Liss Graham’s Venus Index Transformation

Hi, I am Liss and I have struggled with my weight my whole life. I can remember being uncomfortable about my body by the third grade. I was taller than all my friends and bigger around too.  I was an emotional/boredom eater already by this time. By the 7th grade, I jumped up in height to my present 5’9” stature which helped my weight even out but I still did not like the way I looked.  About that time, I found tennis and started playing for my school.  The never-ending diet roller coaster started my freshman year of high school.  In biology class, I learned about calories in-calories out.  I tried to eat less, and it worked. I can remember being 140 by the end of my freshman year. Also that year, the high school tennis team introduced me to lifting weights, and then I found Body for Life.

The weight pendulum continued all through high school, college, and adult life. It was all or nothing on the diet side, even though I stayed consistently active. I could never find a diet that was sustainable for me- it was feast or famine. I worked out hard most days of the week both lifting and running, trying to work off those eating “failures”.  I would balloon up to 160-175, even up to 195 after our first child, and then lose down to 155. I tried personal training, Zumba, BodyPump, HIIT training, kickboxing, step classes, spin classes, and P90X. I also tried the Atkins diet and the P90X diet plans.

Liss Graham with her family

Liss Graham with her family

By January 2011 I was back up to 185, again. I did HCG and did fitness classes 4 days per week (pump, step, spin, insanity). I got down to 148 by May 2011, the smallest that I had ever been in my adult life. From this latest round of weight-loss success, my local gym asked me to start teaching a Pilates class.  Fast forward to January 2012, I had rebounded up to 162. I knew I had to do something.  I was working out 4 days a week. Why did I not look like it? I needed a new goal, I wanted visible abs. There was no singular answer; most websites said about 15% body fat for a woman. Well I did not own calipers, how was I going to tell how much I needed to lose?

I stumbled across Venus Index during my search- a metric measurement to look your best at your height. Interesting, I was skeptical though. I listened to the whole podcast archive the next few months on my commute. Then I saw the transformations coming out of the contests and I was sold. The next VI contest- VT5 started in May 2012 and I jumped in. I am so glad I did, it has changed my life. I am proud of the way I look for the first time in my life and am happy to report that I am off the diet roller coaster for good. I have maintained, and even improved my look since the end of the contest.  I now teach VI classes at my gym and help coach other girls to their dream bodies.

Liss achieved her dream by following Venus Index

Liss achieved her dream by following Venus Index

 

 

Lessons from Venus Index:

  • You cannot out train overeating
  • Counting calories is 100% required to be successful at weight loss and maintenance, and always overestimate 15%
  • A calorie is a calorie, there are no good foods/bad foods
  • Workout to build muscle, diet is what shows it off
  • Cardio & ab work is not king
  • We are all pretty close to the same shape underneath, once you lose the fat
  • It is about a look, not a weight
  • If you commit to it- do it, and follow through
  • It is going to be tough some days; If it was easy, everyone would look like a Venus
Liss Graham - Venus Cover Girl

Liss Graham – Venus Cover Girl and still maintaining Venus 2 years later

 

 

How to contact me:

– Liss

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