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Posts tagged ‘restart’

Nov 14

Balancing fun with the girls & staying on track

Girls Gone North 2016 - HikeI just got back from a much-needed girlfriends getaway. Girls Gone North to be exact.

My “besties” and I headed to the North Shore of Lake Superior this past weekend for our Annual Girls Gone North Weekend at the Bluefin Bay Family of Resorts. It’s become an annual tradition. We celebrate sisterhood, friendship and the fact that no boys are allowed! (Well, okay, this year the boys from North Shore Winery were allowed because they hosted our fun wine tasting event. But other than that, it’s sacred girl time.)

We hike. We laugh – a lot! Sometimes we “spa.” We catch up on all things “feminine.” And, we eat and drink — sometimes a lot. You get it! Girlfriend getaways are necessary and good for the soul.

But what do you do when you’re trying to eat healthy and stay on track? I get asked that question a lot. So, coming fresh off our November girls weekend seemed the perfect time to share some tips. I’m feeling especially proud of maintaining my weight loss while on vacation and coming home right on track.

This has not always been the case. Read more

Jul 25

The emotional side of the journey can make or break you

I choose make! Tips from a (recovering) emotional eater.

eattofuelHappy Monday, peeps. Forgive me for not getting a blog out last week. The truth is, I had to double down to keep Lori-in-the-equation and stay on track amidst some unexpected emotional upset and stress.

This “emotional upset” triggered my long-lost (ex) friend — the Worthiness Gremlin. Yep, that’s my nickname for destructive “old” thought patterns and internal voices that make me doubt myself and my worth. The bottom line: I had to hunker down and go “all in” to stay healthy.

As if that weren’t enough to navigate, we’ve had a crazy heat wave in MN with temps in the high 90’s and heat indexes of 110-120 degrees. That meant my go-to-method of managing emotional stress — power walking my neighborhood lake — was not always available to me. So I had to find alternatives.

Despite those obstacles, I had a solid week on my Lori-in-the-equation healthy restart. Yes! Several wins here. I managed to stay the course on my nutritional plan in the face of emotional pain and upset that in the old days would have triggered emotional binge eating like a pro. I found a way to exercise every day, even when it was in the high 90’s with 78% humidity outside. I stayed off the alcohol, giving up several opportunities for a summer cocktail on the patio with friends. (Though I’ll admit that a week of wild emotions had me wanting to drink!) And, perhaps most importantly, I worked extra hard to hold my strong sense of self and stay positive among some serious emotional pain, upset, worry, and stress. I did this by focusing only on what I can control — ME.

Why am I sharing my personal struggle with the emotional side of the weight-loss and wellness equation? Because I think many of you share it. Read more

Jun 27

A proud salad makin, meal preppin machine!

And, my dirty little secret to avoid grocery shopping mishaps & stay on plan!

Blog series: The restart

2016-06-12 16.26.58 This is how I spent my Sunday afternoon — prepping salads in an assembly line, grilling fresh veggie kabobs with a titch of olive oil and garlic, and readying the second shift for the grill — an awesome new turkey burger recipe, fresh grilled asparagus and lean grilled pork chops. And I did it all in about 1.5 hours.

For someone who hated to cook, and who just over five years ago was lucky to eat one salad every few months, I’m pretty proud of my Sunday meal preppin skills. It’s absolutely one of the keys to my success at weight maintenance and living a healthy lifestyle. And when I need a restart, like right now, I get right back on plan and crank the tunes, create a colorful salad assembly line and embark on meal prepping for the entire week.

If you struggle to eat healthy or stay on your clean eating program, I’m guessing that lack of time is one of the reasons. Any chance preparation and planning would help? Try it. I’m guessing — YES!

Read more

Feb 17

2 Comments

Staying in the equation when the going gets tough

The challenge & importance of self-care during times of emotional struggle, crisis & pain

ITE_restart_quoteMy beautiful sister (age 51) had a massive stroke last week. I was out of state for business and couldn’t do much to help from afar, except get home. The stress and family dynamics are tough. Emotions come and go, but mostly flood in as we each in our own way try to let reality set in.

Last night, I ate an entire pizza and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. This, of course, was not on my healthy-living, Lori-in-the-equation plan. However, just like old times, I used food to cope with my emotions and then felt guilt over it.

Today, I RESTART! Read more

Nov 19

Operation reboot!

7 Tips for a successful start, restart, or total reboot

lori-operationreboot-2015Nearly four weeks ago I boldly blogged about my epiphany on the mountain and #operationreboot. It’s time for a reality check.

The old me wishes I could report that I’ve been perfect — 100% on plan with no slip ups. The new me laughs at that notion and is happy to report that Ive had a good run, with ups and downs along the way. I’m not perfect. But I’m authentically me. I love and celebrate that.

Yep, I’d rather be perfectly imperfect, perfectly authentic and 100% all in! That’s my new definition of success. And it’s working. I’m kinder and gentler with myself without hiding behind the excuses. I am able to take stock of major progress despite a lot of stress, travel and unexpected emotional challenges. I feel great — strong, capable, and on fire. There’s no question, that I’ll reach my goals. Because I know I can! One day at a time.

So here’s the report from the trenches. Read more

Oct 27

2 Comments

Meal prep. Works for me!

7 tips for meal prep to keep you on track. A key to the successful Reboot!

saladassemblyIf you know me personally or have been invited to one of my dinner parties, you know that I am a lot of wonderful things but a great cook is NOT one of them! I once had a dinner party and bought the whole meal.

I’m not imaginative or intuitive about what to put together when preparing meals, probably because I haven’t had a ton of practice. I lived most of my adult life on fast and processed food so I didn’t spend that much time in the kitchen — unless it was starring at the frig wondering what to eat next! And, I don’t particularly enjoy cooking unless I have a partner in the kitchen helping.

That said, I lost 200+ lbs and have maintained a healthy lifestyle for 3.5 years by getting really good at meal planning and preparation. It’s one of the keys to success for me and something a lot of people struggle with.

It’s also been the key to my successful #operationreboot this past week. Read more

Oct 21

4 Comments

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

Aug 24

Time to restart!

And not because it’s Monday, but because you CAN!

ITE_restart_quoteWithout question one of the greatest gifts of my transformation journey — and my overall success at losing and keeping off 200+ pounds — is the ability to restart. So today for motivation Monday, it’s all about the restart.

What do I mean? Restart. Reset. Forgive yourself and get right back up and keep moving toward your goal. Because you totally CAN!

For most of my adult life, I was on a diet of some sort or feeling bad that I had fallen off the wagon and then I was busy telling myself I was a failure and couldn’t do it. I used my slips and falls on the diet as an excuse to throw in the towel, and as proof that I wasn’t good enough. I didn’t measure up. I couldn’t do it. Read more

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