This is NOT a Race

We are 18 months into our weight loss journey. 

It seems to be getting harder. Although we know EVERYTHING....what works and what doesn't, what we need to eat and what we shouldn't, life keeps moving on. We are finding more and more things to inspire us. We Instagram it (#PhatChanes), we Facebook it....heck we talk about this journey to anyone who wants to listen, the jeweler that is sizing a wedding ring we haven't worn since Christmas, the nice lady at the soup counter asking if we know about nutrition ...OH I KNOW ABOUT NUTRITION.

And yet the fire is smoldering. Day after day looking to reach a goal and day after day sometimes it is the same and sometimes it is creeping in the wrong direction. But everyday looking in the mirror and being reminded just how far we have come, because truth is we will NEVER go back. There are HUGE non-scale victories that we do celebrate, a new clothing size, weights and squats we couldn't do before, a calorie burn that makes us feel accomplished. These are all good things. 

Today is a fun run in San Francisco, the 102nd Annual Bay to Breakers about 9 miles straight across this amazing city. We have never actually run in B2B, although today would have been one heck of a run, the weather is PERFECT. Bay to Breakers is not a race, people dress in costumes or in nothing, build teams and there is a lot of drinking along the way. Marathons are not races either, you just want to finish. 

So today we are encouraging anyone who is on this journey to remind yourself, THIS (weight loss journey, fit LIFE) IS NOT A RACE. 

THIS IS NOT A RACE.

*We would like to apologize for the lack of Blog Posts. More updates to come, like the 18 month stats and photos.*

{It's Now or Never}

by Brianne

One month ago, Cara and I stood in front of a group of amazing women led by the one and only, Menne Hall to commit to goals for 2013. We have joined a group called She’s Now or Never and it could not have come at a better time. The purpose of the group is to find support in reaching goals you set for yourself, but many goals are not reached because of a true lack in living the fit life. Health can limit you or thrust you forward. For me and many of the women in She’s Now or Never, our health has held us back, stopped us from moving forward and accomplishing goals we set for ourselves. This has left us with a sense of fear and failure that is hard to overcome. Joining this group allows me and my fellow SNN sisters to come together and find that balance in living a healthy lifestyle. We bravely stood before each other and read our commitment letters aloud confirming our vulnerability and most importantly the accountability that goes into such tasks. However, since the commitment ceremony, I have found myself struggling.

Many overweight people say they look forward to fitting on roller coasters once they reach their goal weight or at least find themselves small enough to wait in line and make an attempt, however who knew starting a weight loss journey would mean every day is a roller coaster ride? After all this, I have had enough of the twists and turns and jolts and my arms are sore from holding them in the air. There are days I find myself ready to be done with the ride. I want to wave the roller coaster operator down to stop the ride, raise the safety bars and let me get the f*&k off.

I hit a wall around Christmas and though, I am still on this damn roller coaster of a weight loss journey, there were a couple attempts made at waving down the operator. I find myself waiting for something to click. I envision this light switch that exists within the minds and bodies of healthy fit people that flips on at some point to illuminate their path to this fit life I so desperately want to live in, but nonetheless, I am not sure I even have this switch in me, let alone a light to find my way. This may sound depressing and distant, but this shit isn’t easy. I am still pushing, still fighting, but I am struggling. I still deal with residual food addiction issues and find myself eating for wrong reasons. It may be carrots, but my relationship with food is still a part of my journey that has not flipped that switch.

What I know is that I feel better than I did over 100 pounds ago and I don’t want to lose that. I can clearly remember the first day I started my journey at the Biggest Loser Resort and it was a feeling….a nightmare that I can still taste. I felt like I was going to die and though my trainer may push me that hard now, I know it’s not as hard as it was at 361 pounds.

What I know is that I have met more people that understand and support me in the last year than I have in the last 10 years and that is simply amazing. Instead of hiding behind a disease, I am standing in front of my past and will never look back.

What I know is that this damn roller coaster is all part of the journey. I must feel all the ups and downs and twists and turns in order to exit the ride with a true sense of what it means to be a healthy person in control.

What I know is that I used to not be able to touch my elbow to my knee during bicycle crunches and now I can. Every time.

What I know is that I can see and feel a change in my body that makes me proud.

What I know is that change equals a chance to get it right. A phat chance.

Shout outs:

Menne…thank you for your selfless service. I admire you and the work you do for others. SNN exists because you followed your vision and persisted until you accomplished your goal. That’s what this is all about. Reaching my goals seems so much more attainable when I have a strong woman showing me it can be done.

Cara…we recommitted on January 26, 2013 to what we know and trust. Look at how far we have come and how much we have done. I am so proud of you and your skinny body. Trust the process.

To me: I know the conversations you have inside that head of yours and some days they are sad. You are just a girl that wants to be happy. You mean no harm and want to do well for yourself and the people in your life. Sometimes you make it harder than it needs to be. Sometimes you forget that a positive mental attitude can change everything. Don’t forget how you started, why you started and what you have done to get here now. Recognize you can’t make everyone happy. Just focus on you and your goals and life will fall into place. It’s a damn roller coaster so raise your arms up, open your eyes and go with it. There will be shit days, but you would rather have shit days than no days. It’s now or never.

Finding Inspiration Online

by Cara

"Fast. Easy. Convenient" I was driving to work and there was a commercial on the radio for some special diet drops or pills or something. And "Fast. Easy. Convenient" were the words used to describe this diet. I have also heard people talking about how they have already stopped their "New Year's Resolutions" and are already looking for that quick diet fix to lose the pounds they committed to lose in 2013. Let's set one thing straight....there is NOTHING easy, fast, or convenient about dieting. And thats the other thing we have to change this terminology, it is no longer a diet, it is a lifestyle.

Choosing to be healthy, rather than not even noticing what you are eating or that you haven't walked farther than from your car (in the closest parking spot possible) into the store or your house or the restaurant, this is a lifestyle that requiers mindfulness on every front. This lifestyle requiers commitment, dedication, goal setting, preping and most of all TIME. There will be situations that are not convenient, there will be days and most of all workouts that will not be easy. And this is not going to happen fast. 

Here's the exciting thing. This weight loss and LIFESTYLE community is amazing. There are people out there that are all doing this. There are people that want so badly to make a change in their life, who are inspired each day by someone else. Brianne and I have been so motivated and inspired by the kindness and the inspiration that we have found in others. The messages, texts, comments, Facebook LIKES, are all noticed. We feel the love. We are truly humbled and thankful that our story might just touch the life of someone else. But here's the thing, we are not doing this to get attention we are sharing our story because we were looking for stories ourselves. By sharing our story we hope that we can motivate even just one person to be mindful. That really is all it is. Be mindful of what and how much you are eating and of how often you move your body. Start slow if you have to, but then take the time to write down what you hope to accomplish. Maybe its a number, but maybe it is trying new veggies or walking or hiking.

We want to encourage everyone reading to really seek out online groups that are there to support each other. And if you are involved in groups now we want to encourage you to be positive toward the group and in how you share your stories and your struggles. If you only share the negatives or the hard parts you lose sight of the good things and the successes as they come. CELEBRATE. There are so many good things to come...it might be SLOW. HARD. and COMPLICATED, but it sure is worth it.

We would like to share with you some of our favorites. Check out these motivational people and places that inspire Phat Chances everyday:

Mom Strength

By Cara

This post has been in the makings for a while. I recently was laid off from a part time job, I have another job, but I had a lot of work to complete before I turned in my keys. I have been wanting to share my experience on this journey and being a mom at the same time. I know that there are plenty of moms out there that need some perspective from a "loser" mom. "Loser" as in losing weight and being a mom at the same time. I like to think I am a good mom, there are times maybe even I think I could do a better job, but as long as they are warm, fed and have happy faces, I am doing OK. 

A little over one year ago

I looked like this. I weighed 308 lbs after having Sylas 

(son #2 in the right picture).

I wore a size 22 and was happy. I honestly thought that I was doing all I could, by walking to the playground and taking the boys out. But I was also eating enough for 4 people at EVERY meal. 

Just one week after this birthday party photo with Syals was taken, my sister Brianne and I began our journey with our 2 week stay at the Biggest Loser Resort in Malibu. At the start of this journey in November 2011, at 280 lbs I accepted the fact that deep down I was not happy. I wanted to be the track athlete that I was in high school  I wanted to have something in my life that I could turn to when I needed to de-stress. Working out is a natural anti-depressant. As a mom I have happily accepted that there are 2 lives that must be placed before my own. Having children means that you are bathing, feeding and teaching (among a MILLION other things) little lives that need to be shaped into positive and happy grown men (or women). There are times that this is the most stressful job ever, just thinking about the fact that 2 people will walk this Earth based on what I teach them.......STRESSSS.

In the last 4 years that I have been teaching my babies to now be children I had enormous amounts of guilt. Guilt to leave them even with family members to get "ME" time. I had guilt about leaving them in the gym day care because they are my responsibility and I shouldn't pawn them off to some stranger while I am just in the other room sweating. EXCUSES. I have spent the last 15 months teaching myself that it is ok, that they are ok. Whether they are home with a family member or in the gym day care they are having fun, everyone is happy and I am happy too. This guilt still gets to me, but I realize that if I am going to be a better mom we have to have this time. 

I have also found some great opportunities to sneak workouts in. While they eat breakfast I do a 20-25 minute cardio video or I get them set with a few activities or ipad games and I sneak downstairs for a 20 minute spin on my stationary bike. I also do get one training session in per week with a trainer and a spin class. They are either with me at the gym in daycare or if my younger sister is off she comes by and I take off. Sometimes with all that a day entails with kids I find that I am getting a workout in at 9:00pm. They are in bed and I am infront of the TV with Turbo Fire for 40-50 minutes, or on the bike. There are days when I reach the end of the day and am too exhausted to workout, as long as I get 4 workouts in per week I reach my goal. My husband Ryan has lost 60 lbs and we get at least one "date" a week at BOOT CAMP. In the end it also comes down to food. I need to make sure that my food is just right. Since starting this journey we finally have our oldest son eating spinach (hidden in whole wheat grilled cheese or in homemade pizza).  We ahve made significant changes in food and I am only eating single portions, measured out and weighed.

This is a lifestyle change that I will hold onto for life. And because I am teaching my sons to be healthy young men, they are following my example and we get outside biking or playing for at least one hour each day. I am happy to say that most days work, but I will be honest its not everyday. Growing kids is hard work, but it is amazing and fun. There is a balance and although flexibility is key to making this work, it can be done. 

If you are looking for more about what life looks like on a daily basis you can find Phat Chances on Facebook, you can become a reader here on our blog and you can always message us or leave comments in either forum. 

{My Hall of Fame}

by Brianne

Just a reminder the Biggest Loser season 14 starts this Sunday!!! As frequently mentioned in other posts, the Biggest Loser TV show has always served as a gleam of hope for me. Regular people just like me trying to make a change when they feel like they have nothing left. Struggle is struggle. It’s transparent. For those that watch the show, may you find inspiration and peace in knowing you are not alone. For those of you who don’t watch it, start. Support it.

My trainer, John ‘Body By J-Heb’ Hebison plays a song repeatedly (unfortunately for some) during group workouts that has really got me thinking. I ended 2012 excited and hopeful for 2013, but just 3 days into it, I was struck with my usual lava flow of doubt. It creeps up all slow and thick and takes over. I know what I have accomplished. I know what I am capable of. I know how to get to where I want to be, but there is a current that runs through me causing me to wonder if life is just meant to push you whether you make it or not. The last thing I want to hear during a sweaty exhausting workout or resisting cake and soda would be “Good work, keep going, but you will never get there”. Shoot me. Sometimes it feels that way. I am surrounded by people who hustle. They work their asses off to build businesses, lose weight, raise amazing kids, lead teams, create, improve and persist to reach their goals. I am constantly in awe and always inspired. I would never think they were working this hard and won’t ever reach/sustain their goals, so why do I doubt myself?

Cara and I recently met with this awesome TV producer named Drew. We were being interviewed about the Biggest Loser Resort (details to follow) and during the interview he asked some really tough questions. Questions about where I am now, where I used to be and what got me to that and this place. Reflection like that always returns me to a confident state internally, which allows me to see my work is, at the very least, notable. Though, I still have a ways to go on my weight loss journey, a talented TV producer would not be setting up lights and cameras in my house if I had not done something worth a bit of his time. (Although, I do believe my family could be on a seriously successful, but horrible-train-wreck-addicting style reality TV show….mess). Drew returned back to LA to begin editing and I returned to a reset, reminded that I am proud of what I have done, insanely lucky and grateful to have my sisters, Cara and Nicole beside me and an ever-constant intensity to never allow myself to return to the person I used to be.

How-the-fuck-ever, as 2012 rung out, 2013 rang in with a completely different bang.

I missed a couple workouts, ate some pie, had a meal or 2 over 500 calories and replaced some of my water intake with champagne, Jack, Jameson and Ciroc during this past holiday season. Though, I did not gain one pound, I didn’t lose one either. Some would say maintaining is a success, but for me, right now on my journey, I must maintain momentum. I am not being too hard on myself and believe me I enjoyed my treatssss, but I had a workout the other night, my first 1:1 session of 2013 and a therapy session with JHeb that allowed my slight fall back to surface. It’s not even a fall back. It’s the thought of a fall back that turned my excitement from 2012 into daunting doubt for 2013. I cried. I got angry. I wanted to give up.

How-thankfully-ever, I managed to get myself out of the rut I ever-so-easily succumb to with the help of some of my Hall of Famers. They are my family, the people I spent the holidays with my fellow BLR alum, my boot campers, my dearest friends, some brand new friends, my mentors, fellow hustlers, fans and Phat Chance blog readers. I am humbled and inspired and committed to the process…the journey…my life.

An entire year could have gone by…12 months, 365 days…entire year…A WHOLE YEAR….2012-2013, like so many other damn years….an entire year could have gone by without a change. Or the exact friggin opposite could happen. For me, with all the ruts and doubts, the exact opposite happened. 2012 was one of the hardest, but most rewarding years of my entire life. In honor of JHeb and his amazing, but occasionally overplayed song, I go into 2013 knowing I could be the greatest, I could be the best, I could go the distance, I could run the mile, I could be a hero and I am doing it for my pride.

Shout outs:

To the people in my Hall of Fame: I dedicate the song “Hall of Fame” by The Script to you.  You are students, teachers, believers, leaders, champions, true seekers and I am changed for the better…for the best, because of you.

Johnny…Get it right. Get it tight. Thank you for believing in me, dealing with me, and pushing me every damn day. This the year.

To the Biggest Loser Resort: Cara and I hope we did you proud in the video and we hope we continue to inspire people to go to where it all started for us.

Mike Messina!!! Our dearest friend and at-home winner of Biggest Loser 13, has ventured out to pay it forward. He has joined up with Dr. Huizenga of the Biggest Loser at a wellness retreat called The Clinic (you can check it out here). Mike is on staff as the Trainer and Motivator. These places exist to help you change your life. We wish Mike and The Clinic much success and thank you for inspiring us every day.

To me: Make 2013 be even better than 2012. It’s goal weight year baby. Stop doubting it, jerk. Here we go…

Hello 2013!

by Cara

This is a difficult moment for me. Saying goodbye to my good friend 2012. I said last year, that 2012 was the year of ME. It was the year I would make a drastic change and that I would start the year with NO RESOLUTION, only CHANGE. And here I am saying farewell, to one of the best years of my life. 2012 was about significant change not only visually, but emotionally. I am a stronger and happier person as I ring in 2013.

So here I am thinking about what I want this next year to be, but first I need to come clean with a few things I have been struggling with. First, I must admit that the stress of the holiday season took its toll on me. I didn't track my food for 3 weeks, I ate chocolate (way too much chocolate, including World Famous Toffee at work), and I didn't work out. And that is Number two...I didn't work out. I have used my back injury as an EXCUSE. Yes, I am admitting to it here, because I need to hold myself accountable and I need to share this because I know that I am not the only one. I did and do have some back pain, however, this whole time I could have been doing low impact SOMETHING. Instead, I used it to completely avoid working out. I tried a few things over the last 4 weeks, but really, I have not done crap. This can no longer be an excuse. I might not be able to run just yet, but I can walk and bike and definitely do squats. Over the last 3 weeks I gained. 5 pounds, to be exact. I am excited to say that I am still under 200 pounds, but not by much.

So I will return to my BASICS. Wearing my BodyMedia FIT Armband (to track my burn), I will use MyFitnessPal app to track my food (1400 calories) and I will workout 1 hour 3-4 times per week. In addition to this I want to finish my training sessions at 24 hour and take 1 class per week. I hope to challenge myself to try new classes not just Spin.

Brianne and I have a ways to go, in pounds and in management. This is not a New Year's Resolution to lose weight this is our new LIFESTYLE that we started over a year ago. We have found over the past year that we are motivating others, maybe with this blog, or with pictures, but what it comes down to is that if we can help just one other person make the right choices to find the healthy fit life we have paid it forward and we have met our goal, Inspire to be Inspired. The experience that we had 13 months ago at the Biggest Loser Resort in Malibu, changed our lives because we were ready to change our lives. We tell people all of the time START NOW. There is nothing but yourself holding you back. Even if you commit to cutting out fast food or soda or to walking 30 minutes a day, make the change NOW.

We wish everyone a truly happy and HEALTHY 2013.
Wishing you all the best from,

PHAT CHANCES

BLOGiversary

One Year Anniversary.
(all photos used in this anniversary blog are from previous posts, CLICK on each photo to read the post it goes with!)

Who would have thought that with a little faith, a lot of courage, and a 2 week stay at the Biggest Loser Resort our lives would change forever? We sure didn’t, but we are so glad it did. Exactly one year ago today, we started Phat Chances. Two days before leaving for the Resort, we decided to journal the beginning of what would be the greatest journey of our lives.

Phat Chances started out as two unhealthy, overweight sisters taking a chance…a phat chance, on fighting to get their lives back. We may have different goals and abilities, but struggle is struggle. It’s a transparent. Today, Phat Chances continues as two sisters living the fit life. There is still a transparent struggle. There always will be, but will we ever go back to who we were just one year ago?….PHAT CHANCE.

Today, we mark success. This journey has lead us to know what it means to care for ourselves, to love ourselves, and to be the best for ourselves and the people in our lives. It has not been without trials and set backs as we are still learning and finding our way, but to sit here today and think about how far we have come, we can’t help but be proud.

What we have learned:

All you have to do is burn more calories than you eat.

Eat good, fresh food as often as possible.

Treats are acceptable in moderation and for the right reasons. 

This journey is more mental than physical, but you gotta sweat. A lot.

You can go longer and harder than you ever thought possible.

It’s not about losing weight. It’s about living a healthy lifestyle.

People struggle. All people struggle. Be kind.

Nothing tastes as good as this fit life feels. Nothing.

Everyone enters your life for a reason.

It’s not easy every day, but every day is good.

You can only control you. Nothing else. Ever.

A positive mental attitude will take you a lot farther than you think.

Be vulnerable.

Tell everyone about your journey.

Find what works for you and do it.

We reflect back on 365 days of a journey that started with fear, doubt, and shame, but has turned into a journey of pride, commitment, and hope is unreal. Our goal was to lose weight and our goal now is to live the lives we choose for ourselves. Life continues on whether you make changes or not. Everyday goes by quickly and without delay. Life isn’t going to wait for us. We can’t pause it or slow it down. We can’t control the burdens or necessities. There will always be challenges. If it were all rainbows and sunshine, we would be in bikinis shopping somewhere tropical with umbrella drinks and good music. That’s just not the case. Life is about making the most of what you have every single day and if you want more, you and only you can change that.

It is with a humble heart and mental clarity that we look back on this year with pride. We are not at goal weight, we haven’t accomplished everything we wanted to this year, there have been hard days, but what a journey! Without hesitation, everything…all the sweat, tears, breakdowns, sore muscles, relentless fight to push just a little harder than we did the day before has been worth it. It is this feeling right here that will fuel us to continue.  

To everyone we have the honor of sharing our lives with: thank you. Thank you for believing in us. We know time has been limited and we are still learning to find the balance, but without you, we are without. There are many defining moments in life that allow you to look back and know there is a reason for all of this. Our journey has redefined what we know, how we love, who we are and what we will be.

To our Family and friends we call family….there are no words that can fully express how much your sacrifice, patience and unconditional love mean to us. Our hearts and souls are filled because of who you are for us. You carry us through the darkest of times and we will be forever grateful.

To the Biggest Loser Resort, the BLR staff and the BLR friends we met along the way…you came into our lives when we needed you most. You knew us at our worst, saw us at our lowest and loved us without reservation. You broke down our walls and built us back up. There will never be anyway that we can repay you for the support, friendship and continuous inspiration. Thank you.

To our trainers…we know the difference between our own workouts and your workouts. We know what it means to sweat and push and fight because of you. You get to hear our complaints, doubts, bullshit and craziness. You put up with us when we don’t want to put up with ourselves. You have given us courage, inspiration, knowledge and friendship. Our lives will never be the same because of you. Thank you for loving us even when we might not like you.

To ourselves…never forget why you started, what you learned and how good it feels to feel good. There will always be sore bodies, little time, pressure at work, fear and doubt, but you two are pretty freakin' badass. Always remember who you are and who you want to be for others. Be at peace with life, with your service for others and the strength you have within to accomplish absolutely everything.

Tips:

There is a fire inside all of us. If yours is dim, only you can light it back up. Fight to live the life you want for yourself. Fight every day.

Believe in yourself. Trust the process. Change forever.