Winning The One
3Robert Ford
Part 1: Intro
Whether you’ve just met someone while shopping in the grocery
store or you’re involved in a committed relationship, knowing
whether a man is The One can be a challenge at any stage of a
relationship.
Even if you think a guy is perfect, you’re certainly wondering how
to go about discovering his long-term potential—and you’re also
wondering whether your boyfriend considers you a “keeper,” too.
What can you do to address some of these issues?
How do you know if a guy is The One?
And how can you show him you’re The One for him, too?
I’m going to take you step-by-step through the most common and
critical questions that women face in their search for The One .
The questions you’ll read are real questions submitted by women
just like you in our community.
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4Robert Ford
But before we get into the questions submitted by readers, I want to
clarify what exactly I mean by The One.
What I really mean by this is “the one with whom you should
choose to be committed.”
I don’t believe that there’s just one soul mate for every person.
There are millions of people in the world who you’d be compatible
with and would make wonderful partners – whether it’s the man on
the park bench at the dog park or the man who sits in the cubicle
next door.
So don’t be scared by the idea that there’s just one right man out
there for you.
So sit back, mix up a martini and prepare to disprove everything
you ever thought you knew about finding the perfect man for you.
It’s finally time for you to find and keep The One, and I’m here to
show you exactly how.
Winning The One
5Robert Ford
Part I:How to Know If He’s the One
Winning The One
6Robert Ford
Part 2: First Steps
Let’s start with some questions on those first few steps into your
search for The One – and some of common issues that may come
up when you meet or start dating a man. Here’s one from Linda in
our community, who is wondering about that first phone call…
QUESTION: Who makes that first call after you’ve met?
Does he think she is too pushy if she makes that first
move? My friends say if he's really interested, he will call
you.
Answer: Linda, your friends are right. While it might seem
perfectly natural to use a phone number that a man offers to you,
doing so will only convince him that you’re either too pushy or too
eager – neither of which equates to the promise of a first date.
If a guy is interested in you, he’ll call.
In fact, he’ll hold on to your number for dear life – even if he does
follow the 3-day waiting period rule that prevents him from calling
you before the requisite three days have passed since he first
gripped your number in his nervously sweaty palm.
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7Robert Ford
So if you do receive a phone number from a man in exchange for
yours, feel free to hang on to it – if only to be able to recognize his
number on your caller ID when he does call.
But do not, under any circumstances, use that number.
The best part is, by not calling him, you’re showing him that you’re
awesome woman with a lot going on and you aren’t sitting around
waiting for him.
If he happens to call, say, while you’re in the middle of a movie or
dinner with friends and he doesn’t reach you, that only adds to the
chase…and this chase drives men wild!
He’ll find himself wondering what you’re up to—and realize that
you’re not waiting around for his call.
By not calling him yourself, you actually give yourself all the power
in the would-be first date…and beyond, when you’re in a
committed, long-term relationship.
How great is that?
Winning The One
8Robert Ford
Carol hasn’t gotten to that first phone call yet. She’s wondering
what to do about a guy that’s she interested in but who hasn’t
made a move…
QUESTION: I think he is The One. How do I go about
asking him if he is single and asking him out or getting
him to ask me out on a date?
Answer: First things first – if you ask him out on a date, you are
asking for trouble.
Even if he says yes and you do go on a date, he’ll always feel like
you were the one who made the first move – and you’ll be
completely ignoring his biologically driven need for “the chase.”
So rather than asking him out yourself, give him some subtle
encouragement to let him know you’re interested.
After all, men scare easily, and they need some reassurance that
you won’t laugh in their faces if they decide to ask you on a date.
Start off with some “innocent flirting” without going overboard.
Winning The One
9Robert Ford
Now, I realize that many women see flirting as an innate ability that
cannot be learned. But that’s absolutely wrong! With a little work,
you can become a flirting master.
When flirting, you DO want to:
1. Have fun and get to know a little more about him
2. Show him that that you're interested
3. Make sure you give him enough encouragement to ask you
out
You DON'T want to:
1. Come on too strong
2. Seem like you're just looking for a fling
3. Appear desperate
4. Scare him away
In the meantime, though, it sounds like you already know this man,
so maybe you don’t need to try to get his attention across a crowded
room.
Winning The One
10Robert Ford
But smiling and making eye contact as you speak will go a long way
toward engaging him in conversation – a conversation in which you
can ask him questions about himself, laugh at his jokes, and reveal
something unique about yourself.
Use body language to your advantage, too: Maintain a good posture
as you speak, keeping your shoulders back and opening up your
body toward him.
Your flirting should quickly answer the question of whether or not
he’s single – and he’ll ask you out on a date.
If you need a more concrete answer, though – and if you don’t have
any friends or acquaintances who can tell you – you might try
slipping it into your flirting routine, saying something like, “What
do you like to do for fun?” or, to be more direct, “Your girlfriend
must love that you know how to speak Italian.”
And even if your flirting doesn’t result in a date, just think of it as
practice for the moment when you do meet The One and he
enthusiastically responds to your flirting by asking you out!
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11Robert Ford
Part 3:Qualities of The One
Let’s get into some questions dealing with the qualities that The
One should possess. Here’s one from Andrea in our community…
QUESTION: How do you know if he’s The One after a
short period of time? Do you have any tips to save women
from wasting time and effort on the wrong man?
Answer: Every relationship is a learning experience, so it’s never
wasted time or effort. But it’s important to stay mindful throughout
the process of dating someone to make sure that you are not
compromising yourself or your needs for a man.
The only women who end up truly “wasting time” are ones who
ignore that voice that tells them they are being mistreated,
underappreciated, that the guy is exhibiting “deal breaker”
behavior.
They stick it out anyway, hoping to “fix” or “change” the man and
the relationship.
Winning The One
12Robert Ford
This never works.
REMEMBER: You cannot change him, fix him, or save
him.
As you go through the dating process with a man, consider my
checklist of qualities that The One should have:
• Similar and/or complimentary life goals and dreams:
If you dream of being a stay-at-home mom and he’s a
struggling artist who won’t be able to support you, this is an
issue you need to look at. If, however, your goals and dreams
fit well together and could be supported and made possible by
one another, he could be The One for you.
• On the same page about major issues, such as
finances, faith and family: What kind of a spender or
saver is he? What about you? Do you share the same religious
beliefs, or can you at least respect one another’s beliefs? Can
you agree on the number of children you want to have, and
when to have it? You’ll need to be able to compromise on
these issues for the relationship to work.
• Ability to grow spiritually, intellectually and
emotionally: People grow and change – hopefully for the
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13Robert Ford
better. If your man supports opportunities for growth, that’s a
good sign. If he’s controlling and insecure – threatened by the
idea of you trying new things – he’s not The One for you.
• A full communication toolkit: You need to be able to use
your communication skills together to convey your needs and
resolve disagreements. If you’re not perfect, don’t despair –
all that’s necessary is the desire from you both to work on
your communication.
• You’re his #1 priority: You don’t play second to his career,
his family, or his friends. In a marriage, putting your man
first ensures that you both make the best possible decisions
for your family.
• You’re your true self around him: You don’t feel the
need to be perfect with him. He can see you with no makeup,
messy hair and a toilet brush in your hand as you listen to
Barry Manilow songs, and he’ll still feel madly in love with
you.
Pam writes that she’s got a lot of choices in the men she’s dating
right now – and wonders which one is The One for her…
Winning The One
14Robert Ford
QUESTION: I have several men pursuing me, and I’m not
sure who might be The One. How do I choose the man that
won't lose interest or disappear and will ultimately be The
One for me?
Answer: Congratulations for giving yourself the freedom to date
and leave your options open! You’re allowing yourself to choose the
man with whom you will spend your time, and that can only mean
you will find success in a long-term relationship.
You can automatically eliminate anyone you see as inferior. As you
probably already know – given the fact that you’re not settling on
one guy before you’re really sure – not every man is meant to be
The One for you.
Eventually, you’ll need to evaluate whether a given man has the
qualities you’re looking for in a man – and move on from anyone
who doesn’t.
Ask yourself what you’re looking for in a serious relationship, and
then use those criteria to determine whether a guy is, in fact,
Boyfriend Material – and therefore has the ability to be The One.
Here’s a checklist to help you:
Winning The One
15Robert Ford
• Stable Career – Does he have a good job or is he pursuing
an education?
• Passion – Does he have goals and dreams for his future? Is
he committed to pursuing them?
• Good Health & Habits – Does he take good care of
himself? Does he have any habits that are deal-breakers for
you?
• Balanced Emotional State – Does he seem stable – free of
rage issues and excess “emotional baggage”?
• There are TWO of you in the Relationship – If your
guy’s three favorite words are “Me, me, and me,” you need to
break it off fast.
• Treats You Well – Does he treat you with respect and
consideration? How do you feel when you’re around him –
happy, relaxed, safe? Uneasy, insecure, controlled or unsafe?
• Treats Others Well – Is he friendly with people around
him? Is he kind to waitresses and generous with tips?
Winning The One
16Robert Ford
• Healthy Relationship Track Record – What is his dating
history like? Has he had serious relationships or is he the king
of one-night stands?
• Good Relationship With Family – Is he close with his
family? (Just beware of the mama’s boy! A man who hasn’t
“cut the cord” with his mother is nothing but trouble.)
• Maturity Level – Is he mature on an intellectual and
emotional level? Does he follow through on his
responsibilities?
• One Your Level Mentally & Emotionally – Can he hold
his own in intellectual conversations and those on a deeper
level (beyond just where you want to go for dinner)? Does he
challenge you intellectually?
• Potential for Commitment – If he’s young, has a
reputation for being a “player,” or hangs out with single
buddies who are into “the scene,” it could be a long time
before he’s ready to settle down. If he has friends in serious
relationships, though, there’s a good chance he’ll be ready for
that phase himself soon enough.
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17Robert Ford
QUESTION: How do you know if he is The One –
especially if you've been disappointed in the past? How
much cynicism is healthy and how much is going to ruin
your own future? Is a dating relationship that is SO good
something that is too good to be true?
Answer: It's a sad to say, but most women have had so many
negative experiences with men that you find it virtually impossible
to believe it when a relationship actually goes RIGHT.
It's as if until you find a major FLAW with a guy, you can't believe
that he's for real.
Flaws can be anything from an emotional issue you need to “fix,” a
physical characteristic you need to learn to get over, or an
indifferent attitude toward you that makes you think you need to
CONVINCE this man that you're good enough for him.
In other words, when things are finally GOOD, you can actually end
up CREATING our own problems in the relationship just so you
can say, "Ahhh, OK. *This* feels familiar."
But don’t let the bad guys out there ruin it for the good guys!
I know it’s hard, but you need to try not to become cynical.
Winning The One
18Robert Ford
A lot of women I help seem to think that a good man is like a
unicorn...
You spend your childhood dreaming that you'll actually find one
someday...
And then when you FINALLY do you say, "Oh come on... This is
just a figment of my imagination. Unicorns (good men) don't really
exist."
The truth is, there ARE great guys out there! Lots of them.
Why should it be so unbelievable to think that when one of them
meets a awesome woman like you, he knows he needs to do
whatever it takes to keep you?
That he actually might WANT to call you just to hear your voice?
That he CAN'T WAIT for his next date with you... to get to know
you better and hopefully get another one of those amazing kisses he
was so lucky to get last time?
HEY...it CAN happen.
Winning The One
19Robert Ford
And it WILL happen for you if you just continue to follow
what I teach you in this program!
You just have to do a little work to open your heart, shake off those
years of bad experiences that may have made you cynical or
untrusting in any way, and get in the right frame of mind to receive
the healthy love that you truly do deserve.
Diana from our Community writes that her man isn’t meeting all
her needs – and wonders about his long-term potential…
QUESTION: I’ve met a great guy who treats me well, but I
don’t consider him to be The One because he doesn’t meet
all my needs. What do I do?
Answer: If he doesn’t meet your needs, then there’s no way he can
be The One. Just because a man treats you well doesn’t mean that
you’re ultimately compatible.
Just keep in mind that it’s OK, and better for you in the long run, to
be selective when dating.
Winning The One
20Robert Ford
It sends a strong message to men that you know what you want,
you value yourself, and you aren’t going to just settle for anyone
who shows interest.
This confidence drives men crazy (in a good way) and makes you
stand out from all other women – you’re someone they must
compete for.
And men love competition!
If the “needs” that you mention have to do with physical attraction,
think of it from a guy’s perspective: Have you ever known a man to
try and force himself to date a woman he’s not attracted to? No
way!
There are plenty of other men out there with whom you can be
compatible, and by staying with this man when you don’t feel 100
percent sure of the relationship, you’re denying yourself the chance
to meet these other men.
If you’re sure that a guy isn’t for you, regardless of how well he
treats you, remember that you have the right to hold out for The
One who not only treats you well but also makes your heart do
somersaults in your chest when he walks in the room!
Winning The One
21Robert Ford
Yanna brings up a common issue: whether or not a man is really
ready to be involved with you – or anyone for that matter…
QUESTION: Can you list some signs that a man is ready to
be in a relationship before you date seriously (such as “all
friends are married” or “has had at least several long-
term relationships”)?
Answer: There are some good indicators that a man is ready for
something serious:
1. He’s 30 or older.
2. His idea of having fun is taking his dog for a hike in the
canyons, catching a movie with friends, or going out for a
great dinner and a nice bottle of wine.
3. He has a great relationship with his family. His parents would
love to see him settle down and start a family of his own.
Winning The One
22Robert Ford
4. His career is better than ever. He’s coming up on a five-year
anniversary and just got a big promotion that’s he’s excited
about.
5. His friends are married or making plans to do so – and he no
longer likes feeling like the third wheel around them.
If the statements above sound true for a man, then there’s a good
chance he’s got what it takes to take those next steps into a long-
term commitment.
QUESTION: Which categories are the most important
when evaluating the similarities between myself and a
potential partner, and which ones can be negotiated – for
example, values, ethics, goals, hobbies, finances, etc.?
Answer: It’s not about how many categories match up, but which
ones are the most important to you and your guy. Only you will
know which ones are able to be negotiated between the two of you.
However, there are a few “non-negotiables” that I include in my “Is
He ‘The One?’ ” checklist. They are:
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23Robert Ford
• Do you have similar and/or complimentary life goals and
dreams?
• With him, do you have the freedom to grow spiritually,
intellectually, and emotionally?
• Are you your most true self when you’re with him?
Consider these qualities carefully in a potential partner. If you
don’t, at some point they will become issues – deal-breakers – that
will cause your relationship to unravel anyway.
By remaining aware of these issues throughout the process of
dating and committing to a man, you’ll allow yourself the freedom
to choose The One for you.
Dawn writes about the “love at first sight” ideal – and whether it
holds any weight…
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24Robert Ford
QUESTION: I've always thought that when I meet The
One, I'll know instantly. I'm 37, and that hasn't happened
yet. Have I been deluding myself?
Answer: While it’s romantic to think that you can instantly know
if you’ve met The One, the truth is, the whole love-at-first-sight
ideal is best saved for the movies.
All women have heard the stories from happily married couples
who swear up and down that they “just knew” from the moment
they met. But really, it takes time and effort to decide whether a
man is compatible with you in the long term.
In order to form a lifelong bond with a man, you need to put in
some time getting to know him and deciding for sure that you want
to spend your lives together.
Give yourselves the opportunity to learn about each other’s life
goals, including your feelings on children, religion, and finances.
Make sure that you’re able to communicate effectively with each
other from a place of love and compassion. Make sure you are his
number-one priority.
Winning The One
25Robert Ford
And above all, make sure you are your most true self when you’re
with him. You don’t want to spend your time trying to be perfect;
no one is, and you’ll exhaust yourself trying.
So don’t worry about being 37 and not having fallen instantly in
love with a man.
In fact, you should be thankful that you’re not letting your emotions
get the best of you in your search for The One. There are countless
men out there you can be compatible with. And when you find one
of them, you’ll know…eventually!
Carrie from our Community brings up a good question about
religion and spirituality…
QUESTION: When looking for The One, do I want
someone who shares the same religion, a similar spiritual
outlook on life, or just someone who can respect your
beliefs?
Answer: If you and your man do not share the same faith, that’s
OK – as long as you both respect one another’s beliefs.
Winning The One
26Robert Ford
If there are any religious or cultural conflicts, the sooner you
discuss them, the better. For instance, if he’s intent on marrying
someone Jewish and you’re Catholic, you’re not doing each other a
favor by ignoring this fact.
Keep in mind, you don’t want to discuss religion on a first date. It’s
a heavy topic, and there are way too many expectations on a first
date to begin with – you don’t need to bring religion into it, too.
But it’s never too soon to start thinking about the question of
spiritual beliefs, since it’s a good measure of your overall
compatibility. Just save it for a time when you are in a more
committed place.
Let’s check out Florence’s question of the role that passion plays in
the quest for The One…
QUESTION: Is The One the guy you have the strongest
feelings for or the guy you might love less but who suits
you best?
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27Robert Ford
Answer: If he’s really the person that you choose to commit to,
chances are you won’t love him less; actually, the two of you will
share a unique combination of common life goals and values while
also feeling incredible passion for one another.
There are several questions you can ask yourself in determining
whether or not a man is The One with whom you should choose to
share your life. As you’ll see in answering these questions, love and
emotions are not the only factors to consider.
Shared values, family, and the ability to communicate are just a few
of the other issues. I strongly recommend that you use these
questions to evaluate your relationship with any man and measure
your overall compatibility.
Amanda from our Community wonders about the issue of a man’s
ex-girlfriends…
QUESTION: How do I get rid of jealousy over my
boyfriend's ex-girlfriends when he's still friends with
every single one of them? I'm afraid that jealousy may
scare away my partner when I want to show him I'm The
One.
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28Robert Ford
Answer: OK, I'm not gonna sugar-coat this. The whole ex-
girlfriend thing is tricky.
I don't think it's cool for your boyfriend to be talking to an ex - let
alone several of them - but then again, I don't really know the whole
story.
The truth is, you never have control over anyone else's actions but
our own, so the best that you can do is decide for yourself what
boundaries you are comfortable with and let your boyfriend know
what they are.
For example, you may decide that you don't want him to be talking
to her on the phone, emailing/instant messaging, etc., but that
you're okay with the idea of the two of you going out in a group if
she's there (if she's part of your circle of friends, that is).
But you should let him know that in order to be in a healthy
relationship with you, these are your expectations.
Now here comes the tough part...whether or not your boyfriend will
agree to the boundaries you've set is up to him. He may even get
angry and say, “You can't tell me what to do - I can talk to whoever
I want.”
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Remind him that you DO trust him and that you're not trying to
control him, but that your relationship doesn't have enough room
for a third party, and him talking to his exes is only inviting trouble.
If he still doesn't see the light, you should end it and find a guy who
will make you his first priority!
Let’s consider Ingrid’s question of how much time needs to pass
before you decide whether a man is the right one for you…
QUESTION: How long do you spend getting to know
someone while working out if he is the right one for you?
Answer: No one but you can decide how long you need to discover
whether a man is the right one for you. In most cases it should take
more than a few months. Because it takes that long to see a person
for who he really is (and for him to see you for who you are).
Let’s talk about Romantic Love and the difference between the
Infatuation vs. Attachment Phases of romantic love.
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In the Infatuation Phase, you have one amazing date after another.
You have so much in common, the conversation just flows, and
your chemistry is off the charts. You both walk around in a dizzy
love haze, just wishing the hours away until your next date.
This phase doesn’t last forever, though.
Eventually, the infatuation wears off. And when it does you enter
the Attachment Phase where “real life” sets in.
In the Attachment Phase you should feel a sense of calm in your
relationship, as well as increased security and safety and a desire to
be together long-term.
At this point, you should know whether this man has the potential
to be The One for you or whether he exhibits behaviors or attitudes
that would ultimately make him incompatible with you or unable to
meet your needs.
Winning The One
31Robert Ford
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End of Free Chapters
Table of Contents
What is the Venus Factor ............................................................................................................................ 4
Your New Venus Family........................................................................................................................9
Balance................................................................................................................................................12
Gender Differences In Metabolism .......................................................................................................... 14
Size Difference....................................................................................................................................14
Body Composition...............................................................................................................................15
Leptin...................................................................................................................................................18
Nutrition Science ...................................................................................................................................... 24
Eat-Up Days vs Cheat Days................................................................................................................24
Disinhibited Eating – 'Good Food' vs 'Bad Food' Thinking Must Go.................................................27
Hot Button Foods................................................................................................................................30
What Should I eat?..............................................................................................................................31
Soy.......................................................................................................................................................31
Sugar....................................................................................................................................................31
Artificial Sweeteners...........................................................................................................................32
Beverages............................................................................................................................................33
Carbohydrates AKA "Carbs" - 4 calories per gram.............................................................................35
Fats - 9 calories per gram....................................................................................................................36
Protein - 4 calories per gram...............................................................................................................37
Meal Timing and Meal Frequency......................................................................................................38
Ego Depletion......................................................................................................................................40
A special note about coffee..................................................................................................................42
Calories .................................................................................................................................................... 44
Deficit vs Maintenance........................................................................................................................44
Metabolic Rates...................................................................................................................................46
Tapering Up Calories...........................................................................................................................49
Weight vs Shape ....................................................................................................................................... 51
Thinner Isn’t the Only Answer............................................................................................................53
What Determines Your Shape?............................................................................................................54
2
The Golden Proportion........................................................................................................................57
The Venus Index Measurements .............................................................................................................. 59
Ideal Waist (Height-to-Waist Ratio)....................................................................................................60
Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR)..................................................................................................................63
Shoulder-to-Waist Ratio......................................................................................................................65
How to Take Your Measurements.......................................................................................................67
Venus Index Measurement Example Guide........................................................................................68
Metabolic Flexibility & Adaptability..................................................................................................71
12-Week Undulating Metabolic Override Program ................................................................................. 72
Weeks 1-2 : 5 & 1 Protocol.................................................................................................................72
Weeks 3-4 : Undulation #1 - High Fat 2&1 protocol..........................................................................72
Weeks 5-6 : 5 & 1 Protocol.................................................................................................................73
Weeks 7-8 : Undulation #2 - High Protein 2&1 Protocol...................................................................73
Weeks 9-10 : 5 & 1 Protocol...............................................................................................................73
Weeks 11-12 : Undulation #3 High Carb 2&1 Protocol......................................................................74
The Venus Factor Virtual Nutritionist ...................................................................................................... 76
Using The Venus Factor Virtual Nutritionist.......................................................................................76
Inputs...................................................................................................................................................77
Outputs................................................................................................................................................78
Supplements ............................................................................................................................................ 81
References ................................................................................................................................................ 84
3
What is the Venus Factor
The Venus Factor is a complete weight loss and body re-shaping system. The components that make up
the entire system are as follows:
1. Main diet and weight loss manual (this document).
2. The 12-week workout system - this includes a library of instructional exercise videos and
complete 12-week workout system that can be done at home or in a gym.
3. The Venus Factor Virtual Nutritionist - this is a software app that calculates your specific calorie
and protein requirements for weight loss specific to your body measurements.
4. The Venus Community - A private online community exclusive for Venus Factor members only.
You can meet and learn from other Venus members, start your own personal blog within the
community, or just browse other members' blogs and forum for information. Your level of
involvement is your choice.
5. The Venus Index Podcast - Where you can listen to other Venus members tell their weight loss
success stories. Every year we host 3 transformation contests and I interview all the winners to
get the real inside story on how they used the Venus Factor system to fit their life and
challenges to achieve their weight loss and body shape goals.
Theoretically you can lose all unwanted weight using only the dietary tools you will find here. In other
words, if you never want to workout you don't really have to. However I rarely recommend this
approach as your results will be both accelerated and optimized with the addition of physical activity.
This is why we've included the 12-week Venus Factor workout system for you.
Getting in shape, or rather, changing the size and shape of your body is a two part process.
4
Part 1 is weight loss and fat removal.
This part is almost entirely dictated by your nutrition and diet. You can lose all the weight and fat that
you want if you have the right dietary approach. This system provides that dietary approach not only to
lose the fat but also to keep it off. This second point about 'keeping it off' cannot be stressed enough.
Many different diet programs can cause temporary weight loss. However the methods of most diets is
to 'crash' you into the weight loss, putting your hormonal, psychological, and physical systems out of
balance which leads to a stalling of weight loss and eventual rebound weight gain. This weight regain
pushes your system even further out of balance.
We've studied this problem and developed a solution that allows for weight loss without crashing and
most importantly without the rebound weight gain. This system should be the last one you ever need as
it's designed to produce as close to permanent weight loss as possible.
Part 2 is body and muscle shaping and toning.
You have a unique body structure and shape that is largely determined by two factors:
i) the location and amount of fat you have on your body
ii) the shape and size of your muscles
And, while it is true that much of your natural shape comes from your genetics much of the way you
store fat and build muscle is within your control.
We've already discussed that the diet portion of this system will be used to remove the fat off of your
body (nutrition and diet component). The second part of this system is how you can change the shape
of your body by changing the shape and tone of your muscles (workout component).
Some people will remove the fat from their body and be perfectly happy with the natural shape and
tone of their muscles and will not want to, or need to do any exercising for muscle tone or shape. In my
experience this is less common as most women want to work on certain areas of their body.
5
The look and shape of your body is entirely within your control to change as you wish. You can take fat
off where you want, and you can shape and tone any muscles you want. For example many of our past
successful Venus's have lost all the body fat they wanted to lose, and then turned their focus to working
on specific muscles to complement their new leaner form. Many found that they wanted to work on
building their butt, and our program provides the tools to do this. Others find that once they lost their
weight they needed to work on their shoulders and arms citing that they already had strong firm legs
but needed their upper body to come into balance. Others still wanted a whole body workout that
provides balance, shape and muscle tone to their entire figure. All cases can easily be done with this
program.
Overall the Venus Factor system is designed to be the simplest approach possible to achieving fat loss
while also providing a workout program for developing and shaping muscle in a manner that is specific
to a woman's body. A major consideration that went into the production of this program was
practicality. In other words, this program had to also fit within a busy modern life. I fully believe you
can have the body you want without having to sacrifice your social life to get it. After all, what would
be the point of getting into great shape if you can never reap the social benefits of that new shape!?
Too many trainers and fitness coaches teach their clients to treat their diet and workout like a 'second
job'. Are you kidding me?! I don't even want a 'first job' let alone a second one!
The vast majority of women who want to lose weight simply do not have 6 to 8 extra hours a day to
dedicate to this endeavour. Heck, for most people even carving out 1 hour takes some rearranging and
schedule juggling.
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My view of the Venus Factor is this:
The Venus Factor System is the essential diet and fitness tools you need to get the body you want,
while still being able to enjoy your life to its fullest.
My goal with this program is to simplify the process rather than overcomplicate it. No doubt if you
tried other diet or workout programs you already have many different diet and fitness 'rules' floating
around in your head that you will not see come up in this program. In fact one of your first challenges
will be accepting how simple this program really is. And I can assure you it's pretty simple.
At this time it's worth making a distinction between 'simple' and 'easy'.
This program just like any other diet or fitness program will have some challenges for you, some won't
necessarily feel 'easy' but they will be 'simple'. For example, a push up is a 'simple' movement, but it
may not necessarily feel 'easy' the first time you try it. Likewise eating a bit less sugar or fat is a
'simple' concept, but it may not feel 'easy' in the moment.
So to be clear I've made this as 'simple' as possible, but sometimes it won't necessarily feel 'easy'.
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Beth Hill – The Venus Mindset
I do want to offer a huge thank you to YOU! It was discovering YOU
through MFP that led me to the Venus Index and I haven't looked back.
You have created such a beautiful transformation and I am simply in awe
of you! My 12 weeks ends today and I am so thrilled with the changes that
have occurred in my life - physically, emotionally, and spiritually!
As a tall woman, my biggest fear was always becoming big and tall. It has
now happened twice in the recent years and it feels absolutely horrible. At
this point in my life, I truly don't see it ever happening again. I have no
reservations and am committed to going forward!
Like everyone else, I have tried it all and struggled to make anything work
long term. VI is the answer I have been looking for. It's not prepackaged. It's not a pharmaceutical secret. It's not
a list of rules. It's not a temporary fix. It's not a fraud preying on human weakness for financial gain. It is the ease
of eating the foods I choose to eat on a smaller scale and simply challenging my muscles more and more. It is
not eating when I'm not hungry and budgeting my calories for when I do want to eat. It is not fitness for the
physically fit - it is fitness to create fitness. It is a personal commitment with no strings attached.
The biggest surprise for me has been my spiritual and emotional transformation. I am experiencing and enjoying
an unfamiliar joy - I can only describe it as being "high on life!" I am not sad, angry, grumpy or tired anymore.
My self-esteem, motivation, and optimism have been recharged. I am Beth again and that feels really good. I
truly feel that the best years of my life are ahead of me. The added benefit of connecting with and developing
friendships with so many likeminded women on VI has been an added bonus and such a blessing.
You led me to an amazing place Roberta and, because of that YOU will always be a part of my story. Thanks so
much!
You are loved!
Beth
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Beth Hill
Your New Venus Family
I'm writing this part to make sure you're going into this program with open honest eyes about what it is
and what you can expect from it. You can have it all, you can lose all the weight and fat you've ever
hoped for and you can change the look and shape of your body however you wish. And one of the best
ways to get started is to talk to the Venus's in the community.
You can talk to many of our previous Venus transformation contest winners in the community and learn
exactly how they did it. They'll be more than happy to share. You can also listen to their podcast
interviews and absorb all of their insight and wisdom of how they managed to overcome their own
personal struggles along the way to getting their Venus body. Everyone will have their own personal
path to follow and I guarantee there is a Venus who has already done it that can help you with your
personal challenges.
Venus members are always willing to help, many of the previous successful Venus's will take new
Venus's under their wing and coach them through the process. Some form tight bonds with a few others
and create txt messaging accountability friendships. Others find local Venus's in their area and actually
meet each other in person to chat about the process, go for walks together and even workout together.
I've personally travelled to meet up with different Venus's and we've organized meet ups in various
locations (Las Vegas being a crowd favorite) and there is always another meet up around the corner.
In short, there is a wealth of experience, information, support, and friendship waiting for you in the
Venus community, all you need to do is introduce yourself and join the discussion. If you're not a
'forum user' then you can just poke around and read for awhile, no need to start chatting if you're not
100% comfortable at first.
The women of the Venus community are your new partners and team that will support you throughout
the process of getting to your weight loss and fitness goals. Many have built lasting friendships that
have transcended the community and turned into real life friendships. The community is waiting with
open arms for you whenever you're ready to be a part of it. And to be clear, this is a secure community
that is only available to active Venus Factor members, nobody else can read or access it.
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Podcast Interviews
As I mentioned already, most of our past Venus transformation success stories have done a podcast
interview with me to reveal exactly how they achieved their weight loss and body shaping goals. There
is priceless information in each of these interviews and you can listen to them all for free just by
visiting our blog at www.venusindex.com
You can also find the podcast on itunes or whatever podcast aggregator you use by searching for
'venusindex'.
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Roberta Saum - The Venus Mindset
To me the Venus Mindset is a lifestyle that is about
taking ownership and responsibility for my own
health. It is a belief that I can be healthy, lean, fit,
muscular, and athletic within a mostly sedentary
society that contains an overabundance of food.
The odds of achieving this are against us in our
society so it takes a strong and aggressive mindset
to achieve this level of fitness and keep it. It is a
lifelong mindset. You need to be an outlier and do
things differently from everyone else.
The Venus Ideal goals were mostly part of the
weight loss phase and gave me the weight range
and shoulder and waist circumference to shoot for.
Having a realistic and tangible goal was a key for
staying on track and knowing I was headed in the
right direction.
It’s time to forget about what my scale weight is. It’s time to not worry about what my waist measurement is.
It’s time to enjoy the new me and the new clothes that still fit. It’s time to enjoy being physically active and
participate more in enjoying life. It’s time to listen to what everyone in my family and society is telling me,
“Wow you have an amazing physique and are so fit and healthy. How did you do that?”
I’m learning to enjoy life a little more. This is something I can do for the rest of my life. It’s my new life. It’s
the Venus life.
Roberta Saum
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Roberta Saum
Balance
This program is also about balance, both internally and externally. We fully expect you to have a
balanced life between career/school, family, friendships, relationships, hobbies and getting the body
you want. It's not an either/or situation. You should not, and will not have to put your life on hold to
change your body. Any program that teaches you this sort of extreme action is doing something (and
likely many) things wrong.
Internal & External Balance
The concept of balance starts with internal balance of your body from
a metabolic and hormonal level, extending to a balance of your
bodyfat levels and muscle, to a balance of your upper body and lower
body proportions.
I want you to get away from extreme thinking in black and white
terms. There is too much of this sort of thinking in diet and fitness and
it leads to significant stress over the process and I believe this stress is
the root of the failure that most women experience from dieting.
You'll find that I leave out many diet and fitness industry 'rules' about eating because I've learned
they're simply not necessary and add stress to a process that is already stressful enough. What is left in
this program are the essentials, just the tools that you need to succeed.
In the following section you'll learn about the major gender differences in metabolism and body
composition, and why the Venus Factor is designed for women specifically. You'll see that when the
systems of your body are out of balance it leads to difficulty losing weight. From there I'll explain how
the program works to correct any imbalance and put you back in an optimal state to both lose your
unwanted bodyfat and keep it off.
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Res from the UK
As a 30 year old working mother I do not have
time to waste. I do not have room in my head or
my schedule for a hundred complicated diet and
fitness mantras with which to punish myself on a
24/7 basis.
At this point you may well say, “Then you can
forget about getting a better body. THAT’S a job
in of itself!” Hey, I’m a modern woman and we
like to ‘have it all’ right? Luckily with Venus this
becomes a realistic possibility.
I joined Venus in January 2013. In 4 short months, I have achieved my best look since pre-pregnancy, all whilst
holding down two clinical placements and finishing my graduate studies with a First.
How did I do it? *Clears throat* easily. Yes, truly. I worked out no more than 3 times a week, I did zero cardio.
In truth I hung out like the Venus de Milo herself spending weekends in Paris, Rome and London, sampling all
the delicious fare these places have to offer. In short I lived my life. The diet travels.
For me the Venus Mindset is one of true adaptability. The Venus solutions become a part of your life, they don’t
take over.
Venus is not a one trick pony. I may be high maintenance but the diet and programs are not.
There was no fuss, no nightly planning, and no ‘falling off’ the diet. There was really no diet in the traditional
sense to fall off of.
A Venus is adult enough to make her own food choices and mature enough to hold responsibility for them.
A Venus doesn’t sit home sipping water and eating steamed veggies on a Saturday night. She’s out on the town at
the best restaurants, in the best dress, enjoying herself.
The Venus lifestyle is one of commitment. But one that is joyfully made given the overwhelming physical
returns. For just a little consistency you get a lot of progress.
The flexibility of the lifestyle makes it easy to side-step all the old diet blocks of more restrictive and
complicated diet and training regimes.
Res from the UK
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Res from the UK
Gender Differences In Metabolism
Men and women are different, this should be obvious at first glance. However, many people never stop
to consider that the things that make men and women different on the outside, come from the inside.
Size Difference
There are some rather obvious differences in men and women from a metabolic standpoint. The first is
that men in general have more lean body mass than women and as a result men can eat more calories
than women while still maintaining a leaner body. I've often been out for dinner and noted that the
serving sizes of food at a typical restaurant seem to be 'calibrated' for men. In other words, the portion
served fits fine for me, but seems to always be too much for a woman who might be dining with me.
It's a bit unfair that I can simply eat what is served while she will have to leave some on the plate if she
is concerned at all about managing her calorie intake.
The alternative would be a world of portion sizes 'calibrated' for women where she could eat what is
served and be perfectly satisfied without having to leave any food on her plate and I would have to
order double the amount to be satisfied. It's a matter of perspective, but the latter case would be much
more effective for weight loss as it's much easier to simply eat what is served to you compared to
exerting the willpower to leave food on your plate.
Ok that is enough about the general size difference of men and women. The next big difference is how
testosterone and estrogen affect our bodies.
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Body Composition
Estrogen is what makes you a woman and testosterone is what makes me a man. Women and men alike
have a normal healthy and important circulating level of both of these hormones. Your estrogen levels
are much higher than the small amount a man would have, and likewise a man's testosterone level is
much higher than your normal health levels.
Gender differences in estrogen and testosterone levels are what dictate the difference we see in the
normal healthy ranges of body composition between men and women.
The normal body composition range for men is between 10%-20% bodyfat and for women is 20%-
30%.
Critically low bodyfat for men is approximately 3%, whereas for women critical low is approx 13% (as
indicated by the appearance of potentially dangerous metabolic abnormalities).
Clearly there is a difference in the general normal body composition of men vs women.
A man can be at or below 10% bodyfat and look healthy and lean. A women achieving this level of
bodyfat would actually look abnormal, sickly, and if enough muscle mass is on her body she will look
overly masculine.
In my experience working with many different women I've found that a lower bodyfat limit of
approximately 16% - 18% is as low as most women will ever want to go and still maintain a feminine
look. Anything below 20% is considered 'athletic/elite' for women. To contrast this with men, a bodyfat
% of approx 8-10% would be necessary for a man to be viewed as athletic/elite.
These body composition differences are due to the effect testosterone and estrogen have on our ability
to store and burn fat. This is totally normal and no reason for concern, it's simply why you are shaped
like a woman and I am not. The take home message is not to compare your bodyfat percentage to that
of a man (if you're thinking in terms of bodyfat at all).
Your target healthy range is between 20%-30%. Most of our Venus transformation contest winners
arrive at their best figure anywhere between 18%-22%. Your specific best/happiest/healthiest look will
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be unique to you. We cannot predict with certainty what your bodyfat % will be when you arrive at the
look you are happiest with, but my guess is it will be somewhere close this range of 18-22%. This is
important: The goal is not 0% bodyfat, nor is it to reach a predetermined level of bodyfat because you
think this is the number you should have. The goal is to create a body you love and are proud of.
Mostly likely this will end up somewhere around the range of 18-22% bodyfat.
Let's do a brief summary of the gender differences we've talked about so far.
1. We know that you have more estrogen and less testosterone than men. It's what makes you a
woman, and it also determines what your lower healthy bodyfat range will be.
2. You generally have less lean body mass than a man and therefore do not burn as many calories
on a daily basis
3. Because of point 1 and 2 men can generally eat more calories than women and maintain a
somewhat leaner body
The next most important gender difference when it comes to fat loss is with the hormone leptin.
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Lisa Barban Etwell – The Venus Mindset
The Venus Mindset and what it means to me.
If I were to put the Venus mindset into one word it would be EMPOWERMENT.
Cutting out the static is critical in being a successful Venus. Having the knowledge that calories are king for fat loss/maintenance and that lifting heavy things builds shape is like owning a huge set of ear plugs protecting our ears and minds from the constant noise, myths, confusion and untruths being fed to us through the media and diet/fitness communities.
Another form of empowerment is the right to choose. You get to decide whether you want your current shape or the shape of your choice. How? By lifting heavy things.
You get to decide whether you want your current body fat levels or ones that are less/more. How? By deciding how many calories you eat.
Bottom line - YOU get to decide - and when you take the control and power of your own body back from those that hijack your goals - that is power.
That is freedom.
So.. what is the Venus mindset?
Empowerment. Choice. Freedom.
That doesn't mean it's easy. But it does mean that you ultimately have all the power in the world to make ANYTHING happen.
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Lisa Barban Etwell
Leptin
Leptin is a signalling molecule that is released from your fat cells that is
typically described as the master hormone regulating fat loss, due to the fact
that is more or less released in proportion to the amount of fat you have on
your body. The more fat, the more leptin (Owecki M. et al. 2010). This
however leaves out all of the other roles it plays, and it can actually be seen
as a master signalling hormone that is involved in the regulation and
signalling of bone density, metabolic rate, fat mass, cognition and memory,
inflammation, taste and sweetness perception, insulin sensitivity, and even the pathogenesis of skin tags
(Moran CN et al. 2011, de Boer TN et al. 2012, Horio N et al. 2010, El Safoury et al. 2010)
As you can see, leptin plays a significant role in many different systems of your body, and it's
especially important to fat loss and overall appetite regulation.
Leptin is produced and released by bodyfat and one of its many duties is to signal your brain to the
amount of fat on your body. It is also released in response to eating and tells your brain how much food
you've just ingested. It also responds to exercise intensity and duration, as well as the amount of
chronic inflammation in your body (Suzukawa M et al. 2011).
In other words, any typical diet intervention and/or exercise routine will stimulate a response in leptin.
Since you have at least twice as much leptin as a man, your specific diet approach needs to be nuanced
and designed to work for you as a woman. This doesn't mean you need to eat some wacky exotic food,
it just means a different style of nutrition and exercise (if you choose to exercise) should be followed to
maximize your results.
You have roughly twice as much leptin circulating in your system as a typical man does. Since leptin is
a major metabolic signalling molecule you might think that means you should burn twice as many
calories as a man. But that isn't the case. Typically when there is more of a hormone circulating in the
blood that means it is required to be at that level for some reason, or that the other systems of the body
are 'resistant' to that hormone. In the case of leptin it seems that women are somewhat naturally
resistant to leptin compared to men. Resistance may seem like a harsh word, so instead think of it as it
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takes a little more leptin to do its job in a woman’s body compared to in a man’s body. And, this
difference is increased with higher bodyfat levels. This is partly why it's difficult for women to start
and stay consistent on a diet long enough to get the results they really want. It's also why severe low
calorie and very strict dieting (AKA “Crash dieting”) doesn't work for women but might actually be
more useful for men.
In two research studies done by Nicklas et al. in 1997 it was shown that leptin falls almost twice as
much in women compared to men. This means that women experience higher leptin highs, lower leptin
lows when attempting to diet. Men don't have these same dramatic swings in leptin as men have lower
natural circulating leptin levels, and when men go on a calorie restrictive diet they don't get as much of
a decrease in leptin. In other words, a man's metabolism won't crash on a severely calorie restricted diet
as easily as it could in women. It also means men won't experience the same feelings of hunger and
cravings for carbohydrates during a weight loss program. This might sound familiar to you if you’ve
ever attempted to diet alongside a male counterpart and noticed how much easier of a time he seemed
to have with it.
The two main differences between men and women when it comes to leptin are:
1. Men seem to have a higher natural sensitivity to leptin and therefore lower natural circulating
blood levels
2. When men go on a very low calorie restrictive diet they experience less of a drop in leptin and
as such their metabolism doesn't crash as easily and they don't get as severe cravings for carbs
To put it another way, women have higher natural leptin, and experience much more dramatic drops in
leptin when dieting. So your highs are higher and your lows are lower. Kinda like being on a roller
coaster with your metabolism and hunger and cravings throughout the dieting process. Does this sound
familiar from the last time you attempted a restrictive diet?!
Recall that one of the main focuses of the Venus Factor program is balance. And in the case of leptin
men have an easier go of it with balancing leptin while dieting. This is why so many diets that have
been written or created and tested on and by men never really work out so well for women. Men can
simply push through a low calorie diet with brute force without experiencing large drops or swings in
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leptin that cause cravings and metabolic disturbances.
An effective diet program for women must be designed to limit these dramatic swings in leptin in order
to allow you to successfully complete your weight loss program and arrive at your ideal weight.
In order to eliminate these swings in leptin and avoid creating massive food and carb cravings and
metabolic disturbances you can do two things:
1. Increase your sensitivity to leptin
2. Use food itself to restore leptin levels so they never drop too far
Leptin Sensitivity
There are 4 things you can do to increase your leptin sensitivity:
1. Get more sleep
2. Follow a well designed exercise program
3. Use a supplement designed to increase leptin sensitivity
4. Fasting
Leptin and Sleep
As with many processes of the body, a lack of quality and consistent sleep can mess it up, and leptin is
no different. Research shows that a lack of sleep can lead to leptin resistance (Charles LE. et al. 2011) .
A very simple but effective strategy for increasing leptin sensitivity to ensure that you're getting enough
quality sleep. Many people discount the importance of sleep for a healthy body but it cannot be stressed
enough. Good quality consistent sleep is going to make everything work better and feel better, and that
includes your leptin sensitivity. If you're not getting enough sleep, or not getting good sleep you should
definitely put a plan in place to improve your sleep quality.
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Leptin and Exercise
Just as sleep seems to have an effect on all systems of your body, so does exercise. Research also shows
that a consistent exercise program will improve leptin sensitivity (Guerra B. et al. 2011). This doesn't
mean you need to be lifting big weights like a bodybuilder. Even low intensity non-resistant training
exercise will do it. The bottom line is that exercise is an effective tool for improving leptin sensitivity.
If you're not getting enough exercise (or any at all) then you're missing out on some major fat burning
benefits. This of course is why I've given you the Venus Factor workouts that go with the diet program.
Leptin Sensitizing Herbs
Until recently there have never been any supplements that work directly with leptin. Drug companies
thought that dosing people directly with leptin would be a cure for obesity (as it is in mice) but
unfortunately that doesn't happen in people. As it turns out, having too much leptin isn't the answer.
Improving your sensitivity to the leptin you already have, however, is very powerful for producing a fat
burning effect. There have been a few herbs discovered that can do this and you can find one very
useful supplement that can directly increase your leptin sensitivity. This will be one of your most useful
diet supplement tools for achieving your fat loss goals.
Until these supplement companies started focusing on leptin most supplements were focused on getting
you wired with no regard to leptin sensitivity. This is a very male way of thinking and I'll admit that
even in my past career developing weight loss supplements I never considered that there may be gender
differences between men and women and a reason why women might not want to take the same fat
burner supplements that men do.
Now there is a very good option for you that provides a natural, smooth-feeling energy boost but also
works on improving leptin sensitivity directly. This is a taylor-made option for women that I highly
recommend you take advantage of. I know if there were something this targeted for men I would
definitely be using it. You can learn more about these specific herbs at the end of this manual in the
supplement section.
Leptin and Fasting
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Periods of short term fasting can help improve leptin sensitivity and reduce bodyfat stores. This doesn't
mean you need to go an entire day without eating but rather practice something I call strategic meal
skipping. You'll find that many of our past Venus transformation success stories incorporated some
form of fasting into their program with great success.
Each of these four strategies can go a long way for improving your leptin sensitivity which will reduce
your feelings of cravings as well as improve your metabolic functioning throughout the dieting process.
Let's face it, dieting is hard enough, and I recommend you use every tool you can to get an advantage
and make the process easier.
The next strategy is unique to the Venus Factor and is part of the metabolic override protocol, and that
is your strategic 'eat up' days, which are not to be confused with 'cheat' days.
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Liss Graham - Venus Mindset
At the age of 28 and after 2 kids, I was finally able to achieve the
Venus body that I had wanted all my life. My body is better
looking and more functional today than it was when I was 17. I
credit it all to Venus for teaching me how to change my life, not
just diet or workout.
When I started my transformation, I was so unhappy. I knew at
the time I did not like the way that I looked, but had no idea how
it affected everything that I said and did. There was a black cloud
hanging over my outlook and emotions. The body that I dreamed
of eluded me even though I beat my brains out 5 days a week at
the gym and counted calories. I would get to average and
backslide- a never-ending weight roller coaster since the 3rd
grade. It was incredibly frustrating. No diet or workout ever
taught me a LIFESTYLE like VI has accomplished. I learned
how to just live while keeping up my new amazing body- and not just for 12 weeks or 21 days.
As a whole, my life has improved and climbed to heights that I would have never dreamed of before my
transformation. I was promoted at my job shortly after reaching my ideal Venus metrics. The gym asked me to
teach a Venus workout class which has been very fulfilling in helping other women achieve their body goals.
This has led to guest authoring articles on the Venus website and even creating a blog of my own to help others.
It is also worth mentioning that shopping is enjoyable when you look pretty great in everything that you try on
too!
People treat me differently, especially men. The compliments flow almost daily from strangers and friends alike.
After maintaining for almost 6 months, even the most aloof friends and family are finally asking what my secret
is. They WANT to know how I did it and keep my body. Men say out loud that they wish their wives would work
out with me. Women say out loud that they wish they had my body.
The Venus Factor has not only transformed my outside, but my inside, too, which I never expected. I feel like
there is no unattainable achievement or goal now- I know that my mind or body will not hold me back. If I can
dream it, I can do it. Thanks, Venus.
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Liss Graham
Nutrition Science
Eat-Up Days vs Cheat Days
I want to make a distinction right away about 'cheat' days vs our 'eat up' days. From what I understand,
a cheat day has been promoted to be a day where you eat massively excessive calories well above your
metabolic needs for the day. This has become a bit of a ritual for fitness competitors and bodybuilders
who follow severely restrictive diets then let it all loose on their 'cheat' day. I find this to be an
unhealthy practice for multiple reasons.
First, we can all overeat enough on a given cheat day to undo weeks of dieting. This is clearly just
taking a big step backwards.
Second, I dislike the use of the word 'cheat' because it implies you're doing something wrong or
dishonest. Dieting and managing food is already psychologically stressful enough, there is no reason to
add in things that make you feel like you're doing something wrong on purpose.
To be clear, there is no way to lose bodyfat without creating a calorie deficit. This should not be news
to you. In other words, if you burn 1800 calories today you need to consume less than 1800 calories in
order to force your body to burn up some of your bodyfat in order to make up the difference. This is a
fundamental law of energy balance and fat loss and it does not change.
When men follow a severely calorie restricted diet they don't have as severe of a drop in leptin and
therefore their metabolic rate seems to remain stable throughout the process. Women on the other hand
cannot simply hit it hard, and go super low on calories for as long as they can stand it. Your leptin
levels will fall dramatically leading to metabolic changes that could slow the fat burning process, as
well as leaving you ravenously hungry and craving carbs.
So in your case you must add in strategic 'eat up' days to prevent these dramatic drops in leptin and to
avoid the carb cravings that will come. Most men can push for weeks without having an eat up day, but
through our research and working with (and listening to) 100's of women we've found that women need
to have strategic 'eat up' days much more frequently than men. This means you're only going to be in a
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deficit for short stretches of time, then eating up to maintenance to restore normal leptin functioning
and avoid any chance of a crash, cravings or a rebound.
Throughout the program you will find that your 'eat up' days can come as frequently as every 3 days
stretching to every 5th or 6th day. The point is that you'll never go an entire week eating in a deficit and
you'll always be able to bring your calories back up to maintenance to reset your system.
'Eating Up' Means Eating at Maintenance
Your daily calorie burn is what we call 'maintenance'. When we say 'maintenance' we are referring to
the amount of calories you burn and eating up to this same amount of calories such that you don't gain
or lose weight but rather you 'maintain' your weight and maintain your metabolism. For example if you
burn 1800 calories today, and you eat 1800 calories today you are eating up to maintenance. This is
what an 'eat up' day is in this program - Eating up to the total amount of calories you burned in a given
day. This is in contrast to a 'cheat' day where you're instructed to eat significantly above maintenance,
in some cases 1000's of calories above maintenance. In my experience having full out 'cheat' days just
leads to a string of days of binge eating that sets you spiralling backwards both physically and
psychologically. And this is because of a phenomenon called “disinhibited eating”.
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Naomi C – The Venus Mindset
Being a Venus for me is about focusing on being the “fittest” and
“shapeliest” that my body can be. I don’t focus on losing weight, I keep
track of it but only to know it, like knowing my height. When it comes to
the Venus body it is all about inches and how I feel and look in my
clothing and in a bikini.
Living the Venus lifestyle for me is not about denying myself what I enjoy
eating but finding balance in my diet by eating what I like within my
chosen calories and macros. Knowing your number and staying within it
sounds so hard at the beginning of the Venus journey but I came to realize
quite quickly how freeing it is to know exactly how much I can eat and
still achieve my goals. I look at my body as a very complex and beautiful
system that needs nourishment and encouragement to flourish at its
optimum potential. Food, like money, has no power of its own only what
I give it. I choose to give food the power to create my best body.
“Clean eating and heavy lifting” is what I strive for every week. The
workouts are set out in such an easy to read and learn format with videos
to show proper form. These workouts are the core of what I feel makes
Venus and Adonis unique, I lift as heavy as I can for all the exercises and
when I am done I know that my body is evolving into its best shape.
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Naomi C
Disinhibited Eating – 'Good Food' vs 'Bad Food' Thinking Must Go
Disinhibited eating comes from the belief that there are 'good' foods you
should always be eating and 'bad' foods you should never eat. I don't
believe in good vs bad foods and I think that all foods have their place even
in a weight loss program. Research shows us a psychological phenomenon
that happens when a person who believes they have eaten a forbidden or
'bad' food. They go into a state of 'disinhibited eating' where one step over
the forbidden lines leads to an all out feeding frenzy (Lemmens SG Et al. 2010, Stirling and Yeomans.
2004). You might have experienced this at some point when you've been dieting or 'watching' what you
eat in the past. The scenario goes something like this. You're on a diet, and you've been 'good' for
almost an entire week, only eating 'healthy' foods like salads, veggies, some fruit, lean protein sources
but no grains, no sweets, no processed or 'junk' foods. Then one day you're out with some friends and
instead of opting for a salad you indulge and join everyone for a slice of pizza. Well now that you've
crossed the line into forbidden food territory all bets are off, and that one slice of pizza turns into five
slices AND a quart of ice cream for dessert afterwards AND chocolate. After that first slice of pizza
your inner voice is saying, “Well you've done it now, that pizza was in the forbidden bad food zone and
now that you've crossed the line there is no looking back for today...today is lost so might as well go all
out and eat the rest of the pizza AND the ice cream AND the chocolate and we'll get back on track
tomorrow.”
If this sounds familiar to you then you've experienced disinhibited eating. But the only way to
experience an all-out eating frenzy is by having the belief in your mind that there are in fact good vs
bad foods. I want you to work on eliminating this belief in good vs bad food and instead to view food
from a standpoint of total calories. It is the total calories that you consume that will determine your
weight loss success and it really doesn't matter where those calories come from as long as you're hitting
your calorie targets for your personal weight loss goal.
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Keep in mind that for a short while when your goal is weight loss, calories are really all that matter.
You've got the rest of your life to determine what exact foods you'd like to have as a part of your diet.
And I firmly believe you should allow yourself to eat any and all foods you desire. This even includes
some of the foods that most people would call 'bad' or 'junk food'. Don't get me wrong, I'm not
suggesting you can survive entirely on potato chips, ice cream and chocolate (although I'd love to
try!!!) but it means that all of these foods can and should have their place in a balanced diet, as well as
even within your weight loss program itself. Did you notice the word 'balance' show up again? That is
because this program is about balance, which also includes a balance of foods ranging from all forms of
vegetables, leafy greens, all forms of fruits, grains of any kind, dairy, meat, poultry, fish and seafood,
and yes, even processed foods, fast food, candy and whatever people would call 'junk' food. All of it
can be part of a successful weight loss program if you do it intelligently, and that is exactly what you'll
be doing with the Venus Factor program.
Allowing you to freely choose which foods will fit into your diet program is essential to removing the
problems that come with the all-or-nothing black-white mindset of 'good' vs 'bad' foods. From now on
you need to work on letting go of any belief that there are strictly good or bad foods and instead think
of food you enjoy eating vs foods you'd rather not eat. I'm sure you'll end up with a list of foods that
come from all categories. I've yet to meet someone who only likes to eat cake and cookies (mmm, I'd
also like to try that too!).
Bottom line
All foods are ok to eat, some just need to be in limited amounts or less frequently than others, but
certainly every week you can have a bit of everything. This goes a long way to keeping your sanity and
enjoyment and satisfaction with the process of losing weight and appreciating your body and your food
along the way.
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Susan Doyle - Venus Mindset
I have followed the Venus program and still incorporate the
exercises into my regular workouts. I would recommend the
program to anyone with the understanding that like any new
practice, there is still a component of it that you are solely
responsible for – ‘the mindset’ - that pulls it altogether.
The Venus mindset is not only following the exercise plan and
eating healthy, it is making yourself accountable for your body,
your mind and your health. While having the pleasure to know
the creator and work with him one on one, I can attribute that the amount of professionalism, knowledge and
research that went into structuring this program was for the sole purpose of creating a better workout and health
regime for us. As a 30 something female, I could have just taken the book and went with it.
However, the mindset that you bring to the program is one that will inevitably determine your success. A true
Venus athlete is one that has a mindset of determination, self-respect and appreciation for her true-self, flaws and
all. Like most ladies, you don’t often start a new workout feeling this way, but rather the opposite. By utilizing
the Venus program, it provides you with exercises that not only strengthen your muscles but in turn allows you to
strengthen your mind. You’ll be proud of your successes and what your body can do. You’ll build on thinking
positively about yourself as well as truly understand the importance of controlling your health. Since starting
with Venus over 3 years ago, it has taken this whole time for me to finally feel the way I do now. The Venus
mindset is one of positive thinking, success and self-admiration. A mindset that once you get there, there is no
turning back!
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Susan Doyle
Hot Button Foods
With that said, you likely have a few foods that don't work well
with your body and you'd do well to limit your exposure, but in
general I would never label a food as good or bad. Also it's
impossible for me to know what foods are your best foods and
which ones are your troublemakers. For many people peanut butter
is their hot button food – meaning one bite leads to the whole jar! If
this is your hot button food then maybe you need to limit your
exposure to peanut butter. For other people it might be potato chips,
or pasta, or ice cream. The point is I don't know, but you do.
Whatever your hot button food is you certainly already know what
it is and you can take steps to limit your exposure to this particular
food. And I'm not talking about all foods that are tasty here. Your
hot button food is that one food that seems to control you instead of you controlling it. For example my
hot button food is chicken wings. If I eat 1 I'll eat 30. But peanut butter is of no interest to me. Likewise
I can have a small amount of ice cream without craving any more, but put even just one chicken wing
in front of me and I'll be looking for more. You need to identify the one hot button food that gets the
best of you and give your self a limited exposure to this one food. You can still have it, just make sure
you keep the exposure to once every week or two.
As you can see I'm not a fan of labelling any food as 'good' or 'bad' for the reasons stated above. I also
don't consider any specific time of day as better or worse for eating, which brings us to the next major
point of this system. And that is the answer to the following question: What should I eat?
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Delicious Easy & Fun
REcipEs
4
Recipe GuideThis is a book of common recipes that you will likely recognize but done as lower calorie options. There are options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, appetizers and desserts. Eating for weight loss can be enjoyable and very tasty with just a few key substitutions.
You might notice some dishes that you’re familiar with by name, but you may not have thought to make them in the way we have laid out here.
Each recipe is meant to create the same taste and experience as the ‘regular’ version but with less total calories. This is a big key to eating meals that are satisfying and feel like ‘yours’ while still losing weight.
The goal of this manual is to give you lots options for cooking all kinds of different meals that you are already familiar with and like but with less total calories. And we’ve also tossed in some new ones that you might not have seen before (because variety and learning something new is never a bad thing).
Eating realistic, flavorful and satisfying meals during your weight loss is a big key to getting the weight off while enjoying the process.
Finally, once you reach your goal weight you can always use the recipes in this guide to maintain your new weight.
In many cases these new recipes are simply how I make many of these meals and I’m just as happy eating them as the ‘old’ higher calorie versions I used to make.
A little attention to detail when you’re cooking will go a long way to make weight loss fast, easy sustainable and enjoyable.
Let’s get cooking!
5
Recipe Contents
Breakfast ............................................................................................ 10Bagel and Lox ................................................................................ 11Breakfast Burrito ............................................................................ 12Breakfast Crepes ............................................................................. 13Bran Muffins .................................................................................. 15Breakfast Strata .............................................................................. 16Coffeecake ...................................................................................... 17Eggs Benedict ................................................................................. 18Easy Hollandaise Sauce ................................................................... 19French Toast ................................................................................... 20Pancakes ......................................................................................... 22Southern-Style Biscuits and Gravy .................................................. 24Gravy ............................................................................................. 25Easy Breakfast Scramble ................................................................. 26Sweet Potato Hash ......................................................................... 27Egg White Scramble (No Carbs) .................................................... 28Pancakes 2 ...................................................................................... 29Cheese and Veg Omelette ............................................................... 30French Toast 2 ................................................................................ 31Waffles ........................................................................................... 32
Lunches .............................................................................................. 33Chicken Tikka Masala .................................................................... 34Vegetable Curry ............................................................................. 35 Nova Scotia Donairs ...................................................................... 36Fish and Chips ............................................................................... 38Hamburgers and French Fries ........................................................ 39
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Hot Dogs and Baked Beans ............................................................ 40Veggie Pizza .................................................................................... 42Poutine .......................................................................................... 43Tacos .............................................................................................. 44Wrap .............................................................................................. 45Avocado Club Sandwich ................................................................ 47Tuna Salad ..................................................................................... 48Vegetarian “Egg” Salad ................................................................... 49Hearts of Palm Salad ...................................................................... 50Fruit Salad ...................................................................................... 51Eggplant Parmesan ......................................................................... 52Moo Shu Chicken & Veggies ......................................................... 53Curry Chickpea Stew ..................................................................... 54Pulled BBQ Chicken ...................................................................... 55Cajun Shrimp Bowl ....................................................................... 56Easy Whole Wheat Spanakopizza ................................................... 57Fish Tacos ....................................................................................... 58Creamy Chicken & Mushrooms .................................................... 59Healthy Greek Style Salad for Two ................................................. 60Lamb Curry Vegetables (No Carbs) ................................................ 61Tomato & Garbanzo Bean Soup .................................................... 62Baked Chicken Pesto with Peas ...................................................... 63Basil Pesto Topper or Dip ............................................................... 64Tuscan Tuna Salad .......................................................................... 65Roasted Butternut Squash Soup ..................................................... 66Mushroom Risotto ......................................................................... 67Chicken Fried Rice ......................................................................... 68Bacon Tomato Pizza ....................................................................... 69Salmon Pasta with “Cream” Sauce .................................................. 71
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Ribs with “Fried” Vegetables .......................................................... 72Beef Stew ....................................................................................... 74
Dinners .............................................................................................. 75Bangers and Mash .......................................................................... 76Barbecue Pork with Cole Slaw ......................................................... 77Chicken Pot Pie ............................................................................. 79Fried Chicken ................................................................................ 81Lasagna .......................................................................................... 83Macaroni and Cheese ..................................................................... 85Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes ....................................................... 86Paella .............................................................................................. 88Shepherd’s Pie ................................................................................ 90Spaghetti Bolognese ....................................................................... 91Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu ............................................................ 92Baked Lemon Trout ....................................................................... 93Smoked Salmon Quiche ................................................................. 94Easy Spaghetti Dinner ................................................................... 95Dinner by the Sea .......................................................................... 96
Desserts .............................................................................................. 97Baklava ........................................................................................... 98Bread Pudding ...............................................................................100Chocolate Chip Cookies ................................................................102Crispy Rice Treats ..........................................................................103Fudge Brownies ..............................................................................104Vanilla Ice Cream ...........................................................................105Nanaimo Bars ................................................................................106New York-Style Cheesecake ............................................................108Riced Pudding ...............................................................................110
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Strawberry Shortcake .....................................................................111Apple Confit Delight ......................................................................113Chocolate Roll Cake ......................................................................114Apple Crumble ..............................................................................115Angel’s Food Cake ..........................................................................116
Appetizers ..........................................................................................117Spinach Dip ...................................................................................118Nachos ...........................................................................................119Boston Bib Salad ............................................................................120
Snacks ................................................................................................121Pancetta-Wrapped Scallops .............................................................122Buffalo Wings ................................................................................123Bleu Cheese Dip ............................................................................125Caramel Popcorn and Peanuts ........................................................126Hummus ........................................................................................127Nachos ...........................................................................................128Nuts and Bolts ...............................................................................129Trail Mix ........................................................................................130Potato Skins ...................................................................................131Spinach Dip ...................................................................................132TexMex Cheese Dip .......................................................................133Ripe Bananas (Mashed) ..................................................................134Apple Carrot Muffins .....................................................................135Mocha Biscotti ...............................................................................136
Special Ocassion ................................................................................137Classic Green Bean Casserole .........................................................138Cream of Mushroom Soup .............................................................139
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Deviled Eggs ..................................................................................140Fondue ............................................................................................141Holiday Eggless Nog ......................................................................143Honey-Baked Ham ........................................................................144Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding ..................................................146Prawn Cocktail (“Shrimp Cocktail”) .............................................148Super Bowl Chili ............................................................................150
Drinks and Smoothies .......................................................................151Orange Cream Smoothie ................................................................152Amaretto Smoothie ........................................................................153Mocha Smoothie ............................................................................154Banana-Berry Smoothie .................................................................155
BreakfastBreakfast
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Bagel and Lox
Calories per serving: 110
Serving size: 1 recipe
Total calories per recipe: 110
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
½ of a low-calorie “light” bagel•1 tablespoon non-fat or fat-free cream cheese, softened to room•temperature1 ounce lox (thinly sliced cured fillet of salmon)•1 slice fresh red tomato•1 thin slice fresh purple onion•1 tablespoon pickled capers•1 pinch ground black pepper•
Instructions:
Toast the bagel half. Transfer to serving dish. Spread the cream cheese on the bagel. Top with lox, then tomato, then onion. Garnish with capers and pepper.
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Breakfast Burrito
Calories per serving: 185
Serving size: 1 burrito
Total calories per recipe: 185
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
1 (2.5 ounce) low-carb “wrap” (low-calorie flour tortilla)•1 large egg•¼ teaspoon black pepper•1 pinch raw salt•1 tablespoon fresh spring onion or scallion with green tops, thinly•sliced1 tablespoon fresh jalapeno or other fresh hot pepper, seeded and•chopped2 tablespoons shredded fat-free cheddar cheese•2 tablespoons tomato-based salsa or picante sauce•
Instructions:
Place the wrap or tortilla on a microwave-safe serving dish. Microwave for 30 seconds or until hot. In frying pan over medium heat, scramble egg with salt and pepper. Spoon the cooked egg onto the hot wrap or tortilla. Top with onion, pepper, cheese and salsa or picante sauce. Fold the wrap or tortilla around the filling.
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Breakfast Crepes
Calories per serving: 30 (excluding optional toppings)
Serving size: 2 crepes
Total calories per recipe: 600
Servings: 10
To make 20 Low-Calorie Breakfast Crepes, gather the following ingredients:
1 large egg•¾ cup all-purpose¾ cup water•2 tablespoons melted butter melted•2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract½ teaspoon ground cinnamon•½ teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder1 pinch of raw salt•
Instructions:
Place all ingredients into an electric blender. Process for 10-20 seconds or until batter is very smooth. Add a bit of extra water if necessary. Meanwhile, on stovetop, heat crepe pan over medium heat. This amount of batter will yield 20 crepes (six-inches in diameter).
Optional toppings:
½ cup fresh strawberries, sliced (23 calories)•½ cup fresh blueberries (41 calories)•½ cup fresh loganberries, stewed with 2 tablespoons maple sugar•(75 calories)
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1 tablespoon “all-fruit” jam, any variety (40 calories)•2 tablespoons zero-calorie sugar-free syrup, any variety (0 calories)•¼ whipped dairy cream in aerosol can (30 calories)•1 tablespoon confectioners powdered sugar (31 calories)•
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Bran Muffins
Calories per serving: 110
Serving size: 1 muffin
Total calories per recipe: 1320
Servings: 12
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil•1 cup cake flour•1 cup wheat bran•1/2 cup whole-wheat flour•2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey•2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking soda•2 teaspoon each: cinnamon and nutmeg•½ teaspoon raw salt•2 large eggs•1/2 cup each: water, buttermilk, unsweetened applesauce•
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Oil a 12-count muffin tin with 1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cake flour, wheat bran, whole-wheat flour, stevia, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, buttermilk and applesauce. Fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture, stirring just until thoroughly blended (add a bit more water if the resulting batter is too dry). Divide the batter equally into the muffin tin. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until done.
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Breakfast Strata
Calories per serving: 285
Serving size: 1/6 recipe
Total calories per recipe: 1710
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon bacon drippings•4 cups, stale bread or leftover toast, cut into bits (various kinds of•stale bread or leftover toast work well in this recipe)6 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled (or ½ cup cooked ham,•chopped)1 cup grated non-fat or fat-free cheddar cheese•6 large eggs•¾ cup water•1 teaspoon each: dry mustard, hot pepper sauce•½ teaspoon each: black pepper, raw salt•
Instructions:
Oil a casserole dish with the bacon drippings. Spread half the bread or toast over the bottom the dish. Top with bacon and cheese. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, mustard, pepper sauce, pepper and salt. Pour this egg mixture evenly over the bread, bacon and cheese in the dish. Top with the remaining 2 cups of bread or toast. Cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. To cook, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove cover from dish. Cook at 350 degrees for 90 minutes, or until the eggs are set. If the top is browning too quickly, tent with foil.
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Coffeecake
Calories per serving: 195
Serving size: ¼ recipe
Total calories per recipe: 780
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil•1 cup all-purpose flour•Stevia equivalent to ¾ cup sugar•2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder•½ teaspoon salt•2 egg whites•¼ cup unsweetened applesauce•¼ cup water•4 tablespoons brown sugar•2 teaspoons cinnamon•
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 9-inch square baking dish with the butter or coconut oil. In mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg whites, applesauce and water. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, stirring until just blended. Spoon batter into the prepared baking dish. Top with brown sugar and cinnamon. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until done.
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Eggs Benedict
Calories per serving: 300
Serving size: 1 recipe (including sauce)
Total calories per recipe: 300
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
½ of an English muffin or crumpet, toasted•1 ounce lean ham or pancetta•1 egg, poached•Easy Low-Calorie Hollandaise sauce (see recipe, below)2 tablespoons chopped truffles•
Instructions:
Arrange the toasted muffin or crumpet half on a serving dish. Top with ham, then the poached egg. Spoon Easy Low-Calorie Hollandaise Sauce over. Garnish with chopped truffles.
Note: For Low-Calorie Eggs Florentine (250 calories per serving) omit ham. Instead, use ¼ cup cooked or canned, chopped spinach (drain the spinach, and then press with paper towels to absorb most of the cooking or canning liquid).
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Easy Hollandaise Sauce
Calories per serving: 97
Serving size: 1 recipe
Total calories per recipe: 97
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
1 egg yolk•1 teaspoon lemon juice•¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard•1 pinch of raw salt•1 teaspoon butter, melted•
Instructions:
Place egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard and salt into an electric blender. Process for 5-10 seconds or until the mixture is smooth. With the blender still running, slowly add the melted butter. Immediately spoon the resulting mixture atop the assembled Eggs Benedict or Eggs Florentine, and top with truffles.
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French Toast
Calories per serving: 300 (excluding optional toppings)
Serving size: 1 piece
Total calories per recipe: 300
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
1 large egg•1 tablespoon water•1 teaspoon pure cane sugar (or equivalent amount of stevia)•½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract•¼ teaspoon pure almond extract•1 slice stale bread, sliced 1 inch thick (a hearty artisan white bread,•French or Italian, will work best for this recipe)½ teaspoon ground cardamom•Pinch of raw salt•1 teaspoon cold-pressed coconut oil•
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, water, sugar or stevia, vanilla extract and almond extract. Add the bread, soak for 2 minutes, then flip and soak for 2 more minutes or until all of the egg mixture is absorbed into the bread. Oil an oven-safe dish with 1 teaspoon coconut oil. Transfer the egg-soaked bread to the dish. Sprinkle the bread with cardamom and a pinch of raw salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
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Optional toppings:
1 tablespoon confectioner’s powdered sugar (31 calories)•2 tablespoons zero-calorie sugar-free maple syrup (0 calories)•2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (50 calories)•
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Pancakes
Calories per serving: 100 (excluding optional toppings)
Serving size: 2 pancakes
Total calories per recipe: 1200
Servings: 6
To make 12 Low-Calorie Pancakes, you will need:
1 tablespoon cold-pressed coconut oil•1 cup cake flour + ¾ cup all-purpose flour•2 tablespoons pure cane sugar•2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder•1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking soda•½ teaspoon raw salt•2 eggs•2 cups water•2 tablespoons melted butter•1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice•1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract•
Instructions:
Over medium heat, pre-heat a cast-iron griddle, spreading a tablespoon of coconut oil to thoroughly coat the surface of the griddle. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, melted butter, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Add wet mixture to dry mixture, stirring until just blended (do not over-mix; the batter should have several small lumps). Pour pancake batter onto hot griddle to make 12 pancakes. Cook for 1 minute or until the edges appear dry and some of the bubbles appearing in the batter have begun to pop. Flip each pancake once, and cook for another minute, or until a light golden brown on both sides.
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Optional toppings:
1 teaspoon sweet butter (30 calories)•2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (50 calories)•2 tablespoons zero-calorie sugar-free maple syrup (0 calories)•1 tablespoon “all-fruit” jam, any variety (40 calories)•
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Southern-Style Biscuits and Gravy
Calories per serving: 200 (including gravy)
Serving size: 1 biscuit + 1 portion gravy
Total calories per recipe: 2400
Servings: 12
To make 1 dozen Low-Calorie Southern-Style Biscuits, gather the following ingredients:
2 cups self-rising flour, chilled•4 tablespoons salted butter, chopped into small bits, then frozen•1 cup (8 ounces) warm water•
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl, use your fingertips to work the frozen butter into the flour. The resulting texture should resemble coarse cornmeal. Using a fork, stir the warm water into the flour mixture, until a dough begins to form. Scoop the dough onto a lightly-floured surface. Knead lightly until the dough just holds together; do not over-mix. With a sharp knife cut the dough into 12 equal portions. With your hands shape each portion into a biscuit. Place the biscuits onto a lightly-floured baking sheet or Pyrex pie plate. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until risen and nicely browned. Each biscuit = 100 calories. To serve, transfer to individual plates, and top each biscuit with 1 portion of Low-Calorie Gravy.
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Gravy
Calories per serving: 92
Serving size: 1/12 recipe
Total calories per recipe: 1100
Servings: 12
Ingredients:
8 tablespoons bacon drippings•8 tablespoons all-purpose flour•1 teaspoon each: black pepper, raw salt•4 cups water•
Instructions:
In a skillet or saucepan over medium heat, stir together the bacon drippings, flour, pepper and salt. Cook, stirring constantly with a spatula to scrape the bottom of the skillet, until the mixture is sizzling and just beginning to brown nicely. Slowly add the water, stirring constantly and continuing to scrap the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking for 10-15 minutes, until the gravy is bubbling and beginning to thicken nicely. (If it’s too thick, add a bit of hot water.)
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Easy Breakfast Scramble
Calories per serving: 118
Serving size: 1/4 recipe
Total calories per recipe: 472
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1/2 cup red onion, diced•1 tomato, seeded and diced•4 eggs•4 egg whites•1 tbsp. dill, fresh (taste more like dill than the dried stuff)•Salt & pepper•1 tsp. olive oil•
Instructions:
Cook onion in olive oil over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes. Add the diced tomato and cook another minute or 2. Place onion and tomato mixture in a bowl and set aside. Beat together eggs and whites, add in salt and pepper as needed. Cook egg mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until the eggs are just about set and no longer runny. Drain any additional liquids from the onion and tomato bowl and stir into egg mixture. Toss with dill and get your day off to a great start.
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Sweet Potato Hash
Calories per serving: 131
Serving size: 1/4 recipe
Total calories per recipe: 524
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 red onion, cubed•2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed•1/4 tsp. kosher salt•1 tsp. fresh black pepper•2 garlic cloves, finely chopped•1 tsp. thyme, chopped•1/3 cup Black Forest Ham, diced•1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil•
Instructions:
Heat oil over medium-high heat and cook onion about 3-4 minutes until browned. Stir occasionally. Lower heat to medium and add in sweet potatoes. Cook 8 minutes or until potatoes reach desired tenderness, then stir in ham, garlic and thyme.
Note: Add a scrambled egg or fruit salad to this to prevent those late-morning sugar cravings!
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Egg White Scramble (No Carbs)
Calories per serving: 200.5
Serving size: 1 recipe
Total calories per recipe: 200.5
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
2 egg whites•1/2 cup spinach•pepper•1 slice gruyere cheese, chopped•1 garlic clove, grated•1 tsp. red pepper flakes•1 tbsp. olive oil•
Instructions:
Add pepper and garlic to egg whites and mix. In skillet over medium heat add egg whites and garlic mixture to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Add in spinach and cook until slightly wilted, 1 minute. Add cheese and cook until done, 1 minute. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and enjoy!
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Pancakes 2
Calories per serving: 207
Serving size: 1/4 recipe
Total calories per recipe: 828
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
3 medium eggs (whites only)•1 cup flour•1 tsp baking powder•1 tsp sweetener•1 tsp cinnamon•1/2 cup skim milk•2 tsp vegetable oil•1/2 cup low calorie syrup•1 cup blueberries•
Instructions:
Combine egg, egg whites, and milk and beat briefly. Stir in cheese and vegetables and pour mixture into a lightly oiled pan on medium heat. Gently push in edges and let sit for 1-2 minutes, then fold in half and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Having one whole egg adds flavour to the omelette and the extra whites give it volume. Try using stronger cheeses (blue, aged, etc.) because you don’t need as much of them to get a nice flavour throughout. Salt and pepper to taste!
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Cheese and Veg Omelette
Calories per serving: 230
Serving size: 1 recipe
Total calories per recipe: 230
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
1 medium egg (whole)•2 medium egg (whites)•1/4 cup skim milk•2 tbsp shredded parmesan•1/2 tomato (chopped)•1/4 cup spinach (chopped)•1 tsp vegetable oil•
Instructions:
Combine egg, egg whites, and milk and beat briefly. Stir in cheese and vegetables and pour mixture into a lightly oiled pan on medium heat. Gently push in edges and let sit for 1-2 minutes, then fold in half and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Having one whole egg adds flavour to the omelette and the extra whites give it volume. Try using stronger cheeses (blue, aged, etc.) because you don’t need as much of them to get a nice flavour throughout. Salt and pepper to taste!
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French Toast 2
Calories per serving: 274.5
Serving size: 1/2 recipe
Total calories per recipe: 549
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
4 slices low calorie (thin-sliced) bread•3 egg whites•3 tbsp skim milk•1 tsp vanilla•1 tsp vegetable oil•1 cup low calorie whipped topping•1 cup sliced strawberries•
Instructions:
Mix and gently beat milk, egg whites, vanilla, vegetable oil, and season with cinammon. Next, soak slices of bread in the egg mixture, turning to coat both sides. Cook slices one minute a side on a medium heat nonstick frying pan and serve with whipped topping and sliced strawberries! Flavouring with cinnamon and vanilla can add sweetness without having to add sugar.
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Waffles
Calories per serving: 274.5
Serving size: 1/2 recipe
Total calories per recipe: 549
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
3 medium eggs (whites only)•1 cup flour•1 tsp baking powder•1 tsp sweetener•1/2 cup skim milk•2 tsp vegetable oil•1/2 cup low calorie syrup•1 cup blueberries•
Instructions:
This waffle recipe has all the same ingredients as the pancake recipe. My recommendation is to beat the egg whites until they are stiff before folding them into the flour mixture to give a nice crispy outside to the waffles. To add extra protein to your waffles or pancakes, substitute the flour for vanilla protein powder, which has the same amount of calories but a lot more protein!
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