Documenting Weight Loss Journey with Shanna Clark | jlritt.com

Today I am blogging a little bit of a different kind of content than my usual baby bumps and newborns. If anyone personally knows me, they know that I am hugely passionate about two things: my photography and health + fitness. Over the last year and a half I have been tirelessly working on my own health and weight loss journey, which yielded an 87 pound weight loss and over 117 inches – but that’s a whole other blog post coming. My point being, I know the struggles that women (and men) face when starting their weight loss journeys. Struggles can be found along the entire path from sugar cravings, plateaus, injuries, being limited on your range of exercises due to past surgeries (or even due to your current size), nothing in your closet fits because you’ve lost so much weight but still are unable to fit into the next size down, to even just being sick and tired of eating chicken and broccoli.

I know almost every struggle there is, but what I wanted to focus on in this new series is the fact that there are many many ways to “lose weight,” but the ones that stick are the ones that consist of a healthy diet and exercise. You can achieve that on many different paths with everything from working with a nutritionist and a personal trainer, fasting, and sometimes when all other avenues have been exhausted you just need to look at surgery options like VSG or gastric bypass. All of these stories are incredibly personal to me as these are some very amazing women in my life that God has allowed me to call “friends.” But the second point of this series is to SHOW them they ARE beautiful every step of the way, no matter their size and no matter how far along in their journey that they are. I want this series to send a message of HOPE and be a beacon of inspiration and motivation to others. If we can spark the fire for even just one person to feel they are worthy enough to take control of their health, then all of this is worth it to me.

The first amazing lady that I’d like to introduce you to is Shanna. I met this wonderful lady through a mutual friend, that happens to be my personal trainer, at a Bible Study she was hosting at her house. Upon meeting Shanna, she just radiated confidence and natural beauty. You could tell she loved the Lord and just had to be an amazing momma to someone. Then I found out she was the momma to TEN incredibly lucky children and my already high impression of her rose about another 20 notches. Her story is like so many of ours and I hope you enjoy watching her journey as I document it through portraits over the next year.

Shanna writes:
When Jennifer asked me if she could photograph me during the process of my weight loss journey, I was honest with her. I told her that I was excited and that I was terrified.

On one hand, who wouldn’t want the opportunity to be the subject of such a talented photographer? And I love being a part of Jennifer’s mission to encourage women to strive to be the best versions of themselves, but to also not lose sight of the fact that they are beautiful in every part of their journey.

On the other hand, I’ve avoided cameras that weren’t craftily held at flattering angles and heavily filtered for years. To be in front of Jennifer’s camera now requires a new level of vulnerability for me. I’m not comfortable in my skin. I can look at any one of the many women — who come in all shapes and sizes — that I’m blessed to know and give you a long list of both physical and spiritual traits about them that I know to be beautiful. But when I look in the mirror, I’m not so kind.

You see, you’re not exactly meeting me at the beginning of my weight loss journey. Gaining and losing weight has been less of a journey and more of a way of life. I’m a mama to ten amazing children. And each time my body bloomed with new life, curves and flesh and stretch marks were added. Sometimes some of those curves would be worked away before a new baby came and sometimes they wouldn’t. Then once my years of pregnancy came to an end, a new era of stress and age and hormones added curves and flesh and lines.

In all this time I’ve been working to find a balance of giving myself proper nutrition and building a body that is healthy. I’ve taken group classes at the YMCA and ran half-marathons. I’ve found community in a CrossFit gym, a love for weightlifting, and a hatred of burpees. I’ve discovered that I’d rather be strong than skinny. I’ve also learned about macros and water intake and eliminating sugar and what supplements my body needs. And I’ve struggled. And I’ve thrived. My weight has gone up and it’s gone down.

My weight is up now. So it’s time for a new leg of my journey.

This time I’m working with a personal trainer and nutritionist for accountability. But the premise is essentially the same as always…track my food, eat better, move more.

My goals are, of course, to lose weight and to gain strength. But I also have another goal…one that will likely be even harder to achieve.

As I nervously accepted Jennifer’s request to photograph me, I came to a realization. The truth is that it isn’t just about weight. Even when I was thin, even when I was strong… Even then, I didn’t feel comfortable in my skin. Actually, I can’t remember a time when I ever felt comfortable in my skin.

So this is my new goal… To be kind to myself and to be grateful for the body that God has given me. To look in the mirror and see beauty each step of the way.

If you’re looking for a Louisville Kentucky Headshot Photographer or want to document your weight loss journey, then I would love to invite you to schedule a no-obligation consultation and studio tour. You can do so by emailing me at Hello@jlritt.com or by submitting a contact form HERE.

More about Jennifer Rittenberry

Jennifer Rittenberry Photography is an award winning photographer based out of Mount Washington Kentucky. She has been photographing clients throughout the greater Louisville area since 2010 and acquired a brick and mortar studio space in the heart of downtown Mount Washington in May 2017. Jennifer is passionate about her work and strives to achieve the highest level of excellence in her photography, which has earned her a Click PRO status with Clickin Moms Magazine and elite membership with NAPCP. She is also a published artist with NAPCP (National Association of Professional Child Photographers) for her 2017 Rainbow Baby Maternity Series, TAoPAN Magazine in the 2017 Multiples Issue for her newborn twins artistry and again in 2018 for her Rainbow Babies artwork, Beauty & Lifestyle Mommy Magazine and Newborn Photographer Magazine, as well as named 2016 Parent’s Choice Award winner for her fine art portraiture. Located in Central Kentucky, her new studio is only 6 minutes from the Gene Snyder Freeway off the Bardstown exit, and only 6 minutes outside of Louisville. Jennifer Rittenberry Photography session fees can be found on the website but detailed pricing and availability may be requested by email using the contact form.

You are welcome to connect with Jennifer Rittenberry Photography by following her work on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER so you can be the first to know about any upcoming portrait specials, mini session events, and other news!

We are located at 1200 North Bardstown Road – Suite 1-A, Mount Washington, KY 40047. Get in touch at (502) 523-2180!