Article from the April 2004 issue of the AANR Bulletin
(Reprinted with permission from The Bulletin)

Lisa Bonnice 

By Pete Williams
AANR Staff Writer

Like many people, Lisa Bonnice has tried to lose a few pounds, 70 to be exact. She tried popular diets and visited doctors and other so-called experts before applying her own background in metaphysics to tackle the issue. The result is her first book, the amusingly-titled "Addressing the Goo," which besides offering a different vantage point for weight loss, diet and nutrition also explains how nudism fosters a better body image. The book's publication in October was the product of a long journey that's taken Bonnice, 43, across the country through careers as a stand-up comic, humor columnist, television reporter and, most recently, a stint as an affiliate writer for MSNBC.com.

Over the last 20 years, she's studied metaphysics, the branch of philosophy that attempts to understand the fundamental nature of all reality, whether visible or invisible. For many people, metaphysics means late-night psychics and touchy-feely, new age theories. Bonnice says the field does tend to attract its share of eccentrics, but that metaphysics is based more on science than abstract thinking. 

"You see these new age gurus on TV and there's a tendency to think, 'What a flake,'" Bonnice says. "But I encourage people to learn the basics of metaphysics. If you don't agree with it, fine, but at least understand what it's all about."

One of the basic tenets of metaphysics is that one's reality is based on
thoughts and actions. That understanding, Bonnice says, is vital to losing
weight. 

"It's not 'you are what you eat,' it's 'you are what you think,'" Bonnice says. "We create our lives and bodies through our thoughts. What we think is what we become. How we live now creates our future. If you gain weight, it's because of choices you made and the thoughts you have. You created that body. By changing thoughts, you can change your body." 

Bonnice says nudism has helped her accept her body and appreciate the promotion of body acceptance, as opposed to the body image promoted by the media and Hollywood. Body acceptance sometimes contradicts the idea of self-improvement, but Bonnice says the key is to create a body for health reasons, not just for aesthetics. 

"Whether you lose weight or not, you have to feel good in your own skin," says Bonnice, who has lost 40 pounds in recent years and hopes to lose 30 more. "If you weigh 400 pounds and feel good about it, that's great but you need to think of your health. The reason I want to lose 30 pounds is not for looks, but because I don't want to have a heart attack. I want to be healthy. When I'm 70, I want to still be able to move around and be active."

She's moved around a lot already. Born in Detroit, she's spent most of her life in Fort Wayne, Ind., but also has lived in Milwaukee, Chicago and Los Angeles before settling in Florida, in part because of the nudist community. 

When she and her longtime fiancé, Jeff, drove to Florida in January of 2003, the plan was to visit various resorts before deciding where to live. They stopped first at Gulf Coast Resort, just north of Tampa, and have never left, though they have visited resorts throughout Florida and North America. 

The couple got their first taste of nudism in the early 1990s after moving to California to pursue careers in entertainment. Jeff dragged Lisa to San Onofre State Beach near San Diego, promising her that it would not look like a scene from "Baywatch."

"We drove up to the guard station and asked where the nude beach was," Bonnice said. "The guard got a stern look on his face and said, 'There's no nude beach around here.' Then he winked and said, 'But if there was one, it would be down trail number six." 

Bonnice was delighted to find people of all shapes and sizes, including a woman with one breast noticeably smaller than the other. "I loved that she was as comfortable as everyone else," she says. 

Nudists at the beach told them about Glen Eden Sun Club and the couple ended up camping there for six months, making a long commute to Beverly Hills. Bonnice worked as a writer and editor during the day and as a stand-up comic at night.

It was part of a seven-year stint that often involved traveling the country, working late nights for minimal pay in smoky hotel bars and hole-in-the-wall comedy clubs. Bonnice had it especially tough since comedy club owners tend to look upon women as not as funny as male comics. Bonnice, who previously worked as a waitress in comedy clubs, says it was a difficult stereotype to overcome.

"With women, there's automatically this dismissive vibe," she says. "People think women can't possibly be funny." Between the travel and the constant grind of dealing with club owners and agents, Bonnice soured on comedy, though she has fond memories of the experience. She often appeared on the same bill as fellow Midwestern comedian Tim Allen, who had yet to be cast on "Home Improvement." She worked in Atlanta with Jeff Foxworthy, best known for his "You might be a redneck" routines.

She never lost the love of performing and hopes to parlay her experience on the stand-up circuit, along with her expertise on nudism and weight loss into a role as a motivational speaker. 

"When you're speaking in front of an audience and really have them interested, it's the most alive you'll ever feel," she says.

Bonnice has two grown children from a previous marriage and two grandchildren. She and Jeff plan to marry in August after 15 years together. By then they hope to be in the midst of a cross-country tour, staying at nudist resorts while fulfilling a slate of speaking engagements. The benefit of nudism is a recurring theme in her talks. 

"I feel better about myself being around other nude people, especially women," she says. "It's healthy to see people that don't look like those on TV. It keeps me from hating myself or going crazy with diets to reach a goal that's totally unrealistic. So many women think they can't go to a nude beach or resort because they're fat and worry about what people would think. Even if you're tremendously overweight, nudists don't care."

Bonnice is excited about her upcoming travel venture, even if the details have yet to work themselves out. After all, metaphysics has taught her that solutions are everywhere. 

When she arrived at Gulf Coast, she had yet to find a publisher for her book, which is now available through normal book channels and through Bonnice's Web site: www.addressingthegoo.com. 

While sunning by the pool, she struck up a conversation with a woman who turned out to be a book publisher that specialized in working with self-published authors. A second edition is now in the works. 

"I had no idea she lived there," Bonnice says. "But that's kind of how the universe works. You decide what you want and it's amazing what happens. Your thoughts become your reality."

© 2004 AANR Bulletin