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Posts tagged ‘success story’

May 12

Healthy, happy & whole sans -200 lbs. More than a weight loss story — it’s an inside job!

Celebrating 5 years of Lori in the equation!

Lori in the equation 5 years – May 2017

I woke up today on the official 5-year anniversary of living with “Lori-in-the-equation” and hopped on the scale. A cheer erupted when I weighed -202 lbs LESS than I did at my highest weight, confirming that I’ve successfully maintained my 200+ lb weight loss for 5 years. YES!

My pants are still 11 sizes smaller than when I started my journey in 2010 (though a few things have shifted!). I feel strong, healthy and fit! I’m climbing mountains for fun. I’m living a WHOLE life, not just busy one. And, putting myself in the equation and taking care of me now comes naturally. It’s non-negotiable.

As I mark this five-year milestone, I am beyond grateful and even humbled by these incredible gifts that have now become my norm.

Most people look at me as a weight-loss success story. But, my transformation journey isn’t about weight loss. It isn’t about diet and exercise. It’s not about counting calories or macros. Nor is it about deprivation…or even willpower. And, it’s not done.

The greatest gift I’ve given myself is not the hard numbers — though it feels incredible to be healthy and have reversed my health trajectory. Rather, the greatest gift is how I’ve changed on the inside. This is what makes it an inside job.

Here are just a few things that are different on the inside. I’ve learned to push past fear and stop being paralyzed by perfection. I no longer self sabotage and beat myself up for being imperfect. I know that I’m enough, exactly as I am. I’ve proven to myself that I can do anything I make up my mind to do. I’ve learned to love and accept myself, imperfections and all. I’ve discovered that self-care is a non-negotiable, and acquired new skills like the “restart” to keep me on track. And I’ve learned to change beliefs and life-long thought patterns that were keeping me stuck and stalled.

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Aug 18

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Success is changing the inside to sustain the outside

Meet the amazing Lori Martin, Transformation success story #4 in my series titled, “Success. It’s personal. And that’s a good thing.”

Success - Lori MartinDetermination. Focus. Heart. Passion. Courage. Stubbornness. Self-awareness. The ability to go all in and then some. A sense of humor. Learning to embrace the process, as well as the end result.

These are are all qualities I had to muster in abundance during my transformation journey. And each serves me well today as I embrace my new healthy way of living.

They are also the very qualities that my friend, Lori Martin, shares in abundance. It’s why she is one of my favorite transformation success stories, and I’m delighted to share her story with you today as the last in my series – “Success. It’s personal. And that’s a good thing.”

Lori’s Martin measures success differently than you might imagine. While she has lost and maintained 109 lbs — and wants to lose another 100+ — she doesn’t measure success in terms of weight loss. At least not totally. Lori is focused on her WHOLE self, transforming inside and out. We’ve shared this “wholeness” goal since the very beginning and I feel privileged to support her through the ups and the downs. Read more

Jul 21

Success is finding your authentic self

Meet Dean. Transformation success story #3 in my series titled, “Success. It’s personal. And that’s a good thing.”

Dean Packingham

Dean Packingham (upper right) participating in his first competitive race, 2012.

Have you ever had a situation in your life where you felt like the timing was perfect…meant to be? That’s how I felt when Dean Packingham reached out to me via this blog.

He told me that I had inspired him and that he was about to embark on his own personal transformation journey. He admitted being afraid, fearing failure, but also expressed hope and determination. What struck me about Dean was that he had the courage to leap and go after something he desperately wanted, despite his fear. He asked for help. And that was the beginning of his success story.

We corresponded that night for quite awhile. My response was: “Dean, we’ve totally got this! There is no question that you can do it.” This was the same response that my mentor, O’Neal Hampton, gave me. A message of hope that arrived just when I was ready to receive it. Then, I was able to pay it forward by helping Dean.

What’s cool about this pay it forward story, is that last month, I hooked Dean up with a delightful young lady who also asked for help. She admitted she was terrified to take the leap, and that she was not in the equation of her life. And, guess what Dean said to her about two years after he reached out to me? Yep. He said, “We’ve totally got this!” Read more

Jun 18

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What is success? How about being good to yourself?!

Meet Kathy. Transformation success story #1 in my blog serious titled:
“Success. It’s personal. And that’s a good thing”

kathy-beforeAbout a year ago, I met a remarkable woman named Kathy Moriarty. Kathy reached out to me for help, asserting that she was ready to put herself first and aggressively pursue her health and wellness goals. We got together to talk and walk my beloved Como Lake.

When I first met Kathy, she shared her story of abuse, addiction, and survival. Like me, she had put herself on the back burner of life largely because she didn’t believe she deserved better. Like me, she thought if she gave everything she had to others, she would be loved.

What I saw when I met Kathy and listened to her story, was a strong and courageous woman with an internal spark. I saw someone who has exactly what it takes to better her life, achieve her wildest dreams, and to do so with a laser beam focus. This looked and sounded kinda familiar to me (grin). So I was privileged to get to know Kathy and support her journey.

It is with great delight that I share Kathy’s success story with you on her one year anniversary. As I said when I kicked off this series, the journey of transformation is personal. Everyone has a story and it’s never too late to change the direction or next chapter of that story. Kathy, to me, is the epitome of determination, courage and success. I hope you enjoy her story. (And Jody, my dear, the timing of this one is for you! 😉 ) Read more

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