PHOTO Comparison- is weight the best tool to measure progress?

The photo on the left was taken in May 2012 before I started training with Venus Index and the right photo was taken yesterday. 

I weigh 155 lbs in both these pictures. Weight is not always the end all be all of fitness. 

3 years of regular weight training and consistent nutrition focus separate these pictures. Both of which I learned from Venus.

For the past year, I have been living with my maintenance range high end (1 inch up from ideal) at my "before" weight. Talk about a mental trip, I felt like I was back sliding. You see, during my initial 12 week transformation, I lost 15 pounds to get to Venus ideal metrics (about 140 lbs). Another year of training after that, I was hitting Venus ideal metrics five pounds up from there (about 145 lbs). Last year and up until now, I have been hitting Venus ideal metrics about nine pounds up from there (about 149 lbs). As a side note, I have a shoot in 8 weeks which I am cutting down to Venus ideal metrics for. I plan to compare each year of progress side by side, should be interesting!

Take home message

I get lots of clients whose only focus is the scale. I say look then metrics trumps the scale- all day long.

Nobody looks at you and thinks "She weighs X lbs." They see a look. Which correlates better to a metric.

At the same weight now- my shoulders are 1" bigger. My waist is 2" smaller. My hips are 1.5" smaller. I dropped 3 dress sizes. My look is completely different. Same weight.

Point of the story is that I am after a LOOK which a DEXA cannot tell you... which metrics cannot tell you even exactly.... which obviously the scale cannot tell you. Focus on FRIGGIN pics!!! All along I had the right answer and I kept thinking it was in my head! So ....

LOOK > Metrics > DXA > scale

That is the deal ^^^^^^^^ never forget it. Learn from me!

X- Liss

Microwave Protein Brownie Mugcake and Full Body Travel Workout

We are on a little weekend get away. I have always struggled with rest. It SOUNDS great, don't get me wrong. But I cannot sit still for the life of me. I am always going and doing, But, we ALL need rest. To be able to care for others, we cannot give from an empty vessel. So I took a rest day yesterday.

This morning, I had an awesome workout with nothing but a chair and a band I packed in my bag. A girl could get used to this deck, the mountains, and the pines!

Anyways, this past week or two I have been craving CHOCOLATE and BROWNIES!!! But I am trying to get ready for a beach vacation and shoot on the beach (because the other shoot never happened LOL) And this recipe has HIT the spot. It is REALLY close to a brownie, easy to make, and nutrition is ON the money!

Microwave Protein Brownie Mugcake

serves 1

Ingredients
1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I used Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey in Extreme Milk Chocolate)
1 tbsp cocoa (I liked dark chocolate cocoa)
1 tbsp sweetener
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 egg white
2 tbsp nonfat milk
*optional 1 tbsp dark chocolate chips* add 70 cals, 4.5 g fat, 9.0 g carbs, 1.0 g protein (add to recipe total below)

Directions: Mix dry ingredients in a large mug sprayed with nonstick spray then mix in wet ingredients until blended. Mix in chocolate chips if desired. Microwave on high for approximately 1 minute until cooked. I like a little wet on the bottom edges still. Enjoy!

Nutritional stats per serving

1 serving

172 cals
2.3 g fat
13.7 g carbs
2.0 g fiber
26.7 g protein

Zucchini Taco Boats

We are rolling in tomatoes and zucchini from the garden, so I was looking for some new ways to use them up! And here is this recipe to the rescue!

I made these yesterday as a test recipe on my kids and in-law's, as I was not really sure whether I would like them or not! 

I was happily surprised though, we all liked them a lot. My son ate a whole boat, and said it was good! 

I can see doing these with an Asian or Italian flare too, and maybe even little meatloaf boats?  Note to self, need to try all these ideas ;) next test time!

Zucchini Taco Boats

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 medium (32 ounces) zucchinis, cut in half lengthwise

1/4 cup mild salsa

1 lb 90% lean ground beef (can sub ground turkey too)

2 tbsp taco seasoning (here is the recipe to make your own)

2 large tomatoes, diced (can sub 1/2 cup tomato sauce)

1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar)

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 F.

Half zucchinis, lengthwise, and microwave for 5 minutes or until tender enough to hollow easily.

Using a small spoon or melon baller, hollow out the center of the zucchini halves, leaving 1/4-inch thick shell on each half. (Freeze or refrigerate the zucchini left for zucchini bread or pasta sauce)

Brown beef in a large skillet, breaking up while it cooks. Add the taco seasoning and diced tomatoes then mix well. Stir and cover, simmer on low for about 10 minutes.

Using a spoon, fill the hollowed zucchini boats dividing the taco meat equally, about 1/3 cup in each, pressing firmly. Top each with 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese. Bake 10 minutes until cheese is melted and zucchini is cooked through. Serve with salsa on the side.

 

Nutritional stats per serving

For 1/2 of recipe or 2 zucchini boats

Nutrition Facts
Servings 4.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 362
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 19 g	29 %
Saturated Fat 8 g	40 %
Monounsaturated Fat 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 88 mg	29 %
Sodium 533 mg	22 %
Potassium 1198 mg	34 %
Total Carbohydrate 18 g	6 %
Dietary Fiber 6 g	23 %
Sugars 12 g
Protein 33 g	65 %
Vitamin A	41 %
Vitamin C	125 %
Calcium	18 %

*Note you can sub in 93% lean turkey meat and cut almost 100 cals per serving off! I just do not keep that stocked and the family prefers beef (Texas thing haha)! Which variation should I try next? Italian, Asian, or meatloaf boats?

X- Liss

Tips to Improve your Push Up and Stability Ball Rollout

Want to know the fastest way to improve your form in the gym? Film yourself. Yep *raises hand* I never knew I had some form issues until I started making videos for this blog LOL I looked fine to me in the mirror. But you cannot watch your way all the way through the movement on some exercises. So I am, as always, a work in progress. I have been intensely working on my push-up form as of late. Here are a few tips I have gleaned:

Push Up Form Tips

* Flex your quads, glutes, and abs so that your body will stay in a fixed plank form all the way up and down. This is harder than it sounds! I am still working on it! 


*reset from the floor each rep until your get your form perfect. Then move back to resetting after 2 reps, then 3, etc...

*keep your hands at your shoulders and tuck in those elbows. Lots of people set their hands too wide and flare out their elbows (myself formerly included!) 

(gasp! My face... and not in gym clothes ;) haha!)

3 quick tips on doing a stability ball rollout

1. Breathe (exhale as you go out, inhale as you come in)
2. Engage your abs not your back (your back likes to take over, don't let it)

3. Stop your rollout before your back starts to arch (keep a neutral spine)

Various clips of my workout the other morning! 

Back, glutes, and abs!

- prone rear delt raise
-reverse hyperextensions 
-swiss ball Crunches
-seated banded hip abductions

Prone rear delt raises are a newer exercise for me! Amazing for back and shoulder work. Go lighter so you can really squeeze!

Ignore my gym that is a hot mess, should be all done soon!

What kind of video would you like to see me do?
X- Liss

Protein Pancake with PB and Nutella

I have been OBSESSED with these all summer long. And this recipe is tweaked from other similar ones I have featured before. BUT this one is my favorite protein pancake, and toppings BY FAR ;)

I think I have eaten them almost everyday all summer LOL if you followed my IG experiment where I posted every day what I ate for week, you saw haha! IG @mlgraham09

Protein Pancake with PB & Nutella
Serves 1

Ingredients
0.25 banana, mashed (I freeze mine very ripe, peeled, in quarters then microwave for 30 s)
1 scoop protein powder (I like chocolate or vanilla, I used Optimum Nutrition in Rocky Road)
0.33 cup egg whites

1 tbsp peanut butter
0.5 tbsp Nutella

Directions: Preheat a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Mash together first 3 ingredients. Spray skillet and cook for about 3 minutes or until first enough to flip. Cook on other side about 2 minutes or until cooked through.

Top with peanut butter and Nutella. Enjoy :)

P.s. you can make a week's worth of pancakes at a time. They freeze well. I like to defrost in a skillet or toaster but a microwave works good too!

Nutritional stats per serving
333 cals
20 g carbs
13 g fat
37 g protein

Nutrition - the Venus Way FREE podcast

In this podcast which was recorded live in front of an audience for a seminar in Dumas, Texas, at the Moore County YMCA- I answer:

• What is the fitness hierarchy?
• Why is rest and stress important to consider?
• What are the 3 ways of eating?
• Why, when, and how should we eat in a deficit.
• Why is eating to maintenance level important?
• Why we should consider error in our nutrition.
• Why is protein important?
• How a weekly and daily eating pattern might look.
• Does meal timing matter?
• What supplements should I consider?
• Why should I consider gut health?
• What is the Anything Goes Diet?
• How might I consider actions instead of only goals?

Listen or download the podcast here - http://www.venusindex.com/nutrition-the-venus-way-podcast/

X- Liss

Some new moves for you try in your next workout

Decline bench reverse hyperextensions with a swiss ball

The decline bench gives you a bit more of a range of motion and the ball forces some hip abduction while increasing the load. Give it a try at your next workout! I did 4 sets of 10 with a 5 count pulse at the end of each set. 

Banded Face Pulls

Banded Face Pulls - a great, and unusual, pulling exercise for your shoulders! Your thumbs should be inward toward your body, pull the band back and apart as you pull toward your ears. For extra BURN - pulse for 5 at the end of your last set ;)

Banded deadlifts With Lateral band walks

4 sets of 10

Burns the glutes SO GOOD!!! The band at the knees on deadlifts gives a completely different feel on the glutes, give it a try!

X -  Liss

P.S, got something great for you coming in a few days....