{ School! }

Hey friends!

AHHHH!! I (Karen) have started school again for the first time in years! I am still working full time and it's very hard to keep up with the diet, but I am doing decently well so far. The only thing I am struggling with is snacks during school hours. I don't have a place to keep things cool, and I can't take food or drinks into my classes, so anything I bring has to be able to sit in the car until I get a break, or I buy it from the vending machine which I am trying super hard not to do! I am in class for 6 hours with just a few minutes of a break! Any ideas on some healthy filling snacks I can bring that do not require refrigeration are more than welcome! Please keep positive thoughts for me starting this very exciting venture in my life!


And a little late, but here is our official weigh-in photo from September 1st, 2013.

<3,
Karen

{reboot}

It's been awhile since we've been doing regular weigh-ins, for various reasons. But as promised, we are back! This is our official reboot!

Our weights are as follows:

{{Karen}} 154.8 - "I really need to start exercising regularly, because diet alone is not working for me anymore." Karen wants to lose 20 pounds.

{{Yvonne}} 200.5 - "Only half a pound to the 100s. So close!" Yvonne wants to lose 40 pounds.

{{Megan}} 242.6 - "This summer is my time to take my body back. No more excuses, ever." Megan wants to lose 77 pounds.

There are some big changes happening with us here at T.F.S. and I'll be talking about them soon. In the mean time, stay well my friends! Remember to put into your body what you want to get out of it. You wouldn't poison an animal or a plant so don't poison your body with toxic foods. <3

XO,
Meg

{nineteenth weigh-in}

We are so sorry that we've missed a couple of weigh-ins, dear friends! This past weekend I was out of town, but we did manage to do our weigh in, which officially brings us to week 19.

Karen and I [[Megan]] have been maintaining their weight while Yvonne has lost 4 pounds! Look how close she is to the ONEderland! We are extremely excited to see what the next couple of weeks bring.

So much has been happening, and although we've been behind-- and although this post will remain short-- we have a bunch of fun posts coming up soon! If you want to see Meg & Yvonne all dressed up in 80s attire for Meg's dirty thirty, stay tuned!

<3
Meg + Sissies

P.S. Go Kings!

{sixteenth weigh-in}

Hello fitness friends!

Can you believe we're already in week 16? This is also our measurements week, but they will be posted in a separate blog post later this week [hopefully by wednesday!] 

I just want to give some totals for everyone who is just joining the site. It has definitely been a rough four months and we all feel like we should have made better progress during this amount of time. From our first weigh in until today this is what's gone on:

//Karen has maintained her weight during this time // 

//Yvonne has lost a total of about 13 pounds // 

//Megan has lost a total of about 8 pounds//

This is still progress and we've worked really hard to make healthy changes and not to gain any weight. We've also had non-scale victories which we will discuss later this week! Those are important!

So let's go ahead and recap this week!

{{Karen}} lost 1.4 lbs since last week. She is working on maintaining a regular exercise schedule and drinking more water.

{{Yvonne}} is up slightly from last week, but is acknowledging that it is her monthly cycle and knows she can bring it back down soon!

{{Megan}} is down 1.6 lbs since last week. She's been focusing on healthy food choices while at class all day, and maintaining an exercise schedule of at least 4-5x / week. 

We look forward to the continual progress and hope to see more consistent results as the next couple of months before summer approaches!

xoxo,

Meg, Karen, Yvonne

{thirteenth weigh-in}

It's our first weigh-in of April! <3 How are you all doing on your journey to good health? We hope you're doing well and we'd love to hear from you!

It's been a bit hectic this week because Karen is still adjusting to her new schedule, Yvonne has been busy with her rambunctious two year old, and Megan starting her last quarter at the university. So we are sorry for the late weigh-in posting!

We'll keep it short and break it down for you!

{{Karen}} lost 1.6 lbs this week, yay! She says "Yes! Finally! I'm going to keep busting my butt and hope for just as good of results next week!"

{{Yvonne}} maintained this week. She says "I'm still having trouble getting my full motivation back and on track, but I'm starting fresh this week."

{{Megan}} gained one pound. She says "I'm actually really happy with this. I've been on prednisone for a week [for asthma] and I usually gain weight really fast… like 10 lbs. So 1 lb up is not too bad. I'm going to keep working out and eating healthy and try to just keep this gain a minimum! Hoping for some good results next week!"

We've all been at a bit of a plateau lately, but we're not losing faith! I feel like really good results are going to happen soon! Plus we can see the physical changes in our bodies after last month's fitness challenge! Can't wait for even better [[results]] <3

Stay happy, stay healthy!

<3
Meg, Karen, & Yvonne

{twelfth weigh-in}

Tweet Tweet <3

It's Easter season with little chicks and egg dyeing. 

Speaking of tweeting you can follow us on twitter!

www.twitter.com/TheFitnessSis

TWELFTH WEEK WEIGH-IN!

So let's break it down!

{Karen} had a small gain this week, but is understandable under the stress of moving.

Here's what she has to say:

"I've been so stressed out this week [with moving.] I literally moved in 4 days.

It was really hard to do especially with having just started a new job.

I'm going to make sure next week is much better!"

{Megan} lost 1.8 lbs this week, yay!

Here's what she has to say:

"I'm really happy I had this loss this week, but I'm nervous for next week!

With the high dose of prednisone I'm on [for asthma] 

I know next week will be a gain. 

Doing my best to maintain for next week!"

{Yvonne} forgot to weigh-in today before heading off to work.

Here's what she has to say:

"I completely forgot to weigh this morning. 

Yesterday my husband and I took the kids to the zoo [fun!]

We were so tired when we got home that we totally crashed.

I rushed to get the kids ready to go of to an easter egg hunt with their daddy

this morning, while I ran off to work. Life as a mom is hectic!

I know I gained or maintained this week. 

Getting back to tracking points [Weight Watchers] this week!"

<3 We wish you all a happy Easter weekend with family or friends, or whatever you may be doing!

{tenth weigh-in}

{{HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY WEEKEND}}

We may as well be all green since it's St. Patrick's Day weekend! AND our tenth weigh in with measurements! We have definitely had a rough start (some of us more than others) but the results are starting to pay off. 

Let's kick things off with Karen who had a gain this week, but has lost 5 inches over the last 6 weeks! Great progress! This is why it's so important to keep track of measurements too. It just goes to show that the number on the scale is not the only thing that reflects whether or not you are getting thinner. Although Karen does want to see that number on the scale go down and not up, she has been building muscle and losing inches and getting smaller, yay! Here is what Karen has to say about this week: "I can just hope some of this weight gain is muscle, but I will just keep on keeping on!"

Yvonne lost one pound this week and has lost an overall SIX total inches over the last six weeks! We're really excited to see these kind of losses <3  Yvonne says, "I'm happy that I am down from last week, but I am ready to kick it into high gear. I know I can do better." Something Yvonne has expressed is that she would like to get more serious about exercise-- which can definitely be hard with a couple little tots to take care of!

And finally, Megan-- me, moi! I have been having a very difficult time losing weight since we started this. I'm not going to make excuses- there have been days where I've drank too much coffee, ate too much chocolate, and gotten too few hours of sleep, but in general I have been within my Weight Watchers points every day, every week. I've also been sticking to my exercise plan (5 days a week.) I'm frustrated because I have gained weight and inches. Although I lost 1 pound this week, I'm still up from when I started, and I'm up 7 inches from 6 weeks ago. I'm not going to let it discourage me although it's difficult. I have to keep going and never quit! Eventually the results will come. 

<3 Be well, friends!

Meg, Yvonne, Karen

    T.F.S

        {the fitness sisters}

{ninth weigh-in}

Hello {sweet} friends!

I'm sorry we didn't get an mid-week blog up this week, but things have been a little crazy and I've [Meg] been super sick :( so sad.

None of us had the best week as far as {results} but that doesn't mean that we stopped trying or that we're giving up. In fact Meg & Karen have been doing really well with the Ab Workout Program that you can find here: {{Abs So Fab}} <---- Link.

Here's our break down!

{Karen} maintained her weight this week.
     "I'm glad I didn't gain this week, but frustrated that I didn't lose. I was "on" calories every day. I'm just going to keep pushing forward and hope for better results next week!"

{Yvonne} had a slight gain this week.
     "I'm not surprised I weigh a little more today because I started my period yesterday for the first time since I had my son in October. I'm feeling very bloated today :("

{Megan} gained this week.
     "I have a thousand things I could say-- but I won't. I gained because I didn't stay within points everyday and on the days that I was in points, I didn't make great food choices. I'm sick of excuses. I'm going back to a cleaner way of eating."

So there you have it! We would {love} to hear how you're doing! Drop us an email at thefitnesssisters@gmail.com or leave a comment below. <3 If you'd like to join our AB CHALLENGE, jump on in [or start it now and extend into next month] :)

Take care dear friends!
<3,
Megan, Karen, & Yvonne
aka T.F.S
     {the fitness sisters}

{eighth weigh-in}

Hello all <3

We are a day late with our weigh-in, but here it is! It's a short post today, but let's break it down!

{Karen} had a gain this week.
      "I'm really mad about my gain, but I'll just try harder next week!"

{Yvonne} lost 3.4 lbs. Wow!
      "I'm happy to be dropping again, but I need to work on consistency with exercise."

{Megan} maintained her weight from last week.
      "I expected to maintain or gain this week. I was terrible and totally off points/cals (meaning, I ate olive garden and johnny rockets) haha. I'm SO SERIOUS about losing now."

Megan & Karen are doing the Abs SO Fab challenge. <----LINK! We will be posting before photos soon. Want to join? Send us your photos! Thefitnesssisters@gmail.com Or leave a comment, we'd love to hear from you!

{seventh weigh-in}

(February 23, 2013)

It's officially our week 7 weigh-in! Next week we will have our monthly measurements again, so stay tuned! Here's the breakdown:

{Megan} completed her first week of Weight Watchers and lost 2.4 lbs, weight in at 246.4.
   "FINALLY! Ha, I felt like that was never going to happen and I hope this is the change I needed."

{Yvonne} weighed in with a slight gain at 207.7
    "I expected the scale to look like this today since I kind of pigged out last night on a caramel apple w/pizza, haha. Next week!"

{Karen} weighed in with a slight gain at 151.6.
    "I've hit a plateau, but hopefully will see progress soon."

Our over all progress is going well! We've all had to make some slight {adjustments} to figure out what is working for us right now, but things are starting to fall into place and will only get better. {Everyone} will have a gain week, a plateau week, or even month sometimes! When you're on this journey it's not always going to go down consistently, but it will go down if you're patient with yourself and don't give up. You're worth it! <3 Happy weekend everyone!

<3,
Yvonne, Meg, & Karen

  T.F.S.

   {the fitness sisters}

p.s. we'd love to hear from you. You can email us at thefitnesssisters@gmail.com or leave a comment below! Connect with us on facebook at www.facebook.com/thefitnesssisters or on twitter at www.twitter.com/thefitnesssis

{sixth weigh-in}

It's Saturday again and we all know what that means! Yes, it's time to jump on the scale and see how we've done this week. Here is the breakdown:

{Yvonne} is doing amazing on Weight Watchers and lost another 1.5 pounds this week! Karen and Megan were just saying how proud we are of her for sticking to the plan and already losing nearly 15 pounds since we started this blog 6 weeks ago!
       "I'm just happy that I'm continuing to make progress!"

{Karen} lost about half a pound this week! Progress is progress- no matter what! No loss is small.
        "I'm really happy with my half pound loss this week, especially since I allowed myself to indulge on Valentine's day."

{Megan} gained this week, but will not be giving up or getting discouraged!
        "I have been trying really hard and gaining weight still. I'm going to try a new approach! My sister, Yvonne, is doing so well on Weight Watchers {WW} that I just signed up for 3 months. Hopefully we will see a difference next week!"


We {all} just want to {encourage} everyone to stick through the hard times. Weight loss doesn't always go as planned no matter how hard you try! Sometimes you just have to re-evaluate what is going on in our lives. The three of us are giving it our best shot and regardless of the results we are making the lifestyle {changes} that are healthy for our bodies! We are so proud of each of our sisters- no matter how much we've lost (or haven't). The point is, we're trying and eventually we will figure things out!

We're {so happy} to have you all along for our journey. Don't give up on yours! Don't get discouraged if things aren't going as planned. We will all get there eventually! <3 Please leave us a comment with your feedback, thoughts, encouragement, or if you'd like to share your own story!

<3
T.F.S
   {the fitness sisters}

{fifth weigh-in}

(February 9, 2012)

We've made it just over a month and although it's been a bumpy start, we are all starting to settle into our new routine of living healthy.

So let's get straight to it!

{Karen} is down 2.8 lbs this week!

"This shows that just getting up and moving will get you results, can you imagine what I could have done if I had eaten right too?"

{Yvonne} lost 1.8 lbs this week!

"I'm actually shocked at my loss this week because I have not been on my best behavior with food last week. I'm going to count my blessings and refocus this week!"

{Megan} is down 1 lb this week!

"I'm really struggling with losing as much as I'd like since the beginning of this process, but I'm confident that I will find my way, just like I did in 2011."


All of us are focusing on {healthier} food choices this week! Karen and Megan are kicking it into high gear with the Couch to 5k (and 10k) programs! We will be doing a post on {running} soon. In the meantime, stay tuned for part two and three of our "looking back" blog to see what Yvonne and Megan have to say about motivation and progress. Find part one where Karen shares her story by clicking here.

You can also follow our daily progress on our twitter account: www.twitter.com/thefitnesssis or on facebook: www.facebook.com/thefitnesssisters <3 And as {always} feel free to leave us a message below or send us an email: thefitnesssisters@gmail.com

<3,
T.F.S
   {the fitness sisters}

{fourth weigh-in}

We've officially made it to our one month weigh-in! Honestly, some of us have not had the progress that we hoped to have for our first month, so for February we need to reevaluate what's going on and try again. There will always be ups and downs in this process and that's part of changing your lifestyle. This isn't about a fad, it's about a real change and we will persevere even through the rough spots.

Because we are at our one month, we will be sharing measurements as well.

{Karen} gained this week but has maintained her weight for the month. She did however lose a total of {2 inches} from her waist, bust and thigh and bicep.

 Measurements- 

Waist 37 in, {Hips 42 in}, 

Bust 38 in, {Chest 34  in}, 

Thigh 24 1/2 in, {Calf 14 1/2 in}, Bicep 13 in

"I'm glad I only gained a couple of pounds this week because I had a really bad week and I took it out on food. In February I'm going to work really hard to get on track."

{Yvonne} lost 3.2 lbs this week, putting her at a total loss of 7.5 lbs for the month, yay! She lost a total of {4 inches} this month!

Measurements- 

Waist 43 in, {Hips 45 in}, 

Bust 48, {Chest 36}, 

Thigh 25 1/2 in, {Calf 16 1/2 in}, Bicep 13 1/2in.

{Megan} lost two pounds this week and maintained her weight for the month. She lost {1.5 inches}.

Measurements- 

Waist 43, {Hips 48.5 in}, 

Bust 44, {Chest 39.5}, 

Thigh 30 in, {Calf 18 3/4 in}, Bicep 15 in.

"I am disappointed with my results this month, but I am not going to beat myself up over it. I plan on making the most of February and exercising regularly to see if that changes my results."

As always, feel free to {comment} below or send us an email! We would love to hear your thoughts and stories. We are a community, a sisterhood, a support system! <3

{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

{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

{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