The Downside to Fitness Life – Saratoga Springs | Albany | Troy | New York – Boudoir

We have so many clients who workout and live a true fitness lifestyle.  I find it super admirable becasue the commitment it takes to that lifestyle is something to be really proud of….but too often, we have clients come in who have expressed to us how the lifestyle and competitions affected them due to the pressures.  I encourage you to read what this amazing client wrote below and remember to be kind to yourselves (as well as proud of yourselves) as you work on yourselves!

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“That fierce woman deep within me, whom I’ve only seen glimpses of, is a very difficult one to find. Only the rarest of occasions have dragged her out; the girl who is confident and as loving to herself as she is to others. The second I met Lindsay and Randi, I knew if there was any chance to bring that girl out, they could do it. And they did exactly that.

I have suffered from Body Dysmorphic Disorder since I was very young. This disorder has hindered so much of my potential in many settings. So many lost opportunities due to a distorted perception and self
doubt. Cognitive therapy has been a useful treatment, but I eventually realized that for me personally the only way to truly battle this disorder that had left me feeling like a hideous monster nearly my entire life,
was to throw myself directly into the fire. I wanted a life in which I didn’t hate everything about myself. The life everyone deserves. To be happy and accepting of myself. Tired of always obsessing over my flaws and being defeated by the “monster” in the mirror I faced my greatest fears.

I embarked on a fitness journey and later began competing as an NPC bikini competitor where  willingly subjected myself to actual criticism of my appearance. My living hell. This required every ounce of my strength and I thought this might destroy me completely at times, but eventually I noticed my thought process was changing. The negative thoughts became less and less. My physical transformation led to a mental transformation. In turn, this prepared me with the courage needed to try another challenge that my former self would have never considered.

I had always wanted to do a boudoir photo shoot. There is nothing more feminine and sexy to prove to yourself you are just that. Although I have never thought of myself as someone who would be considered “model” material, I always wondered what it felt like to be that beautiful women in front of the camera. If there was anytime in my life I’d be ready to do it, it would be at this point when I’ve spent years sculpting my body and felt the most accepting of myself I have ever felt. I came across the LRP web site and promptly emailed Lindsay before self doubt took over. Even via email, I could feel her energy and warmth. I knew she was the right one for the job.

I showed up to my styling appointment with Randi and met her and Lindsay for the very first time. That day I met two of the most kind-hearted, passionate women I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. I arrived, nervous and shaking, mentally reminding myself to hold it together and pretend to be confident. I was worried they would see nothing workable with me. In contrast, they surrounded me with such incredible
energy and love, it wasn’t long before I lost the jitters and intentions to “pretend”, because they made me feel so beautiful and special I had no reason to put on an act. It was real. Just like them.

The day of my shoot, I was shockingly calm because the level of trust I was able to establish with these ladies in such a short time was remarkable. I have spent much of my life avoiding photos and there I
was, following their directions and letting go of my insecurities. I didn’t worry about the width of my waist, the shape of my face, my spider veins or all of the other flaws my mind likes to blow out of proportion. I no longer cared about looking perfect. I simply just wanted to see me as I was with no restraints. Me as I’ve never seen before. This could not have been possible without the ability of these women to show other women how to open up and love themselves. This allowed for an incredible collection of art I will cherish for the rest of my life, not to mention an experience I’ll remember forever. These ladies gave me a gift I can never repay. They showed me what it’s like to feel beautiful, to be powerful, to be sexy, and to be me. Everyone deserves to feel this way. But this was so much more than posing in sexy photos. For me, this was an incredible leap of faith as well as reward to myself for never giving up. This will continue to heal my wounds for the rest of my life <3″ ~ Mrs. H.

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