Week 2 Weigh In 7.25.11

KATIE
This week was so much smoother.  We traveled back home from Charleston Wednesday and it's much easier for me to get in to a routine when I'm back home. I journaled every day this week, but only got in two work outs.  My eating was under control MOST of the week. The two exceptions to that were Saturday evening and yesterday's lunch. Saturday we were at Lake Hartwell with friends.  Unfortunately, in my younger years, going to the lake meant a lot of beer and a lot of yummy snacks...all day long.  Although that's not our lifestyle anymore, the associations are still there.  It was easy to skip the beer because I was driving.  However, my mind wanted to make up for the missing beer with extra food.  Luckily, the people we were with pulled food out only at MEAL TIMES....I know! What a crazy concept... food at meal times...hmmm. Their good habits provided some dignity for me.  However, when we sat down to dinner (grilled steak/chicken, corn, pasta, rice, caesar salad) I completely overdosed.  I tried to eat plenty of fruit but definitely had an extra serving (or two) of the steak. I love steak.  Yesterday, we had mexican for lunch with some church friends.  On a good day, I would avoid the chips.  I did not.  On a good day, I would order chicken soft tacos.  I did not. I had steak fajitas with all the fixins.  On the flip side of that disaster, though, I did try to eat very little the rest of the day to try to balance out that huge calorie intake.  A Weight Watchers instructor once told me that if you have more good days than bad, you'll probably have a good weigh in.  I guess she was right....or else my goofs this past weekend will show up in next week's weigh :)  Goal this week:  MORE WATER and a complete journal.

Week 2 Weigh In:  176.8
Loss this week:  3.2 lbs
Total loss: 1.8 lbs

WHITNEY
First of all, way to go Katie! 3lbs is a great loss & I think it's going to stick!

Well, you already know that I have been struggling a bit this week on the emotional side. The second half of the week has been better but I think just realizing that some old demons were still haunting me was a bit discouraging. But, not even realizing they were there has kept me on the same weight loss/gain roller coaster for a long time. So, though it's difficult this truth is a gift and the key to freedom! That is my goal - freedom from obsessing about food and weight. I've been told that my honesty has made some of you uncomfortable - that maybe I'm sharing too much. I'm afraid I can't apologize. But feel free not to read. The point of this blog is to reach my freedom goal. I plan to do whatever it takes and I pray that hopefully it leads someone else to the same place of freedom. So many live a secretive tortured life with food issues. Secrets are no longer secrets if they're brought out of the darkness and into the light. So, I'm letting the light shine in every cobweb-filled corner.

On to the practical. I was very discouraged this morning when I stepped on the scale and it told me I had only lost 2 tenths of a pound. Really!?! I wanted to cry and just give up! I was expecting at least 2 pounds. I worked out hard 3 times this week, albeit not as many times as I wanted to, but I'm doing Couch to 5k and also Jillian Michaels, "Ripped in 30". I also logged in every single thing I put in my mouth, even if it was 3 rice crackers. I was under my calorie/fat goal every day. ...But, I was also 1,000 calories or under 3 days this week.  Maybe God is helping me by not allowing a weight loss pay off for not eating enough? Ha. It's not healthy & I must stop. My goals this week are: Not to give up because of the scale!! GET UP EARLY and work out 5 days this week. (This is soooo hard for me but if I get up early and work out first thing I am much more consistent.) Eat all 1400 calories each day.

Week 2 Weigh In: 174.4
Lost this week: .2
Total loss: .2     :(

Brutal Honesty

It's Whitney. Not feeling too great emotionally today. Just an overall feeling of sadness and defeat. How uplifting to read, right?  Just being real. I'm realizing that I have no idea how to eat food. That may sound crazy but it's true. Back in college I used to struggle with anorexia. Strange to hear a chubby girl say that I'm sure.  But I'm realizing not too much has changed in my mind since then. I have no control when I eat and the only way I get control is to not eat.  Finding balance, eating healthy, is more of a challenge than I thought. I have become aware that I feel guilty when I eat anything. I still think food is bad, calories are bad, everything has too many calories in it to be a "healthy" choice.  The gnawing in my stomach from not eating feels better than the guilt.  But, I'm also hungry! So, by the end of day I eat, thinking I have a days worth of calories I have yet to consume and if I'm going to feel guilty anyway then why not eat something I really want to eat? How screwed up is that?  In the last couple of weeks I've tried to do better by planning 3 smaller meals and 2 snacks per day. I don't like it. Once I eat something I feel like it makes me hungrier and resisting temptation is tougher. My stomach is "awake" and I feel like I'm fighting off a beast all day by forcing down green pepper strips and carrots. In the past I have lost weight and gained it back, lost weight and gained it back. If I'm honest, the times that I have lost weight have been stressful times when my anxiety level has been off the charts and I couldn't eat.  So...not eating worked. If I'm eating, I eat too much of the wrong things - I'm out of control. I've already been guilty of not eating much all day a couple of days this week. Honestly, it's easier. But, I feel awful, I'm depressed and grouchy and so far it hasn't worked. The scale hasn't budged.  Insert sadness and defeat here.


I know my God doesn't want me to feel sad and defeated. In fact I know that though the power of Jesus Christ I am not defeated in anything! I know he doesn't want me to be tortured daily by food and the scale and the way I look. I know he doesn't want me to give up on myself. And, I believe this post, this insight, is from God. Getting brutally honest is part of the process to healing and being made whole and healthy. He's showing me where I'm unhealthy and I know he won't leave me in this place. But, dang, I feel like one real screwed up chick right now.

Time to pick up "Made to Crave" and my Bible and seek the One who can help me.

Week 1 Weigh In 7.18.2011

I've had a few people tell me, "you picked a really tough week to start this blog." And they were right. But Katie and I didn't want to spend one more week without a plan and goal to work towards. Katie has been here in Charleston this week as our families attended a parenting conference. It was a great conference and we learned a lot. It was also all consuming for several days and it has been anything but a normal week - which included 4 house showings, too. I was only able to fit in one work out this week. It was also my 37th birthday (I'm not afraid to say it - you already know my weight) on Friday. And, we celebrated! So, as much as I wish this were going to be a dramatic loss for week one, I don't have high hopes. But, you know, this is real life and our real life journey. My husband took me to my favorite restaurant last night, Cypress, to celebrate my birthday. I made a conscious choice to eat my very favorite menu item, "Almond  Fried Brie with Cranberry Chutney". They also make the best margarita I've ever had! After dinner we walked through the market, got Ben and Jerry's ice cream and walked to waterfront park. It was a great night and I don't regret it. I enjoyed it and it was a special birthday treat. Not something I'll be doing again for a long time. This is all about lifestyle change and being characterized by eating healthy, exercising and losing weight for life. This week was out of character but everyone has weeks like that.  In the past I would have approached a week like this and said "it's hopeless to stay on track this week" and then given myself the green light to eat anything and everything I wanted without a 2nd thought. This week, I continued to try and make the best choices possible (minus the bday dinner) and I logged my food daily on MyFitnessPal and stayed within my calorie goal 6 out of the 7 days. So, even if the scale doesn't reflect much progress, that's still progress and I won't get discouraged. OK, enough stalling. I'm scared to step on the scale but it's time to weigh. Drum roll please...

Whitney's starting weight: 174.6   

Week one weigh in: 174.6

Wha-Wha. To be expected, right? On to week 2. A normal week is ahead and I see a loss in my future! ~Whitney

Hello, all! This is my first chance to say THANK YOU for following our blog and being a source of support.  We truly feel this is a battle God gave us the tools to win and we're taking the first steps in that journey.  As Whit mentioned, the first week has been anything but ordinary.  Away from home, eating out, far too many snacks available, and even the heavy heart of finding out a dear friend is in a coma.  However, even with all these excuses (which I always have readily on hand), you'd think we would have been ANGELS knowing we had people following our progress. The reality is, though, even your accountability isn't enough to overcome this lifelong battle. In high school, I was motivated at times to try to look like the cheerleaders (Amanda, Jeni, Jenny....you know who you guys are! Hee hee.)  In college, I would be motivated by the upcoming trip to the beach where I knew I would be compared to the hotties that were sunbathing beside me - a battle I would never win.  There was even a friend who had a baby and managed to sport a bikini at Club La Vela 6 weeks later and look better than I've ever looked (yes, Meredith, that's you.)  With all that being said, my motivations have shifted dramatically since then and those vain goals are no longer enough to get me to avoid the extra roll at the restaurant or motivate me to jog 10 miles.  Ok, I've never jogged 10 miles, but that's neither here or there.  My motivation now is to be free of my food addictions and to be healthy and feel good, and motivate my children to do the same, as I know my influence is crucial in their own relationship with food & exercise.  Thanks to some dear friends (Sherry and Marian), we've started reading a book called Made To Crave.  God created us to crave, but as Lysa TerKeurst says in her book, "I am made for more than a vicious cycle of eating, gaining, stressing - eating, gaining, stressing...I am made to rise up, do battle with my issues and, using the Lord's strength in me, defeat them - spiritually, physically, and mentally - to the glory of God."

Katie's starting weight:  178.6

Week One weigh in:  180.0

I made good choices and bad.  I had two workouts, but not three like I'd planned.  I hope to make some better choices this week, and will pray through my weak moments, and journal more consistently. Anyone know how to link my WW Mobile app from my iPhone to this blog?  - Katie

Give Credit Where Credit Is Due

It's Whitney again. I am so glad you're joining us in this journey. You have already encouraged us greatly. Believe me, I was thinking about you this morning when I made a conscious choice to measure the amount of cranberries I put in my Chobani greek yogurt! And, I have struggled to get in a work out in this week due to busyness and staying up waay too late. But, I must do it today becuase I know you'll be checking in on me.


Many of you have complimented us on "such a great idea"! I must tell you that this was not my idea. I'm a total copycat! 9 weeks ago a friend from church, Hank Hanna, (who is totally cool in his own right because he plays bass, is a Phish hippie and his wife's name is Deetz), launched his own weight loss blog. His starting weight was 324lbs. He's on a journey to lose 100lbs or more and he's well on his way.  He has been completely honest and open about being overweight and his journey to lose the weight. I was truly inspired! Through Hank's honesty I also realized that struggling with weight is the same whether it's 20lbs to lose or 100. I'm sick of the struggle and ready to get real. So, thanks Hank for inspiring me and starting a movement to ban obesity. Already others have told me they would like to do the same. Awesome!

Go check out Hank's website now. He's lost 36 pounds in 9 weeks and he's shrinking out of his clothes. He's also a very good writer and entertaining to read! businessoflosingweight.com  You can also follow him on Twitter @ losing100lbs.

The Plan

OK, so this is where we begin to bare it all. Time to share our..uh,...ahem, starting weight.  Ew.  But, also our plan to change that weight! Katie and I are doing different plans to get to the same goal. I have gone gluten free and I will be calorie counting and logging exercise through My Fitness Pal.  My Daily Goals: 1400 calories, 193g.carbs, 47g fat, 53g protein, 20g fiber.  I also plan.. no wait, let me rephrase that. I will burn 1,000 calories per week at minimum through exercise. Katie will be attending weekly Weight Watcher meetings and journaling her food & points daily. She will get to the gym at least 3 times a week. She will also be on here blogging as well, and can share more details on her plan. Mondays will be our weekly weigh in and we'll be posting weekly pictures of our progress. In addition to the practical we will be reading the book, 'Made to Crave' by Lisa TerKeurst and talking about what we learn right here on the blog.
OK, time to stop stalling...and time to get humble. 

Starting Weight:

Whitney: 174.6 

Katie: 178.6

Yes! The first hard step of being honest and becoming losers is behind us. That terrible number we girls try desperately to hide at all costs is out there. No longer hiding anything is a great place to start. Right?

*Have you signed up to follow us by email yet? I'm not positive that feature is really working so I'd love your feedback on that. And tell your friends about us. The more accountable we are the better!

The 1st Day Of The Rest Of Our Life.

Finally! Welcome to "My Sister's a Loser". My sister Katie and I have been struggling with weight for most of our lives. We are best friends. We are wives and stay at home moms. And, we are chubby. It's time for us to make a change. Not just a 10 or 15 pound change but a 40 pound change.  And it begins today! We are tired of having an unhealthy relationship with food and we are going to blog about our journey to freedom here. Unfortunately and fortunately that requires getting very honest with ourselves and others. It's time to shine a bright spotlight into the dark places inside of us that keep us a slave to the Yo-Yo dieting, the "all or nothing" mentality and the roller coaster of emotions that go with it. Today we will begin to ask "why am I struggling..." and try to find the answers right here in front of you. YOU are an important part of this process! Katie and I have both found that the accountability of others is key to sticking with a healthy lifestyle. This is why Weight Watcher meetings work, personal trainers work, etc. So, not only are we going to be accountable to each other but we will also be accountable to you. We will weigh in here every Monday. We will log our food and exercise daily and you will be able to check up on us. For example, if you click on the My Fitness Pal ticker to the left it will take you to my profile. There you will be able to see what I have eaten today,  if I've exercised, or did I even log in today? Katie will be doing the same thing with Weight Watchers, logging into her online journal. We need you to check in on us! We also need you to sign up to "Follow By Email" which is located on the left side. You will receive an email notification when we post. The more eyes on us the better. Katie and I will both be posting frequently about our struggles with weight - and anything else on our minds and we promise to be entertaining. So, are you with us? Will you help us lose 80 pounds by keeping  us accountable? Sign up by Email! Follow! Read our blog and please join us in our journey.

*Goals and stats to be posted tomorrow.