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Posts tagged ‘body image’

Jan 26

Struggle with body image? Read this!

I read two blog articles this morning, both related to body image and how we present ourselves to the world as a result of that image. I decided to ditch the blog I was writing to share some thoughts on this important topic and provide links to the articles so you could read them for yourselves.

Body image is a tough one for so many women — and increasingly for men. Stats show that nearly 80% of women are dissatisfied with their appearance!

I’ve definitely had my own struggles over the years — especially when I weighed more than an NFL Defensive Lineman! For me, body image and self-love were directly connected. Until I learned to love and accept myself and show up as the person I really am (see “Permission to be Real“), it affected my work life, my love life…my overall life! Consequently, I was living small trying to protect myself from shame and the perceived judgements of others.

My personal transformation — inside perhaps even more than outside — has come bearing the gifts of self-love, self-acceptance and self-compassion. But I have to work on it every day! Read more

Jan 20

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Embracing the whole, beautiful & imperfect me — swim outfit & all!

The surprising gift of my first 2017 adventure

This lucky girl just got back from her first adventure of 2017 — a fabulous and fun trip to Cozumel, Mexico to kick off the new year!

This trip was significant for me as it meant tackling a list of fun “FIRSTS” that included pushing outside of my comfort zone. I’ve been on a personal mission to say “YES!” to life since I lost weight and put myself in the equation five years ago. And it’s been awesome.

Before my personal transformation, I held back and lived a “small” and safe life. I didn’t put myself out there or take risks. Too often I let fear rule my life decisions — fear of what others would think, fear of looking silly or doing it imperfectly, and fear of failure.

Perhaps the saddest part of this “old” reality is that I had convinced myself that I could be happy living small and safe. But the truth is, I wasn’t happy deep down inside. I was hiding behind the layers of fat I donned for self-protection. I hid behind my work. And at my core was a foundation of low self-esteem, lack of confidence and a fear of not measuring up.

Lucky for me, that’s not the end of the story! In 2012, as I reached my goal weight and the peak of living a healthy, happy and WHOLE life, I realized by definition that “living WHOLE” meant putting myself out there. Taking risks and going for it, even and especially when I was scared. I decided to live brave and bold. That meant saying “YES!” to life and tackling a whole list of “firsts,” seeking opportunities to grow and expand — even if that meant falling or failing or looking silly. It’s been a fun and joyous ride, and five years later, I’m still going strong!

So what surprised me about my first big adventure of 2017 was how in the process of saying YES! and doing new things, I ended up embracing my whole and imperfect body and self in an even deeper and more meaningful way. That’s pretty cool and I wanted to share it here in case it inspires you. Read more

Apr 16

Beautiful or Average? …Beautiful!

Dove-choosebeautifulcampaignphotoIt’s no secret, women struggle with body image. We are our own harshest critics. I don’t think many people — even the men in our lives — would argue with that.

Yesterday, I watched the new Dove “Choose Beautiful” campaign for the first time and was mesmerized. If you haven’t seen it, watch here.

The campaign centers on a 3.5 min video that shows women from five cities around the globe having to choose to enter a building through one of two doors — a BEAUTIFUL door and an AVERAGE door. Read more

Dec 18

Battling with self image

Lori_before4I had a conversation this past week with a young woman I am supporting in her weight loss journey. She saw the before and after photo I posted here with my three-year anniversary blog last week and asked if I have really moved on and gotten comfortable in my new shape and body. Or, she asked, do you still carry around that weight in your mind? This was not the first time I was asked this question.

She was asking, because although she has lost 80+ pounds, she still struggles with self image. When she looks in the mirror, she said, what she sees is how far she has yet to go vs. all of the progress she has made. Sometimes, she admitted, I don’t see progress at all. “I feel discouraged and fat. The same as before I started all of this work.” Read more

Mar 4

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Who is this girl? Photos make it real

I’ve been debating about whether to share my latest “After” photos here and decided to go for it. Some of you know that a few weeks ago we went into the studio to photograph me/my new body to officially document my transformation. Sharing my story allows me to help others who struggle with putting themselves in the equation and transforming their lives…and it is my new passion to do this work. So here we go.

LoriSchaefer-After-BigPantsAfter being asked by several friends to see the photos, I decided to post them here. I have to admit that when I look at these photos, I ask myself: “Who is that girl? I still sometimes don’t recognize myself when I see my profile in the mirror. Yet, I am feeling 100% comfortable in my new shape and I know that I will NEVER go back! (That doesn’t mean it is easy to maintain.) I wonder if/when I will forget what the “old” body looked and felt like. For now, I hope not because it is helping me to help others and stay on track. Read more

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