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Posts from the ‘Hiking & Mountain Climbing’ Category

May 10

Resilience. The key to happy, healthy & whole.

GOOD NEWS: If you don’t have resilience, you can develop it!

lori-speakingfitfest2016This week, I’m celebrating four years of living from the center of the equation of my own life as a fit, active, happy and healthy girl. Yes! A big deal.

I’m more proud of maintaining my -200 lb weight loss and Lori-in-the-equation life for four years than I was to lose the weight and get to my goal in the first place. And that’s saying a lot, because I was ecstatic to get to goal on May 12, 2012 and celebrate with my special peeps!

While losing and keeping the weight off is a huge accomplishment and changed my health trajectory, the greatest gift I gave myself was a WHOLE life. I got off the hamster wheel of a busy life, where I was drenched in self-doubt and worthiness issues, and learned to take care of my health and happiness first. I learned to live more from intention and less from habit. To honor and respect myself. To practice self-care consistently. And to stop doubting myself, beating myself up and being a victim of my circumstances.

WHOLE is not easy! And living a whole life manifests differently for everyone. I define it this way: WHOLE = happy + healthy + hard. I didn’t get here by taking the easy road. One of the most important skills that I developed along the way was resilience. I’m learning now — four years in — it makes all the difference. Read more

May 3

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Spring. Waterfalls. Happy Hiker!

And that was NOT always the case!

springhike-temperanceThis past weekend I was traveling for business and had to work. I also hiked my butt off in three Minnesota state parks and climbed a mountain. It was not only good for me physically, it was totally great for the soul!

While I averaged more than 15,000 steps a day on my Fitbit — and those were mostly rigorous and challenging steps — the mental boost was just as important as the physical one. Outdoor exercise is good for mind, body and spirit. I feel more alive, refreshed and less stressed. Read more

Mar 21

Spring has sprung! Take it outside.

spring-is-natures-way-of-saying-lets-party-quote-1The awesome benefits of outdoor exercise

Yesterday was the first official day of Spring 2016. It was a beautiful, sunny, low 40’s day in Mpls-St. Paul, MN. A great day for a walk…or two! I celebrated one of my favorite seasons with two walks around my beloved neighborhood & Como Lake.

Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal, fresh starts all around. Spring is especially awesome for those of us who live in cold states where people tend to hibernate in the winter. Here are a few of my favs: Sweatshirt weather, sprouting tulips and bulbs, the greening grass, countless robin sightings, gushing waterfalls and streams, and the smell of spring in the air.

For me, early spring also represents getting back outside on a daily basis for my cardio workouts. As an avid walker and hiker, I love outdoor cardio. I feel different when I’m out in nature. It’s feeds my body and soul.

Did you know that outdoor exercise has many health benefits? As the weather warms and our days get longer and brighter, here are some of the top reasons to take your workout outside. Read more

Dec 31

2015: Finding & celebrating my strong

MtM_holiday_card_2015_final_front2015 was a year of happy, healthy and hard.

Naively, I did not expect “hard” as I entered the new year steeped in hope and opportunity, with big dreams and deeply in love. At the time, I was experiencing a new level of happy in my now WHOLE life. I was on a roll!

But ironically, it was the “hard” that was the greatest gift of 2015 because it reminded me that I am strong and resilient. It gave me the chance to again prove to myself that I can do absolutely anything.

I first learned this lesson five years ago when my transformation journey started in weight-loss boot camp. Now, here it is again, reminding me: YES, indeed: I am strong. I am resilient. And I can do anything that I make up my mind I’m going to do!

2015 gave me the opportunity to rise strong. And I celebrate that.

Read more

Dec 4

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I lived. I did it all!

Blog Series: Celebrating Five Years…
The most precious gift of personal transformation: A WHOLE life!

lori-bluehillmountain

Climbing Blue Hill Mountain, celebrating 5 years.

Thank you OneRepublic for one of my all-time favorite songs — “I Lived” and now my mantra for my incredible, beautiful and WHOLE life.

Last Saturday, Nov. 28, marked another milestone in my journey — exactly five years since my transformation start. To celebrate, I climbed a favorite — Blue Hill Mountain in Blue Hill, ME; bought myself flowers from my fav local flower shop; watched the sunset over the ocean in my fav place on earth; and went out with some favorite friends. Oh, and cried happy tears of gratitude for this new life — twice!

This Wednesday, I got to celebrate five years by giving the keynote speech to 100+ business and organizational leaders in Bangor, ME, at the United Way of Eastern Maine’s Annual Meeting. My topic: How to find your spark and live a WHOLE life, not just a busy one. It was an awesome day with a group that does amazing work for our Eastern Maine communities. I’m still on fire! Read more

Oct 21

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An epiphany on my mountain

She climbed until she saw: No more victim-mentality. No more slippery slope. No more stinkin thinkin. Today we reboot. Yes!

Lori-oberg10-2015Today, I climbed Oberg Mountain on Minnesota’s North Shore for morning cardio. That, in and of itself is not significant as I’ve climbed that mountain no less than 50+ times in the last five years.

However, this climb was significant for many reasons: 1) This was my first on the mountain in several months due to a back injury and chronic case of sciatica; 2) I did so weighing more than I’ve weighed in almost 3.5 years — since I hit my goal in May 2012; and 3) I did so carrying a lot of emotional burdens and some stinkin thinkin.

I had an epiphany on my mountain today. One that jump started a major life “reboot.” Yep, on this day, October 21, 2015, the buck stops here and we restart. Today is the beginning of the official  Lori in the Equation Reboot! Read more

Jul 25

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Mountain climbing therapy

lorionPenobscot“It’s not the mountain we conquer, it’s ourselves.” – Edmund Hillary

I love this quote! It rings true for me and is symbolic of my personal transformation.

Five years ago, I simply could not have imagined that I would be climbing mountains for fun. Seeking new rigorous trails, taller/steeper mountaintops, and celebrating successfully navigating cliff trails (well, okay, minor cliffs).

Yet, it is on the mountain top, that I see most clearly. It is here that I feel centered and in my equation; in touch with who I am and what I want in this great life. Here, I am accomplished and strong…brave and fearless…happy and grateful. And, it is here that I find the courage to do hard things. Read more

Jul 20

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I do hard things…

…and I’m better, stronger for it! #bravegirl

LoriandAnneonMountaintopMy friend Anne coined the phrase, “Hard is fun.” In her awesome Ten Centuries blog (which you can read here), she explains that by stretching our limits, conquering fear, and setting big, difficult goals – we learn all kinds of interesting things about ourselves. And for many, like Anne, hard is fun.

I share Anne’s tenacity for life. The “new Lori” does hard things. I seek adventure. Look for opportunities to conquer my fear. Say yes more than no. And run head strong into difficult things instead of running away from them.

Finally, I have confidence in myself and my abilities to live life to the absolute fullest. Even, and especially, when that means doing hard things.

Read more

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