best for your body and lifestyle, and results will come.”

 

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

The Venus lifestyle: diet to lose fat, workout to gain beauty and strength. Simple, uncluttered, fits into my life, I don’t have to fit my life in around my diet.

I no longer quietly dread that future moment when I give up trying to lose weight anymore, because I cannot keep up with the recommended 3 mini-meals + 3 snacks. With a large family I just do not  have that much time to plan out all those meals and snacks; when I tried to do so, inevitably I ended up overeating. Now, if I want to eat well with my family, I can. Then I quietly reduce my calories at other times, to keep within my weekly calorie budget. This is so different from the conventional way of looking at dieting as a daily thing!

With Venus Factor, there is an end to dieting, and soon I will be able to afford to eat more calories with pleasure and freedom. I am on this journey toward weight loss and strength and it is doable, and I now know deep down that maintaining will be doable too, once I reach my goals.

Aspiring to achieve my personal golden proportions gives me a concrete, measurable goal to work toward; the scale is no longer the only way to see if I am going to be more or less attractive while working so hard in the gym! Do I expect to achieve those numbers perfectly, especially the waist measurement? Well, no, I have had 10 kids after all!

I love Venus for the straightforward, scientifically-supported simplicity; do hard work in the gym this way, cut calories as is best for your body and lifestyle, and results will come.

Finding ESE and Venus Index have been life-changing for me.  Entering a transformation contest is something I’ve only thought about for a long time, that I did not have my diet under control was THE factor that held me back, and having the Golden Ration metrics gave me a wonderful look/goal to strive for.

I give you all my heart-felt gratitude for putting all your experience and  science-based information into a program that is straight-forward, and doable for the rest of my  life!  I hope Venus/Adonis continue to prosper, so that others can change their own lives, as my  family and I have!

Warmly,

Daphne Dyson

Daphne with her family when she was pregnant with number nine.

Daphne with her family when she was pregnant with number nine.  After this pregnancy Daphne reached her peak weight gain at 153 pounds which was devastating to an athlete like her.  It took approximately one year for her to get down to 138 pounds.  Daphne said Eat Stop Eat and the tools provided by the Venus system are helping sustain her progress.

 

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

Endless Cardio Does Not Change Your Shape; Interview with Jenny Weaks

Today we are honored to listen to Jenny Weaks who placed second in the 7th Venus Index Transformation Contest.

Check out her beautiful transformation from the 12 Week Contest:

Jenny learned that the key to getting a good shape was the right amount of food and a good weight training program designed for women.

Jenny learned that the key to getting a good shape was the right amount of food and a good weight training program designed for women.

Read what Jenny wrote about her experience with Venus Index:

I was in week 8 of Phase 1 when the contest started. I got to week 11 and decided to jump on to Phase 2 because there was so much buzz on the forums about it. The 1st six weeks I did very minimal cardio, mainly just walking when I felt like it. Aside from continuing to focus on fat loss, I decided (based on midway progress pictures), that I needed to focus more on my arms and glutes. I was losing a lot of weight quickly and my arms looked pretty skinny compared to my legs. My butt was getting flat too, so I decided to do some specializations for arms and butt at that point and I continued them through to the end. The nutrition side of Venus is what really drove my success. I did a minimum of two 36-48 hour fasts per week. RTD called for 800 calories a day for me, so I found it much easier to just not eat a few days a week than to eat so low in calories. That deficit was hard at times, and I had some setbacks along the way, but I learned quickly that any higher calorie days were more bloat than fat. A fasting day would bring me right back down. I lost 15 pounds during VT7 and got down to 21% bodyfat (tested by DEXA scan). I didn’t quite make all my VI measurements, so that is my next goal.

Jenny's metrics for the 12 week contest

Jenny’s metrics for the 12 week contest

Jenny's pictures before the 12 week contest.

Jenny’s pictures before the 12 week contest.

More of Jenny after the 12 week contest

More of Jenny after the 12 week contest

Jenny before and after her transformation.

Jenny before and after her transformation.

 

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

Kiya Learned The 1200 Calorie Myth Does Not Work For Small Females; She Lost 110 Pounds

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

Check out her beautiful transformation from the 12 Week Contest:

kiya cover collage

Kiya did a lot of research and found there was nothing to substantiate the 1200 calorie myth. The myth hinders weight loss for small females who simply need less food. Once she figured this out her success took off.  She also learned that calorie needs go up as you go from weight loss to maintenance.

Read what Kiya wrote about her experience with Venus Index:

My Venus story starts in April 2012. I lost 90lbs before the start of VT7 and witnessed a huge transformation in how I saw food and myself. My focus was losing fat as fast as possible, and I worked out occasionally when I had the energy. I restarted Phase 1 and tightened up my diet in December 2012 in preparation for a cruise, so I sailed into the first 2 weeks of VT7 doing exactly what I had been doing for the previous seven. I was on vacation Week 3 & 4 of VT7 and when I returned, I started Phase 2 and kept my eyes on what I could control – my calories, my workouts, and my form. By then, I was at the point where my weight loss was slowing down, so there was a lot of managing my expectations around the scale and the measuring tape, and adjusting to the new requirements and demands of my leaner body. All of VT7 has been a dance – figuring out how low I could keep calories and still be able to push myself hard in the gym, adjusting the timing of meals so I could get good sleep, and slowly shifting from the mad rush of weight loss into the steadier, slower pace of re-composition. I still have about 10-15 pounds to lose, and I know with the skills I’ve developed over the last 12 weeks and over the last 14 months – I will have the Venus body of my dreams.

 

Kiya at the beginning of the 12 week contest

Kiya at the beginning of the 12 week contest

Kiya contest chart

Kiya’s before and after metrics for the 12 week contest

 

 

Kiya has lost a total of 110 lbs and 73 inches

Kiya has lost a total of 110 lbs.  She looks beautiful and she is enjoying many health benefits.

 

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

Transform Your Mind And Your Body By Keeping It Simple

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:

Getting in Shape is Worth it!

The process of getting in shape is a journey more than a destination. Understanding this is the first step to putting a sensible approach in place to getting the body and lifestyle you want.

Leann Helle 6th Place Venus Index Transformation

Lean Dropped 12lbs

Leann made big improvements in her overall shape

The process requires effort, consistency, patience, and the right tools. It also requires setting realistic goals that can keep you motivated and moving forward as you reach them.

We all can easily slip into a pattern of wanting too much to change too soon, such is human nature. We want it all, and we want it now. The fitness media largely does us a disservice by promising such things. And when these too good to be true results don’t materialize you can end up feeling worse about yourself and searching for the next best workout or diet program. This is how the information overload problem starts…it is rooted in unrealistic expectations.

Setting a realistic goal and in a realistic time frame is a way to stay on track, feel good about yourself along the way and keep your stress levels low.

Once you accept all of this, and start on your path you’ll likely even surprise yourself at the progress you can really make.

In todays podcast I talk with Leann Helle 6th place finisher in the first Venus Index contest.

We talk about getting rid of the information overload of the diet and fitness industry. Getting the right tools for getting in shape, and finally we talk about setting realistic goals and embracing the journey of getting in shape…because in the end it really is worth it.

John

LISTEN:

Muscle Building is a Lifestyle: Interview with Kris West

Building muscle is a lifestyle. It takes time, dedication, persistence, and patience. You can start your muscle building life at any age and continue it for as long as you like (and you should). It’s one of the best things you can do for yourself to stay young and health for as long as possible…and that is exactly what Kris West has done since she was in high school.

 

Venus Index Open 3rd Place Kris West

Venus Index Open 3rd Place Kris West

In todays podcast we talk to Kris about how she got into muscle building at a very young age. She’ll share her insights on a lifetime of muscle building.

We talk about taking time off of the gym to recharge for another ‘season’ of weight training. We also discuss her unique style of dieting that she has kept covert for the better part of 30 years!

John

LISTEN:

Support