Day 2: Very tough but good

Hi all, thanks for the notes. Today was a tough one. Sore and pain from yesterday on top of another 8 or so hours of cardio. Thankfully much of that was in the pool (can't believe I am saying this but I really like the pool). Nausea, pain, determination. More on day 2 and 3 when I am not so exhausted...and sick.

Day 1: 7 hours in and still going strong

Survived my first pool workout in my new swim outfit; the first cardio circuit including my first ever plank (not a big fan); and a snowshoe hike led by Andy and Jeremy on the Britton Peak Trail -- all highlights of the first 7 hours of the first day of Fitness North. Plus a nutritional seminar by Leif, our program director, and a great healthy lunch.

Leif and Jay (Trainers) are amazing - tough but a very good tough - and O'Neal and Sheryl joined us for the morning cardio to encourage us, which was cool. The women of my new home - unit 7 -- are also great. Carrie and Sue from Two Harbors who are a product of our Fitness North marketing, and Shari who was part of FN 1 and helps show us the ropes. We are soaking up everything Shari tells us.

So far so good. The aches and pains are starting to set in. I can only imagine tomorrow working out like this in this kind of pain is even more difficult.

You are exactly where you need to be right now

I arrived at Fitness North today and my personal journey has officially begun! As has my new relationship with my beloved Surfside on Lake Superior. Up until today, my trips to Surfside have always been about work (and fun)...this time the work is me!Yikes.

"Tomorrow starts today" is the Fitness North tagline and indeed it does. My new relationship with myself, starts today. My journey to put Lori first, begins today. My journey to physical health and wellness that will keep me around for years to come, starts today. No more planning, worrying, thinking about it, planning to think about it, or talking about it. I am doing it and I won't quit - no matter what. That is my promise to myself (and now to all of you). I have a feeling we'll be testing that promise in the days to come.

I feel blessed to be taking this journey with O'Neal, Sheryl, Leif and Jay and the FN #2 participants who I have just met and with whom I already feel an amazing connectio! You'll be hearing more about them in the days and weeks ahead.

At orientation tonight, O'Neal spoke about what is key for me, "It doesn't matter how you got here," he said, "The issue is what are you doing right now to fix it." And that's what it's about. He went on to say, you are exactly where you need to be right now. This is what matters...today...right now.

I need to get my head in the here and now so I will sign off. Indeed, this is where I need to be and I am 100+% all in physically, but I am struggling to let go and be here with my head fully in the game -- to be 100% emotionally all in. I find myself distracted, worrying about clients, connecting with Jodi and the team to make sure all of the bases are covered, and I am quickly learning that I have to let go. I must give up control. There is nothing more important this right now.

So I sign off in an attempt to do that and to get some sleep before the 5:15 a.m. wake up call that will have us in the pool by 6 a.m. Yes, indeed, I said IN THE POOL by 6 a.m. (Many of you will note the significance of this statement and know that I have not been in a pool in nearly 20 years! Thank you Kristine for helping me find a cute "pool outfit.").

And thank you my friends and blog followers, I will need you these next few days and weeks. Encouragement welcome.

Nite.

LOR

Watch the Biggest Loser special with me

Hi all,

Tomorrow night, Thanksgiving eve.,Wed., Nov. 24, I invite you to watch NBC's Biggest Loser at 8 p.m. and get a glimpse into Fitness North and my soon to be world.

NBC TV was at Surfside in late October filming O'Neal Hampton and the launch of Fitness North. O'Neal is featured on the special titled "Where are they now?" as he pays it forward by helping those of us who still have mountains to climb and are just beginning the journey.

O'Neal, Sheryl and the FN#1 family will be featured on the special and I hope you will watch and think of me and my personal journey as you do. Thanks for your support. Cheers!

P.S. O'Neal I adore you and look forward to you kicking my butt.

My personal journey to Climb the Mountain

My beloved sorority sister and long-time friend, Jean, sent this to me in anticipation of my personal journey to climb a mountain! Jean, along with my other sorority sisters, vowed to be a lion in my den (a supporter in my corner) and to take the climb with me. They went hiking with me on Girls Gone North Weekend and all broke into the song Lion King when they learned of the den of lions vs. a lone tiger analogy from O'Neal Hampton. I can't think of a more fitting tribute for where I am today. I am lucky to have such support and this tribute is so fitting for the journey ahead. Thank you Jean and all for all you bring to my life. I hope all of my blog readers get as much out of this piece as I do very time I read it.


Climb The Mountain

I tried to climb the mountain today. As I inched my way up the path, I felt out of breath and had to turn back.I tried to climb the mountain today. But, It was so hot outside, I thought I had better stay in my nice air-conditioned house and rest up for tomorrow's attempt.

I tried to climb the mountain today. On my journey, darkness started to fall and I was full of fear, so I had to return to a safe place.I was ready to climb the mountain today. But I had so may other things to do, so instead of climbing the mountain I took care of the much more important tasks; I washed my car, mowed the grass and watched the big game. Today the mountain will have to wait.I was going to climb the mountain today. But as I stared at the mountain in all it's majestic beauty, I knew I had no chance of making it to the top, so I figured why even begin trying.

I had forgotten about climbing the mountain today, until an old friend came by and asked what I was up to lately. I told him about all my plans to climb that mountain someday. I went on and on about how I was going to accomplish the task.He stopped me and said, "I just got back from climbing that mountain. for the longest time I told myself I was going to try to climb it but never made any progress."

"I almost let the dream of making it to the top die. I came up with every excuse of why I could not make it up the mountain, but never once did I give myself a reason why I could. One day as I stared at the mountain and pondered, I realized that if I didn't make an attempt at this dream all my dreams would eventually die."" The next morning, I started my climb. It was not easy, and at times I wanted to quit. But no matter what I faced, I placed one foot in front of the other, keeping a steady pace. When the wind tried to blow me over the edge, I kept walking. When the voices inside my head screamed, stop! I focused on my goal, never letting it out of sight. I kept moving forward. I could not quit because

I knew I had come too far to stop now. Time and time again, I reassured myself that I was going to finish this journey. I struggled mightily to make it to the top, but I CLIMBED THE MOUNTAIN."

"I have to be going," my friend said. "Tomorrow is a new day to accomplish more dreams. By the way what are you going to do tomorrow?"I looked at him, with intensity and confidence in my eyes, and said, "I HAVE A MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB."

--Author unknown

Putting Lori in the equation

Welcome to my blog - shared only with my close friends and colleagues interested in supporting me in a very personal quest to put myself into the equation of my own life! Yep, things are about to change in a BIG way.

I have come to discover that my work, my clients, my friends, my family - just about everything in my life, but me - gets my energy, attention, focus, and passion. Leaving, of course, precious little for Lori.

This is not a new phenomenon, but rather a new discovery and framing of a fundamental problem keeping me from being the very best I can be (wait - isn't that the army tagline?!). Life is about to get turned upside down as I embark on a personal journey to climb mountains...literally and figuratively.

From Nov. 28-Dec. 12, I will be attending Fitness North - a new live-in weight loss and fitness boot camp (think Biggest Loser). We will be living at one of my beloved resorts - Surfside on Lake Superior - and hiking mountains and doing cardio and other exercise 6 to 8+ hours per day, every day, and learning about nutrition and healthy eating. I am told by my FN #1 friends it will be the absolute toughest thing I could ever imagine doing - and without a doubt the best! Sounds like some very tough moments, days, weeks, are ahead of me to get to the top of the mountain. And yet I am ready. Really ready.

It's no secret I have had a serious weight problem my entire life and every intervention to date hasn't work. So here we go - with courage, conviction and whole lot of faith I am about to wrap up some big work projects, hand off the business for two weeks and focus on me -- my health.

If you are reading this blog, you are invited (and encouraged) to come along for the journey. Please root for me, push me, cheer for me, support me and think of me in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

I thank you in advance for your support and am delighted to take you along for the ride!