Skip to content

Posts tagged ‘happy girl’

May 23

2 Comments

Love the one you’re with: #operationlovemycity

loriandnateworking-vandaliatower.jpg

Working in the new Vandalia Tower in St. Paul on the Green Line. Artsy & so cool!

Good Monday morning peeps! Coming to you this morning live and rested after a glorious weekend in Mpls.-St. Paul, MN! The weather was sunny and gorgeous — high 70’s to 80 degrees. Everything is a bloom and summer is in full swing. I love my city. And I have missed it.

While I’ve lived in Mpls-St. Paul — the Twin Cities — for 30+ years (since college), in the past few years I’ve lost touch with it. This happened slowly and almost without notice for several reasons. First, I travel for business and that takes me out of my city on many weekends. While I absolutely love to travel, it does keep me from my home city on summer weekends and I often miss great summer events, activities and festivals.

Also, another place totally stole my heart. I’ve always loved Downeast Maine, but these past three years I’ve spent more time in Maine in the summer/fall than in MN and — unannounced to me — my heart took serious root there. I’m an ocean girl and find myself thinking of and longing for Maine almost every day. All of this has made me feel more disconnected from where I actually live full-time. Read more

May 4

3 Comments

Weight maintenance is hard, rewarding & totally doable!

If…and when…you’re in your equation…
Do NOT be discouraged in weight loss by The Biggest Loser Study

ITE_Before-After_Insta

My before & after

On Monday, the New York Times published an article on the science of fat titled: After the Biggest Loser, Their Bodies Fought to Regain Weight.”

Google search #biggestloser and you can read a lot of hullabaloo over the study with everyone from past The Biggest Loser contestants to so called weight-loss experts weighing in. I was hesitant to comment because, well, I’m no expert. But, I am living with the joys and struggles of weight maintenance. For me, it’s real life. And in two weeks, I will be celebrating my 4-year anniversary of keeping off 200 pounds. ( I know, cool, right?!)

Since the obesity research was published in the NYT, I’ve had no less than 10 people send me the article and ask me to comment on how I am able to keep the weight off. Others have messaged privately and asked what I thought of the study.

For those who haven’t read it yet, the research showed a significant slowing of the metabolism for The Biggest Loser contestants that has persisted for years, causing their resting rate metabolism to plummet so they burn far fewer calories when their bodies are at rest as compared to someone their size who did not have dramatic weight loss. It’s more nuanced than that and you can read the full article here.

The questions I was asked:  What do you think? Are you experiencing the same thing? Read more

Feb 4

Dancin in the kitchen! My favorite indoor workout

My No-Excuses Workout at home during a blizzard!
Part of our back-to-basics series – revisiting the nuts & bolts of getting healthy & fit

lori-workoutkitchenYesterday in the aftermath of a snowstorm, I decided to stay in to work out. Somehow bundling up, shoveling out, and trudging out in the snow didn’t appeal at 6 am. So instead I put on the all-time new favorite play list and for 30 min I rocked it in the kitchen. It was a fun and great workout.

Jumping jacks, high knees, high kicks, speed skaters, lunges, squats, boxing footwork & jabs, my own version of Dirty Dancing footwork, shaking my booty and stepin it out (and a whole lot more of lunging and squatting). It was a great work out and I incorporated total body because I worked on getting my heart rate up and used weights intermittently for strength.

Most importantly, it really was fun. I think I perfected a few dance moves that will serve me well in my future dates when I take it to the dance floor in public! (Lucky guys who get to dance with me.) 😉 Read more

Dec 4

1 Comment

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

Feb 13

4 Comments

Awesomeness! It’s all about love.

10959611_10153045864740450_6805441468550001920_nI want to share this sentiment with you today in case no one else has. YOU are totally awesome! It’s true.

And, if you are brave enough, take five minutes right now, to list off in your head — or better, jot down on a post-it note and stick it to your wall or mirror — at three reasons why you’re totally awesome! I know you can do it. And I know you’ll feel better if you do. Read more

Sep 28

1 Comment

Good, healthy eats for Fall. Yum!

fall-foods-superfruit-400x400I absolutely LOVE Fall! Love it. It’s my all-time favorite season because it not only yields gorgeous leaves and great hiking and play- outside weather, but some fantastic locally grown food.

In fact, one of my favorite things about Fall is the fresh, healthy food — apples, squash, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, pears, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and more! Not to mention all of the fun and “healthy” recipe blogs making their way into cyberspace. Yum!

I try to eat seasonal, fresh and local when I can. And since I spend my time in both Minnesota and Maine, I get lots of amazing seafood and produce this time of year. This Fall, I’ve vowed to tackle some new healthy recipes.

So, today, in celebration of Fall, I’m sharing some of the new healthy and seasonal recipes that are on my go-to list. I invite you to share your favorite fall food recipes, here, too. The more the merrier! Read more

Jul 16

Why is this happening FOR me?

mary-oliver-posterPlease excuse the hiatus in the blog. I’ve been on vacation with family on the coast of Maine, living each moment to the fullest and dissing some of my regular day-to-day responsibilities. (I know, tough gig!) Time got away from me as one fun day rolled into the next.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the concept of time lately. Have you ever thought about how much of our lives we spend wishing time away? Waiting for that next big event or thing to happen. Or, how much time we spend with our heads down just going through the motions of our daily routine, then getting up and doing it all over again the next day without really “living” in the moment? Read more

Oct 6

3 Comments

One brave thing, part 2

Lori's first ride on a Harley on coast of MaineHello peeps! I write from the unbelievably gorgeous coast of Maine during fall peak. I love it here anytime of year, but New England in the Fall simply cannot be beat. It makes me soooooo happy!

I’m on the northern side of Penobscot Bay — about an hour from Acadia National Park. This adventure brings me back to a place where I’ve found great joy and happiness, fun with close friends, beauty in nature, incredible outdoor adventure and activity, and peace and tranquility, plus the desire to venture out and do new things.

Like my first-ever ride on a motorcycle! To ride a Harley up the coast of Maine in my cute little helmet (not!) with a very cute boy — well, a first I will remember for a long time. Me, a Harley babe, probably not?! But, wow, did we have fun. And I am told, I am a good rider and a cute Harley babe –Ha. 😉 Read more

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox

Join other followers: