2015 Year End Recap

It's been a busy year for the Fitster Sisters. We wish we could say that it's been full of only joy, but the truth is there have been ups and downs in all different aspects of our lives. As we look back, we are grateful for the incredible support we had from one another, and of course our family and friends. Overall we ran hundreds of miles, hours and days together. We shed tears of joy, hatred, and sorrow. We lost inches, pounds and sanity. We laughed a lot and learned a lot. We accomplished goals and set new limits, and we fell along the way several times. We experienced road blocks and walls that were difficult to get around, yet we made it through unscathed for the most part.

Related: The Evil Truth About Perception

 

We are each other's lifelines through all the good and the bad. We hold each other up and hold each other's hands to guide when needed. Handholding is a literal thing you should do. Try to hold hands while running, while eating, while taking cheesy pictures. We are just kidding of course with that last line, but just know who you can go to and who will hold your hand when you do need it. Sometimes you will need it! 

The truth is that life is messy and full of those ups and downs. We have discussed the roller coaster that weight control is all the time. It can drive a sane person insane. As we look into the new year we are grateful for the introspection we have from 2015. To be honest we aren't big fans of resolutions. They are easy to break and once you do most people feel as though they aren't able to go back and start again. So instead we set goals for ourselves heading into 2016.

1. LAUGH a lot! This is such a hard concept as laughter can sometimes be hard to come by when stressed. Use a friend or a family member, and remember to laugh. It feeds the soul during some difficult times!

2. Find a partner in crime and stick with them! You might need a few of them, but part of our success has been through one another and that is priceless. Plus you need someone to talk bad about someone who looks like they are having a perfect workout while you suffer 😂. 

3. Have back up plans. If you plan to run outside but it rains, know what you'll do instead. So many times it's easy to just give up and not workout that day. Don't do it, commit and stay focused. 

4. Keep your eye on the prize. Remember this is a marathon, not a sprint. You need this to be a lifelong commitment for healthy living. It will be hard and emotional, yet one of the most rewarding parts of your life if done correctly. 

 

Related: The Weight Roller Coaster

 

5. Indulge! We've discussed this before but don't withhold your heart's desire next year. Enjoy this journey and keep your sanity.

Remember lastly to COMMIT! Goals are important and as we roll into 2016, and our goal is to remember that commitment part ourselves. We have fallen at times towards the end of this year. It's been difficult and the holiday time was rough. However, we look forward to the new year and a renewed sense of commitment and power. 

We got this and so do you!

The Fitster Sisters

Battling the Holiday Bulge

The last few months of the year are food giving, which is NOT helpful for battling weight issues. They really can undo all the hard work we've all put in over the last 10 months. How do we cope?!

We recommend indulging but with restrictions. The issue with holiday indulging is that we indulge one day then think oh what's one more day and then another and then another. Well before you know it you've indulged for two weeks and put on 10 pounds. Been there, done that, ain't going back! So watch out for that! There will also be people who will not help you cause! 

Gaze upon them with hate and say no or make it your day to indulge, you choose. Just know the consequences! Now when we indulge we use our Fat Fighters and that helps quite a bit.

Keep your same workout routine. Don't get lazy! It is really easy to become content with indulging and think you might get back into the routine after the holidays. Well, your two weeks of indulging and not working out will probably end in a nice little bulge for you. We've all been there before as well!

Check in with an accountability partner. 

This is what we are to one another! Everyone needs this type of friend.

We basically need one and another to say fat butt get off the couch! Our plan will be to eat lots and then run lots 😂! We will do this in moderation obviously but at least we have each other to be successful! 

Try to think of this as a lifestyle change, not a get through the holidays. It's makes it a lot easier. You got this!

The Fitster Sisters

The Evil Truth of Perception

How many mornings do you wake up look in the mirror and think "There is nothing I would change about myself?" We are pretty sure when most women look in the mirror they think several things negatively. Well, needless to say we are no different. As we look at our time of weight loss over the last year, it's still difficult to get the we are unhealthy mentality out of our heads! Many times when we look in the mirror all we see is the girl who was 50-70 pounds heavier. Or we see the 20-30 pounds we are desperately trying still trying to get off.


Several mornings of inner dialogue with the following conversations. 

We step on the scale. "Damn you scale. I will throw you out the window." "You are a liar scale!" "WTH! There is no way!" (Either good or bad! Hahaha!) Or perhaps..."Yes! Starvation was a success for the last two days. I will never maintain it but I'll take it today." (Side note: Neither of us have starved ourselves during this process, neither should you 😉.) The worst is when you feel as though you have done everything right, you've worked out, didn't have a cheat day (yet, we save those for after our weigh in days) or you are just plain feeling really good and then the number is higher than you've seen in a while.

Clothing issues: "I have nothing that fits! Everything I own makes me look fat. I'll send a pic to Andrea/Tegan to ask if I look ok." Clothes are difficult because as we lose weight we don't have an abundance of clothes! As we all know, the bipolar weather of Kansas doesn't help this situation either. So when we find that magical outfit in the morning the angels sing and we rejoice. Or we put on our tents and decide we are eating 5 chocolates for breakfast instead of our protein shake. Sometimes you've got to feed the raging inner fat kid. Ours have been getting fed a lot more than they usually do here recently.

We realize this all perception and it takes a change of mindset to beat this inner dialogue. This is easier said than done and we want to say it's OK and it's normal. The important part is that you need to take a step back every now and again and put your perspective into reality. What's it really like? So we might have to ask "Do I really look like a cow? Is it possible to gain 50 pounds back by eating unhealthy one day? Am I going to survive emotionally?" Though we could probably argue with ourselves to say yes or no, however it applies to the above, the truth to all of these answers is opposite of what we normally say!

This week we challenge you to take perspective of what you are doing. Count the little successes and be proud of yourself. Maybe you ate a smaller meal or maybe you walked an extra mile or maybe you finally compared those before and after pictures to realize your small victories are actually adding up to a large one! Whatever it is keep in mind you are doing something just by reaching out for encouragement from us or other friends. 

Remember no matter what size of clothes you are, you're beautiful just like we are! Do what makes you feel good inside. Also a pictures says a million words. Take those before and after pictures or progress pictures. Our favorite thing to do is go digging through your old photos (FaceBook can be really helpful for this) and find you at your largest. You will have an Oh goodness please tell me I didn't really look like that moment. Nothing makes you feel better on a "fat" day then running across a picture when you realize your successes. We both kind of needed this for this week as we continue our health journey. Perception really can be our worst enemy and a picture can help to win the battles over it.




You've got this!
The Fitster Sisters

Here Comes Race Day

Race day is approaching, you've logged so many miles you can't keep track, you don't even want to think about how many hours it's taken, and lets not even mention all the aches and pains you have had along the way. But the best part is that race day is coming and soon all the miles, the hours and yes even the aches and pains will pay off. It may not seem like it but it will.

The week or weeks leading up to a race can be just as important as the all the weeks you spent training. One of the most important things you can do is taper for at least a week, if not two. Tapering is an athletes best friend! If you are anything like we are the closer you get to the end of your training program the more exhausted you body is becoming. The less you want to lace up those shoes and head out for a run. Trust us we get it, we have been there for pretty much any race we have trained for. There are many times we are talking each other into getting those last few training runs in. Mile after mile you are breaking down your body, the longer your runs get the longer your body need to recover. A taper will bring your mileage down and allow your legs to be fresh for race day.

Related: Real Talk

During that final week it is imperative you watch what you eat, something we aren't the best at. Think of it like your car, you have to put the right gas into it for it to perform well. The same goes for your body. If you have been watching what you are eating the entire time you have been training you can't change that the week before the race. Make you are loading up on protein, healthy good carbs, and fiber. These things will allow your body to perform at it's peak. We like having family pasta dinners the night before our big races. Not only are we going to carb up but we are also going to get a chance to celebrate with those that have stood by us during our craziness.

Related: Adventures In Cross Training

Now to everyone's favorite part, and the hardest thing to do, SLEEP! During the week/weeks leading up to your race you need to make sure you are allowing your body to rest. When you workout you are actually tearing down your muscles, while you sleep it allows your body to repair these tears and help you to grow stronger. We know several elite level athletes and one of the things they almost always do it nap right after they get done with a hard work out. This isn't always possible but you should be getting at least 6-8 hours of sleep a night. We love using our Fitbit to track our sleep to know just how well we actually are sleeping.

When the morning finally arrives it is beyond important that you eat something which will allow you to maintain energy during the duration of the race. One of the best things to eat is something made up of complex carbs which will break down slowly giving you energy through out the race, especially during the longer races. Remember this goes back to fueling your body, it had to have something it can run off of. This is, however, not the time to try something new. Eat something the day of the race you have eaten before and you know it will not mess with your stomach. If you don't you will find yourself half way through your race struggling.

The best part is that if you have made it to this point you are almost done. We would love to hear about your own race day prep, do you have something you have to do? Let us know!

You've got this!
The Fitster Sisters

Real Talk

Lets real talk for a couple minutes. Is there anything worse than feeling like you are doing everything you are suppose to be doing and nothing is happening? That ridiculous number on the scale isn't changing. Seriously, is there anything more frustrating? What are you to do?
We want people to know that we have our own struggles, and it's not all rainbows, sunshine and pounds just melting off all the time. In fact for both of us it's been a rough couple months, yes that is rights MONTHS, in our weight loss journey. Tegan has been seeing numbers on her scale the last few weeks that haven't been there since MARCH. It's beyond hard and frustrating.

We'll be the first to admit that we aren't always doing the things we are suppose to. Come on it's Fall, it's easy to eat all the pumpkin spice flavored goodies. Not to mention that we are knee deep in holiday season. You may be in the process of getting rid of all the fun size candy in your house from Halloween but that's really just the beginning, Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner. (We will cover that in a later blog) for us the most frustrating thing has to be when you actually are back on track, you weigh in and not only has the number on the scale not gone down it's gone up. SERIOUSLY?!?! This is what we have been fighting ourselves basically since May.



Related: The Weight Roller Coaster

So what do you do? Other than sitting down on your couch and binging on the biggest chocolate chip cookie you can find. Well there are a couple things.

- Grant yourself some grace. Keep in mind that this is a process and like all things in life there are ups and downs. If everything came easy to use would we really appreciate it in the end? This is work, and work is hard, but work makes you stronger. The more you are able to overcome multiple little things in your life, you notice that they can add up to one big thing. Or better yet the strength you gained from overcoming those little things, will help you overcoming something even larger in the future.

Related: Dieting Again ?!...

- Working out is not just to help you physically, it is also to help you mentally. We can tell a difference in ourselves if we have taken a few days off. Normally we are sweet and compliant people, (that may be a little bit of a stretch) but if we haven't worked out in a few days we are short tempered, irritable and not the most rational people on the face of the planet. Many times when one of us gets like this we will suggest a walk together, just to get the other one out and about. Have any of you noticed the same things?

- With all of that said, this is mentally exhausting!!! Between trying to keep yourself motivated to work out, eating healthy and dealing with that frustrating number it's ok to have a vent session with your BFF every once in a while. Or in our case several times a week at the moment. So go ahead and vent, better yet vent while taking a walk or if you want to over a bowl of some yummy ice cream.

- Drink all the water. Well ok, maybe not ALL the water, but make sure you are drinking a lot of water. We know this is something we continually talk about but it is so very important. The average person need 8 8oz glasses a day for a grand total of 64oz. That's only 2.6 Tervis cups! If you are working out you should be drinking more. Water is not only used to hydrate you, but it also helps to flush out the toxins in your system. It even can help you regulate your digestive track, and a lot of times we could be adding on an extra pound or two because things just aren't moving the way they should be.

- You will probably ALWAYS be hungry, or at least we are. Right at this moment we can't seem to get full if our lives are dependent on it. It's partially because we haven't been on our diets, eating our snacks when we are suppose to, making sure we are eating the right amount of fiber and protein, and working out. Again, there seems to be a correlation, for us, between always being hungry and not following the things we should be doing.

The most important thing to remember is that even if you have added a few pounds, or in our case 7 for both of us, you can always start back up. It's ok to get off track, in no way is this a sprint; it's a marathon and something you will continually have to work at. One of the things we have to remind ourselves over and over again is that we didn't put the weight on overnight (even if it seems like it did) so we can't expect it to come off overnight either.

You've got this!!!
The Fitster Sisters

Adventures In Cross Training

We're sure many of you have heard it, we have talked a bit about it, but cross training is something that many people skip when they are training. The beauty of cross training is that it breaks up your training program and gives your body a break. Plus you then aren't doing the same thing over and over and over again. Not to mention you might even get to use a different set of muscles! It doesn't have to be anything extensive, you could add in walking, some core work, strength training, wave running (this is one of our personal favorites during the summer) or even yoga.

Yoga is something Andrea got into a couple years ago and she loved it. Her favorite was hot yoga. She loved it because she was able to feel the toxins leave her body while strengthening and elongating her muscles. As with anything people love she wanted to share it with Tegan and her husband. So one day after about the 1,000 times of asking she finally talked them into going. The following is Tegan's account of that disastrous hour and half.

So Andrea started doing hot yoga and fell in love with it; I being the awesome supportive friend I am, begrudgingly agreed to go with her and Adam once to try this out. Now I was SUPER out of shape but some where in the back of my head I kept thinking, I use to do this when I was on the crew team I can do it without a problem. Here's the thing about that... I was probably 90-100 pounds heavier that morning than I was in college, I had never been so out of shape in my life and to this day I will maintain Andrea didn't fully disclose everything that would happen that morning.

The night before she reminds me to bring a litter of water, this should have been my first warning, and a towel, warning number two. I show up all ready to do this. Let me tell you I had talked myself into this, I was going to knock this out of the park, they are going to be so impressed by my beginner skills they would be basically having me teaching the class by the end of it. Boy was I wrong.

I check in and the lady said the intermediate class will start in a couple minutes. Ummmmm... What? I thought this was a beginners class! Here's warning number three. You know three strike and your out? I should have ran so fast in the opposite direction. But the three of us set up in the back of the class, Andrea between Adam and I. Let me take this moment to tell you all that Adam and I are basically the same person, just opposite genders. I'm sure this is why we are in Andrea's life.

The class starts out easy, I'm still convinced I'm going to rock it, I know a lot of these moves from my crew days. Although I'm not as limber and my core strength is leaving a lot to be desired! But then the room starts to warm up. And I mean we are basically in the firey pits of hell my friends. The window behind us have foged up, I'm pretty sure there's no escaping this torture at this point. I check the clock, 10 minutes have gone by. I turn to Andrea about the time Adam does to remark that I'm glad there was only 50 minutes left. This is the point when she informs the both of us that it's an hour and a half class. I can't repeat what came out of our mouths but let me tell you it was not what you should be saying while doing yoga!

Over the  next hour and 10 minutes we twist our body into shapes that are beyond human. It wasn't long into the experience that I figured out why you needed the towel. There was sweat coming out of places I didn't know knew how to sweat. The instructor would say put your hand on the middle of your leg. Look you crazy skinny, not sweating, super zen lady, if I could actually keep it there I would but I'm pretty sure there's an ocean of sweat coming out of my body at this moment that is making it a very difficult process! I wish someone had taped us for the running cometary Andrea was hearing from each side. Adam and I are convinced it was pretty epic, I'm sure it was actually just the two of us cussing her out and tell her how much we hated her for suggesting this.

Am I glad I went? That's debatable. It's good to know I'm not made to do hot yoga, and still to this day I have nightmares about it.

Obviously not every one of our cross training experiences have ended this way. But when you try something new you never really know what you are going to get. We would love to here some of your cross training experiences. Please share them with us!

Remember, you've got this!

Fitster Sisters

The Weight Roller Coaster

Have you ever weighed your self knowing you've been on point that week, haven't missed a workout and ate smart all week just to see the scale go up? Losing weight and maintaining it is a never ending battle. One we personally are fighting each and every day.. Even after logging more miles than we can count,, we both still struggle with our weight. We are here to say the struggle is real and it's NORMAL!!!

Looking at the weight numbers fluctuating is similar to being on a roller coaster of emotions. One day, we are extremely happy with our progress and the next day we've told each other we will just give up! Nothing is worse then not being able to change from a weight you've been seeing forever. This is especially the case when you feel as though you are doing everything right. Let us be the first to tell you this is the time to not give up! It's okay to have a bad day, and it's okay to feel like you need to feed those feelings. We have hose days more than we probably should. Go ahead and have that bad day if it makes you feel better, but the next day pick yourself up and get back on the horse. Sometimes it helps to get back to the basics. 

If you are training, doctors have told us it's normal to fluctuate up or down 8-10 pounds from your normal weight. Yes you read that correctly, 8-10 pounds!! In our own training we have found this to be completely true, and it drives us nuts. Actually both of us are currently dealing with this. Usually this is the point where people start exsercising more and eating less, while in theory this might work it's not actually the case. Remember to feed your body. It might be our normal tendency when we gain weight to not eat but when running several miles; the fact is that we need major nutrition. Be safe and take care of yourself!

This is an important time to remind you ladies out there; if you are eating less than 1200 calories a day you are putting your body into starvation mode. You know what happens when it goes into starvation mode? You body will store everything it can and start breaking down your muscles. We aren't sure about you but personally we would like to keep our muscle and get rid of the fat. This can only be achieved if you are feeding your body.

Related: Dieting Again?!...

Something else to keep in mind, take some time for yourself and don't be too frustrated.  Go have some fun, a night where you allow yourself to enjoy yourself. Recently we treated ourselves to a dinner out and the Bobby Bones show! It was just what we needed as we finished up a training schedule. 

As always don't forget you've got this!

The Fitster Sisters

These Are a Few of Our Favorite Things

Rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens... Ok well we aren't talking about those favorite things but lets be honest we all love that song! You know what is crazy? The more you work out, the more gear you find yourself "needing." There are several things that we have found for us that are must haves. It doesn't mean you have to use them but here's what works for us...

1. Fitbit: We have discussed this several times as you probably recall from our previous posts. Any day now they are going to catch on and offer us a sponsorship. We are sure of it. Ok maybe not, but we can dream can't we? This pedometer was a life changer for us both. It completely makes us accountable for our fitness goals! Plus it adds a little healthy competition into our lives.

RELATED: The First Steps Is The Hardest

2. Flipbelt: These can be one of the most game changing necessity you purchase, especially if you are running longer than a couple miles. There are several types of running belts which will hold a phone, mints, energy chews or whatever else you might need while running. The Flipbelt is our favorite because it is easy to use, has several different pockets along the belt, a clip for your keys and it had great reviews. Plus it's comfortable to wear, washable and comes in a ton of different colors! 

3. Headbands: Headbands are one of those workout necessities that can speak a lot about your personality. You can get sparkly, plain, bright, bold, simple, wide, and/or skinny. The possibilities are endless. We have ones that are nice and wide made from stretchy material to smaller tighter gripping ones. The best thing is that they can be easy to make yourself.

4. Tank Tops: Ok first thing first, we have to admit something to you guys here... we are completely, 100% addicted to these. There we've said it, moving on. Second, tank tops are so fun, and we live by the motto that each race deserves it's own special one. Some of our favorite ones we have found at Wal-Mart for less than $10, most recently our princess one we wore for the Diva Dash. We have a couple which were specially made for us (thank you Etsy), one that is monogramed, and we give them to each other for our birthdays. Next to headbands they are a great way to express your personality while you work out, plus they really are much cooler than wearing a t-shirt.

RELATED: Fall Race Season Is Coming: How To Pick The Race For You

5. Water Bottles: No matter where you are working out you will need one, at the gym, at home or outside. Remember water is IMPORTANT! The Camelback bottles have been very useful for both us. We use the double insulated ones so they don't sweat and the water stays cooler for longer. For those of you doing a lot outside and not wanting to carry a bottle, we have clip on bottles we attach to our running belts or pants. Another way to go is to use bottles which can go on your arm or can be held in your hand, as of now we haven't used any of these yet. Find something you are comfy with during your whole workout.

One of the most important things to do before purchasing anything is to do your research, look at the reviews and talk to someone you know who might have some insight. But most importantly remember, these are products that work for us, they may work for you or something else might work better. A lot of this was trial and error for us. We would love to hear what some of your favorite products are. Share them with us in the comment section below!

Remember you've got this!

Fitster Sisters

(These are our personal reviews of these products, we were not compensated for the reviews and recommend doing research before purchasing something.

Always remember before starting a workout program it might be beneficial to discuss with a health professional.)

Fall Race Season Is Coming: How To Pick The Race For You

The summer is coming to a close, school is starting, and hopefully we will begin to start getting some relief from the 100 degree days. That can only mean one thing... Fall race season is upon us and there are going to be more races than you know what to do with. If you are anything like us you will want to do them all, especially if there is a cool t-shirt, or better yet a medal!!!  The only issue is that we are not made of money and would go broke if we did every race out there.

There are many things to take into consideration when picking a race. Races are great motivators to help us focused on fitness goals, which is why we keep signing up for them. The thing is you need to be picky and make sure the race is a good one for you. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are trying to figure out if you really do need to sign up for your 7th race in a month.

1) Do I get a t-shirt?  Or better yet is the t-shirt Dri-fit? It's basically like college where we would do anything for a shirt.  It's probably not that extreme but it's close but it is still one of the very first things we look at. The more races you do, the more likely it will become that you can go a week or four with out wearing the same race t-shirt.

2) Is there a medal? Nothing will get us to a finish line faster than getting a medal now a days. It's so important to have that bling around our necks now. Not only is having a medal important, but so is what it looks like. Is it shaped like a tiara or a firework? Does it sparkle or light up? Seriously, you think this is a joke but something about having this amazing 6 inch medal hanging around the neck after a few miles of running is incredibly rewarding!

Related: Stretch It Out: It Really Is Necessary

3. What's in the Swag Bag? We need to know e're getting something besides the medal. It's assumed there is an awesome shirt but if a jacket or a towel are an added bonus, sign our butts up! There is a very real chance that we will train for and run a half marathon just so the jacket can be in our wardrobes. It's totally worth that $60 fee. Plus if we are being honest, how many of you our there get a little bit of enjoyment out of wearing your swag around town? Then you see someone else with the same stuff and you have a silent moment of like of appreciation for each other.

4) What's the distance? Oh it's a marathon....26.2 miles...umm no!! You would think this would be one of the very first things on the list but it usually isn't. However the distance is oh so very important. Most longer races will have a time limit and then they will start shutting down parts of the course. It's important to know if you are able to do the distance of the race in the given time period. Plus longer races take a toll on your body and you need to know if you body can handle the distance.

Related: Beat The Heat

5) What's the fee? This really should be one of the first questions asked but it's not anymore. As we sat discussing our upcoming half marathon and whether or not to do another one, for the first 15 minutes neither of us even mentioned he fees. We discussed whether or not our bodies could handle the distance and what the medal looked like and what the swag was. Then for the last few minutes we finally discussed the fee. It just doesn't matter as much! Also ask yourself is there a groupon, is the fee on sale, or when are the dates the fee will go up. Most races will be less expensive the further out you sign up. As you get closer the fees tend to go up, for many races you aren't gauranteed a t-shirt after a certain sign up date.

6) Where is the race fee going? Many of us love doing these races because they are fundraisers for a good cause. It's important however to read the fine print if that is something you really care about. We recently did a race, not naming names, that said it went in support of a local charity but when we looked into it only $1 of our $30 entry fee was going to that charity.

7) When is it? If we are being honest this should be the second thing you ask your self. Mostly because you need to maike sure you have time to train for the race. We both know people who can go out and run a half-marathon with next to know training, and run fast. It's not fair and it's not something most people can do. We really encourage you to take the time to train for races! Especially if it's your first one at a longer distance. This will help you to avoid injury.
 

Whatever your reason is for a race, commit to it and own that day! Whether you run it, walk it or skip, that race is yours and remember you got this!

Fitster Sisters

Stretch It Out: It Really Is Necessary

You've finished your workout, you feel great and you are in a hurry so you think to yourself I don't really need to stretch. WRONG!!!  It's very easy to toss stretching to the side, but in doing so you are missing out on some much need benefits. Tegan is honestly the worst about this, it is her least favorite part of working out. She can't even tell you why. However, this is not the example to live by!

Stretching is actually an exercise and you CAN/WILL burn calories! Doing mild stretching for about 30 minutes will burn on average around 90-100 calories. Say hello to the extra snack you can now eat because you chose to stretch! Beyond the calories being burned, stretching also has many benefits for your muscles. After exercise, muscles become tight and tired, we have to help work out the knots and other build up we have in our bodies. This helps to prevent or alleviate soreness and fatigue. 

STRETCH EVERYTHING: When deciding what to stretch, stretch it all! Most forms of exercise takes it out on your whole body, so stretching your legs, your arms and even your neck/back/core is helpful.

RELATED: The Rules People Aren't Telling You About
 

STRETCH BEFORE/AFTER: Now there is actually some debate about stretching before your workout. Some experts say it's not necessary, some say it is, and some say just do a few quick stretches. So who do you listen to? Who is right? This is a question we have asked ourselves since we are not experts ourselves! We say do what is right for you and speak with your doctor. Tegan doesn't stretch a ton before her work outs (but she does do it), where as Andrea stretches a little more. Make sure you are listening closely to your body. Even holding the stretch for 15 seconds is better than not stretching. It will help your body to recover. You can easily get injured if you don't stretch. Andrea's husband rarely stretched before or after a run, needless to say he hurt his Achilles' tendons on both ankles. He had to sit out of running for 4 weeks before slowly progressing back into it, know what the biggest advice the doctor and other experts have him? STRETCH CRAZY HEAD!! He's still not always the best but he understands the importance of it now. He could have to have surgery if he damaged them further, which stretching can prevent. So take those extra few minutes. 

RELATED: These Shoes Were Made For Walking
 

STRETCH BEFORE BED: One of the easiest times to stretch, if you don't have tons of time around your workout, is before going to bed. It can be relaxing and a nice way to warm your muscles up before going to sleep. This can help make sure they aren't tight in the morning. Plus you burn a couple extra calories, so that's a win!!

Remember you got this!

The Fitster Sisters

(We aren't licensed medical practitioners, so always check with your doctor before exercising or if you have questions.)

The Rules People Aren't Telling You About

Everywhere we go in society there are these unspoken rules, rules that no one really speaks of but everyone seems to knows them. It's very Fight Clubish. You know, the first rule of Fight Club is you don't talk about Flight Club? Ooops... Did we just talk about Flight Club?

Working out is no different, there are all these rules no one talks about but people break all the time. We are going to assume they are broken because people don't know about them and not because they are just rude. But you know what they say about assuming... Well have no fear we are here to help you out a little bit.

1. Go against traffic: This is actually an official rule, and very IMPORTANT! For safety purposes, when working out outside running/walking/biking go against traffic this allows on coming traffic to see you and you to see it. Drivers get distracted, we all know it and we've all done it. Defensive working out is just as important as defensive driving.

2. Wave at cars: So this may not be one that goes for everyone, but we are from the Midwest and here we wave at our neighbors. Not only is it polite but it might also be a little entertaining. It's like saying "Hey There Driver, thank you so much for seeing me and not running me over. I really appreciate that!" On really long runs Tegan like to pretend the people waving back are really cheering her on. We get they aren't but anything to keep your mind off the fact that for some reason you decided to run a stupid amount of miles that day.

3. Buffer Treadmill: Every other one people, is it really that hard? This one is actually not just limited to the treadmill, it can go for really any equipment in the gym. The moment someone steps on a treadmill directly next to us, we are instantly racing. we don't care if you are running at a 10 (Is that possible? Does the treadmill even go that fast?) and we're running at our normal 5.3, we are going to race. Just be prepared for it. If you don't want this to happen leave that buffer treadmill! The closer you are to us the more we are going to pretend to look at something on the other side of the gym so we can see your numbers. Sorry! Ok... We aren't really sorry!

Related: These Shoes Were Made For Walking

4. Use Headphones: This goes for working out in the gym or outside, it's just polite people. Tegan actually just experienced this one on Sunday. Look, we are sure that you love your music and that's great, but we want to listen to our music and not yours. When we can hear your music over ours, we are going to be REALLY annoyed and am going to crush you in the imaginary race going on.

5. Staring happens, get over yourself: When you are on a stationary object staring will happen. There are only so many place you can look with out risking your own life and falling off. So Mr. Hot Guy when we are looking in your direction because we are on a treadmill and you are directly in front of us, I'm not staring at you because you are hot, I'm staring at you because there is no other place to look. Get over your self!

6. Gas is going to happen: Exercise gets everything in your system moving so don't be surpsied when a little gas come out, and don't be disgusted when the person next to you (who didn't leave the buffer treadmill) has some too. Just roll with it. I mean for the most part we are all adults here and it's not like it's some major secrete, people poop. If outside and you have some warning be aware of the people around you. Go behind the group or at least as down wind as you can get.

7. Stay to the right: We are not in the UK, here we drive and walk on the right side. Heck we even circle swim on the right. Is there seriously anything more annoying than when you are running and the person is walking down the middle of the sidewalk? Actually there is, it's when you say on your left and they move to their left and then you move to the right just to have them move to the right. It ends up as one of those awkward dances. While we are at it, if you are walking/running in a group, please don't walk 17 people across! It's really annoying to have to dodge in and out of groups. Walk a couple across in more than one row if necessary. You should have some space for people to be able to get by.

Related: Beat The Heat

8. Smile: Smile at the people around you at the gym, smile at the person you pass on the street, heck smile at your self in the mirror. Don't do that last one too much or you may look at little narcissistic. What we are saying is that a smile gives encouragement, it helps those who are dying to get a little more pep in their step. We try to smile at those that seem to need. Especially those woman that look like they want to be anywhere else than the gym. If we really think about it we are all in this together, so why not encourage those around you?

These are obviously not the only rules out there but they are a good start. By following these few simple rules you will not only be a more polite person but also helping to make the workout of your fellow human just a little bit more enjoyable. Don't we all need a little help in that department? We sure do!

We would love to hear some of your other "rules" are, feel free to leave them in the comment section below. We have a feeling that this won't be the last time we visit this topic.

Keep up the great work!
Fitster Sisters

Beat the Heat

Another day in the 90 degree range, are you kidding me?! It's a never ending cycle where we are from in Kansas. The weather is so bipolar here, currently as we type this it in the 70's. Is mother nature even aware of what she is doing? Whatever the temps are we can all agree most of the time we are dealing with much warmer weather in the summer.

Heat normally stops many of us dead in our tracks before we even walk out the door for a workout. However, it doesn't have to! You can use the heat to your advantage. It's a great way to sweat out the toxins in our bodies to help us feel amazing. This is as long as we know how to watch ourselves and we listen to our bodies.

Here are a few suggestions to think about before you do your next workout outside in the summer:

1. HYDRATION: Drinking enough water is probably the most important thing during any work out but it's even more important during a workout in the heat. When you head out on those longer walks or runs, make sure you are bringing water with you. There are several water bottles that can hook to your pants, arm or hands if you don't like carrying one. Just find something you are comfortable with. For those of you who aren't water drinkers you have options to help you stay hydrated. Try adding fruit to your water, Crystal Light packet are a great way to add flavor without adding a lot of calories or indulge in a light iced green tea. When you worked out in the heat, you need to be drinking more than your recommended 64 ounces of water a day.  

2. REPLENISH NUTRIENTS: The heat really takes it out of us and without the proper nutrition, you'll easily feel run down and tired. A lot people aren't hungry after working out, but you need to make sure you eat something to start the recovery process. If you really don't want to eat something try drinking a protein drink. Part of the replenishment process comes along with replacing the electrolytes you sweat out. Last week we talked about using something like Emergen-C after a workout, it's for sure our go to, but there are other options like the Gatorades, Powerades, etc. You just have to be careful about the sugar and carbohydrates in some sports drinks. Search for something you like the flavor of so you will be more inclined to drink it. 

3. EARLY MORNING/LATE EVENING WORKOUTS: Plan your workouts according to the forecasts. Mid afternoon is usually the hottest point of the day, it's fine to work out then but that's when hydration becomes even more important. If you choose the hot points in the day to work out really monitor how much you drink, before, during and after your work out. Make sure you are getting those electrolytes back in your body. Earlier morning or later evening workouts when it is cooler is ideal. A 10-15 degree cooler temp is going to feel like a miracle when compared to a run in the 90s!

3. GYM WORKOUTS: Not everyone enjoys working out in the gym. We totally get that! Tegan especially hates running on the treadmill. Although, she recently discovered she can watch full concerts on YouTube, thanks to the Y's internet getting better, and the runs aren't nearly as bad now. Whereas Andrea doesn't mind them as much since she can catch up on some shows! It's all about finding ways to distract your mind from staying in one place. We are both in agreement that long runs on the treadmills can be the pits but sometimes it is necessary. Many times we have been in the position where the only time we could fit a workout in was in the heat of the day, so the gym it was. As a forewarning though, the gym sometimes can feel like a sauna all in it's self.  Most of the time it is a much cooler option. It can also be a great option for cross training days, grab a friend and hit the track or treadmill together, take a class or lift weights. If you are really looking for a way to beat the heat, but still get a full body workout in, hop into the lap pool and get a few laps in.

4. INDOOR HOUSE WORKOUTS: Not all of us have gym memberships and that's completely okay! Your home can provide endless options for you. Perhaps you have workout equipment of your own, like a treadmill, stationary bike, weights or a workout video. Jillian Michaels can really hurt you over a workout video, Andrea has experienced this herself! There are now even different apps which will tell you how to work out as well, such as Swork It. Have a set of stairs? Instant StairMaster, walk up and down those for 10-30 minutes. You will for sure feel that in the morning, not to mention if you are using a pedometer you will also be getting some steps in. Give something else a try and just remember you don't have to leave your house or even your bedroom to stay in shape! Nothing is nicer than breaking the sweat in the cool of your own home and then hopping into your own relaxing shower. 

Don't let the heat be the end of you or your workout!You've got this!

The Fitster Sisters 

These Shoes Were Made For Walking

One of the most common statements we get all the time is I could never run like you do, or you ran how far, are you crazy? We would be the first to tell you that we might be a little crazy, and have asked that many times during our longer training runs! But what we want you to now is that we also didn't get up one day and decide to go out and run a half marathon. In fact Tegan was one of those and said those exact words to Andrea, pretty sure she even threw in "my knees would NEVER allow me to run like you do." It took months, lets us say that again, it took us MONTHS from the time we made the decision to get health to actually running. If we are keeping track about six months for Tegan and four months for Andrea. In all seriousness though, it's so important to realize how much a little bit of walking can improve overall health. Physical activity of any type is not only important for your physical health but your mental health as well. We just found that walking was the easiest place for us to start. In several of our earlier blogs we have mentioned that we started with a Fitbit. Again, we would recommend some type of pedometer to hold yourself accountable to a goal. 

When we first started we had a goal of hitting 10,000 steps a day. If you really want to put a friendship to a test take two highly competitive people and have them be friends on the Fitbit app. Tegan use to joke that if the friendship ended it would be because of Fitbit and trying to out do the other ones steps. There would be a day that one of us outranked the other one and then the following day the other one would be ahead. Let's not even discuss when one of us would get sick and it would take a week for us to get our steps back up to where we were competitive again. On more than one occasion we would be walking beside our beds trying to get those last 1,000 steps in, or to pad the little lead we did have just in case the other one hadn't updated their app yet. We would be lying if a year into this we told you that we still don't do this a time or two... or four!

As great and fun as the above things were, the actual best thing about the pedometer is it made us more aware of our overall activity level. It was no longer a pain to park further away from the store, we were going to get some steps in. The bosses office was no longer a phone call away, have a question, walk down there and ask it, more steps! For us one of the greatest benefits was we started scheduling walks together, not only were we getting a little exercise in but we were getting to spend quality time together.

The nice thing about walking is that you can do this at any level of intensity you want to. Your goal needs to be something you can attain, maybe it's a minute a day that you will walk or certain amount of steps you want to get like we did. Whatever your goal is, just make sure you have a goal! The American Heart Association and The Mayo Clinic provides valuable information on the benefits of just walking a few times a week if you are interested in more information. Your doctor is always a good resource as well. But for now to sum up what we have learned: Research indicates taking regular brisk walks can reduce your risk for heart disease, decrease your chance for dementia, improves joint and muscle tone, helps maintain weight or helps with weight loss, helps tighter your tough areas (bottom, legs, and even arms depending on how you swing those darlings!), and HONESTLY it just makes you happier! Exercise gives you endorphins, and endorphins make you happy. Anyone else just quote Legally Blonde along with us?

One of the most important things is to not jump into anything too quickly and we encourage you to listen to your body; especially if it has been a while since you've done any type of physical activity. Don't get in a hurry once you are ready to start walking or running. A great place to start is three times a week for thirty minutes. Walking always needs to come steadily before trying to run. Include a warming up, cool down and stretching even when walking. If you plan on a brisk walk, a 5-10 minute warm up and cool down is needed to help your body recover from your workout. Stretching can be simple but very important, we will go over some easy stretching exercises in a upcoming post.

Lastly, we learned the benefit of having really good shoes early on. When we both started we were wearing the wrong shoes which was keeping us from enjoying our walks.  It's amazing the wear and tear the wrong shoes can have on your body; from shin splints to lower back, hip, knee and ankle issues. If you aren't sure what type of shoes you should be wearing we recommend checking out some of your local running stores for assistance. They are trained to look at how you walk and how your current shoes are wearing to help you get the best fitting shoe for the type of feet you have. We will warn you they can be a bit expensive but well worth the investment!

Remember you got this take it one step at a time! Grab a girlfriend and take a walk this week. 

The Fitster Sisters

Face It You Will Get Sick

Okay lets get real for a few minutes, getting sick as an adult is AWFUL, and being a woman and getting sick is the worst. Sorry guys but if we are being honest man sick versus woman sick is pretty different. Most of the time we still have to function, if you have kids you still have to be a mom when all you want to do is crawl into a hole and never return to the real world. If you are single there isn't anyone to take care of you, unless you have an awesome roommate. This usually results in a pathetic call to your mom, one in where you make yourself sound worse than you really are and you're secretly hoping she offers to bring you some provisions and if you are really lucky a back rub. Nothing will derail your training or lifestyle adjustment like getting sick.

Recently, we both were sick in the same week, and we are talking in bed with a fever not moving sick. Being sick is very hard for us because we are such active people and it drives us nuts to be off our training schedule. Not to mention when you check your steps to see you have had a grand total of 700 steps for the day. Yep that will really help out your ranking among friends! But if you really think about it getting sick might just be a good thing and it might be our bodies way of telling you a few things.

While being sick is an inconvenience of the largest kind, it's also your bodies way of telling you to slow down and take some time for yourself. It is so easy to get into a training schedule, or a routine of working out; then forget to give yourself those rest days. Tegan is the worst at this! You get in a groove and you're feeling good, starting to see those numbers on the scale come down, so it's only natural to start to push your body. To a degree you do need to push your body but if you push too hard or too fast, your body will push back. Hence getting sick.

When you are actually sick the best thing you can do is get as much rest as you can. We understand that this is easier said than done, things still have to be accomplished, kids still have to be taken care of. However important those things are, we recommend to try and stay down as much as possible. These automatically become rest days, allow your body to recover and push those fluids. Both of us have had very stern talking tos from our doctors about going back to training too soon. Take at least two days after being sick to get back into things. The longer you are sick the more days you will need to recover. When you do get back into it don't just jump right back into things. You will need to work back into it slowly. Take the first day to just walk and get your steps in or however you count done, don't do much more than that. If you are training for a race, the next day you can start back with a SHORT and SLOW run! If you get back into it too fast you risk making yourself sick again. 

Prevention becomes very important when you are training, while this won't keep you from getting sick it might help you not get as sick. When you are training you are essentially breaking down and building your body up over and over again. This can cause your immune system to not always be at it's best so anything you can do to aid will be helpful. Both of us take a multivitamin everyday. This seems like such a simple thing, seriously our moms had us do it when we were younger, but let's be honest this is something as an adult most of us aren't very good at doing. Women, no matter what your age a prenatal vitamin is one of the best you can take because these usually are the most well rounded vitamins, espically if it has DHA, folic acid and iron in it, they also tend to be gentler on your stomach. Tegan's doctor even recommended she take one even though she isn't pregnant and not planning on getting pregnant anytime soon.

One of our favorite tricks we have learned is to drink Emergen-C, or something similar, after our work outs. We can not begin to tell you how useful this product can be. Not only do you get a great dose of Vitamin C, helping your body to absorb the nutrients you are taking in better, but it also helps to put electrolytes back in your system. Many people will reach for a Gatorade, or PowerAid to help replenish themselves after a work out, while these things are great they also tend to be really high in sugars and carbs. For those of us who aren't Michael Phelps or an elite level athlete those sugars and carbs can actually do more damage than good.

Stay healthy, but if you do sick take a few rest days and get caught up on all those shows in your Netflix account you've been meaning to watch!

Remember we aren't medical professionals, so always check in with your doctors for further advice. Take care of yourselves, you got this!

The Fitster Sisters

Dieting Again?!...

Have you ever had that thought? Ugh... Not again, time to start that pesky "diet" thing again! The food part can be so difficult and so easy if we know what is good for us to eat. Yet we all know temptation is difficult and it is EVERYWHERE. Even last weekend over the 4th of July holiday weekend (Aren't holidays the worst?), we had so much junk food! Don't judge us as we may or may not have eaten numerous hot dogs and cookies! The important thing we focus on is that this isn't a diet, so we can have those cookies. It's a lifestyle change and commitment we make to try to improve our overall eating styles.

So here are a few things we have learned about food along the way.

1. ACCOUNTABILITY: This goes back to our first tips to use some type of system to track what you eat. We aren't going to beat the horse on this one but find something that works for you and TRACK! Myfitnesspal is very user friendly but there are lots of different apps. Even using paper and pencil will work. Track anything you put in your mouth.

2. CALORIE COUNT: Eat all your calories each day but don't try to eat all your exercise calories you gain. But if you need to eat them then that's completely okay, we would just suggest not making a habit of it. The exercise calories help you lose weight so not eating those will help you in the long run.

3. PROTEIN/FIBER: Part of eating right is obviously hitting your daily calorie goal. This is something you need to be aware of each day. The average goal for Protein is 120 grams a day and for Fiber is 30 grams. Take a minute to look at the nutrition information on the food you buy to know what the grams are. If you use an app, it will normally tell you the goal you should try to reach for each of these each day and how close you are to the goal as you log your food. There are some great fiber gummy supplements to help with that part of it. Working out will raise the goal of fiber and protein you need to eat, again most apps will track that for you for ease.

4. WEIGHING IN: For many of you weight loss or maintaining your weight is important to you. It's important to us as well, but the numbers can drive you insane! Pick one day a week that will be your official weigh in date and time. Weigh in the exact same weekly, such as similar clothes or if you prefer naked freedom; whatever works for you, just always do the same! Right now you need to focus on healthy eating. Lots of studies are showing people who are overweight can still be healthy and those who are at a healthy weight or under weight can be very unhealthy. It's all about how you take care of yourself and your perspective. If it's not about weight for you but about living a healthy lifestyle, all of this pertains to you as well!

5. INDULGE: The one big thing that we have come to learn in this whole process is that depriving yourself from what you love is not going to be helpful. Tegan loves to eat chocolate and Andrea loves Doritos. We both indulge in these things but in moderation. We've also found useful foods that can be substituted at times. Andrea loves the salt and crunch, so she now loves to eat protein potato chips. These can be found online if interested. Tegan will eat three Oreos a day as her treat, it's allotted into her calories each night. Don't take away what you love, eat it in moderation. The more you deny yourself something the more your body will crave it. If you put off a craving for too long you will end up over indulging and may do more damage than good. We have know some people who will have a cheat meal or even a cheat day, these can be helpful in allowing you to indulge in what you are craving, but be carful and don't let it go too far. We also recommend not weighing in the next day, we've had some scary scale moments when we have done that! 

6. FIND FOODS TO LOVE: We each have found foods we love now from certain protein drinks to chips to different yummy recipes. Share these with friends when you find them. We will be sharing some of these over our next few posts.

Remember this is a lifestyle change, not a diet. It's all about changing your mindset to commit to the change. It gets easier overtime. You got this!

The Fitster Sisters

The First Step is the Hardest

Isn't that a lyric from a song or something? We're pretty sure it is. Although, it's possible that we have it mixed up with something else. Regardless it is pretty much the truth. Starting on a healthier lifestyle is difficult and if you don't know where to start it can be completely overwhelming.

Luckily, we both had our sports backgrounds to fall back on when we started but if you don't have that like we did then hopefully this will help you out a bit.

1) COMMITMENT: Make sure you are really ready to make the change. This isn't going to be an easy journey, and you are going to hate your life sometimes. Trust me when you are hangry and all you want is that doughnut in the break room (this is currently happening FYI) you are going to question why you are even doing this. While it is okay to give in every once in a while you need to be really committed or you won't continue.

2) MORAL SUPPORT: Enlist someone to do it with you or at least help keep you on the path. For us we had the support of each other and most of our families. If those around you aren't on board they may be sabotaging you without even knowing it. Tegan's roommate has never had to worry about her calorie intake and cooks like it, while Andrea's husband is able to eat whatever he wants, when ever he wants without gaining a pound. Had we been left with just the two of them we would have fallen off the wagon in week one. Luckily after several vent sessions to each other and a little "training" of those in our lives they are more aware of what they are doing.

3) ACCOUNTABILITY: Find a way to hold your self accountable. We both use the myfitnesspal app to track what we are eating and a Fitbit to count our steps during the day. Each of these are a great way for us to know what we are actually doing during the day. Both are just tools, you have to be the one to ultimatly log everything and be truthful about it. This can actually be one of the hardest parts. The great things about Myfitnesspal is that it will set your calorie intake for you based on your current weight, how much you want to lose per week and how active you are.

4) DOCTOR: We highly recommend that before you start anything you consult with your doctor, especially if it has been a while since you have done any physical exercise. For us there is no way we could have done any of what we have done without our doctors. Both of us have spent several appointments talking with our doctors about what we found while doing research, what someone suggested to us or even what the other ones doctor told her. They were basically on speed dial for us! We owe a lot of our success to the patience they had with us, answering all our crazy questions and really for their overall encouragement. If you don't have a doctor or don't have a doctor you feel you can walk through all this with we highly recommend that you fine one. They are invaluable in this process!

5) EXERCISE: Let's us be frank, exercise can a little intimidating to anyone starting out. But it really can be so many things that are easy. One of the biggest things we've heard during this process is "I'll never be able to run" or "I can't work out." Let us tell you that you CAN! Exercise includes walking, running, swimming, exercise classes, videos, jump rope, lifting weights etc. You need to find something you enjoy and can commit to with your life. Both of us started with trying to hit our 10,000 steps on our Fitbit daily, just by adding walking. There were more than a couple nights we found ourselves walking by our beds while watching TV just to hit our steps for the day. Start EASY then add on later, you don't want to do too much to fast and burn yourself out. We would recommend a small daily activity of exercise but commit to at least three days a week. Put this in your schedule, then you won't have an excuse to not do it.  There will be more on exercise later, but right now start with "I CAN, I WILL!"

6) FOOD: Right now focus on meeting the calorie intake you are attempting to meet. Eat them all and try not to go over. If you aren't putting enough calories in you body each day it will actually work against you. We know this sounds counterproductive but it's the truth. Certain apps (Myfitnesspal) will help you come up with a good amount of calories for your goals or talk to your doctor about this. Later we will focus on the importance of fiber and protein intake, but for now get into the routine of keeping track of your food intake. If you go over your calories don't freak out! We've down it on numerous occasions, you aren't expected to be perfect every single day. Remember if you aren't seeing results, an evaluation on what you are eating might be helpful! One of our biggest mistakes was taking random bites here and there but but not adding it to our caloric intake. Being honest on what you are eating is key, if you aren't then don't be surprised when you don't see the numbers on the scale do down. Don't withhold food from yourself, it can make you fail, but refer back to ACCOUNTABILITY!

7) SMILE: Smile and give yourself a pat on the back for taking the first step in a healthy lifestyle. This isn't about weight loss, though that might be your goal, it's about being healthy and being able to make this a lifestyle!

Remember, You've got this!

The Fitster Sisters

Who the Heck Are We?

We know what you are thinking, who the heck are you and why do we care in the slightest what you have to say? Trust us we get it, anyone can write a blog, throw some funny sentences around and then post it on the internet calling themselves a blogger.

Our story starts back in 2003 when we met as we joined a sorority our first year in college. We would love to say that we were instantly besties but that wasn't the case. Yes we were great friends, but the bestie/sister part didn't really come until about 2011 when Andrea was pregnant with her second child. Don't let that fool you though, we have weathered pretty much every type of situation life could throw at us over the last twelve years. Now we are pretty much mutally dependent on one another for our emotional well being. So we may not be blood related but we are for sure sisters.

Growing up we both were athletic and spent a lot of our time in sports. This kept both of us from really ever having to worry about what we were eating because we would burn it right off at practice later. Plus if we are being honest we also had that teenage girl metabolism which worked at super sonic speed. How do we go about getting that back? As we started in college our afternoons of practices gave way to late night studying and midnight snacks, that were less than healthy. Like most people life just got in the way, and as a result the pounds slowly began to creep on. For many years we just lived with it. Finally in the summer of 2014 we both had had enough and decided it was time for a change.

So who are we?

Tegan:
A competitive swimmer from the age of 6, she spent the majority of her years growing up in and around a pool. An Olympic swimmer she was not, although her brother is a Paralympian, she was decent for the city of Wichita. The summer before her senior year of swimming she was introduced to rowing, a sport she instantly fell in love with. Recruited out of high school she headed off to Wichita State University to row. In March of her freshman year an injury sidelined her and her competitive days were quickly behind her.

In January of 2015 she started to run, prompted by a serious plateau in her weight loss. Running was never something she enjoyed when she was younger, but slowly it started to grow on her. In May she completed her first half marathon. Currently she is training for her first sprint triathlon in August and her second half marathon in September. She is down a total of an incredible 50 pounds!!

Andrea:
Andrea is a much more well rounded athlete. An avid softball player through high school. However, due to injuries she put sports on the back burner when starting college. Working out was a thing of the past until her first weight loss journey in 2009 a year after the birth of her first child. She lost 50 pounds and loved hot yoga! Two more kiddos later and 30 pounds back on; Andrea found herself again looking in the mirror needing a change.

In October of 2014, she started to run; something she never would've thought to do as enjoyment or possible with two ankle surgeries. She now would describe herself as a runner and loves to throw in weekly weight lifting and some cross training classes. She is currently training for her first half marathon this year. She is down 70 pounds since August 2014, and 90 from her heaviest!
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Over the last year we have read more blogs and articles than we can count, we have driven our doctors nuts with questions, and we are starting to be recognized at GoRun (one of our local running stores) because we are in there so much. We get asked several of the same questions constantly so we thought we would start a blog to answer those questions and to share our journeys. By no means do we pretend to know everything, and we sure are not doctors!

We have been fortunate to have each other in this journey. If it wasn't for the other one we're pretty sure we both of us would have given up a long time ago. One of the greatest things is being able to see your best friend, your sister, succeed and get to her goal!

We want to be able to walk along side other people who are going through what we have. We want to be able to share the tricks that took us forever to find out. We want to be able to celebrate with you! Please reach out, comment below, message us on Facebook, tweet us so we can do that. If you have questions ask them. We may not always have the answer, but that's why our doctors are on speed dial! Right? (Maybe we shouldn't admit that!)

We hope you enjoy our tales from the belly!

The Fitster Sisters