Lori Griffin Part 2 Interview 70 POUNDS DOWN!

Welcome to A New Life podcast with.

Pamela Jean, where it's all about empowering.

Women to empower more women. Get ready, friends, to create a new life. And here is your host, Pamela Jean. Hello, friends, and welcome to this week's episode of A New Life podcast. I'm so excited that you are here today. Before we get started, I want to let you know about the Self Care mastery course beginning March 15th. Friends, this is a course that you don't want to miss out on. I know the struggles that you have had. This course is absolutely meant for you. And this is your last chance to sign up as a founding member. This coming Friday will be part closing on a founding member sign up and you don't want to miss it, so go to my website, It's Pamela Jean, a new LIFE.com foundingmember and sign up. And if you have any questions regarding the course, feel free to reach out to me. You can email me, you can send me a dm, just reach out and I'm happy to talk you through it. So this week's podcast, I have brought back Lori Griffin. If you remember, we had a conversation about months ago or so, and I'm going to introduce her in just a second. But I'm taking a little break from the identifying toxic relationships and I will pick up with part four in that episode. March 1st. March 1st episode is going to be about gaslighting and a toxic person's inability to be committed to the relationship. It's going to be a fantastic podcast. But I wanted to bring Lori back today because, oh my gosh, she is doing some incredible, incredible things. And I know that once you hear what we have to talk about today, you're going to be so glad that I brought her back. So Lori, the last time we spoke, she had just hit her 50 pound mark weight loss and she started a new health plan and she started a new company, a new brand. It's been phenomenal what she's doing. But today Lori comes back to us after hitting nearly the 70 pound mark and 43 inches. I know, right? 43, 70 pounds. Oh my gosh, Lori, that is amazing.

Thank you.

Welcome back. I'm so glad to have you here. I cannot wait to hear your full story of the last 20 pounds and the last several months and the 43 inches. So take it away. How did you do it?

Okay, well, first of all, Pamela, thank you for having me back on. You know, I will tell you that the mental work and just the process has been really, really incredible. And you know, for your audience that heard my story, you know, in the fall, you know, I did a lot of growth, I think with £50, became a lot of. I really sitting in my own knowing and who I am. And I, you know, it was the first time I'd really told my story out loud. And even though you, you think about it and you write about it and you, and you, you know, you talk to people, but when you actually give it to somebody else and you present it in this kind of format and you tell many, many people your story all at once, the impact is so great. And, and I tell everyone that the 50 pound mark, I didn't think it would be that big of a deal because it wasn't the goal. And it was really interesting that that week I did a photo shoot that I almost didn't do. And since you're a photographer, I wanted to share that. Literally, I showed up, I was driving to the photo shoot because I thought it was a really big milestone to like, really document. And I almost didn't do it. I thought, why would I do this now? Why is this important? You know, this isn't the goal. What if the pictures aren't that great? You know, I mean, all those things you do as a woman and you kind of just like try to talk yourself out of it. And I will tell you, when I received those photos, everything in me I knew, I was like, this needs to be celebrated. And I think, you know, that is that, you know, one of the things I always say when I'm talking to clients is I'm like, welcome to the party. Because, you know, I want us to celebrate our five pound victories and our 10 pound victories and our milestone victories, like 25 pounds or 50 pounds. And the other thing is that, you know, we as women, you know, often we sit with our weight loss journey and we don't talk about it. And I think I've done so many journeys, you know, with yo yoing with my weight and, you know, losing 25 pounds or losing 50 pounds and I've never done a public journey. And when I finally went public with it and talked to other people, and now I'm sharing that with clients and sharing it with you, it becomes more real to me when I celebrate the victories. I can see it and I feel it, so it feels more real to me. And so, you know, that week was so monumental because you released the podcast and everyone heard my truth about my marriage, about my divorce, about my move, about COVID illness. And then I did the photo shoot, which was, you know, ended up Meaning so much more to me than I could have imagined. And first of all, like, I work with a great local photographer in Nashville, Kathy Thomas, and she is phenomenal, and she is so supportive of my journey and what I'm doing. And, you know, she just made me feel so alive that day. And. And I'm thankful for that. And then the other thing that happened, Pamela, is that I actually sat with a man for the first time. I pretty much asked out a guy I'd known for a long time. We sat on his back porch because of COVID you know, both being very careful, and I told my truth. And it was the first time ever that I had not tried to bend or change for a man. And I just let the cards fall and nothing came out of that. But it was the first time ever that I felt confident enough to say, you know, this is who I am. You know, do I. Would I like to have a life partner? Yes. Would I like to have somebody in my life? Yes. But it wasn't about me changing or me bending or me not being able to be truthful with somebody for the first time ever. So if we're going to talk about what the last four months have meant, you know, the 50 pound mark, like I said, meant more to me than it had ever meant that I ever thought it would mean to me. And then as the £5amonth come off and we continue to celebrate, you know, it's. It's very basic at this point. It's like, you know, I sell supplements and I now have released my food plan that I've been using for the last year. I have. I have many, many clients and I have, you know, and I have a great community of support. And as I literally go through this journey with so many of my clients, I realize that they're afraid to fail before they even begin. And, you know, and that's what I want to work with so much when I bring in new clients, is that we're going to celebrate the victories, that we are not going to be afraid to fail and that we. And that you can do this, because that's what I tell everybody. The reason I have done this is because I made one decision. I made one decision and put one foot in front of the other.

Well, and I think, Lori, I want to speak into what you said. People start their health journey in secret, in private. They keep it a secret.

Yes.

And they do that simply because they are afraid of failing. They're afraid of not. They're afraid of investing the money to go on a health plan, to buy the supplements, to buy the plan, to do the thing. They're afraid of failing. So if you do it in secret, then no one will know.

Exactly.

They failed. Absolutely. And the fear of failure can be debilitating. And I think that we've all experienced that, where you're just. You just don't try something. You don't do something because you're afraid of failing. And what I love about your story so much is how you have stepped into your truth. And by telling your story, you have gained so much power. And the things that you tried to hide behind, like the health journey, that you're keeping a secret, the weight loss plan you're keeping a secret. The things that you keep a secret no longer control you.

Absolutely not. And, you know, I think, you know, I've done a lot of mental work on this journey, and that's one thing I'm really working with my clients right now, is, you know, when I released the food plan in January, when I finally. My brand is the Nightshirt Chronicles, and my clients really wanted the food plan. They wanted my plan. And I combined many things that I've used over the last two decades. You know, I've been in every program. I've been to clinics. I've watched a lot of Oprah. I mean, I have done it all. And I. And, you know, and I put it all together in a really livable plan. And the. And the thing that. That I felt like was important to my clients was that I'm like, hey, go on this journey with me. Give yourself 90 days. Like, you know, get into the rhythm of losing. Get in, you know, get out. You know, give yourself this opportunity to change your health. And I think, you know, I was. I think what I really want everyone to know is that I was not in a war with my body. And people get into that a little bit with me because they're like, I'm. Because I'm about. I'm a champion of women. I'm about body positivity. And I will tell you, I did not look in the mirror and worry about what I look like. What did happen to me was that I couldn't get off the couch, My back was hurting all the time. I was tired. And when I think about the fact that I had gained 60 pounds, I'm going to get real. I gained 60 pounds in two years, and I knew my health was out of control. And I love to tell people that I am not on a weight loss journey. I am on a health journey. And I wrote this in my newsletter today to my clients, we talked a lot about self love because I love Valentine's Day. And I literally told them, I said, you know, guys, we talked about being afraid to fail before you even begin. But I also wanted them to know that this journey is not always perfect. You know, Voltaire said that perfect is the enemy of good. And that. Do I do it perfectly every day? No. Do I? I mean, you know, am I going to eat perfect every day? No. But you know what? We just get up the next day and we do it better and we don't give up on ourselves. And I. And that's the thing is that like you were talking about Pamela, if you do it in secret, you then nobody knows. But then if you don't celebrate the victories, then you don't know. And that was the difference.

That is so powerful, Lori, what you just said, that if you don't celebrate the victories, then you don't know. You're not giving yourself the credit that you deserve for making the accomplishment that you make. And that's amazing. And I wanted to stress again, Lori, because when we were talking the other day and planning out our conversation today, the thing that you said that really, really resonated to me is that when you started your journey, when you started losing your weight, it wasn't because you looked in the mirror and had a bad image, body image of yourself. And that's amazing to me because I think most people are at war with what they look like all the time. And the fact that you are this strong, confident, incredible woman and felt that didn't bother you at the beginning, that wasn't your why, that wasn't why you started. It was your health. It was the fact that the back was sore getting up, you know, just doing the simple things in life you were not able to do. And, you know, that's what is so incredible to me, is that your body positivity, that wasn't even an issue. And I love that about you, that you're able to love who you are exactly the way you are. But the changes that you have chosen to make in your life was motivated by your own health.

Yes. And, you know, the marriage plays a lot of tricks on us. You know, like I said, I wasn't. I didn't look at myself and think, oh, this looks terrible. But here's what's more interesting. After almost 70 pounds, I think I'm down like 67 or no, 68 pounds. It was 68 pounds today. So, yeah, I mean, it's just, I'm Right there. Yeah.

So bravo, my friend.

Thank you. So when I look at in the mirror 60 pounds, 68 pounds lighter, I don't think, oh my gosh, like now I'm super hot. Like, I don't think that because I never felt bad the other way. I think the only time it really hits me is when I put on something and I'm like, oh, wow, this isn't going to work. This is way too big. Like, you know, and I'm getting ready to do the big closet clean out and you know, and I think, I think the thing that's different this time around, not only am I celebrating, not only do I have this community, not only do am I helping clients every day. And I want women to feel so great about their bodies and this journey and their lives and what's next. But the other thing is, is I've done the mental work and I'm sitting with a lot of clients now and I'm asking you, like, why are you eating? And I want to know because I had to figure that out for myself. I'm like, why am I doing this? Why am I, you know, what is, you know, what's the, what's the bottom line and what, you know, what will, what did I, what do I need to do to, you know, to make the food not as important? And I will tell you that and I'll just explain to you like why I, why I was eating. It was, you know, I love to be happy. I may I wake up happy. I love happy. My apartment is like decorated happy. And you know, but I was eating because I stuffed myself. I used the food to stuff down all the other feelings and I just wasn't feeling anything else. And when the pandemic happened and I lost my job, we talked about this a little bit in the last podcast, but I lost my job. I was eating out of control, as everybody loves the quote that I was. And I don't know who this is, not my quote, but, you know, I was eating like an unsupervised 6 year old on a road trip with $100, I gained 13 more pounds. Yeah, I mean, it was crazy. I mean, ridiculous. I mean, and you know, and it's like when I hit that weight and when I, and when I could just hard to get up and down the couch, my back was hurting. All these things were happening. I thought, okay, Lori, take control of the one thing you can control. And it was my health. And that's so good. Yeah. And that's when it, so, you know, it's like, I put that night shirt on the first time. That's why it's called the Night Shirt Chronicles, because I put the night shirt on the first time and it was. It didn't fit and I had, you know, paid. You know, it was kind of an investment piece. I loved it. It was super 60s because I kind of live 60s and that's why my branding is 60s and. And it didn't fit. And I thought, okay, well, this is where we're going to go. And then, you know, I started documenting the photo journey with the night shirt. And after £35, I could get it buttoned. Now it is too big. So we are laughing about that because I plan to do that, you know, to do the final photo shoot in it. But, you know, we've been using the night shirt to document the photo journey of the weight loss. But.

And I think, you know, something I want to just mention about body positivity and how all of this wrapped together is our vision and view of ourself is so powerful. And it doesn't matter if you're a size 4. Someone might think of you like, oh, my gosh, you're only a size 4. But if you're a size 4 and you look in the mirror and you don't love who you are, it doesn't matter. You're not going to love who you are. Your size does not define the love that you have for yourself. And that's what's important to remember. You might be a size 24 and not love you yourself just as much as someone who is a size four.

No. And that's.

It really has nothing to do with the number. The number on the scale, the number, the tag on the jeans. It has nothing to do with that number. And that's just, you know, honestly, you know, you look at that number sometimes and it can get in your head. And that's just crap. I mean, it's a crap way to think about it because it's about loving yourself. That it could be. It doesn't matter what number is in your genes or on the scale. It's about loving yourself and being in a healthy frame of mind.

Yes. And, you know, I have clients from 19 years old to 70. And so. And they're all on different journeys. You know, I. I think many of them relate to me because my struggle is real. You know, I've done this more than once. I have thought this my whole, you know, I'm trying to learn how to eat almost like a toddler. You know, I've kind of, like literally said that on a live video the other day. I said, you know, my friends, we're just, like, trying to learn how to eat. I mean, really. And so, you know, some of them have £20 to lose, and some of them have £100 to lose, and I have everything in between. And what I, you know, when you're talking about that, no matter what your size is, you know, there are many people that, you know, are in a war with their body. And I had to start talking about that really early on because everyone wants to talk about my weight loss or my diet. Well, first of all, I'm on a health journey. And so that's what I want everybody to understand, that I started this because I'm on a health journey. What I look at when I look at my clients is not how much weight they have to lose, but how much life they have to gain. Because, honestly, Pamela, the thing is, is that I know many of them have upcoming weddings. I know many of them have, you know, are, you know, have young children. I know many of them are getting ready to have their, you know, have grandchildren. And I want them to live longer, because if we are just fighting the scale or if we are just trying to get into those skinny jeans, well, you know, what is this journey really going to mean to us at the end? You know, I want to talk about your cholesterol numbers or your blood sugar levels or, you know, how much less weight is on your knees and your joints and your hips, because I think, you know, there's such a health crisis in our country, you know, with early onset diabetes and type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol and all the meds everyone's on and, you know, sleep apnea. There are so many things that happen with weight gain and when you're overweight that I'm like, you know, I'm pushing my clients because I know they want to feel better. I mean, do they want those skinny jeans on? Of course. Like, doesn't everybody want their skinny jeans on? But the thing is, but. But I'm like. But I really get them to focus on their why, like, why they're here, why they want this. And, you know, and then I talk to them about their lives because, you know, I spend a lot of time on the phone with my clients, and I. And I really. And the ones that are dedicated and the ones that really want this, they. I mean, I mean, they are thriving because they are also walking through the path of, you know, you know, how good it feels, how much better they Feel how much better they feel without all the sugar in their system or all the alcohol in their system. So, you know, I think when you're looking at body positivity, it's so multifaceted and not only is there just your body to look at, but your overall health as well.

Excellent. So, Laurie, you mentioned your food plan and I want everyone to stay to the end of this podcast because Lori will give you a link of where you can find that food plan. So, Lori, if you want to have your link ready or your email ready at the end, but tell me about that food plan. How did you come up with it? I've looked at it. It's amazing and it's one that I could follow. I have to tell you, I am like the pickiest person on the planet. Like, I'm ridiculous. When you say you have to eat like a toddler. That's pretty much me. Don't throw any textures at me. I eat like a five year old. I'm not gonna lie. I'm not proud of that. But it is what it is, right? I'm a very picky person. But I looked at your food plan and it's like, you know what, I could follow that I could modify. And I'm obviously, I'm not looking to lose weight, but I'm 52 years old. I want to be healthy. I want to be able to crawl on the floor after my grandkids. I don't want to have issues getting up and down because my hip is sore, my back is sore and all of that because I'm sorry, but when you get into your 50s, and I know that's not old by any stretch, but the metabolism goes, nah, I'm done. The joints are like, hello, here we are. It's like things hurt that never hurt before in my life. And I know it's because I don't have the proper nutrition for long term joint health and long term physical health and muscle tone. You lose so much muscle mass as you get older. And I looked at your food plan and it's phenomenal. And people, it's easy to follow. I could follow it. And seriously, people, if I can follow it, a no brainer for all of you here. How did you come up with that food plan?

Well, so like I said, I combined a lot of plans I had done in the past. And you know, it was, the thing was, is the, okay, so what we do as, as human beings is we think, okay, we're going to go on a quote unquote diet. But then what Happens is, is we just get off it when we hit our goal weight. That's why we gain it all back. And that was the thing I'm trying to avoid with giving somebody a food plan. Because the thing was, is I was losing and I was using it. And my clients, you know, all of them had to be on something. Like, I tell everyone, you know, I sell the supplements that I take, and that's kind of how this all started. And, you know, I never really planned to sell them until I saw how well it worked. And, you know, when I started with the food plan and the supplements, and I was like, hang on a second, like, I'm really onto something here. And this is something I've always wanted to do, was to help people with health struggles, weight struggles, and to really talk to people about their self worth. And, you know, it's literally like now, like, blossomed into this beautiful journey, you know, as I call 2020. It's heartbreakingly beautiful. So, you know, there's so many changes and so many things that happened. But when, you know, I. All my clients were on something. They were on keto or noom or weight watchers or they had to be on something. There is no magic pill. You have to do a little bit of work. But the other thing was, is they just kept begging. They were like, what are you exactly doing? So, you know, I was driving home at Christmas, I was going back to Tulsa, and it just hit me. I was like, where? You just need to write it down? And so I talked to my graphic designer and I said, will you help me? And she was like, oh, my gosh, yes. I would love that project. And so I wrote it all down and we made it fun. And it's pink, and it's all things happy because I was like, I want it to be happy. And. And I had some guinea pigs, you know, it's like, you know, so I've lost 65. Well, almost 70 pounds. So over 65 pounds, 43 inches in nine months. So I feel like that is a complete victory. I'm losing about five pounds at a time right now as I get closer to the goal, because I have not announced the goal. So my potential clients know, my clients know, but I really am holding that close, and 70 is not the goal. So we'll start there. But the food plan to me became really important because my clients wanted it, and I wanted them to have a livable plan that they could stay on. Because I eat out. I, you know, I eat over at other people's homes. I Cook for myself. I wanted people to have real food that they could eat every day. And how I've really broken it down is it's, you know, four, you know, it's two proteins, two, you know, two fruits, four vegetables, two protein snacks. And I even have added dairy. And, you know, I've added some dairy and. And some, you know, and I've changed the carbohydrate piece a lot. Because, you know, the thing is, is we all want to eat, you know, good food. We just have to eat smarter. And when I talked to my girls in January that actually they agreed to be like guinea pigs for me, it was really fun. They were like. And they did really well. I mean, one of them lost 11 pounds and 13 and a half inches in 30 days. And I am thrilled about those results. So, you know, when they were like, well, you're pretty flexible about this. I'm like, yes, I'm flexible because if it's not livable, you won't do it. And that's what I want more than anything. I want, you know, I want the men and women that are my clients to. To stick to this and to, like, give themselves a chance and to find a livable plan that they can use for the rest of their lives. Because what I don't want to happen is for them to, you know, to get on this journey with me and then gain it back. Because I'm like, I want this all the time. It does, it does. And it's like, I want them to have freedom from this. And if I. If I can be at any, like, if I can, you know, do anything to help them figure out how to eat long term, then that's a real victory for me because I know this.

Struggle, a weight loss journey, it has to be a lifestyle change. And when you go into this, it has to be something that you can repeat for the rest of your life. It isn't. You know, a diet to me is, okay. I've got a, you know, have an event coming up in four weeks. I'm going to lose 10 pounds. I'm going to, you know, I'm going to starve myself for a month, and then I'll lose the weight, and then I'll look good for that event. Well, right after the event is over, the ten pounds plus come back. A health journey is something that you will repeat every day for the rest of your life. It's a lifestyle. It's not a diet. So I want people to really think about that. When you go on this journey, it has to Be something that you want to do for the rest of your life. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy your glass of wine or you can't have the dessert. You just don't have the whole dessert. You just don't have the whole bottle. You have one glass of wine and then you have a lot of water. Afterwards, you have half of a dessert or you do everything in moderation. Anything excessive in your life is not healthy. No matter what it is. Everything has to be done in moderation. But the beginning stage of this, and I'm so glad to hear that you're working on positivity in the mental game of this. The emotional eating has to go away. And I think, I know I was raised where you never got together without having dessert or lunch or everything. Yes, you were entertained with food, food all the time. And to be able to still entertain with food, but in a healthy, sensible way is very doable. But eliminating the emotional eating and the self sabotage and the fear of feeling and, you know, here's another dynamic that Laurie, you and I haven't even talked about yet. I think there's a very true fear of what if I succeed?

What if I.

What if I fail? Is definitely a factor. But what if I succeed? Yeah, that's a big factor because how you are, how are the people around you, how are they going to look at you once you've succeeded? And I think, Lori, yeah. You can speak to this, I bet.

Because.

Circle are like, okay, you're not the same. You. We don't know what to do with you anymore.

Okay, well, I haven't admitted this out loud too much, but we're gonna, we're gonna admit it today. So.

Here we go.

Yeah, I love truth talk. I mean, Pamela, if anybody's gonna pull it out of me, it's gonna be you. So. And I appreciate that a lot. So, you know, my best friend came to me. He and I have been best friends for almost 30 years. And he came to me early last year and early in 2020, and he said, you're hiding behind the weight. And I had to really sit with that. And I didn't, you know, that's not something you would say out loud to somebody else. Like, like it's not something I would have said out loud. And he said, he goes, you don't want the attention. And you know, for somebody like me who is already body positive, who is already, you know, confident, who knows what she wants, who's like, worked in male dominated fields, has, you know, fought her way through the music industry. Like, I feel like I have definitely, you know, done a lot of crazy things, but the attention of a weight loss journey is hard. And I, I didn't want. I, I, I don't even really know how to explain it, but I do think people start saying to you, like, oh, you lost half yourself, or what? And I'm like, and, you know, I've. Glennon Doyle, I will go back to. I will go back to Glennon over and over and over. Glennon Doyle, if y' all have not read Untamed, go grab it right now. But Glennon Doyle said, we do not shrink women down to be less. And so that is, like, that's the hard piece for me sometimes, is that. And, you know, finally I had to flip my own way of thinking that I was not shrinking down because. And that's why I say, yeah, I'm losing weight, but I'm gaining more life because it's going to extend my life. It makes my life easier, my energy is better, all of those things. And it also will change the dynamic of your friendship group so that, you know, my, you know, I actually went over this in therapy with my therapist. You know, my friends, we are feeders and eaters. And when I said those words to her, her face was, you know, I do zoomed. I do zoom therapy. And she was so in shock, she was like, wait, wait, we gotta go through that. And I'm like, yes, because, you know, like, we love to eat together and we love to celebrate and, you know, have I still gone out with them? Absolutely. I eat differently, though. And the thing was, is that I knew for myself and what I wanted and what's next for me to not have to carry around 70 plus extra pounds was going to mean everything. So. Yes. Does it change your friend dynamic? Of course. Do you, like, am I gentle with all of them? And I tell everybody, because the other thing is, like, a lot of my friends are my clients. I'm like, I'm not the food police or the supplement police. This is your journey. And I want people to be happy no matter what. And the other thing, Pamela, not only, like, does it change, like, how the perception of you and how people look at you and how your friendship dynamics change, but they also have to be ready. And, you know, and the thing is, is I, I even have mothers that contact me a lot about their daughters. And I have to say to them, I'm like, they have to be ready, you know. You know, I have a very delicate relationship with my mom and food and, you Know, it wasn't until I sat down and I was ready. Like, I don't know why that night shirt was the, like the breaking point, but it was the breaking point. And I put that on and I was like, okay, I'm done. And that's, you know, and. But I was so ready. And, and when I sat down and I did the mental work of why I was eating, I, you know, redeveloped a food plan that I could live with and I learned how to eat out and I, you know, figured out like, you know, how to deal with food every day. Because, you know, I told you about the man at the beginning that I went to see at the 50 pound mark and nothing came of it. He decided he just wanted to be friends. And, you know, did that sting for a minute? Yes. But did I want food? No. And I think that was like one of the first times that I was like, you know, I'm not turning to food for comfort. And there's a quote by Jean and Roth that I really love, and it says, when you believe in yourself more than you believe in food, you will stop using food as if it were your only chance at not falling apart. That's so powerful. I feel that in my core, for sure.

Yes. And I think, you know, anytime you go through a giant personal growth change, whether it be about, you know, your weight loss, whether it is a career choice, whether you have decided to put boundaries around toxic people, as you change and grow, the people that are closest to you will become uncomfortable. They will have issues with your growth and change. And I think it's important for people to realize that before they start that journey. Because, you know, right now you may have a best friend who you guys go out and your activity, your socialization, is to go to the coffee shop and have a giant latte with a muffin, you know, twice a week, three times a week, or you go to, you know, Panera and you have, you know, the bagel with the cream cheese and all the things. Well, that will change because as you get on your health journey, obviously bagel and cream cheese doesn't really fit the food plan.

Right?

So you have to make adjustments and people around you will become uncomfortable with how you have changed. And I want you to remember that that change, their part of being uncomfortable is valid, but I also want you to realize that is their stuff. That is somebody else's bag to carry. It's not your responsibility to make someone else feel comfortable because they're uncomfortable with how you've grown and changed.

Well, and you know, Just. Just to speak to that a little bit is. You know, I've. You know, I. It was really a few weeks ago, probably three or four weeks ago now. I was really unsettled, like, and I couldn't. You know, I'm always, like, trying to sit with myself and figure out, like, why am I so unsettled? And. Because I'm always creating content, working with clients, selling, you know, the food plan was just getting ready to come out, and there were so many things happening, and it was because this dynamic had changed so much with so many. And I'm also, you know, as. As I sit with myself, I know myself more. I know my truth more. I am. I'm a lot stricter with my boundaries because I've spent so much time bending and changing for other people that I'm like, I'm trying to hold true to what I know now. And I. And I read a quote also, and I apologize. I don't know who this one is by, but I love this quote, and it says, the more you bring to the table, the fewer people you have to eat with. And that really sat with me as well. And when you were just talking about that, I thought about that quote because, you know, I had a girlfriend in Los Angeles that sent that to me, and it came at the perfect time when I, you know, I felt a little isolated because, you know, when you get as. When you get busy, like, doing things that you love and your life is fulfilled and others are not quite as fulfilled as you are. They don't quite. They don't share in your joy. And you have to like. And you have to be okay with that completely.

Well, and it goes back to, this is your journey. And it goes back to the fact that, Lori, you are responsible for your happiness. Happiness is an inside job. You are not responsible for somebody else's happiness. You're not responsible. To make someone else feel comfortable with LORI Losing nearly 70 pounds, that's not your responsibility. If someone is uncomfortable with the fact that you have lost 70 pounds and 43 inches, that is their issue. That's their stuff. It's not yours. And having that good, healthy boundary is so, so important. And, you know, it's interesting, I was talking to a client last night, and she said something. The effects of the people. And I'm too much for people. I'm just too much for people in my world. And I just simply said, well, you need new people.

Yes. She needs a big. She needs a different table, period.

Yeah, exactly. It's like, you need new people. If you are too much for the people that are in your life today, right now, then you need new people. You've outgrown the people that you're with. And as you grow and change to the level and the dynamic that you have, Lori, you're going to need new people in your life. And that doesn't mean you. You're not friends with the people you've always been friends with. And I'm not speaking just to you specifically, but in general, as you grow and change, you need to bring new people into your life. It's kind of like if you're the smartest person in the room, you need a new room because you want to be around people that are smarter than you, because that's how you grow personally. That's how you grow physically and mentally. There's so much truth to that. And I just wanted to. To drive that home, that as you grow and change the people around you, if they've not been on the same journey as you, you may outgrow people. And that's a little bit of a shocker. And I've seen that in husband and wives in relationships that, you know, if the wife loses 70 pounds, husband has not done any of the work, is still eating the same, is still being the same. Sometimes there's some sabotaging that happens in that relationship where, you know, she is not eating chips and dip and salsa and all the things, but yet he keeps buying that and bringing that home almost as a sabotager in that journey. And that is something that is very real, that be prepared to deal with that and know that the sabotage is not happening out of malice and out of. They want you to fail. Sabotage happens out of their own insecurities.

Yes. And, you know, it's. And I'm going to go ahead and, like, dive into this because, you know, when I talked about being fulfilled, you know, I tell Everybody that with 2020, you know, wow. I mean, there is. I love quotes all. Obviously, I've used a lot of them, but I love quotes. And one quote that I loved was that, you know, if the pandemic had never happened, this version of you would never have existed. And there is not a truer one for me right now. I literally feel that in my core. I feel that every day, because here's what I know for sure. I had no. I, like, when I started 2020, I did not know that my. My press, my precious Pressley was going to pass on January 2nd. I did not know that I would have my biggest month in valet parking that's what I did before COVID I did not know that would happen. You know, I did not know that I would be displaced for five days after a devastating tornado tore through here. I did not know that I would leave valet parking. I wouldn't have a choice. I didn't. I didn't know that I would, you know, decide to go on a health journey. And I lost 60 pounds before the end of the year and before, you know, that. I hit that in December. And I had no intentions of going into direct sales or to write a food plan or to work with clients and. Yeah, and write a book. Yeah, yeah, the book is coming. So, you know, there's so many things that have happened in 2020, and, you know, if we're going to talk about support and people like most people didn't want me to be in direct sales, you know, I'm still fighting a lot of resistance in that. And I will tell you that those clients, you know, this business, this opportunity, you know, having a reason to get up in the morning has meant everything to me, because when I was grieving, losing my job, and. And then all of a sudden, I'd lost 25 pounds and 21 inches in, you know, six weeks. I mean, the first six weeks were crazy. And that's when I was like, I'm doing this. I need a reason to get up in the morning. I miss my clients. I miss selling. I miss working with people. I miss those relationships. And, you know, I've done exceptionally well through Covid because I've built something that I love. And that was. The thing is, like, everyone, I'm an extrovert. I mean, a super extrovert. I was gone. I mean, I. I used to sell all day and work big valet events at night because I had clients, you know, all in the music industry. And, you know, I worked with CMT and CMA and ACM and I worked with celebrity homes and, you know, so I ran this fun, you know, special event boutique ballet. And, you know, the thing that was. That really got me is I thought, you know, everybody just figured that I would go back to work in sales somewhere. And I said, well, I did go back to work in sales. And what was interesting is how people didn't recognize it, but yet I have, you know, a team of 25 men and women. I have, you know, a sister team that's got probably 75 people on it. And, you know, we are up for some fantastic bonuses, you know, this month. And I have found so much freedom in this life. And the thing that, you know, when people talk to me about the Night Shirt and I, you know, we went through this in the last podcast as well. But, you know, you know, just in June, to Standing at the Kitchen Sink, the, you know, the title came to me. You know, it was, you know, I was like, this journey should be called the Night Shirt Chronicles. And I sat down that night, I bought the domain. And the website is coming. So if we're going to talk about the domain, it's coming the 1st of March. I'm very, very, very excited. So it's going to be able to find all things. We'll talk about that more in a minute. But, you know, when I think about the Night Shirt itself, it means my freedom. And, you know, because people always ask me, like, you know, what is. What does that not shirt really mean to you now? And I'm like, you know, it was. It gave me the freedom from a body that was hurting. It gave me freedom from grief of losing my job, and it gave me the freedom to own my own life. And that was. The thing is, when you think about direct sales and, you know, people, you know, sometimes have a hard time with it or they don't believe in it. You know, it's like I've built a whole brand around it because I want to offer more to my clients than just supplements. That's why I came up with the food plan. I want them to feel supported. I want them to have fun. And, you know, it's like, when I say welcome to the party, I mean it because I'm like, I'm here to make weight loss, you know, more fun and easier. And, you know, it's like, sometimes, like, weight loss will make you angry. And it's like, I don't want anybody to be angry. I want us to be happy. Because, man, like, I. And that's what I also tell everybody. And I'm like, why wouldn't I do this? You all. I want everybody to feel as good as I feel right now.

And what a. What a blessing you are to share what you're sharing, because it's a. It's phenomenal. And I knew that I have. You had to have you back because what you have, I knew. And we've talked about our history in the last time, so I'm not going.

To go into it. Yes, but I.

After watching your growth and following you, and if you're not following Lori, you have to follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

Thank you.

And join her. You have a page and what is your Instagram handle? Lori. So everyone can get off their phones and follow you.

Absolutely. So it's the Night Shirt Chronicles. So I'm sharing everything on there from the journey to non scale victories. I love to talk about non scale victories, like being able to cross my legs now or, you know, in July when I actually got, you know, the seat belt was loose when I flew home in July, you know, I love to celebrate non scale victories. You're going to see, like my weight loss journey. You're going to see great products. I am starting to promote a lot of amazing products. And that's kind of why I wanted to have the website, is that, you know, I wanted everybody to be able to go see the products that I sell. I wanted them to see like the photo journey. I want them to be able to find the food plan. I want them to be able to be, you know, find me, like, be able to get a hold of me, figure out, you know, learn more about the Not Sure Chronicles about who I am as Lori Griffin. And, you know, and not all my favorite things because, you know, when you're on a health journey, you've got to have cookware and milk frothers and we sell coffee and, you know, we have all the things that you need or, you know, it's great stationary and just fun stuff because, like, I am all about some, some fun products introducing you all to some new clients. I love art. I'm an avid art collector, so I love connecting and especially I love connecting women. And I will tell you right now, there are so many amazing women in my life and I am so blessed because, you know, Pamela, before you and I started recording today, we talked about, you know, how, you know, how it takes a tribe and, you know, it's like, you know, all of us helping each other makes all the difference in.

The world a thousand percent. Fixing one another's crowns instead of tearing down out of your own insecurity. When you have someone in your life that is tearing you down, she's not tearing you down because of who you are. She's tearing you down because of who she is and who she wants to be and who she isn't. So that's. That's always a great perspective. Okay, girl. So March 1st is when your New Law website launches, correct?

Yes. Well, I'm saying the first week in March, we're still like playing with it, but we. But I'm very excited about that. And then also I'm starting to do some great collaborations. And Saturday, March 6th, I will be announcing it. So I have a Night Shirt Chronicles. Facebook page. The Night Shirt Chronicles. I also have it on Instagram, and I'll be promoting on both. I just started Tick Tock. I don't know. We'll see. That's been a fun journey, but. Yeah, but, you know, I just. I love that platform and people are having a lot of fun with it. So, you know, I am on TikTok, but. But Saturday, March 6th, is something I'm really excited about. Another fellow Tulsa girl, Miss Kelly Mize. Holly. She is my sorority sister and she's a virtual stylist. And so I would love people to tune in and get to know Holly. I mean, Kelly. Sorry, but. So Kelly's in Tulsa. She's a virtual stylist, and I'd love for y' all to tune in and meet her. And we're going to talk about how to style while losing weight, because, you know, I'm all about feeling good all through the journey.

That's awesome. So where will you have that event on how to style while losing weight? Will it be on your Facebook page or will it be through your website?

It's actually. We're going to do it on Zoom. So I'll give everybody. Yeah, yeah. So I'm going to give everybody the same password on my poster. So. Yeah, yeah. And then we have, like, I have a newsletter, so if you all need to find me, I'm at Lori at the nightshirt chronicles.com. so it is plural. So the nightshirt chronicles.com and I. Lori is L O R I. Yes, ma'. Am.

Okay. And I'll go ahead and post your link in the description.

Thank you.

Thank you so much for people to find you. And I have to ask you, okay, the book update. Where are you at? Because I cannot wait to get my hands on that thing. I've heard so many ins and outs and little excerpts, and I'm like, for me, so I can get my hands on it.

Yes. So it was, you know, the book is like. The book is like my passion project. So, you know, I, you know, I actually thought about it this morning before we started recording. I was like, you know, I'd wanted to write a book since I was very young, and the book has now transformed. And the book will be called the Night Shirt Chronicles, because I'm talking about really all things women. A lot of experiences that I've been through. We're going to hit the hard topics, but I'm going to try to make it a little bit fun because I'm super funny. I love a little Kitsch. But I don't want to be flippant about any of it either. I think, you know, it's. There are big topics. You know, addiction has really affected my family and how people love addicts. You know, that chapter is 187 days. I was sexually assaulted a year ago. I just want to bring some light to the family fact that people are, you know, are getting sexually assaulted at all ages. And that chapter is called Violations. My mother is a breast cancer survivor, so that one is sting of the needle. You know, I went through early menopause. I think we are definitely not talking enough about menopause. And that is something I want to kick that door wide open and I want to discuss it a lot and often. And that one is called the breaking point. Because I went through at 42 and I had no idea what was going on with me. It was very. It was kind of traumatic, honestly. And, you know, we're going to go through, like familial and generational pressure about image and weight for women very young. And then we're going to talk about my favorite topic, which is what I want to talk about over and over and over. And I want to speak about it and I want to be with women with this is, you know, knowing your self worth. Because I think men start determining our self worth in adolescence. And I want to change that conversation. So the Natural Chronicles book is in progress and I'm working on it. And, you know, I hope to get it finished this first quarter. That's the goal.

Oh, my gosh. I cannot, cannot wait because I've heard so many little clips here and there, and it's. It is just so filled with everything, woman, everything we need to hear, everything we're afraid to talk about, everything that we're thinking we don't dare to say because we don't have the right community around us for us to say it. We don't have that safe place to.

Say what we need to say, feel.

What we need to feel. Oh, my gosh, Lori. Well, you knocked it out of the park once again.

Thank you. I love it. I love.

I could talk to you for probably seven days at one time and not say it all. I really feel that we have a unique, special connection. And I'm so grateful for you and grateful for the work that you're doing.

Well, thank you for having me here and thank you for sharing your community with me because I just know that every moment that I think women don't need to hear this again or, you know, everybody said this before and, and then I hear, I talk to somebody else that needs the message. And so I'm like, okay, we have to keep saying it. We have to share our communities with each other. We have to like, you know, be able to grab and, you know, gravitate and fulfill and give this information to as many women as possible. So thank you for sharing your community with me.

Absolutely. Lori. Well, friends, thank you so much again for joining us today on this episode. This has been so incredible to hear Lori's update and you have to realize that she's going to be coming back as soon as that book is ready because you all are going to want to get your hands on that book in the show notes today. I will have the website address Lori's contact information. She'll also throw in there how you can get a hold of that meal plan. It's amazing and I promise you, if I can follow it, you all can final follow it as well. And I just want to give you one quick reminder. This is your last week to sign up as a founding member for the of sake self care mastery course. Go to my website Pamela Jeanneannew life.com Founding Member it is 12 weeks of working on you, moving the needle and creating the life that you always wanted. Thank you friends. Have a great week. Thank you for joining us today on a new life podcast. We will see you time next next time.