Metamorphosis: The Website and I

 

Lisa in her first shoot!
Lisa in her first Magazine shoot!

β€œJust when the caterpillar thought her world was over,

she became a butterfly.”

I have always felt connected to science, transformation, and especially to the process by which fuzzy caterpillars become butterflies. Butterflies and their metamorphosis were even the focus of my Bat Mitzvah speech at the age of thirteen. I just did not realize it would take me three more decades to fill my own wings!

Change has been good to me. I have been evolving from having a fixed mindset to a more growth-based model, and from a heavy, single girl unsure of what to do next, to a sassy skinny married one who is a traveler, teacher, blogger, now appearing in a major women’s magazine!

Lisa getting Styled with Kristina Van Dyk
Styled with Kristina Van Dyk

Not only have I changed; now our blog has undergone a shift. We have joined our two web sites and left both Weebly and Blogger for the widely used WordPress. I hope you enjoy our new and improved site. Please send us your comments as we continue to finalize all the parts and pieces.

This transformation requires support. I must personally thank many of my friends, family members and mentors and would like to publicly recognize our website Advisory Council, including: Kit Herring of The Backpacker’s Handbook, Dave Thompson, Dave’s Travel Corner, and Dr. JessieVoigts and Ed Forteau from Wandering Educators. Also the technical wizard on our team, Ateeq Khan. Without them we would not be ready for this next step!

I also want to thank First for Women Magazine for including me in their story and the capable team that prepared me for my first Magazine photo shoot!

How fun!

My First for Women Magazine Photo Shoot Team:

Photographers: Amy and Stuart

Stylist: Krystina Van DykΒ  (Banana Republic Gemma Wrap Dress, Laura Elizabeth Jewelry )

Hair : Stefanie Cuesta for Fiore Beauty

Make-up: Phoebe Ogan for Fiore Beauty

Hair Color: Mark LaRocco at the Beauty Collection

Thank you for joining us on our travels and for your enthusiastic support of our blogging journey!

First for Women Magazine

Lisa Ellen Niver

Lisa Niver is an award-winning travel expert who has explored 102 countries on six continents. This University of Pennsylvania graduate sailed across the seas for seven years with Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Renaissance Cruises and spent three years backpacking across Asia. Discover her articles in publications from AARP: The Magazine and AAA Explorer to WIRED and Wharton Magazine, as well as her site WeSaidGoTravel. On her award nominated global podcast, Make Your Own Map, Niver has interviewed Deepak Chopra, Olympic medalists, and numerous bestselling authors, and as a journalist has been invited to both the Oscars and the United Nations. For her print and digital stories as well as her television segments, she has been awarded three Southern California Journalism Awards and two National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards and been a finalist twenty-two times. Named a #3 travel influencer for 2023, Niver talks travel on broadcast television at KTLA TV Los Angeles, her YouTube channel with over 2 million views, and in her memoir, Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty.

26 responses to “Metamorphosis: The Website and I

    1. Jessie,
      Thanks so much for reading, commenting and for all your support. I really appreciate it! Lisa

    1. Stacey, Thank you so much! I really appreciate your comments!!
      I cannot wait to write up our interview and share your books with more students around the globe! Lisa

  1. Lisa – I’m very impressed with the before and after shots . . . especially the AFTER! Also think the website looks great. Keep up the great work . . .

    1. Rainer,
      Thanks so much for reading and commenting! That is a big compliment from you–your site is incredible!! Cant wait to see where both our adventures take us next!! Enjoy the big apple! Lisa

  2. Lisa,
    What an amazing transformation! It goes to show that eating well+exercise+determination =successful weight loss.

    1. Carl, Thanks so much!! I agree you have to eat well, exercise and BE DETERMINED!!! Hope to see you soon! Lisa

    1. Julie, Thank you so much for all your support on my weight loss journey. You really made a difference! Thanks! Lisa

  3. Great work on the website transformation. I never saw the old one, but it’s only been 3 weeks since my blog underwent a complete revamp and it takes a lot of work and dedication. Keep up the good work πŸ™‚

  4. Great looking. I am just in the process of learning WordPress. Currently my site is on Intuit but WordPress gets much better reviews. Now I am looking for some sort of reference guide (yes, a real old-fashioned book that I can hold in my hands) to learn all the intricacies of the program.

  5. Hi Lisa, I am so inspired by your story of transformation! In January my husband and I are setting out on our own around-the-world-trip. As we get prepared I realize that my out of shape, 170lb frame will hold me back and limit the experiences I can have on the trip. At only 5’4″ I know that 20-30lbs will make a huge difference and I am trying to make that happen. As you know though, it’s hard to just start and stick to it. Any tips or suggestions you have would be great! I have already eliminated all added sugars and have limited my natural sugars and carbs, but hearing what worked for you would be a great help. Also, did any of the weight loss happen while you were traveling?

    1. Danielle, Hello! It is great to hear from you! I wish you a fantastic journey! YES I did lose much of the weight on the trip. You mentioned changes in your diet. Have you added more exercise? I highly recommend checking in with a medical professional that you trust for great suggestions but honestly for me, I ate less and walked more. Our memoir, Traveling in Sin, just launched on Amazon and may offer more ideas about our trip and my weight loss! Enjoy the trip! We will be waiting to hear more about it! Lisa

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