Archives for March 2016

How Holly used Venus to make Empowered Food Choices for Life

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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!

Holly is really happy with her new Empowered Venus Life!

 

Listen to her podcast now or download it for later:

How our British Venus maintained for two years after her goal (meet Kath)

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Overcoming cancer

Kath struggled with breast cancer and like many used food as comfort during her illness and recovery.  It’s a typical story and we’ve had many Venus ladies overcome this.

Kath overcame it!

She proved that no matter where you are in the world and no matter what your circumstance, you can CHOOSE to make it happen.

You have to step into action.

Sure the podcasts help, and reading and studying helps too.

But ultimately you must step into action.

And the action and the steps are where the motivation comes from.

 

It gets slower when you are close to your goal

It gets so much slower when you get close to your goals.

It’s already slow enough, right?

That’s why those who have the best success get involved in our online community.

That is where you can find the ladies who support you and make friends.

You can find Kath in the Venus private community and her profile FaceBook, and FaceBook Group.

 

Kath got out of her health slump and is enjoying the Venus Golden Life now.

Kath got out of her health slump and is enjoying the Venus Golden Life now.

 

What is maintaining the Venus Ideal like?

Kath, like many of us, found that in some ways maintaining is harder than the initial fat loss.  Changes in the body are very slow, it feels like it isn’t working sometimes, and people around don’t understand the need to stay disciplined with food in order to keep what you achieved.

She reached her goal and has maintained for two years now.  She proved it can be done, and she is enjoying her health and living life to it’s fullest now.

 

Kath has new goals to set personal records with running now. It's something she really enjoys with her husband and friends.

Kath has new goals to set personal records with running now. It’s something she really enjoys with her husband and friends.

 

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Kath absolutely loves the Venus workouts and they are great cross training for the running she loves.

 

Kath really struggled with getting this far after her battle with breast cancer. She is an amazing and strong woman who does not take her health for granted.

Kath really struggled with getting this far after her battle with breast cancer. She is an amazing and strong woman who does not take her health for granted.

 

Meet Kath and listen to her story

 

Kath-Venus-head-shot

 

If you have achieved your Venus goal and maintained for two years or more and have a story to tell, and want to share it to help others, feel free to email me.

I hope you enjoy Kath’s story as much as I did.

Have a great week!

-Coach Roberta

I’m on the inside too!

You can listen to Kath’s story of perseverance and overcoming now or download it for later:

What was Brenda’s “Moment of Clarity”?

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Brenda made a transformation in her life.  Through the Venus program she learned how easy it is to use various health issues as an excuse.  No matter what the adversity, it still always comes down to the amount of food we consume.

It’s kind of like we don’t want to face the elephant in the room.

It’s hard.

It’s not fun.

It does not seem fair.

 

I have been over weight pretty much my entire life. I have previously dropped 87lbs, and maintained for about five years. However, over the last two years it has slowly crept up 10 pounds a year, even with an active attempt by me trying to lose weight.

I had been keeping up my exercise routine, six days a week, mainly cardio, with some weights, as well as my diet routine, just as before. Although my diet was not consistent, when I was having difficulty loosing I started taking the advice of others, like “you’re not eating enough”, which by their standards I probably was not, but eating less…eating more nothing was working.

I was also diagnosed 2 ½ years ago with a chronic medical condition which requires a daily medicine. I blamed the gain and inability to lose weight on the meds as it was the only thing that had really changed in my life.

I purchased the Venus program about a year before and Loved the workouts; however, I kind of skimmed the nutrition portion. At some point I decided to check in with the forum and it became apparent the Veteran Venus’ would not let the meds be an excuse, and it appeared nutrition was the key.

So I decided to put Venus to the test, this time trying the nutrition and weight lifting together. Low and behold the last year of weight gain was taken off in these 12 weeks, and my clothes fit again!

I may have not lost a large amount of weight in the 12 weeks, and will keep going to drop the remaining pounds, but I consider this a win in a big way. I not only didn’t gain, but I lost which is something I was unable to do for two years.

If you work the whole program it will work for you!

– Brenda

 

Brenda loves the outdoors and being healthier now!

Brenda loves the outdoors and being healthier now!

 

And here is more of Brenda’s story:

I have been on this journey for a very long time. I have always been overweight, but it peaked in April 2010. After seeing the pictures from our family cruise I put a stop to it and lost 90lbs by January 2011. I did this through hard work using another program and cardio, lots of cardio.

I have maintained the weight within 20lbs for the last five years. However, four years ago I was going through a divorce; lost my dad and my hero. Four months later I was diagnosed with MS. I immediately started treatment,which consisted of daily shots. Initially, I was angry because I had just got my life back health wise, and now the threat of losing my mobility was real.

How can that be fair?

My attitude adjusted very quickly and I said “No, I got my health back so I would have the strength to fight this disease.” As luck would have it though I started slowly gaining weight consistently over the last two years about 10lbs each Dr. visit. I blamed the new medicine, although that side effect was not listed, what else could it possibly be?

I was panicking with the weight creeping. I was trying everything adding weights, eating less, eating more, upping the cardio you name I was trying it. Here steps in the ladies in the Venus forum, and the podcasts.

I didn’t write or ask questions just went through the forum regarding medications. I learned very quickly a lot of these ladies were on medications, and they would not let that be used as an excuse. Roberta described her battles with medications, she and the others preached it’s the calories period.

I found this to be a no nonsense group, but the most supportive group I have seen. I have been in other groups, and they can get petty or have poor me parties. These ladies are not perfect, but the difference is they taken ownership and get back to business. It is an inspiring group to say the least, and one I am happily a participant in now.

I had bought the program about a year ago and started the workouts, which I loved, but still not losing the weight. The forum was claiming the diet was the key so I started the competition with the 12 week nutrition program, just to see if anything really happens in 12 weeks.

It worked, I could feel it, but still didn’t believe it showed. I submitted my final pictures, and was pleased to see the difference 12 weeks makes. It is still not rapid for me, but the scale is lower than it has been in a year so that is a big win in my book!!

The workouts have completely changed my shape which makes me smile. I was not happy with my shape even with the prior weight loss, and honestly I was floundering with my weight lifting programs.

Truthfully I’m not working out half as much as I was with all the cardio. Venus works, it is a nutrition and workout program that just makes sense. I feel the other programs are starter programs, Venus is for when you mature and take responsibility to live your best life, by the controlling stumble forward.

Thanks for the wonderful program John and Brad,and thanks to all those wonderful ladies in the forum.

-Brenda

 

I love Brenda's smile and her Moment of Clarity!

I love Brenda’s smile and her Moment of Clarity!

 

You can find Brenda in our online forum.  Listen to what she has to say in the Podcast Interview below, or download it to listen to later:

Maintenance with Venus Veteran Carly

Carly Venus Before and After

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 Venus Before and After Side

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 Venus Before and After Back

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 and Venus Friends

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

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

 

Carly Venus Class June 2015

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

Carly Venus Class July 2015

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

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