The Venus Index system
is a 12 week system that can help you achieve the best possible female
shape. But, can you really change your body shape? Many magazines try to
convince that you are either an apple, a banana, a pear, or a hourglass
and that this can never change no matter what you do. But, the truth is
that these are only patterns of fat distribution. If you have a lot of
excess weight, then fat distribution may be asymmetrical. You may store a
lot of fat in your thighs or in the midsection and this is certainly
genetically determined. The question is what would happen if you lost
all of your excess fat? Would you still have an apple or a pear body
shape? Probably not. There will be nothing there to create that look.
So, the aim of the Venus Index workout system
is to help you lower your body fat percentage as much as possible (not
below healthy levels, of course) and to develop your muscles, in order
to create the ideal body shape.
What is the ideal body shape?
So, what is the most
flattering shape for women? According to the research of John Barban
(the creator of the Venus Index workout system) there is a certain body
shape that the opposite sex finds most attractive: the hourglass figure.
To achieve the hourglass figure the width of your hips must be exactly
the same or almost the same as the width of your bust and your waist
must be much narrower. In contrast, the apple shape is when there is a
lot of fat stored in the midsection and is not considered an attractive
body shape, probably because it has been associated with higher than
normal androgen levels. The pear shape is when the hips are much wider
than the bust. This body shape is certainly more feminine than the apple
shape, but is not considered ideal.
What happens if you are an
apple or a pear? Can you actually achieve the hourglass figure and
should you really obsess over it? Depending on your starting point, you
may not be able to achieve the perfect hourglass figure, but you can get
as close as you can. The aim is not to look just like the women you see
in the magazines. The aim is to become the best possible version of
your self!
Even if beauty is in the
eyes of the beholder, health must also be taken into consideration. For
example, having a very wide waist is not only aesthetically displeasing,
but has also been associated with many health problems. A
large waistline is an independent risk factor even if you are not
considered “overweight” or “obese” according to the Body Mass Index
(BMI). If your waist is above 88 cm, this can reduce insulin
sensitivity, negatively affect your cholesterol levels and increase the
risk of developing diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. As you can
see, even though every woman has her own unique body shape, in some
cases it would be better to go against the flow rather than to embrace
your body shape.
The Venus Index – What does it stand for?
The Venus Index is based on three ratios:
Height-to-Waist Ratio
The ideal waist is 38% of your height. The number can be obtained by multiplying your height in inches by 0.38.
Waist-to-Hip Ratio
Multiply your waist circumference by 1.42 to get your ideal hip measurements.
Waist-to-Shoulder Ratio
Take your ideal waist number and multiply by 1.618 to get your ideal shoulder’s circumference.
As you can see the Venus
Index is not the same for every woman, as everyone’s height is
different. Among the three ratios the waist to height is the most
important one.
The Venus Index System - An outline
The Main Manual- this can help you determine your ideal Venus Index ratio and decide whether you need to lose or gain weight to achieve it.
The Body Centric Eating Guide-
after you determine your Venus index, you can use this guide to reach
your goals, as far as fat loss is concerned. Don’t expect anything
fancy. The body centric eating manual simply tells you to eat less food,
if you want to lose weight. Unlike other weight loss plans, the Body
Centric eating plan shows you how to find the right eating formula for
your specific needs and the caloric intake is calculated according to
your weight, height and measurements.
The Venus Index Workout Manual
- this is probably the most important part of the program and includes a
step-by-step 12 week workout that can help you shape and tone your
muscles through resistance training.
Resistance training? Will I get bulky?
It’s actually pretty funny
that women are always afraid of getting bulky, considering the fact that
men try like crazy to build muscle and find it rather hard. The truth
of the matter is that you don’t have enough testosterone to get bulky,
so it wouldn’t happen even if you tried. Resistance training will simply
help you achieve a lean, strong and firm body and avoid the “skinny
fat” look. Doing only cardio won’t help you develop your muscles in a targeted way and achieve your ideal Venus Index ratios.
Apart from the three main
manuals the program also consists of: the exercise gallery (that
includes photos and videos of every exercise), one-year access to The
Venus Index Community and free updates.
The phases of The Venus Index System:
The Venus Index is divided
into 3 phases and each phase lasts for one month. You need to do at
least 3 workouts each week and I’m not going to lie to you: the workouts
are not easy, but they are doable. Each workout takes about an hour.
The only equipment you are going to need is dumbbells, a bench, a
barbell and a workout mat.
Pros and Cons of The Venus Index System
Pros:
- The workouts are all shown in video and are very easy to follow.
- You do not have to torture yourself by eliminating your favorite foods from your diet.
- The workouts can be followed by women of many different fitness levels.
Cons:
- The eating plan of the Venus Index allows a lot of freedom, which may be a problem for women you need a stricter eating plan.
The Venus Index Contest
John Barban (the creator of
the Venus Index) holds many contests every year for women who want to
compete for prizes and motivate themselves to strive towards physical
perfection.
These are the before and after
pictures of the winner of the last contest, Kelly Hancock. It’s obvious
that Kelly managed to completely transform her body and especially her
waist.
Join The Venus Index Community and you may be next!
