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Posts tagged ‘healthy girl’

Oct 10

Grateful girl on the mountaintop

Lori-Penobscot-Fall2016Good Monday morning, peeps. And cheers from the mountaintop!

Please forgive the tardiness of this blog. I started it last week, but didn’t get it posted as I was too busy climbing mountains, enjoying the fall leaves of Downeast Maine and Acadia National Park, and living in the moment with Lori in the center of the equation.

Every time I take a rigorous hike to a mountaintop or along a challenging trail, I am overcome with gratitude. I mean it. I carry with me overwhelming gratitude for the ability to walk and hike in places of sheer beauty; for a connection to the Universe and nature that is indescribable; and for my new healthy and fit body that can do so many things I never dreamed of when I was stuck in the office chair 12-18 hours a day making excuses for how I couldn’t grab hold and change my life.

Well, these past two weeks, I’ve been livin’ it. And I’ve vowed that living it, being present in the moment and grateful for every gift — even the hard stuff — will always come first, before writing about it. #gratefulgirl Read more

Sep 19

Self-Care Sunday. It works!

self-care-sunday-walkI don’t know who comes up with #hashtags for every day of the week (#motivationmonday, #tbt…) but a few weeks ago I discovered the idea of #selfcaresunday.

Though practicing self-care is a fundamental principle for my life now that I live each day with Lori-in-the-equation, I love the idea of a day devoted to rest and downtime. An opportunity to get focused and consciously in touch with what our mind, body and spirit need. It’s an awesome “time out”, if you will.

I’ve pretty much adopted the #selfcaresunday approach (unknowingly) since I began my transformation journey in Nov. 2010 and went from working 12-18 hours per day, 7 days a week, to a non-negotiable of taking at least ONE day for myself — usually Sunday.

Sunday’s have become the day to relax and recharge, to set myself up for success for the week, to enjoy fun time with family and friends, and to get grounded in what comes next. If I do need to work on those days, and often I do, I switch it up and practice #selfcaresaturday! Ha. Take that #hashtaggers. Read more

Jul 14

Confession of a healthy and fit girl

lori-readytoroll-firstbikeoutingI have a confession to make. I’m 53 years old, and this week I took my first bike ride in nearly 35 years! (Think bicycle not Harley.)

This is a milestone I have to document. And in doing so, I hope to provide hope and inspiration to others who have given up exercise or personal enjoyment because they are too out of shape or afraid of what others might think. I can’t believe it’s taken me 30 years, four years sans -200 lbs, to get on a bicycle again.

How many things do we give up when we become overweight, sedentary, too busy, too focused on others, too afraid? Or, because we don’t think we deserve them. The answer for me was — A LOT!

Over the years of my adulthood as I became heavier and heavier, I started hiding myself behind that weight and the fear of putting myself out there. Slowly but surely, I limited my life and it became small.

Some examples. I gave up dating and romantic relationships — taking myself “off the market” and “turning the porch light off” because I was deathly afraid of rejection. I never traveled oversees or to places like Hawaii or Alaska, because I didn’t want to be on an airplane so long that I might have to use the restroom — I didn’t fit and flying wasn’t a fun experience. It was uncomfortable and I lived in fear of the seat belt not buckling and the flight attendants discovering that and offering me an extension.

Eventually, I gave up a lot of the outdoor activities I used to enjoy — walks on the beach or in the woods, jogging up hills, playing softball, riding a bike. That last one was a killer because growing up in rural Minnesota, I LOVED to ride bike! Read more

Jul 5

Get movin’ & get your happy on!

Join the In the Equation Team at the Color Run Twin Cities July 10

Lori-Christine-postcolormerad.jpgHey peeps, Happy TUESDAY! I hope you had a happy, healthy and fun Independence Day weekend. Summer is flying by so fast.

I’m writing today to personally invite you to join our In the Equation Team this Sunday, July 10 in the Twin Cities Color Run 5K at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds! This fun and family friendly 5K is one big dance party promoting healthy, happy and fun — plus it benefits the Minnesota Special Olympics! Come walk (or run) with us and get your groove on.

I started an In the Equation Team for first timers to the Color Run. People who have never done a 5K or any type of competitive race, and especially for those who want to walk at their own pace but need a little encouragement and support to get out and get movin. We’ll walk as a group and celebrate living happy, healthy and in the equation!

The Color Run is the most non-competitive and fun race environment you can imagine to promote healthy lifestyles and it benefits a great cause. There are no winners (well we’re all winners for doing it) and no race times. You walk or run at your own pace and have fun getting your groove on and getting blasted with color along the way.

I did my first Color Run in Madison, WI, years ago and I loved it. Last June 2015, I did a second color 5k with my friend Ellen in the pouring rain and loved it! Read more

May 18

A girl and her mountain.

Lessons from the mountaintop — 200+ lbs lighter…
Celebrating 4 years of Lori-in-the-equation!

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2016 Anniversary Hike – Oberg Mountain

She climbed until she saw…Until she dropped the heavy weight she carried as a shield.

She climbed until she discovered she was enough, just exactly as she was.

She climbed and climbed and climbed until she found self-acceptance, self-love and compassion…until she mastered self-care as priority.

She climbed until she found a WHOLE life, not just a busy one. Until she learned to say no to things that no longer served her and YES! to the big wide-open world of possibilities.

She climbed, until she learned that indeed she could not only climb — she could FLY!

She climbed until she saw.

When I started my personal transformation journey, I also started this blog to document it. That was in Nov. 2010. At the time there was no question what the blog title would be — She Climbed Until She Saw.

Climbing mountains has been a metaphor for my transformation journey. Thus, at every milestone I find myself back on the mountaintop reflecting on the lessons and the gifts. 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

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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

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