Boot Camp Challenge

Hi friend, I hope you are having a most awesome day.

Today I want to share a special story with you. My guest on this podcast is AJ Miller. She is a Boot Camp Challenge® (BCC) trainer and BCC Master Trainer. She is also the daughter of a Vietnam veteran who passed last year.

What AJ did not know was her father had left behind a journal, a memoir. After trying several times to read the memoir, and failing, she decided to return to Vietnam and retrace her father's footsteps. Her purpose is to unveil her fathers' story and share his memoirs right where they happened. She has only been able to make it through one entry so far but it was a big one. In it he talked about flying his chopper, thoughts of suicide, how he felt he never really came home and what his job was in the US Army during the war – he was a Scout. And, according to him, a killer.

It was the last line that caused AJ to freeze. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. She'll explain in the podcast what happened next, and let's just say, shocked is an understatement.

As AJ continues traveling across this country and visiting places her father stayed, she is trying to understand her father. How did he live with such cruel and unimaginable memories? How did he appear to function in society after the war? How did he manage his undiagnosed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

AJ also shares the following:

- Her FIRST reaction when learning her father was a killer.

- Meeting a Viet Cong soldier who fought against her father in a coffee shop.

- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – what it really looks like.

- How she compares Vietnam and fitness.

AJ also shares some stories about war that may be difficult for you to hear. If this topic is a trigger or draws you to a place of darkness, best you skip this podcast and we will catch you in a few weeks when our next one drops. We get quite emotional and the language, quite real. In fact, it may be offensive to some.

Please take all of this into consideration before listening. There are lots of components of the wellness wheel. While we usually focus on the fitness and nutrition components, today, we focus on the emotional. In AJ'S word's, this was boot camp for the soul.

Smiles,Lorixoxo

Hi friend, how is your week running down?

Mine? So good. We launched camps this week and I freakin LOVE launch week. I love seeing all the vets coming back to camp. I love seeing the new peeps with a little bit of hesitation on their faces walk through the door. It takes major courage, bravery and overcoming fear to actually sign up and show up for any fitness program, especially one called Boot Camp Challenge®!

This past weekend, I took a bunch of campers paddling boarding. We had such an amazing time. And, when all the campers took to the water, I looked out and saw all these strong, beautiful women and became emotional.

And, I thought - what did they have to tell themselves this morning to find enough courage to try something new, something a bit scary.

Many of them told me they were going to bail due to anxiety but showed up cuz they told me they were coming. Some shared they were going to cancel because they were so scared but because they had promised a friend, they showed up.

This got me really diving into fear. I thought, how do people find courage? What strategies do they implement to walk through the unknown? I don't know how other s do it, but I can tell you how I do it and how my campers do it.

If you have time, I would love for you to take a listen to this week's message. In it, I share the following:

- How to find your crew.

- Find you an encourager (if you can't find one, call me).

- How to use prayer and meditation to get through something scary.

- How I overcame my fear of the ocean and prayed my guide would get eaten first.

As always, thank you so much for taking the time to listen to our podcast. I love all your ideas, suggestions, questions and comments. Please keep sharing with me what you want to hear and I will keep sharing with you the truth of fitness and wellness. And, to all of you who overcome your fears on the daily, you inspire me.

Smiles,Lorixoxo

Hey my friends, I hope you are having a most awesome day!

I was sitting in the airport a few months back, and I overheard a conversation. Two ladies were chatting and complaining that it was taking way TOO long to lose thirty pounds. They said they had been working on it for a few weeks. I so wanted to jump in and shake them and tell them all they had to do was be consistent, be realistic and be patient AF!

But, I did none of that. I did not interrupt their conversation, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. Then I began to wonder how many more people think it is easy to lose THIRTY pounds? The answer – A TON.

So today, I am sharing with you the TRUTH of what it takes to lose thirty pounds. Everything you need to know. Here are a few things I dive into:

• What to actually EAT to lose weight
• The best workouts to do
• The number one cause of pain when working out (and how to fix it)
• What I write on my bathroom mirror to stay motivated
• The number one strategy you need to deploy to find success in your weight loss

As always, thank you so much for taking the time to listen to our podcast. I love all your ideas, suggestions, questions and comments. Please keep sharing with me what you want to hear and I will keep sharing with you the truth of fitness and wellness.

Hoo Aah!

Smiles, Lori xoxo

Hey friends, I hope you are having a fabulous week!

I just had the most amazing conversation with my friend and personal fashion stylist, Stacy Cody. She not only answered YOUR questions about fashion, clothes and how to dress YOUR body, she also dove deep into the psychology of how we dress ourselves and how and why it makes us feel the way we feel.

During our conversation, Stacy shared how a size on a tag can change our whole attitude for a day (good or bad) and why this number is such a lie (doesn't this sound like a scale?!).

She also dives into how clothes make us feel. Put on a fabulous outfit and you will feel you can run the world. Isn't it crazy how an amazing dress or pair of jeans can make us feel so confident?

We also chat about dressing our bodies. She said most of us pick clothes that are TOO BIG for our bodies when we should be picking smaller sizes (amen to that!).

And, she goes on to answers a ton more questions to include:

- What to wear to make your hips look smaller

- How to make your boobs look bigger (I was asking for a friend)

- What is your body type and how to dress and look fabulous

- The SECRET on why we can wear up to FOUR different sizes

- Why petite and plus sizes are so hard to find.

If you have some time today, I would love for you to listen to our podcast. Spending time with Stacy was both so fun and super informative. We laughed and we nearly cried and everything in between.

And, if you do take a listen, I would love your feedback. Let me know what you like, what you don't like and any suggestions you have for future podcasts.

Have a fabulous day and remember to show yourself some love this week.

Much love,LorsXoxo

Hey friends, I hope you are rockin your week!

I want to introduce you to my friend, amazing momma, stylin' television personality and legit dietician, Jennifer McDaniel.

Jen and I met at our local television station over eight years ago. I was brought on to share fitness tips with the St. Louis peeps, and Jen was brought on to share nutrition tips. We chatted before and after our segments, and a friendship was struck.

Many (more like tons) of you have asked me how to lose weight while going through menopause or the beginning stages of menopause. So, I reached out to Jen and asked if she would join me on our podcast and share with you how to help lose and/or maintain weight during this time of our life.

Here are a few topics we cover:

- Menopause weight gain – why it happens.

- The best foods to eat to help you lose weight during this time.

- The anti-weight gain menopause diet (yep, she tells us what to eat!)

- The one truth Jen shared that SHOCKED me (and it will change WHAT time you eat!)

- The best carbs to eat to maintain a lean body.

- What to avoid if you are struggling with your sleep.

While Jen and I dive into some serious business, we also enjoy a lot of laughs. We talk about what caused me not to poop, and why I love day drinking.

If you have some time today, I would love for you to listen to our podcast. I have been doing this for thirty-four years, and I LEARNED something new listening to Jen!

As always, I so appreciate you. And, I love your suggestions. Please continue to reach out with your ideas and comments. It is why I do what I do.

Take care this week, make good choices and remember, invest in yourself :)

Much love,LorsXoxo

Today I would like to introduce you to Bryan Daddio, my friend and the founder of Turbo Strapp, a heart rate monitor device.

Daddio and I had a great chat a few weeks back and had a blast. We both love to geek out on the science of heart rate training, heart rate monitoring, and how it affects the whole body.

And, we are both total science nerds, especially on the topics of fitness, wellness, exercise and nutrition. AND, in this convo, you will hear all that. AND, we provide insight on how all of this relates to YOU.

Here are a few of the topics we discuss:

- Our thoughts on the Apple Watch, the Fitbit and the Garmin, and which is the best device.

- How you can change your BODY by understanding your heart rate, and what it means.

- Why RECOVERY may be more important than the work when trying to change your body.

- How monitoring your heart rate can make you faster and stronger.

- How exercising can make your babies smarter (this is forreals).

So, grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and settle in to listen to me and Daddio chat about heart health, heart rate monitors, the new technology, and how YOU can use it to change your body, woot!

As always, I so appreciate you taking time to listen. And, I love your feedback. Please feel free to reach out with your ideas, suggestions and comments. Take care this week, make good choices and remember, invest in yourself :)

Much love,LorsXoxo

Today I would like to introduce you to Dr. Vidan (Dr.V), my friend and the official chiropractor for the 2011 World Series Champions, St. Louis Cardinal, whaaat?! Yep, true story.

Dr. V and I met twenty years ago in a gym. He was working his way through Chiropractic school and I was about to launch Boot Camp Challenge®. We both left the facility we were working and continued on with our education and our businesses.

A few years back, we ran into each other at Fox 2 News. It was great reconnecting and catching up. I started following him on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/VidanFamilyChiropractic/) and saw he is not only a doctor who helps his patients with pain and impairment, he is also a true proponent of health, wellness, and prevention.

And, I love his integrity. He speaks truths that most doctors do not want to address. He tells the truth about pain medications, how the use of our phones can greatly impede our health, and how driving in our cars can be a detriment to our bodies.

And, he also gives solutions. He shares how we can make small changes to create a HUGE impact on our health. And, these are things we can do right now, TODAY, to feel better, think better and move better.

So, grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and settle in to hear Dr. V share some amazingness with us.

Here are some of the topics we cover:

- The biggest mistake we make on a daily basis that INCREASES our risk of injury.

- How you can use your car as an accountability partner.

- The best sleeping position and why.

- The best way to keep your joints in shape (this one shocked me!).

One of Dr. V's sayings is, "Think well, Eat well, Move well". Dr. V, I couldn't agree more.

As always, I so appreciate you taking time to listen. And, I love your feedback. Please feel free to reach out with your ideas, suggestions and comments. Take care this week, make good choices and remember, invest in yourself :)

PS Sorry I said "a hundred percent" a hundred times. It must have been my saying of the day :)

Hey friends, I hope you are having a fabulous day.

Have I told you lately that I love you? I know, you are either thinking "isn't that a song?" (Yes, you are correct and it is by Lionel Richie), or "why is Lori saying she loves me?"

I am saying I love you cuz I was thinking about you and just feel so blessed you spend time with me and Boot Camp Challenge® (BCC), and you have chosen us as your fitness/wellness expert. Time is our greatest commodity- we have so little- and yet you choose to spend some with me. Yep, I love you, and I am so blessed.

Now, if I still have your time for a bit longer, I want to introduce you to Avery Ivan, our newest BCC trainer. She is also a sophomore attending college at Auburn University (go War Eagles!).

Avery shocked me from the moment I met her. She reached out to me about a position within my company when she was just 18 years old. That in itself is surprising to me. Most college bound kids are not thinking about their careers just yet let, let alone one that entails a hefty investment of time and money. She was also moving away to University, and after our interview stated she would reach back out to me the following Spring to see if I still had positions open and if she could still train with us. I marked it on my calendar, seven months forward, and forgot.

One week before my appointment notification popped up, I received a text from Avery. Did I remember her? Could she sit for the second interview? Could she attend the next training? And, could she still come work for me?

Again, Avery shocked me. Not only did she follow up seven months later, she was still determined to become a BCC trainer. At this point I am thinking Avery is a rockstar. She has determination, drive, passion, and a great attitude. So, we did the second interview.

During this process, I discovered there was even more to Avery. She actually walked the walked. Even in college, (she did NOT gain the freshman 15), she made moving a priority, healthy food choices a must, and dove into the principles of health and wellness. And she is only TWENTY!

When you see Avery, you see a sweet, fresh, twenty year old college student. What you get is someone who somehow adapted the principles of nutrition and movement and has a lot to teach even the older folk.

In this podcast. Avery shares her journey with us and also gives us practical tips on how to make healthy choices, how to afford healthy food on a college budget, and how to incorporate movement into your day when you have NO time.

And, while these strategies come from a 20 year old college student, it is the best advice for ALL of us!

As always, I thank you so much for listening. And, for your feedback. Please keep it coming! And, your ideas. I always want to know what is important to you and what you would like to listen to on our podcast.

Take care this week, make good choices and remember, invest in yourself :)

Much love,Lors xoxo

Hey friends, I hope you are having a fabulous day.

I have so missed you! So much has happened since we last chatted. Our daughter, and Boot Camp Challenge® master trainer extraordinaire, Victoria, was married at the end of April. And, it was amazing. We also ran a half marathon, attended a college graduation, and partied at another wedding. Oh, and trip to Mexico where my husband battled a shark (or so he says). Such a busy time…but I LOVE it!

And, now, I am back to you. And, I CAN'T wait so share with you what I learned from Dr. Alison Ball.

Who is Dr. Ball, you ask? Only the most brilliant D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) in the world! Okay, maybe that is a bit overdramatic, but she is brilliant. And, do you know what I like best about her? She shares her info in a way we can understand. And, she has a real love and passion for her patients. And, she LOVES research and knowledge and always learning. Told you she was brill (brilliant).

I met Dr. Ball a few months back. When I was doing our podcast with Koop on diabetes (The Silent Killer and How to Keep It at Bay with Food), we both had loads of questions about the disease, what caused it, could it be prevented, etc. So, Koop suggested I reach out to Dr. Ball, who works with diabetes on the daily. I asked her to join me on a podcast and answer all our questions, and she said YES!

Here are just a few of the questions I asked Dr. Ball:

• What is the difference between a D.O and M.D.? (This was for my own curiosity). • What is diabetes? • Can diabetes be prevented? • Can diabetes be cured? • Will neuropathy (numbness in feet) for sure happen if you have diabetes? • What is the NUMBER one strategy to AVOID diabetes?

As always, thank you, thank you, thank you for taking time to listen to my podcast. I can't tell you how honored I am to have your time for just a moment.

And, I appreciate all your ideas. Please continue to share with me what is important to you, want you want to learn about and what I can provide to you to help you on your wellness journey.

Much love,

Lors xoxo

I hope you got your learning ears on cuz I am bringing some nutrition truth bombs your way! Today's topic – FAD DIETS.

And, I brought back our expert scientist and registered dietician, Sarah Weitz, MS, RD, Michigan State professor and BCC nutritionist, woot!

Sarah takes us deep into the current fad diets to include the Whole 30 diet, the Keto diet and a titch of Atkins.

I asked her ALL your questions, and, again, Sarah does not disappoint.

She dives into the history of these diets, why they were created, how they made their way into the "fad diet" trend and why they work or don't work. She also drops the following bombs:

• The number one reason we should AVOID the Keto diet.
• The one missing ingredient of the Whole 30 diet plan that makes it a FAD.
• Peanuts are not at all what they are cracked up to be (and this shocked me!)
• The number one food group we need to eat to lower our cholesterol.

I always love conversing with Sarah on all things diet and nutrition. And, I hope you do, too!

So grab a coffee or wine (unless you are on the Whole 30 diet) and take a listen. We packed a whole lotta info in this one!

And, I know I say it in every email, but I am so thankful for YOU. I so appreciate you taking time to listen to our podcasts and share your thoughts, ideas, and comments. And, if you have any topics you would like us to discuss in future podcasts, please email me and let me know. The best ideas always come from you.

Much love, xoxo

Smiles, Me