Here I am!

On the weekend of May 12, I hosted a celebration party at the Bluefin Bay Family of Resorts on Minnesota’s North Shore to unveil the newly transformed me to close family and friends. Besides the fat that I love a good party, my mission was to thank my inner circle for their amazing love and support during my transformation journey. For raising me up during the past 18 months.

It was an incredible, emotion-filled, and simply perfect weekend that far exceeded expectations! An added bonus was that many of my family and close friends met my amazing transformation team – led by O’Neal Hampton and Leif Anderson – for the first time.

Today, my heart is full beyond compare. The warmth and gratitude that I feel for everyone who was there to celebrate with me – to those who have loved me at +200 lbs and throughout this life-changing journey – is simply beyond words.

A PICK ME UP!
The celebration weekend included many “firsts,” as has this entire personal transformation journey. Perhaps the most significant was that a very special man picked me up off the ground and held me. Yes, lifted me!

My friend, confidant, trainer, and all around transformation chief, Leif Anderson, insisted on picking me up and giving me this moment. At the time, I was not convinced it was a good idea…or even possible. My head (inside) had not caught up with my body transformation (outside). After Leif reminded me that he knows exactly what I weigh, and trainer Jay Grove coached me on how to do it — well, as you can see, Leif picked me up and we were both beaming. A man picking me up off the ground and holding me. A first!

I am not sure that I have properly thanked my Chief for that special moment. It is one I will remember for the rest of my life and was the most fitting tribute to the journey we have been on together to lose 200+ lbs and 47.5% body fat, and 11 dress sizes. It was also the perfect way to start my celebration party with family and friends.

So THANK YOU CHIEF! Not just for that moment, but for enriching my life in ways I never thought possible and for giving me the strategic direction and the customized plan, as well as the love and support, that I needed to transform both inside and out. You truly shine in the fitness and transformation industry and are God’s gift to me and the many others whose paths you cross.

NO LONGER HIDING
There were many other “firsts” for me during this celebration weekend. As I walked into the party where 70+ friends and family were gathered to celebrate me, I instantly became overwhelmed. I realized during the dinner portion of the evening that for most of my adult life I have been hiding behind those 200 lbs. I have never been the star of the show, or the center of attention, not to mention in a short, sexy and sparkly dress and shoes!

So as I prepared to give my speech, I was overcome with emotion at my own transformation. There was joy, happiness and accomplishment at the center, but there was also fear. I was no longer hiding behind those 200 lbs and behind the scenes, I was unveiling the new transformed Lori for the whole world to see and get to know! And while that is exciting, energizing, and remarkable – it is also scary. It means that indeed the world will really “see” me. All of me.

They will see the good and the flaws. They will see the inside and now, for the first time ever, the outside will match. So this unveiling of the new me to Train’s song Brand New Book was more meaningful than even I imagined until I was in the moment standing in front of my family and friends completely overwhelmed.

It turns out this weekend was much more than a celebration of where we’d been. It was the beginning of a whole new journey to put myself out in front of the world, without fear, without the comfort of 200 excess pounds and let them see me – really see me.

Okay, world, I am ready. So here I am!

Big hugs to all who helped me experience and celebrate some pretty incredible firsts.

Much love,
The new Lori

A BRAND NEW BOOK
Here I am
You still know me
Here I am
Take another look
Here I am
Same old story in a brand new book

Video of Lori’s Transformation Journey
View photos from celebration party
View photos from celebratory mountain climb
View photos from Friday night celebratory gathering