{big bites on a budget}

(January 28, 2013)

Today I decided to keep track of exactly how much I spend on {healthy} food for the day. I want to show you that you can also eat healthy on a budget! I had a {delicious} breakfast that consisted of blackberries, a banana, and pineapple! This fresh fruit was 247 calories and only cost $2.14!

For lunch I bought a Stouffer's brand stuffed pepper and an orange for a total of 295 calories and a $3.08 cost. I added some {snacks} to my day consisting of Pringles Honey Butter Crackers (I ate half a serving which is 1/6 of the bag for a cost of $0.33 per serving) and a string cheese. My snacks were {only} 145 calories for the day!

For dinner I bought a footlong "Spicy Italian" sandwich from Subway but saved half of it for the next day, making my serving only $3.11 for a 6 inch sandwich and 410 calories!
My entire day only cost me $9.00 and was 1167 calories, putting me right in that 1200 calorie range I need to be in!

I hope this helps you make {healthy} choices too!

<3,
 Karen 

{third weigh-in}

(January 26, 2013)

We are {so} sorry for the blog post going up so late tonight. It has been a crazy day for all three of us. But as promised, here is our weigh-in. Please be {kind}.

A quick summary!

{Karen} maintained her weight this week.
"I'm disappointed that I didn't lose any weight this week, but I know it's because I wasn't as disciplined as I should have been."

{Megan} gained this week, but is relating it to her cycle.
"I'm really frustrated that I haven't been losing any weight. I know there are other health issues at work here, but I'm still displeased with this week."

{Yvonne} lost half a pound this week! We're all so happy that she's doing well on Weight Watchers!
"As much as I like to see the numbers drop fast on the scale, I'm happy with my weigh-in this week. As long as I'm making progress, a little or a lot, I know I will reach my goal."

That's so true, sis! You are {inspiring}!

We have some really great blogs coming up, so we hope you'll stay tuned! Meg will be speaking out about living with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), as well.

We really hope that you are enjoying our blog so far. We'd like to emphasize that we know our weights are up and down and that the point is to show everyone that it is not an easy journey, but it's a journey that has to be taken. We need to take control of our bodies; of our health.

Leave us a comment below; we try to answer them all! And as always, we would {LOVE} to hear from you, your advice, encouragement, or about your own journey. <3 Stay strong, friends!

<3,
Megan, Yvonne, & Karen

{what's for breakfast?}

Everybody always talks about how important it is to eat breakfast. It's true! But let's first talk about {water} in the morning. I always drink a glass of water when I first wake up because it helps rehydrate my organs after being asleep all night, gets my body going, and keeps me from eating a high calorie breakfast. 

photography by {meg}

It's still {so} important to eat breakfast though! Breakfast helps with stabilizing our {moods}, concentration, and keeps your body from thinking it's starving after having already not eaten all night long. So we decided to tell you our favorite breakfast meals that are {{HEALTHY}} and easy for girls on the go! (And for boys too!) <3

{Karen} likes to eat oatmeal and strawberries on a morning that she needs to get out of the house quickly. This high fiber meal only takes about 5 minutes to prepare and ranges from 100-200 calories. Yummers! On a day where she has more time, she likes to prepare an egg sauteed with some fresh bell peppers!

{Megan} Likes an egg with fresh fruit in the morning for a low-carb breakfast! She also has a weak spot for coffee, so you will almost always find that alongside her breakfast plate. This breakfast is about 200 calories.

{Yvonne} loves to have a piece of toast with a smear of peanut butter & banana in the morning. It's her healthy breakfast of choice and is only between 200-300 calories.

What are some of our favorite things to eat in the morning? Leave us a comment and let us know! We would love to try new things :)

<3,

meg, yvonne, & karen

{second weigh-in}

(January 19, 2013)

Another week has come and gone and we all made it through our first official week of our commitment to healthy eating. Today is {Saturday} and that means our second weigh-in and we are sharing it with you!

We have all had an extremely busy week, but made sure to really try and make healthy choices. Yvonne shared a tip with us last week about {healthy} quick dinners! Be sure to check out her post {my slice of pizza.} Karen has been drinking more water and fruit, and Megan has been bringing raw {veggies} with hummus as a snack on her long days.

If you're just joining our {community} here is a re-cap of how we've done this week.

{Karen} lost 2.4 pounds this week!
     "This week went really well as far as the choices I made, and I'm really happy with the result of my weigh-in!"

{Yvonne} lost 3.8 pounds this week!
      "I feel great about my weigh-in this week! I don't expect to lose this much every week but very nice to see progress for making smart choices throughout the week!"

{Megan} maintained her weight this week.
      "I made really healthy choices this week and began my exercise program, however I had two off days where I was over calories and it shows because I didn't lose weight this week. It only gives me more motivation to do better next week and buckle down during those tough moments!"


We all did {so good} making healthier choices this week and would {absolutely} love if you left us an encouraging comment or question below!

<3,
meg, karen, & yvonne

{my slice of pizza}

(January 15, 2013)

As a mom of a two year old and three month old, I don't always have time to make extravagant dinners. In fact, sometimes it's a challenge just to make a peanut butter & jelly sandwich while in the midst of potty-training and nursing. So, although I do make an effort these days to make healthy dinners that aren't always boxed, I am still always on the lookout for something quick and easy that I can throw in the oven on a busy day. While walking the aisles of my grocery store today, I found this Kashi pizza that looked tasty and wouldn't blow my diet. For 1/3 (yes, a third!) of this pizza is only 290 calories, 9 grams of fat, and 7 Weight Watcher points. It only needs to cook for 8 minutes, which is a plus! It was actually {really} good! Even my two year old liked it. A nice quick meal! And the fact that is a {pizza} made me forget for a minute that I was on a diet. Good luck to all you mommy's out there!
<3,
Yvonne

P.S. Leave me a comment if you have any healthy & quick mommy meals!

{easy peasy black bean burger}

(January 13, 2013)

Have you ever had one of those days where you're {so tired} but you still want to cook a nutritious dinner with minimal effort? That was my friday night. I came home after a very long day and had the urge to make something fast (which generally denotes unhealthy), so I started thinking about my options. I decided to make a {delicious} black bean burger! I thought I'd share the recipe with you so that next time you need a quick healthy meal you will have this on hand!

This is one of the easiest recipes I have ever made <3

Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers
Serving Size: 4 burgers
Calories per serving: 125-150

What I used:

1 15oz can of seasoned {black beans}
1/8 cup of finely chopped {cilantro}
3 tbsp of {pineapple juice} (lemon or lime would be great!)
1/4 cup of {breadcrumbs}


You can use whatever you want in this recipe. If you have unseasoned black beans add some salt, pepper, garlic powder, etc. I didn't have much on hand, but I would also recommend a clove of minced garlic, some chopped green onions, etc. Make them {yummy} to you. Season to taste.

Mash the black beans with a fork or spoon (spoon worked better for me!) with two tbsp of water.

 Once mashed add your seasoning, juice, and breadcrumbs and mix well!

Once the breadcrumbs are mixed in, the beans should not be sticky! I scooped up and made "hamburger" patties with my hands. Place in nonstick pan or spray with nonstick spray.

Cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until brown. That's it! I served mine with fresh romaine lettuce (instead of a bun), and tomatoes.

I also made brussels sprouts (which are chopped in half, tossed with light olive oil, salt & pepper, and baked at 425 F for 25 minutes)

See what I mean? {Easy peasy!} I hope you enjoy! If you have your own version of this meal or a {quick recipe}, comment below and let us know! You can also check us out on facebook if you haven't already! Or send us a tweet!

The girls have {SO MUCH} to say about our new {exercise plans!} Our next blog will be dedicated to fitness <3 We hope you all had a {lovely} weekend and that Monday will be low-stress for you!

{first weigh-in}

(January 12, 2013)

Happy {Saturday} from all of us girls here at The Fitness Sisters! Today was the day we dread all week long: weigh-in day. It's also the day we {work} for all week long and that keeps us accountable. Putting our weight up for everyone to see is not an easy task, but we do it to show our progress and hopefully inspire others who are similarly trying to get healthier and slim down <3 So here is our first official weigh-in on this blog; be kind!

While this is the {first} weigh in we've posted here on Fitness Sisters, we have weighed in for our video blog (which will be posted in about a week and tracks our daily process via videos from us girls!)  We would like to give you a recap of how our months started.
(We have also provided our measurements! {brave!})

Weighing in at 153.4 {Karen} has lost one pound this week, putting her right at her expectations.

Measurements- 

Waist 38 1/4 in, {Hips 42 in}, 

Bust 38 3/4in, {Chest 33 1/2 in}, 

Thigh 25 in, {Calf 14 1/2 in}, Bicep 13 1/4in.

At 217.6 {Yvonne} is down exactly two pounds for the week and is doing amazing!

Measurements- 

Waist 44 in, {Hips 46 in}, 

Bust 49, {Chest 36}, 

Thigh 26 in, {Calf 17 in}, Bicep 13 1/2in.

With this weeks weight of 248.6 {Megan} is down 1.4 lbs for the week, slightly shy of her goal of two per week, but still good progress!

Measurements- 

Waist 43, {Hips 50 in}, 

Bust 44, {Chest 40}, 

Thigh 28 1/2 in, {Calf 18 3/4 in}, Bicep 16 in.

We are all satisfied with our weigh-ins this week, but after having talked we've decided to really make {exercise} a priority this week and see how our results differ!

We would {{love}} it if you left us a comment below or sent us an email to let us know what you think, or just give some encouraging words! <3 Have a beautiful weekend and check back in tomorrow for another delicious {vegetarian} recipe created by Meg.

<3,
meg, yvonne, & karen

{yummers} stuffed mushrooms

(January 10, 2013)

I {love} new food ideas! I'm always on the hunt for healthy goodies and foods that don't make me feel deprived. Recently I found just that on Pinterest! Stuffed mushrooms, {yummers.} This is a variation of a recipe originally posted on HUNGRY GIRL and I think it turned out quite delightful! I used mostly organic ingredients, but you can use fresh produce (but rinse well!) I figured I would share the scrumptiousness with you in The Fitness Sisters' very {first} recipe page.

FOUR Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms: 128 cals / 2.5g fat 
Serving Size: TWO large mushrooms
Makes: 3 servings

What you need:

6 {portabella mushrooms}
3/4 cup of fresh {spinach}
1/8 cup {light} whipped {cream cheese}
1/4 cup nonfat {ricotta} cheese
1 tbsp {mozzarella}
1/4 cup {onion}
1 tbsp fresh {garlic}
6 tsp grated {parmesan cheese}
Sprinkle of {garlic powder}

Heat oven to 375 degrees F

I bought some really delicious organic {stuffing} portabella mushrooms at Trader Joes

{{QUICK FACT}}: Only 20 calories in a large mushroom.

Cut of the stems (but save them!) and place mushrooms upside down on a baking tray that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. I use {organic} olive oil spray from my local market.

Place in oven and let cook for 12-14 minutes.

Chop (finely) mushroom stems, onion and fresh garlic and sauté in saucepan for 2 minutes {until soft}

Then throw in coarsely chopped spinach until it withers. 

{Next} measure ricotta, cream cheese, and mozzarella into a mixing bowl.

Mix well and then blend in the veggies, yum!

Remove {mushrooms} from oven and let cool to touch. Make sure to remove excess water by patting dry or draining <3

Add the best part! Scoop on evenly!

Sprinkle {garlic powder} and add a teaspoon of shredded parmesan to each mushroom.

           

Finally, let bake for another 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown.

Remove from oven & cool slightly.

Then EAT & {enjoy} guilt free.

We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did. Super delicious and low calorie/fat. Feel free to change it up and be creative! We would {love it} if you left us a {comment} and told us your favorite variation on this recipe!

<3,

The Fitness Sisters

{determination}

(January 9, 2013)

Happy hump day from {The Fitness Sisters} <3

Today's post is just a tiny tidbit of encouragement as we reach this midpoint in the week.  For me, Wednesdays have always symbolized the midpoint- when something is halfway over. As I think about my weight loss progress, it reminds me of a Wednesday.  I have already made it halfway…{{over halfway}} to my goal weight!  It hasn't been easy, and I've had some huge plateaus and setbacks, but nothing is going to stop me.  It reminds me of this quote: "The question isn't who is going to let me, it's who is going to stop me?"- Ayn Rand.  Don't let anyone get in the way of your happiness and your goals, and most of all: don't let yourself get in the way!

<3,
meg


I would like to share with you some of the "in progress" photos of Karen and I since 2010. This before/after video is such a good reminder of where we started and how far we've come {and where we are going!}

{the first step}

(January 8, 2013)

"If you wait for perfect conditions, you'll never get anything done."


I love this phrase.  For many years I said I would start my diet tomorrow (sound familiar?)  I always had great intentions, but in a moment of weakness I would eat something "off diet" which would lead to more off diet eating, sitting on the couch, feeling lazy and thinking tomorrow would be better.  But one of the {greatest} lessons I've learned so far in my fitness journey is that every day doesn't have to be perfect.  In fact, in the beginning I made a lot of mistakes!  But eating a 200 calorie candy bar didn't have to turn into being completely unhealthy the rest of the day, or not exercising at all!  Slowly, I began changing my eating habits, {listening to my body}, and not waiting for the perfect conditions!  The only way to make a change is to take the first step.  Be {present}.  Enjoy the outdoors; enjoy nature!  (Including all the different seasons!)  The conditions will most likely never be perfect, but that doesn't mean they can't be beautiful! <3 Be beautiful, be bold, and challenge yourself to be in the now.

<3, meg

5 Tiny Tips to Take your {first step}:

*Drink a glass of {water} within 20 minutes of waking up/before breakfast; it will rehydrate your body and organs & get them going!

*Put down your technology & go to {sleep} 20 minutes earlier than normal every night. So simple + it adds an extra 10 hours of sleep per month! Sleep helps you function & can increase weight loss.

*Take a few extra {steps} a day! This could mean taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking further away in a parking lot.  An easy choice and those extra calories burned will add up over time!

*Use smaller plates.  I love this one!  It made a huge difference for me!  This helps you {control your portions} without thinking about it! {{FUN FACT}} In the 1960s dinner plates were 9" (the size of today's salad plate) and today dinner plates have increased 3" in diameter to 12"!

*{Stretch} daily while you watch TV! 10-15 mins should be adequate <3 Stretching can help reduce stress in your life. The lower your stress levels, the easier it is to lose weight!

{sisterhood}

(January 7, 2013)

Sisters are the most amazing friends on earth <3

We are The Fitness Sisters and we warmly welcome you into our sisterhood/brotherhood {boys ARE allowed}. There are three of us: Megan, Yvonne, & Karen (in whichever order you prefer!) We are all in/or entering our early 30s and have decided to band together to support each other with our weight loss goals. Karen & I (Megan) started in 2011 and have both lost a significant amount of weight already! This is our year to push through and meet our ultimate goals! Yvonne, a mommy of two, has joined in this year to lose her pregnancy weight and get her pre-mommy body back. Please check out our bios for more personal information!

We want to share our enthusiasm and support for health and fitness with everyone else on a similar journey or just interested in being healthy!

As of January 2013 we are resuming a fitness vlog {reality video blog} that Karen and I started in 2011. Yvonne is our newest member and we couldn't be more thrilled! <3 Every two weeks we will post our newest videos to this blog! You can watch us go about our daily lives and see the tough decisions we have to make in order to meet our goals!

In addition, we will be posting here regularly about our progress, tips, food ideas, fitness plans, funny anecdotes, and just life on the road to being fun, fit & fabulous!

Check in every Saturday for our weekly weigh-in's where we hop on the scale and take a photo! {{brave faces}} We will also be posting measurements, so stay tuned!

We hope that you find this a WARM, {loving}, ACCEPTING, {{supportive}} place to share your own stories and journey. We would love to hear from you, swap tips and ideas, and build friendships. There are multiple ways to get in touch with us! Please visit our contact page! Or leave us a comment below!

Please be patient while we build this community together; it's still a work in progress. We are so happy to share our journey with you and hope you will share yours with us or at least give us support along the way!! We all have some really big hurdles to jump and we can definitely use a few cheerleaders!