A Beautiful New You: Inspiration and Practical Advice to Transform Your Looks and Your Life-- A Total Makeover Without Cosmetic Surgery [Paperback]

Laura DuPriest (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 2005

Give yourself a real extreme makeover from the inside out!

Is all the stress of taking care of your family, home, and work starting to show on your face? Is your waistline increasing while your energy and patience levels decrease? Are you ready to make a change but aren’t sure how to do it? A Beautiful New You is about more than getting the right haircut or dressing to look ten pounds thinner. A former model turned beauty expert who rescued herself from being overweight, frumpy, and tired all the time, Laura DuPriest is a source of invaluable advice for anyone who wants to improve herself, just as she did—without cosmetic surgery! She knows firsthand what it’s like to let yourself (and your appearance) get lost in the grind of daily life. In her hand-holding inspirational guide, Laura reaches out to women just like you who are ready to reconnect with the person they truly want to be.

For years Laura has made it her mission, through her salon and weekly TV makeovers, to help hundreds of women who know the pressures of today’s fast-paced life and have little time and energy to devote to their own well-being, but want to look and feel better. Included in A Beautiful New You are the heartwarming stories from women whom Laura has helped, along with their astonishing before and after makeover photos. Just like these women who have embraced Laura’s six-step program, you too can feel empowered to change and improve every aspect of your life and become a beautiful new you.

•Does your exterior show that you take pride in yourself? Your self-esteem is communicated to others through your appearance.

•Come up with a dream look by collecting photos from magazines that will help you stay focused on the new you. Keep a journal of your moods and thoughts to recognize just what is holding you back and what is keeping you going.

•Create a simple makeup routine, allow time for exercise, and go to bed earlier—the time you spend on yourself will benefit everyone around you.

• Give yourself permission to be the best version of yourself: happy, confident, and proud. Treat yourself with the same care and kindness as you give to others around you.You deserve to look and feel beautiful!

Laura shows you how to reclaim your beauty—both inner and outer. Each step features real-life makeovers and moving personal stories of women who have transformed their appearance—and discovered a whole new positive attitude in the process. Stop wasting time making excuses—let A Beautiful New You help you bring out your best.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Laura DuPriest is an author, television personality, former fashion model, and internationally recognized beauty expert with more than two decades of experience in the highly competitive salon and day spa industry. She is the author of Natural Beauty: Salon Secrets at Home.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter 1 STEP ONE

Your Awakening

“Like anyone else, there are days when I feel beautiful and

days when I don’t. When I don’t, I do something about it.”

—cheryl tiegs



1



Your Epiphany

“Your life changes the moment you make a new, congruent, committed decision.”

—Anthony Robbins

It was my son Tony’s ninth birthday party and I remember feeling excited and a little giddy because I was throwing the party at a local amusement park. The gathering was going to be small, just my immediate family and a few friends, so throwing on a pair of shorts and tennis shoes was an easy decision. As I pawed through my dresser drawers looking for my favorite, comfy khakis, I smiled in anticipation of the time off from work to ride a roller coaster or Ferris wheel with my boys. I enthusiastically stepped into my shorts, pulled them up to button them. Looking down, I could clearly see the two-inch gap between the button and the buttonhole. Hmmmm. I pulled the waistband up higher, and sucked it in. With great determination and effort, I managed to secure the button and hoist the zipper up halfway. I heaved in a heavy sigh. My zipper had been flying at half-mast for the past few months. But I had a party to attend so I shook it off with my old standby thinking that the washer had caused the garment to shrink. Yeah, that was it. Next time I’ll remember to wash with cold water! I grabbed a baggy sweatshirt and a jeans jacket to cover the gaping zipper and hurried off to celebrate.

My boys and I arrived at the park before the rest of the family in order to set the table and decorate. As I watched my two young sons pass out plates and cups, pride swelled up in me; I was impressed with their helpful nature and pleased that they were bright, polite, and handsome little boys. Soon, bits and pieces of my very large family trickled in, including my parents, Grandma and Grandpa. As my dad got closer I could see his frown and his stare just above my forehead. He was trying to size up the way he felt about my hair color. It was canary yellow. My natural color was a deep brown. I had just had it bleached at my salon, thinking that it would make me look chic, fashionable, and hip. The cut was new as well, very short and kind of spiky, another brainstorm of mine to make me look modern.

My father, being a very honest and passionate man, has no problem expressing himself. “What have you done to your hair, and why did you do it?” I felt as if I was in an I Love Lucy episode, only Ethel wasn’t there to share the humiliation. “I decided to go blond!” I declared proudly. I looked from his scowl to my mom, hoping to get some encouragement or approval. She looked as if she was in pain, not knowing whether to soothe me by contradicting my father’s opinion or to be honest and hurt my feelings. She took the diplomatic route, “It’s a change . . . uh, something different!” Dad’s scowl turned into a roll of the eyes. Again, I brushed off the sinking feeling of self-doubt and attributed the remarks to Dad being a fuddy-duddy. (Anyway, I thought, men like blond hair!)

The afternoon proved to be a blast as twelve wild kids scurried around the amusement park with nine parents in tow. Eventually we all ended up seated around a big table eating cake and ice cream. As I enjoyed my second serving of cake, I felt the eyes of one of my brothers upon me. I looked up to find him staring blankly at me. “What?” I asked. John shook his head and said, “I’ve never seen you fat; you don’t even look like you.” My brother is not a mean person so his comment didn’t impact me at the moment. I just smiled and began cleaning up. Even with three strikes against me that day, I sluffed it off. To me, I was okay, fine, perfect. I had no clue about how I looked to my family or anyone else. I quite frankly was too busy to notice or focus on my reality. The only conclusion I arrived at was that my pants were too tight, especially after my cake feast. I made a mental note to shop the next day for some shorts that would fit. Perhaps I would choose a size larger so the washer wouldn’t play that evil game with me again.

Tony’s birthday party should have been an awakening for me because of the bombardment of negativity, but I had been perfecting the art of ignoring myself and making the best of things. For seven years, I’d been raising my children alone and devoting my days (and nights) to running my own business, focusing on making a living for my family, not the reflection I saw in the mirror. Deep down, I knew that reflection had undergone some dramatic and negative changes from head to toe, but I had become an expert at denial and self-neglect. Why should a frown from my dad, a negative comment from my brother, or a pair of tight shorts get me down? My standard MO was to simply ignore it and press on with life. Solve the problem. Buy new pants.

There was nothing on my agenda the following day, a Sunday, except to be a couch potato and shop for pants that fit. In the late afternoon, I headed out alone to the Target store a few blocks from my house. In the past, I would shop for 8’s or 10’s by holding the garments up to my waist and guessing if they would fit. (I despised trying on clothes in the fitting room.) After surfing the racks for some size 10 jeans, I quickly assessed that they were not even close to reaching across the front of my body. Next I tried 12’s, then 14’s. Wow, I thought to myself, their sizes must be really screwed up! I headed into the dressing room with the evil size 14 jeans. I grabbed the 12’s as well . . . hoping . . . praying. Before I slipped out of my shorts, I made sure the curtain was completely closed, determined to keep secret what I was about to find out. Even before I could get the size 12 jeans up past my knees I knew it would be impossible to zip them up. I kicked them off and quickly tried on the 14’s. The pressure of the denim on my thighs was almost as humiliating as the flattening of my beefy tush. I looked in the mirror and realized what my body actually looked like. Puffy, swollen, lumpy, and just plain old HUGE. Slowly I turned around, bent over slightly, and looked over my shoulder to get the real view of my backside. My neck got warm and I started to feel the panic. Swiftly, I scrambled out of the jeans as if they were on fire and left them in a heap on the floor. As I left the store I began comparing myself to all the other women who were strolling the aisles. Many of the others looked the same as me, plumpish and plain, some in sweats and baseball caps. That didn’t make me feel any better. They made me see more clearly what I looked like. My pace quickened as I headed for my car, and it was as if someone or something was chasing me or attacking me. The hot feeling at the back of my neck turned into a full body sweat. I was having a panic attack. Fear and dread washed over me in a flood. I pointed the car toward the freeway and headed to my parents’ house. I would seek comfort and approval from my mom.

The thirty-minute drive out to my folks’ house was agonizing. I bit my lower lip and stole glances at myself in the rearview mirror. My brother’s words from the day before haunted me—he didn’t recognize me anymore. The mirror reflected the image of my chubby face, my double chin, and my freaky-looking haircut. My complexion appeared dull and colorless. My eye color used to be a brilliant blue. Now, it was a faded gray. I looked completely washed out because of the peculiar, baby-chick-yellow hair color. My brother was right. I didn’t look like myself. Not at all.

“Stop looking in the mirror,” I told myself and pressed on. I needed my mom. My mother is the sweetest person in the world. Just being around her makes people feel good. I didn’t forewarn her that I was coming; I just showed up in her kitchen. As she turned to me I asked, “Mom, do I look like a size 14?” (I didn’t really want the truth; I just wanted her to make me feel better.) Her hesitation was all the information I needed. She gazed down from my face to my body and back up again. “Yes, sweetie, you do.” It was at that moment, I had my epiphany. I gave my mom a hug and headed home. It was a long, quiet drive.

Your Epiphany

If you are like me, you may not have realized how far you slipped off the beauty path until you get back on track to the radiant beauty you used to be. It took trying to squeeze into a pair of tight jeans to snap me into reality. Prior to that day, I was blazing through life too busy to look at what I was presenting to the world. Perhaps you have already had your “tight jeans” moment. Or you developed a roll of film and were aghast at what you saw. Perhaps you’ve received a comment or nudge from your family and maybe the remarks caused you to feel hurt. What was your epiphany?

Many women I have counseled experienced a panic attack based on a moment or event such as I did. The word epiphany comes from the Greek word epiphaneia, “appearance.” A realization. An acute awareness. The epiphany marks the point of no return. Enough is enough. Experiencing your epiphany may have taken place in a blink of an eye, or it may have involved a slower process of realization. In either case, recognizing or experiencing this pivotal moment can swiftly turn into motivation.

j COLLEEN’S STORY

Colleen Morgan remembers her epiphany, the exact moment she realized she had to change her life. She and her family were watching their video of Easter morning. Looking at herself on the TV screen gave Colleen a perspective of how others viewed her. Colleen saw a 475-pound woman who did not match her self-image. She di...

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press (March 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400054761
• ISBN-13: 978-1400054763
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.6 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #230,196 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book to Inspire You Back to Yourself, May 23, 2006

By 

Tammy Maher "www.familyfare.blogspot.com" (El Dorado Hills, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Beautiful New You: Inspiration and Practical Advice to Transform Your Looks and Your Life-- A Total Makeover Without Cosmetic Surgery (Paperback)

I shelved self help books years ago until I let myself go too far away from myself. Laura DuPriest, like me, already walked this road and now she is guiding me back to the woman I once was with "A Beautiful New You". Honestly, she takes you by the hand and gently shows the reader, through her book, no matter how far you've gone away from yourself, you can come back, at any age! The pictures alone speak for the content of the book. Laura's 'before' picture shows a loving woman hiding underneath layers of self doubt - but watch out. In her 'after' picture, she comes out like a phoenix ascending from the ashes - looking breathtakingly 20 years younger. She writes simply and honestly from her heart. Her client stories are as compelling as her own. I love this book because it speaks to my own journey back as I now undertake it. For all those beautiful 40-60 year old women who remember the energy and vitality of their youth and want to reclaim their inner and outer beauty, your mentor has written a guide and provided you with a map. Now get to it! Get this book.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Motivating a Change, July 19, 2005

By 

Beth Noble (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Beautiful New You: Inspiration and Practical Advice to Transform Your Looks and Your Life-- A Total Makeover Without Cosmetic Surgery (Paperback)

I loved this book!. I'm 40 this year and after struggling with my much weight and not feeling as good about myself as I would like too, the stories and advice in this book were hugely motivating. It was very refreshing to read the words of real people and how they used Laura's methods to achieve success, not the words of a celebrity author just trying to make more money. This is not just another fad diet book that falls short of a permanent change. Been there, done that. Also, the beauty and styling tips are great, especiall the section on eyes and eyebrows. If you are in your 30's or 40's a bit overweight and looking for a change -- I recommend you read this!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Make-Up Tips, April 16, 2005

By 

Lori Watson (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Beautiful New You: Inspiration and Practical Advice to Transform Your Looks and Your Life-- A Total Makeover Without Cosmetic Surgery (Paperback)

"I thought this was a great book. Laura DuPriests' stories were
inspirational but what I loved most was the "how to" advice -- The tips made make-up application easy to figure out and work wonders on my appearance.
I've been getting lots of compliments lately and for me that's very motivating. I think it's great that an excersize,nutrition and lifestyle section's in there for total well being. I'm tackling that now and I not only look better but feel better too.
I am a busy mother of two and I have a really hard time finding or making time for myself. After reading Laura's book I realized more than ever that is not good for me, or my family. I also loved her make-up tips and tricks, especially those having to do with eye and brow makeup. The book is a good read. It made me feel like lots of other people get stuck in a rut and there successes gave me inspiration. A couple of the stories brought tears to my eyes.
I think I'll try her other book."

Lori Watson