Venus Veteran Naomi Maintaining Awesome into her 50’s

Naomi Before Venus and After 2014

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

Naomi and John Barban at an exercise video shoot

 

Naomi Before Venus and After 2012

Naomi Before Venus and After in 2012

 

Naomi before and after Venus through the years

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 Feb 2016

 

Naomi Maintenance April 2016

Naomi Maintenance April 2016

 

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

How Lisa from Mississippi learned to NEVER GIVE UP on fat loss

Lisa

Lisa wanted to give up.  She didn’t think it could ever be achieved.

She was doing the Venus process and seemed so slow that she didn’t see it happening until she took a picture one day.

 

Here’s what she said one day inside the forum:

The busyness of life crept in, didn’t feel I had much of anything blog worthy to share.
So my hubby has been working out with me for the past almost 5 months.

He keeps saying wow you look so great I can really see a difference.

It isn’t that I didn’t believe him but all I see when I look in the mirror is the cellulite and loose skin, and the list goes on.

So last night I tried on a dress I wore 2 yrs ago and it felt and looked like a tent on me.

Earlier yesterday I ran across my old measurements on here, and was completely shocked at how many inches I had lost. I hadn’t realized!
So this morning after hitting the gym I had my daughter take my pic and I found an old before pic and was blown away.

I actually love my after.

Lisa After

I can look at the pic for probably the fist time in my life and say I actually like my picture. If you haven’t taken a before pic make sure you do it ASAP, even if you have already started.

You don’t have to post just save it.

No matter how many times you fall don’t give up.

If you have been derailed don’t be embarrassed nobody is perfect just get up and start over.

-Lisa

 

 

 

 

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Lisa has a pretty fun story to tell and all the food in Mississippi!! Wow, and she did it anyway!

You can find Lisa active as an Ambassador inside the exclusive Venus Forum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listen to her podcast now or save it for later.

The final deadline for VT16 is next Monday April 11th

It’s so easy to let your mind go down a path of never achieving what those other people have achieved.

But that’s not true!

All you have to do is never give up and keep being your best.

They did not achieve it overnight.  In fact they didn’t do anything extraordinary other than never give up on the little steps every day.

Keep plugging along with the basic steps every day, even when you don’t feel like it.  We all have days we don’t feel like exercising or making the right food choices, but we do it anyway.

We don’t even have to be perfect. In fact none of us are perfect. We just get right back up again after we make mistakes.  We just keep going.

That’s the only difference between those who succeed and those who have not yet.  They just keep going and never gave up!

 

What about the contest deadline next Monday?

No matter what you feel like take your pictures before you decide if you will finish or not.  Most people are shocked when they see how much their body changed.  Sometimes you won’t know until you put the pictures side by side.

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?

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

 

 

Can that last pesky 10 pounds go at age 53? Heck yeah, meet Cindy

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Cindy looked good before but she knew in her heart she could do better.  Does it matter what everyone else thinks when you KNOW you will feel better without that last pesky 5-10 pounds?  No, it’s your choice.  It’s your body.  You get to own it and you can do it!

 

Here’s what Cindy had to say about Venus:

My experience with the Venus Experience I really don’t remember how I found Venus. It could have been through Facebook or a Google search. That was in October 2014.

I read the program and first thought that eating 1000 calories a day was just crazy. It went against everything that I thought I knew.

And working out while fasting? No way I could do that!

And I felt like I knew what to do to eat healthy and work out.

I read a lot and do a lot of research. I thought I knew it all!

I am 53 years old and have always worked out. Years ago it was Jazzercise. Since then, I’ve done Insanity, P90X, and joined a gym. I’ve lifted weights, done HIIT, hot yoga, you name it, I did it.

I enjoy working out, that’s never been a problem. Most people would probably say that I was in pretty good shape. However, I had been hovering around 135 pounds, no matter what I did. I know that’s not overweight and some people would be happy at that weight.

But I’m 5’5 and am small boned, and always wanted to lose at least 10 pounds. One day, a friend of mine stated that he thought he and his wife look pretty darn good considering they don’t work out. At all.

I took that to mean that they don’t look that different that me, who works out 4-5 days a week! And I eat healthy! Organic! Gluten and dairy free!

I should look REALLY good for all the hard work I put it!

Fast forward to summer 2015. Again, I was unhappy that with all my working out, I still was at 135-138 pounds. I kept thinking – it must be hormones, or my thyroid, I had half my thyroid surgically removed in July 2013.

I started reading again how important it is for women my age to lift weights and thought, well you bought the Venus program, let’s do it!

And so I did. In the past I must say that I’ve kinda done programs but not exactly followed it exactly. This time, I said I”m all in. And the only reason I entered this contest was the accountability. Someone had to hold my feet to the fire!

So I started with eating at a deficit at 1200 calories. But then I read how going down to 1000 calories really made a difference. So that’s what I did. But it was much more easily done when I fasted from 8pm to 12 pm.

And I found that I sure could work out fasted, it wasn’t that big of a deal. The first 2 weeks I was a bit hungry, but after that I got used to it.

Venus taught me that I just ate too much. And drank too much. I really enjoy red wine at night, but those calories sure add up! Increasing my protein helped me be less hungry and have fewer cravings.

 

cindy-at-boat

I was ecstatic when I saw the scale going down. I was blown away when my my waist went down by 2 inches. Woo Hoo!

My favorite part- is how I deal with special occasions and going out with friends. Just plan for it. I have fewer calories the day before and less the day after and I can still have a good time and most of all, I don’t feel deprived.

This is sustainable and it is my way of life. I kept up with HIIT workouts that I love, but have incorporated the Venus workouts 3 days a week. I have never looked and felt better. The workouts are giving the shape to my body that I have wanted for such a long time!

I love lifting heavy weights, and it is so empowering! I guess it’s the simplicity of the program that is so mind boggling to me. It just makes so much sense. Eat fewer calories and lift heavy weights.

There’s a part of me that’s upset. I mean, I have worked out for years, and not have had these results.

Another thing that I did was if I worked out (and somehow thought I exercised 300 calories) then I ate them back! I love that Venus says to forget that! Don’t think about adding back those calories. Because in reality we have no idea how many calories we really burned.

Many days too, when I worked out hard, I ate a bit more or had a dessert or had an extra drink because I thought I deserved it. Hey, man, I just worked out!

I have lost only 11 pounds but look so much healthier and shapelier. Venus was exactly what I was looking for. I am super happy with my results my I”m not ready for maintenance yet. I can still improve!

One of the main reasons that I first bought Venus is because I saw Roberta and her amazing body and transformation. She was my age and had muscle! That made me realize that I can still build muscle at my age.

Boom!

-Cindy

 

Cindy-Arms-crossed

Listen to Cindy’s podcast now or download it for 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:

The 51 Year Young Venus Contest Winner Robin

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Robin placed in our last contest.  She struggled for years with medications that were hindering her fat loss.  With the Venus Systems she finally found the way to succeed.

 

Here is what Robin wrote in her own words:

 

Venus has revolutionized any and all workout/diets systems I have ever tried in my nearly 51 years and is a God-send.

The system has increased my self esteem and given me back my drive for success in life. I feel sexy, feminine and strong.

Venus has enlightened my knowledge to how the body works by means of mechanics and chemistry. By utilizing this knowledge and putting it to work by eating whatever you want, but, staying within your calorie allotment has changed my life.

The program that John and Brad have put together works for any level of fitness and age.

If you are struggling with your weight,This IS what WILL WORK! If it worked for me who is on a medication that causes weight gain and LOST…you can too! The Law of Thermodynamics stands true!!

With the community of like-minded women, I have found friendships and support that will last a lifetime. I am truly humbled by their support and genuine love they have for one another. They uplift the fallen and cheer you on!

If you have a question, within a moment’s time , you have your answer. I have never seen this kind of camaraderie!

Because of the success I now have, I can stand and be a mentor to others while helping them be the best they can be.

This is my life now.

The only negative thing I have to say is, I wish I had known about this system years ago!!

If you are on the edge of whether or not to try Venus, DO NOT hesitate one more moment, you have nothing to lose, but, weight and inches!

Robin

 

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To hear Robin tell her amazing story listen now or download for later:

Venus veteran inspires Anne

Anne BnA with frame

 

It all started when I attended a stock market class in the summer of 2012. I saw Deanne before VT-6 started and met her a few months later after she had finished (and won) the contest. She looked amazing!

I overheard her talking about her great results and I asked her what she did. I had completely given up on losing weight, but after seeing Deanne’s results, I had a renewed hope that it might still be possible. She mentioned the Venus Factor program as well as Eat Stop Eat.

I was extremely skeptical, having previously bought into the myth of starvation mode, having to eat five or six meals per day, and that eating under 1200 calories would wreck your metabolism — but Deanne’s success was staring me in the face!

I still held off on trying Venus for a while. I was walking and jogging a lot and I thought that would get me in shape. I had a goal of running a marathon, but kept injuring my ankle and dealing with plantar fasciitis over and over again. I saw a picture of myself in the spring of 2014 and thought I should really do something because I thought I looked better than what the picture showed.

I finally decided to try Venus, bought Immersion, and entered one of the contests in 2014. At the time my husband was dealing with a health issue where he couldn’t eat much and honestly it was easier for me to diet. I got really scared when I started to see major results in my body and people started commenting that I was “thin”. They weren’t used to seeing a smaller version of me and I began to question what I was doing.

My confidence wavered and I dropped out of the contest. My husband’s health deteriorated and he required major surgery. My focus shifted to helping him through his recovery. The months ahead were long and stressful for both of us, but it all came out well in the end. I was ready to renew my focus on my own health. Then early this year I injured my back — a doctor said it was a herniated disc from sitting too long. I tried all kinds of things trying to “cure” myself. I tried quitting caffeine, going vegetarian, juicing vegetables, and going “all raw”. Rest and stretching eventually did “cure” me and I had regained the weight I had lost with Venus and was extremely depressed.

I regained it because I was self-medicating with too much food, not because of a lack of activity from the back injury. I also moved halfway across the country to Colorado from California which had been my home for 15 years. I remembered what Venus had done for me last year, without any fads and being able to eat like a sane person. I knew that if I just followed what other successful Venuses had done, rather than reinventing the wheel, that I would have good results.

I considered Roberta my mentor —she was my coach during a previous contest— and all of the other women in the Venus forums were incredibly supportive, too. I tried to follow in Roberta and Michelle Hahn’s footsteps because I liked their results in the after pictures. A big part of my transformation was finding out what works for me and what fits into my life. I discovered that we are all unique; we have unique families, personalities, and schedules.

I found that fasting from dinner to lunch was really easy for me and I thought of it as just having breakfast a little later. I would have my stepdaughter on the weekends and didn’t want to miss out on time with her, so it worked best for me to train Monday through Friday and rest on the weekends. This allowed me to finish the 12-week program early and start on Final Phase which I really love. I also refused to give up dinners with my husband… I love to cook! Some people have good results with longer fasts, but I like the shorter ones. I have coffee with a little cream and a teaspoon of honey before my morning workouts which helps curb my appetite before lunch.

You learn these little things in Venus that give you an edge. Some people might think it’s controversial to do a heavy weights workout semi-fasted, but that’s where the community is so great… You find out what worked for others, then experiment with what works for you, and you roll with it.

There are so many myths out there, for example, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Yet I found that eating it a little later, basically as brunch, was the easiest way for me to hit my deficit numbers. You learn to be covert about what you’re doing in order to protect yourself. The only people who knew I was doing the contest besides other Venuses were my husband and photographer.

This is a hugely mental journey. I had to constantly tell myself that this time is going to pass anyway, and my thoughts, emotions and hormones are all going to happen anyway, comments whether positive or negative are going to come my way anyway, so I might as well do the work anyway!

I got the flu around the end of October and had to take a break from everything for a few days. Then I got a bad cold in November with 2 weeks left in the contest. I tried to focus more on the calorie deficit at that time, as that was something still under my control.

Getting used to the higher elevation of Colorado and colder weather wasn’t easy either. Another challenge was that I traveled to California 3 times during the contest. I was around friends and family who don’t eat very healthy which can be stressful especially if you’re traveling and can’t always control what is on your plate — there’s a lot of temptation.

But now I look at social situations as “practice” so I won’t become a hermit. My husband Gary is my biggest supporter. I’m so incredibly lucky to have him in my life. He weighed me halfway through the contest and I didn’t look. I didn’t weigh myself the whole contest — just used the tape measure each Monday morning and tried to “Focus on the Process”.

It really helped not looking at the scale — having Gary tell me that the result on the scale halfway through was “indicative of healthy weight loss” was all I needed to hear, no matter what that number was! In conclusion, this is mind over matter. This is a journey that never ends and once I accepted that and started having a “bring it on” attitude, I felt like I had conquered the biggest obstacle… which is myself.

This program works and it’s liberating to know that I will always have something that works. I proved it. I never have to try a fad diet again. I know that I still have a ways to go before I’m totally “there,” and soon I’ll be entering maintenance which will be a little different, but it’s a constant learning and self-improvement process anyway. I’m incredibly grateful for this program. Thank you so much for creating it.

Anne

Anne is really proud of her after pics!

Anne is really proud of her after pics!

 

 

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

 

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

Laura before and after Venus - Front Clothes

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 before and after Venus - Side

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 before and after Venus - Back

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:

A fitness trainer at age 50? This Venus CAN! (Meet Sandra)

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Sandra placed in our last Venus Transformation Contest.

She thought she was doomed to middle aged hormones as age 50 approached, but with Venus she learned this was simply a myth.  Here’s what she said about her transformation pictures:

The 1st photo is from February 2015 and the 2nd is November 2015. 9 months, 35 pounds and over 3′ (that’s a yardstick) of inches! Am I proud of allowing myself to get in the previous state? No, I’m not! BUT, I am proud of the fact that I made a change! And it’s a change for life…thanks to Venus!

This journey re-stirred a passion of fitness for me and I re-certified to be a personal trainer. If you would like to lose some weight and/or gain some muscle mass, I will definitely help you achieve your goals!

 

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If I was looking for a trainer I would certainly want Sandra!  She has a lot to say about the Venus program:

 

I, like a lot of women, had succumbed to the mindset of…I’m getting older, I have health issues, my metabolism stinks, I’m starting menopause, blah, blah, blah. I had given up and given in to all these excuses. I had had my first knee surgery in 2008, 2nd one in 2009, and the 3rd one in 2011. All of which I gained a few pounds during recovery. In 2012, I went to a neurologist for chronic back pain resulting from an injury in 2010.

All the testing he did came back with a result of a high positive FANA, which has to do with your auto immune system. After 2 years, multiple doctors and every test known to man, no one could find anything wrong. But I knew from the “swelling” in my face and body, that something was wrong.

Little did I know, or more so, did I want to admit, was that “swelling” was called FAT and that’s what I had become!

My wake up call came in February of this year. We had visited some family in Maryland, and of course everyone was taking pictures. My cousin posted a picture on Facebook, and when I saw it, my jaw dropped.

THAT wasn’t me!

But the sad fact of the matter, it WAS me, and it was totally not acceptable any more.

Within a week, I went to a gym nearby me and got a membership along with a personal trainer. Soon after that, I was surfing the internet one evening and “stumbled” upon this program called Venus. (I say “stumbled” because I believe everything happens for a reason when it’s supposed to happen.)

Hmmm…$47. I had already spent hundreds if not thousands on HcG, NutriSystem, Hydroxycut, Phentermine, personal training, a myriad of other OTC weight loss products, and other STUFF. What did I have to lose? Some weight?

Okay, I’m in. I started Venus at the end of March. When I would meet with my personal trainer, I would tell him, let’s do THIS workout. So over the course of the next several months, I was eating at deficit, doing intermittent fasting and doing Venus workouts!

The weight and inches started coming off! I was ecstatic! I was no longer experiencing back pain which was HUGE to me! I had thought of doing VT14 but ended up just shadowing it. About this time I had a revelation.

In 2008, I had studied and became a personal trainer. However, the economy wasn’t good at that time, so it was a short-lived career. But working out again stirred that old feeling in me of helping others accomplish their goals.

I talked with my gym about being a personal trainer and they immediately said yes. They were seeing me transform in front of their eyes. So I re-certified in the summer and started training at the beginning of November.

I was once again doing something that I LOVED, and that was helping others achieve their goals! Why have I told you MY story?

Because I know if I’m going through it, there has to be one other person that is going through the same thing. And maybe, just maybe, I can help one person.

What has Venus done for me?

It has EMPOWERED me!!!

I am so fortunate to have found Venus! It has saved my life!

The women I have met on this journey are phenomenal! Roberta Saum is the BOSS! She always provides her selfless time and knowledge to all of us.

Even though I have never met any of you, the friendships I have made are insurmountable! The support of all the women I have met through Venus is beyond words. And the tools that I have obtained…are PRICELESS!

I now KNOW, at the very young age of 50, that I will NEVER be overweight again!

I still have goals that I want for myself and I know that Venus will help me get there! At 50, I AM the BEST I have ever been and I can’t wait to see what else I can do!

Thank you John Barban for creating Venus!

-Sandra

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Listen to Sandra talk about her story now, or download the podcast for later:

Heather Found Venus was the Solution to Fat Loss and Maintenance

Heather Before Heaviest and After Venus

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 and after Venus Front

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 before and after Venus

 

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

 

Heather’s AWESOME Home Gym

Heather Venus Index Home Gym

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

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