Top VenusCrossing Articles of 2015

Some oldies but goodies are in here! Several owe their chart topping performance to going viral on Pinterest. Number one definitely owes its over 30,000 reads to Pinterest!

Number 10 post of 2015 - Exercise Progressions and Modifications: Push ups, Planks, and Dips

Here are some ideas for exercise modifications and the progression of difficulty for push ups, planks, and dips. These are the most common exercises that newbies need help with. Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2014/03/exercise-progressions-and-modifications.html

Number 9 - Controlling Your Calories

Our focus this week is controlling your calories. This post is intended for those that have not reached our desired look/ ideal metrics. Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2012/10/controlling-your-calories.html

Number 8 - Venus Ab and Core Work Progressions and Modifications

As a fitness coach, I am often asked about substitutions for core work in the various Venus Factor and Venus Index workouts.

What if I do not have a stability ball for stability ball roll ups or roll outs?
What is stability ball curl ups are too difficult for me?

Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2014/05/venus-ab-and-core-work-progressions-and.html

Number 7 - Commitment and Starbucks Blendicano

The most successful transformations 1) identify a clear goal 2) find a lifestyle plan that works with a nutrition and lifting component 3) stick to the plan- even when the going gets tough <- that is the hard part.

 I found the recipe on how to order a Starbucks Blendicano on IG a few weeks back and finally tried one while travelling. SO GOOD and something that will not suck all your cals up!

Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2014/08/commitment-and-starbucks-blendicano.html

Number 6 - Healthy Crockpot Peach Cobbler Oatmeal

Oh my word, this stuff is SO GOOD! Like dessert for breakfast good. Humm, that is an idea! I think I might start having it for my nightly treat sometimes! And guys, it is so easy. Seriously easy, just dumping stuff in your crockpot! Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2013/02/healthy-peach-cobbler-oatmeal.html

Number 5 - A Week in the Life of Liss: Planning your Deficit

This week, I want to share with you what a week of my eating and workouts look like. This is a pretty typical week for me if I am eating in a deficit (or cutting). For the 20 week VI contest, my calories averaged to approximately 8,000 per week. So that or lower is generally my goal for cutting calorie-wise. Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2012/11/a-week-in-life-of-liss-planning-your.html

Number  4 - Weekly Healthy Dinner Menus for the Whole Family

 I make breakfast and dinner for my family most every day. I have a 45 minute commute each way, and teach an hour long gym class 4 days a week. Both of my littles play sports and my husband works a crazy shift which means he is only there to help about 25% of the time. If I can cook most of the time, I bet anyone can if they plan accordingly. Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2013/06/weekly-healthy-dinner-menus-for-whole.html

Number 3 - Sweet Balsamic Pork Loin

This recipe became my go-to pork loin recipe about a year ago. Since then, we have had it almost weekly and I still love it.  One of the first things that I want to point out is that I prefer to use the small pork loins by Farmland rather than pork tenderloin. #1 it is cheaper by about $1 per pound and #2 there is less calories per serving. I find the Farmland pork loins at Walmart, they are about 2 lbs generally. If you are eating lean meat and you have not discovered pork loin, you are missing out. It is almost identical to chicken breast in terms of grams of protein per serving and cals per serving. Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2013/09/sweet-balsamic-pork-loin.html

Number 2 - My Story

No surprise here, everyone likes a good transformation story and this article tops every year since I started blogging! I summarize growing up and my lifelong weight struggles, then how I lost and have kept off over 50 lbs. Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2012/11/my-story.html



aaaannnd.... *drum roll*

Number 1 - Lower Calorie Hawaiian Dream Cake

My birthday was a few days ago, gaaa... I am getting old! And I wanted CAKE! But wait, most cakes are 500 calories a serving. That takes a big hit out of a girl's daily calorie budget!

So, I made my lower-calorie Hawaiian Dream Cake. People do not believe me that this cake is half the calories of a normal cake with frosting.  Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2013/07/lower-calorie-hawaiian-dream-cake.html

... And that wraps up my top articles in 2015! If you made it this far, I want to take a minute to tell you thank you for being a reader :) sometimes I wonder why I do this haha! But my motivation is, and has always been, to help and inspire others. I hope your 2016 is wonderful, make it happen.

X- Liss