Did You Miss Us?

You may have noticed that two weekly weigh in's have come and gone without a blog post from these losers. Um,...yeah.  I week and a half ago(9/15) Katie was in Haiti and my weight hadn't changed. I just didn't have the guts to post again about an unsuccessful week on the scale. Though I have been working hard at the gym and making better food choices (for the most part) it is hard not to be discouraged when the number on the scale doesn't change.
This past Thursday (9/22) I was hoping for at least a small reduction on the scale. Nope. I was up a pound. Not again! The goal of this blog was to have accountability and to succeed publicly not fail publicly. I was ready to shut the blog down. Failing in front of your friends sucks. But, Katie and I talked and we've decided not to shut the blog down.  Instead we will post/weigh in monthly. We both want the accountability and we both want to stay on track, but the weekly meeting with the scale has become torture for me and I've made it even worse by having to go public with the number here. Apparently my weight fluctuates a lot on any given day of the week. For example, I was 169.6 on Thursday morning and then 166.6 on Friday morning! Katie is pregnant of course, and is maintaining her weight well but on a weekly basis doesn't have much to report.  She's still sick, and doing her best to survive the day taking care of her two little ones. (By the way,  her trip to Haiti was vomit free & great!!)
I think this new plan will serve us both well. We will continue to weigh in weekly with each other and post here each month. See you in October!

Whitney:
Current Weight: 166.6
-/+: - 2 lbs
Total Loss: 9 lbs

Katie:
Current Weight: 177
-/+: -1 lb
Total Loss: 1.6 lbs

Things Are Looking Up

Whitney
I'm sorry yesterday was such a depressing post from me. It was definitely a low day. And, I think I secretly wish that this blog would inspire others by our determination, dedication, and success. Instead I feel like it's been more like a play by play in slow motion of a car trying to start and then stalling out. Not too inspiring. But, I have once again reminded myself that this is about being real. There are probably more "stalled starts" people out there than the radically inspiring. But, I am not content to stay where I am cause being here is not fun! Success will come. The pounds will come off. The healthy eating will be permanent. I will not throw in the towel and I will not give up.

I have to say I am blessed with some pretty amazing family and friends. Thank you for your encouraging words and providing me with some hope. After a crying jag on the phone with my mom she told me to get to the closest local gym and join. NOW. Well, I have always been one to obey my parents (Ha!) but this time I did just that.  In the past, I've always belonged to a gym. I did step classes in college and even slide classes(taught by Mary Wannall!) - remember those? I did early morning body pump classes before work in my early married days and the list goes on and on. But, when Forester got sick with cancer I let my gym membership go. Let's face it. The gym is one of the germiest places on earth.  I couldn't risk exposing myself to the funk and then bringing it home to my son who had no immune system. Plus, financially we were rocked. That was two years ago. Though I'd like to think I can consistently work out at home I'm just not good at it.  I need to go somewhere. Show up. Once I show up I'm going to work out. But when I'm at home trying to choose between reading books to Slade or Jillian Michaels, Slade wins almost every time.  So... back to yesterday. I marched myself down to the gym close by (ESAC) and met up with a friend who is also a trainer there. She met me with a hug and a huge amount of hope and encouraging words. I left there with a new membership (that is affordable!) and a plan.  That sweet friend also let me join in one of her group training sessions this morning and kicked my booty! It was great!! I am going to sign up to do this group training at least once a week. And, she is going to help me with my food choices, too! I am really starting to grasp that I have deceived myself into thinking that I know how to eat healthy when really I've only had tricks and cheats to get weight off. On top of all that positive goodness, I have received several encouraging emails and texts and phone calls from you all. Thank you for picking me up when I was down. One special friend who also happens to be a dietitian was able to explain to me that I hadn't really gained 5 lbs in one week.  She wrote: "Any time you have large weight gains and for that matter large weight losses it is due to fluid losses or retention not fat gain or loss.  It is an unfortunate fact that anytime we cut out a nutrient or shift the nutrient intake significantly we will also have shifts in our body fluids." Good to know! And also what my friend and fellow juicer, Andrew, confirmed. (by the way, Andrew has been juicing for 58 days and has lost 50lbs! Check out his progress at: http://juicefatboyjuice.blogspot.com)

So, I continue in the journey with determination and lots of prayer. I'm ready to be healed up in this twisted area of my life and I'm going to continue to seek God for that healing!

Thanks for standing with me.

Week 8 Weigh In 9.8.11

Whitney

Wow. That's about all I can think of to say. I'm up 5.6 pounds this week. #!%!$!! I'll admit I've had a few splurges during the week/long weekend. But, seriously?? Some of the things I had were wine and sushi, a turkey burger and a few fries, a gin and tonic. But not all the in the same day and not in huge quantities! And, I still stayed within a 1400 calorie budget.  I've added protein, like plain tuna or deli turkey to my salads this week with my usual no dressing except red wine vinegar. I've been having greek yogurt for breakfast... I could see me being up a pound or so because of the alcohol and carbs but 5.6? What in the world is going on with me?!?

I've thought about going back to just fruits and veggies but I can't do that for LIFE. I don't want to lose 40 lbs that way just to gain it all back as soon as I eat other foods again. It's not realistic for a long term lifestyle. I need to figure out how to lose weight and keep it off in a healthy way that is doable for life. I don't want to be making meals for my family & then meals for me for the rest of my life.
I'm at a loss and to be honest I'm feeling quite defeated yet again. I see it working for others around me but maybe I'm destined to be a chubby girl.  I feel like throwing in the towel. Hard work without much pay off is very unmotivating. What's the point?  It's been 8 weeks of trial and error and not much to show for it.  Sorry for the "poor me" post but it's just where I am. This sucks.

 Week 8 Weigh In: 168.6
  +/- this week: +5.6
Total loss in 8 weeks:  7 lbs

Katie
Whit's post makes me sad and frustrated that we don't live next door to each other so we can just be constantly building one another up and eating together, working out together, etc.  It doesn't seem right that we're not sharing a kitchen :( My only suggestion would be to start a hard core workout routine (with weights) and cut the alcohol completely for 6 months.  I would also research any meds to make sure that's not throwing things off.  That's just my two cents, but I'm sure any other comments would be appreciated. Anyone been in this same boat before?? I feel like she's being very diligent.

On the flip side, I have a little good news that has nothing to do with weight at all!  I got a 13 week ultrasound this morning and everything looks great with the baby GIRL.  Yep, Ryan is going to have a little sister.  Yes...how frightening is that to envision.  I'm already imagining the newborn having to wear a helmet when she hangs out with her sister, just to be safe. Pray for us :)  We could also use an extra dose of prayers for our trip to Haiti. Steve and I leave Saturday morning and will be gone for the week.  I know God is going to do amazing things and I'll be anxious to provide the update.

They weighed me at my appt this morning and it was 178, so I'm pretty much keeping steady.

Week 8 Weigh In:178
 +/- this week: -0.5 lb
Total loss in 8 weeks: -0.6 lbs

Week 7 Weigh In 9.1.11

Katie
Still sick. Still not making it to the gym. Still hoping for better days.
In the meantime, though, I got to hear a sweet heartbeat and it was wonderful :)  It was 170 bpm, so the nurse is already guessing girl.  I feel like it's a girl, too, but we hope to find out for sure next Thursday at a 13 week nuchal ultrasound.  This is when we found out the sex for Jack and Ryan. We'll see. Hopefully I'll be able to tell you something at next week's post.  For now, we're starting to prep for our mission trip to Haiti on September 10th. Steve and I are both going and we're so excited.  For any of you that have helped us raise funds, THANK YOU SO MUCH. We'll be sending out a letter soon that will tell more details about where we'll be staying, etc.

Week 7 Weigh In: 178.5
+/- this week:  +.5
Total change: - .1

Whitney 
My reboot fast is over! I actually extended it by 2 days since I was out of town on a retreat and completed 17 days of fruit & veggie juices & smoothies, as well as raw and cooked fruits and vegetables. I drank only water and hot green and herbal teas. Of all the things I could have craved or missed, I really missed coffee. So...I'm back to drinking coffee but only one cup in the morning and it's my only caffeine for the day.  Otherwise, I'm quite unsure of what to eat these days. Too many choices! I'm actually considering going back to the reboot plan. If I do I think I would add whey protein to my smoothies and some other proteins to my salads.  But, I'm just in the thinking stage right now. I feel like it's inevitable that I will gain back a pound or two just because I'm eating more of a variety. Does that make sense to anyone else or is that a twisted way of thinking? I like seeing the numbers on the scale go down and I want it to continue.  I'm even back into a couple pair of jeans and shorts that were too tight to wear a few weeks ago. Yahoo! Now for the weekly stats.

Week 7 Week In: 163
+/- this week: -2.0
Total Loss: 12.6

Week 6 Weigh In 8.25.11

Okra Chips

Whitney
Well, I have only 2 more days on my reboot plan and I'm excited about eating some other foods soon.  Not the foods you might be thinking as this is a reboot to a new way of eating. My goal is to be characterized by clean eating from here on out. Characterized, meaning how I plan to eat 90% of the time. I'm still learning what it means to be a clean eater but I'm excited about it. I want to be the best I can be! So, back to the foods I'm looking forward to eating. PROTEIN!  Adding tuna to my salad or some grilled chicken sounds divine! But, I think I'll start with some beans and nuts and see how I feel. I will be on a retreat this weekend so I will probably continue a slightly modified version of the 15 day reboot until Monday.

I continue to feel pretty good. No headaches! Any fatigue/sleepiness I've felt I've have been able to directly connect to my drugs. I'm really ready to wean off of those.  So, overall I am encouraged and also very curious what foods cause me to feel badly when I eat them. That will be another interesting journey in itself.

Now to find out if I'm a loser! The scale has fluctuated a bit this week but I woke up to a 2.2 lbs loss. Yeah!  That is a total of 6.6 lbs in 13 days. I was kinda hoping I would lose 10lbs during this 15 day reboot but I know that was probably an unrealistic goal. I am very happy with 6.6.

Week 6 Weigh In: 165.2
+/- this week: -2.2
Total loss: 10.4

*I started logging into My Fitness Pal and trying to lose weight a week or so before we started this blog. So, that's why my ticker to the left is always different. I had lost 1.2. So I've synced them now by adding that 1.2 to my total weight loss.

Green Smoothie Cheers To Your Health!
Whitney

Katie
I've been in Charleston all this week and, in general, have felt a little better than usual.  During those times, I've tried to sneak in some greens and make some healthier choices. If I continue to feel better (ignoring the hack this AM), then I'm going to try and work my way back in to the gym next week.  I'm tired of laying around and feeling so lethargic.  In the meantime, I have a baby check up this afternoon at 4pm, so please pray for a sweet heartbeat.  It will be music to my ears :)

Week 6 Weigh In: 178
+/- this week: -1.0
Total loss: 0.6

Reboot Day 8, 9, 10...and 11

I apologize for being absent the last few days. I know I've said this before but I don't know how other mommies of little ones blog everyday. I mean, life is crazy busy all day long I hardly have time to eat!

  So...It kinda feels like I've been doing this a loooong time. It mostly has to do with how much time I spend in the kitchen and at the grocery. I think if I wasn't cooking/fixing meals for my 3 children each day in addition to my own meals it wouldn't feel that way. I've also experimented with several different recipes which takes time. I would assume the longer I do this the easier and faster it will be. I definitely have not eaten enough the last couple of days and probably more fruits than vegetables as they are easier to grab and go. But my smoothies are packed full of veggies! Yesterday I was closer to a 70/30 veggie-fruit ratio. Much better and I am going to do the same today.

Hunger hasn't been a huge issue most days and when I am hungry it's usually because my days are just so busy that I haven't had time to eat.  I'm still feeling pretty good with bouts of tiredness but that is probably due to my medications and not eating enough. I wouldn't say I'm craving anything in particular but other foods still look good, smell good and are tempting. But, this is teaching me that I am capable of resisting anything at anytime. It's all about prayer, commitment and mindset. I can do this, I can do this....

Now that I'm less than a week away from the end of my reboot I am really contemplating what foods I want to reintroduce and when. I have felt bad for so long and I am definitely feeling better than I have in a while. I'm thinking I'll reintroduce foods one at a time and see how they make me feel. I'd like to be able to pinpoint what foods make me sick. Not sure the best way to do that. I'll have to investigate. Any insight you may have, please share!

A wonderful treat this week has been having Katie in town with her kiddos. The poor girl feels like dump. We're just praying the end of that is right around the corner. It's so exhausting to feel nauseous and tired while also taking care of a one year old and almost 3 year old. Hopefully a few days at the beach has helped. Keep praying for her!

More tomorrow....I think. :)

Whitney

Weigh In Week 5 8.18.11

Green Smoothie

Whitney

Well, it's day 7 of my Reboot and I feel good! Today I started my day with some watermelon, had a green smoothie for lunch, homemade baked kale chips as a snack.  And since it was spaghetti night at our house I made some spaghetti for myself! Spaghetti squash that is, with a homemade tomato sauce. Yum. So thankful that I have some long distance friends who are also doing a reboot who gave me the idea for that recipe. It was really good!

Making kale chips

 My boys started school this week and it's made it tough to work out. But,  I still got 4 workouts in and pushed myself to go faster and for longer during my last two runs. I was getting into a routine of working out in the morning before Pete left for work but now that the boys have to be up at 6:15 to get ready for school it's put the kabosh on that. So, I need to find a new routine...hmmm.  I really miss being able to go to the gym. : -(
So I'm sure you're wondering if the scale has been good to me after this week of rebooting. I am pleased to say that I am down 4.6 this week!  That makes kale chips taste even better!! I hope that this next week proves to be just as successful. I'll continue to blog daily about my journey. I wish I had more time because I would love to share recipes and such. Maybe I can end my 15 days by doing so.  Off to make my dessert for the night - fresh strawberry and spinach smoothie!

Week 5 Weigh In: 167.6
-/+  this week: - 4.6
Total Loss: 7

"Spaghetti"

Katie
I'm alive. How's that? I'm nauseous and sometimes miserable, but I knew this was coming and I also know there's a light at the end of this tunnel. Hopefully I will see that light sooner rather than later.  With Jack, the morning sickness was terrible every day, and lasted 20 weeks.  With Ryan, it was terrible some days (much like now), and only lasted 14 weeks.  I'll be 10 weeks on Saturday. I'm so anxious to get back to the gym and eat something GREEN, so please pray that this lets up sooner rather than later.  In the meantime, I did try one of Whit's smoothies (with some spinach and celery) and it was great! She's rockin' it and I'm so proud of her discipline!!!!

Week 5 Weigh In: 179
+/- this week:  +3
Total loss/gain: +.4

Reboot Day 5 and 6

Yesterday and today have gone pretty well.  I'm not unusually hungry, and I've been satisfied by my juices, smoothies, fruits and veggies. I will say it is time consuming to cook for my family and also fix "meals" for myself.  Another reality that is kicking in is that this is not a cheap eating plan. When you're only eating fruits and veggies you go through them a lot quicker. It's not financially possible for me to continue this plan for a longer term even if I wanted to. :(
But, I'm feeling pretty good! I have more energy during the day and not tired/sleepy like I usually feel. I am definitely getting tired at night (when I should!) which is also a plus. Speaking of, I think I should write these posts earlier in the day when I'm not struggling to keep my eyes open!
Tomorrow is weigh in day. I'll be posting earlier for sure - hopefully with good news!

Cheers to Health,
Whitney

Reboot Day 4

Another day down! I am feeling pretty good and haven't been tired at all today. This is a miracle people! Right, Katie?! I hope this is only the beginning. I am missing other foods more today... Grocery shopping(ugh!) and cooking for the family is challenging. Ending day 4 and having 11 more to go seems like a looong time to be doing this. I'm really missing greek yogurt and popcorn. Popcorn is a vegetable, right?!? That wouldn't be cheating would it? Hmmm....  :-)
Tomorrow is the 1st day of school for my precious boys. I'm up way to late (12:30am) and will be getting up way to early (5:45am).  More tomorrow my friends!

Cheers to Health!
Whitney

Reboot Day 3

I crashed last night and didn't get this post up.  Sorry about that. Day 3 has definitely been the toughest. I didn't have a headache today but I was very very tired and somewhat dizzy. I was also hungry and felt more tempted to eat other foods.  Cooking for others makes it even more tempting! But I held my ground, made a giant salad for me to munch on for dinner and I was satisfied. The last 3 days I have also gone to bed earlier which is great! For one, I've been tired.  But, I usually stay up and snack & drink wine and watching tv after the kids are in bed. It's my "me time" that has become quite the habit. So, sitting on the couch watching tv makes me want to eat! So I've been avoiding it.  As my energy increases and I don't feel like going to bed at 8pm I need to think of things I can do to create new habits.  Like, reading in bed with a cup of decaf green tea, bubble baths, journaling, catching up on my email inbox, preparing myself for the next day (getting organized!). Got any other ideas for me?
"They" say that if you can just get past day 3 you'll start feeling great on this reboot. Hoping day 4 is full of energy and feeling great!

Cheers to Health!
Whitney

Reboot Day 2

Today has been a pretty good day mainly because my friend, Heather Plis introduced me to a green smoothie this morning after our run. It is WAY better than the green juice I drank yesterday. Heather also has her own weight loss blog called "Hope Plis to Hot Plis". Check it out here!

Today a raging headache kicked in as well as tiredness and weakness. It hasn't gone away yet. Thankfully, we had friends over tonight which kept me busy and distracted.  We had a great time! But wow.  I can't believe how I'm crashing. I'm really struggling to pull this post together. My brain is responding slowly and my eyes are heavy......

I've been hungry a times during the day but it hasn't been unbearable at all. Looking forward to a good night's rest and hopefully a headache-free day tomorrow!

Cheers to Health!
Whitney

Reboot Day 1

I started off my day eating a nectarine so I could take my pills with something in my stomach and then drank the lovely concoction you see above over the next hour or so. Green juice is not horrible but as this day has gone on I've looked less and less forward to making it again tomorrow. So, maybe that means I don't like it. I think that I put in too much ginger and maybe the celery taste is too strong for me? I'll have to work on a different recipe.....
For lunch I had an avocado and for an afternoon snack I made a berry smoothie with water, frozen organic cherries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries. Yum! I froze half of it to have as a type of sorbet tomorrow. For dinner I ate a bunch of asparagus and now I'm enjoying some decaf green tea and listening to my stomach growl. Yep, I'm hungry. I'm also tired but not miserably so. Definitely going to bed early tonight. Thankfully my gradual tapering off of my morning coffee last week helped a lot as I have only had the slightest of headaches today.
It's 7:45 and I think I just might go to bed when my kids do - 8:00! One day down....

Week 4 Weigh In, 8.11.11 and... A Twist

Katie
So, this is how I'm going to to find out who our true blog followers are... Over the past couple of weeks, I have not worked out. How's that for uninspiring??  I also have been eating things that my 3 year old might choose (PBJ, crackers, waffles, etc,) instead of the smart, healthy choices of a full grown adult.  The reason for this is nausea. The reason for nausea is Baby #3.  Yeah....whoa.

So, let me see if I can answer a few questions that might come up:

1. Was this planned? Not quite. We have considered a third, but felt our hands were full so the timing wasn't right.  Apparently God has another plan and we're embracing that.  I will say that I find it easier to embrace when I'm not gagging, but that's irrelevant.  We are happy and know that it will be an adventure.
2. How far along are you? I'll be 9 weeks this Saturday and due March 17th. I was sick with Jack until 20 weeks but only 15 weeks with Ryan, so we'll hope for the best.  Especially since I'm heading to Haiti for a week on September 10th (prayers please!!!).
3. You've ruined the name of the blog, Katie! How could you??!!  Believe it or not, I'm going to continue with the blog, but the focus will shift a bit.  Obviously, losing pounds will not be the goal.  However, in my past two pregnancies, I've eaten whatever (survival mode) during my morning sickness and then when I started feeling better, I never really shifted out of that phase, or did much working out.  I plan to blog about remaining healthy THROUGH this pregnancy and then as I work to lose the post-baby pounds. FOR GOOD.

So there's your twist! Fun, huh?  Your encouragement and love will be greatly appreciated through this journey.  Or, if you just feel inspired to come take my kids for a few days, that would always be welcome, too.  hee hee

Week 4 Weigh In:  176.0
+/- this week:  +0.6
Total loss: 2.6 lbs

Whitney


Quite a twist, huh? I bet you didn't see that one coming. Neither did we! But, that's what this blog is about. Real life. Life is full of surprises - sometimes daily! Whether it be a surprise party or a surprise pregnancy our goal is to learn how to make healthy choices in every life situation. I've found there is always a "valid" reason to eat whatever you want and gain weight. You don't have to look too hard to find some justification and get others around you to agree.  Here's some I've used:
I'm pregnant - it's a "craving". My son has brain cancer.  My husband travels a lot. I'm too busy to cook.  I'm starting a new diet tomorrow.  Hormones!! The antidepressants that I take make me hungry/gain weight. I've had a stressful day with the kids. I've done so well all week I deserve this... The list could go on and on. 

E X C U S E S. 

 
I've also found there is always a reason to celebrate on a monthly basis if not weekly! Between sugar-soaked holidays like Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Birthdays, & Halloween to the other food-focused holidays such as Thanksgiving, New Year's, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Memorial Day, kids birthday parties... - you get the picture.  The temptation to eat things that taste good but aren't good for us is never going to go away.  We must maneuver around these obstacles and stay on the healthy track. Surprises will come.  Nothing about this is easy. But, I do believe the longer we do it the easier it will get!

Speaking of not being easy, that just about sums up my first month of this weight loss journey. NOT EASY.  It hasn't been the temptations so much as it has been the discouragement of not seeing results on the scale given my efforts.  I'm realizing I don't know as much about food as I thought. Apparently I'm also addicted to processed foods & empty calories and I drink too much alcohol. All of this while still staying under my 1400 calorie a day goal doesn't amount to much weight loss.  This week I have ditched all alcohol at home and minimized my processed foods. I've tried to eat more during the day, more consistently and less at night.  Most days this week I was very happy with my choices. We have had various family members in town so I had a few drinks when we were out but this was minimal compared to my nightly glass/glasses of wine. And, I got all my work outs in!  With all these changes including a weigh in day change to Thursday, I was hopeful that the scale would be nice to me this morning. Guess what?? I weigh exactly the same as I did last week! I'm starting to think that I'm crazy for actually expecting this thing to work. And yet, I remain hopeful because tomorrow I will begin a 15 day juice fast which will include eating mostly raw fruits and vegetables. I found my missing juicer piece. Turns out I had it all along I had just put the darn thing together wrong! Nice. Just glad I "found" it. I really feel like I'm stuck and I am in serious need of a system reboot. I was really inspired by the documentary, "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" and I will be following thier reboot entry program which you can view here.

My main reasons for doing this juice fast are:

• Detox from processed foods, sugar, salt, caffeine, alcohol, etc,..

• Weight loss (thanks captain obvious).

• Improve the way I feel cause I feel like Monkey Junk most of the time. By the way, Monkey Junk is bad. Very bad.

• Crave and eat more fruits and veggies after the fast & eat healthier forever.

• Possibly find healing through healthy food and be able to stop taking my medications for clinical depression,and ADHD.

• Mentally detox from emotional eating.

I know this won't be easy but I am determined to do this. I've heard getting past day 3 is the toughest part. So please be praying for me. And please pray that God will speak to me during this time. Ultimately, I want healing from the inside out and I want to be free from the bondage of eating disorders. Bring on the healing & bring on the health! Looking good naked would be nice, too....

We really love your comments, feedback and advice. Seriously, you have been a wonderful encouragement to us!  Some of you have said you haven't been able to post comments on the website. I have no idea why that is - any suggestions from you other bloggers out there on how to remedy this?  We've also found that the email notification is a bit slow and inconsistent. For example, when I posted on Monday I didn't recieve the email of the post until Tuesday afternoon. Weird. Anyone still not getting emails even though you signed up? If so, please email us at: mysistersaloser@gmail.com and we'll try to get to the bottom of it. Thanks!

I'll be posting daily for the next 15 days. Cheers to health!!


Week 4 Weigh In:  172.0
+/- this week: 0
Total loss: 2.4 lbs

Weigh In Week 4 8.8.2011

Whitney:
This week has been really great and it has nothing to do with the scale. A victory in itself - for me anyway! I have had several "ah-ha" moments as I have prayed, read "Made to Crave", and at the urging of several friends, watched "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead".  I highly recommend the book (Amazon) and the documentary movie which is available through instant Netflix.  Both the book and the movie are changing my life. I would swear Lysa TurKeurst has been a fly on the wall in my life, read my thoughts and then wrote this book.  I mean, it is SO me! I feel like I am in the midst of an awakening when it comes to food and health. Regardless of what the scale says,  isn't that what this is really all about??
About the scale... I have been advised by a close friend, ( you may remember my buddy Hank Hanna who is almost at the halfway mark of losing 100 lbs!!) that Monday is NOT the day to weigh in. I mean, apparently nobody weighs in on a Monday. In the grand scheme of things I don't think it really matters what day of the week you weigh in if you're trending down and the weight loss is permanent.  But, if there is any day of the week where Katie and I might indulge,celebrate etc,.. it's going to be the weekend.  Therefore the scale could temporarily betray us on Monday.  In these first weeks and months of working hard we really need the encouragement of a good weigh in. So, we are going to skip our weigh in today and move it to THURSDAY.  I'm also going to do a 7-10 day juicing fast!  I haven't decided which day to start due to the fact that I can't find one very essential part of my juicer. UGH! Pray that I find it cause it's driving me crazy!! Hopefully I find it soon and can start juicing this week.

OK, I hope to blog again tomorrow because I'd really like to share some of my "ah-ha" moments if possible. We have family in town this week so it may not happen but I'll do my best.  We'll be back no later than Thursday for an official week 4 weigh in!
Thanks for supporting us & for your comments! We love it and need it!!

Whitney (for Whitney and Katie)

Week 3 Weigh In 8.1.11

Whitney here. (Monday, 10am) I had a really good week of logging all of my food on My Fitness Pal and making healthier choices - less empty calories! I ran 2 days, did the elliptical one day, and Jillian/Ripped in 30, 4 days. I really feel like I've turned a corner. I was saying no to my emotions that were telling me "Nuts are bad! Too much fat!" and just moving forward with healthy eating one meal at a time. I stayed under my calorie goal everyday. Combined with last week's efforts and the fact that I've been weighing myself almost everyday I felt nervous but confident about weighing in this morning.  ...Unfortunately, the scale has hardly budged and I weighed in at 174. And yes, I cried. I don't really get it because I weighed as low as 170 during this week....
I don't have much else to say except I'm discouraged and sad and feeling a little bit like it's hopeless. 3 weeks without any pay off especially when you're starting a new plan and broadcasting it on the web makes me feel like a fool. Guess I'll keep doing what I'm doing. Though I confess I haven't eaten today and I've already ditched my workout. Hard to be motivated today...
**(Monday, 4pm) So, I just stepped on the scale for no reason other than I left it sitting in the middle of the bathroom floor and I weighed 172!! What? I'm confused but I'll take it! This is definitely more consistent with what I was weighing throughout the week. Thank you, Lord for the encouragement that I needed!! Woo Hoo! My goals this week: drink less wine (I love my glass of wine every night), workout 6 days, and meet my calorie goal with minimal empty calories.


Week 3 Weigh In: 172
Loss this week: 2.2
Total loss: 2.4

Katie here. I managed to make it to the gym twice this week(Cycling class and then an elliptical/stair monster combo) but I still need to squeeze at least one more in somewhere. Friday workouts always seem to get lost in the mix of whatever else.  I journaled 6 out of 7 days this week and stayed within my daily point range, but definitely used up all my extra points on a rich anniversary dinner out.  The fried mushrooms, wedge salad and ravioli were well worth the spend...mmmmm.  All and all, a good week. Yesterday was my hardest day b/c I was extra hungry, but I didn't lose complete control.  A good week.  My goals this week:  MORE WATER STILL (so hard for me) and squeezing that 3rd workout in.  We'll see if I can do this in the midst of potty training Jack (hack!).  Preschool starts Monday and I also need to make sure I don't eat through those emotions.

Week 3 Weigh In:  175.4
Loss this week: 1.4
Total Loss: 3.4

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.