{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. 

The Holiday Game Plan

I have been working on several posts. I have 3 drafts sitting waiting to be finished, but it is that time of year and well, time is just going so fast. I wanted to finish a recipes post that I started, but I read something last night that EVERYONE needs to know. 

I was looking for a pumpkin "pie" dessert and while paging through The Biggest Loser Dessert Cookbook I found "The Thanksgiving Game Plan" which I think works well for all celebrations. And seeing as I have several coming up in the next 30 days I thought what better way of showing my gratitude to all of you then by sharing this important Biggest Loser knowledge. Here it is, found on page 174. If you want to buy the cookbook check out The Biggest Loser Website on NBC.

Thanksgiving Game Plan

#1. Give Yourself Permission. 
If the Thanksgiving meal is a special one for you, plan to enjoy it. Make an agreement with yourself that it's okay to have one splurge day.  You've worked hard enough thus far, and enjoying Thanksgiving dinner is not going to ruin all of that hard work

#2. Frame Your Splurge
Limit your indulgences to just one meal, not the entire weekend. A key to weight-loss success is learning to keep your exercise program and eating structure healthy the day before and the day after your celebration. This is called "framing" your splurge.

#3. Have a Plan
To make #2 work, you'll need to plan out the details so that you can stay on track. Can you make sure that you stick to your calorie budget on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving? If you are traveling, can you plan out your exercise for the four-day weekend? Be sure to pack any workout clothing or gear you'll need and be prepared.

#4. The Splurge
Remember that a holiday meal is NOT your last one on the planet Earth. How can you maximize your pleasure, fully enjoy the meal, but still feel like you made good decisions? One strategy is to not come into the meal famished. It may be tempting to "starve yourself" before the meal, but that will only set you up for overeating once you sit doen to the table. The goal is to have a great time and enjoy your company. Give yourself permission to eat the foods you love, and savor them.

#5. Take Pride in Your Recovery
The next day, it's time to get back on track. If you overate, don't beat yourself up about it. If you did well with your choices, then congratulate yourself. Your overall success depends on how quickly you can recover from these special days. If your Thanksgiving normally spills over into Friday or Saturday, can you do it differently this year? It's important to get back on track as quickly at possible and avoid consuming high-calorie leftovers in the coming days.

Lastly, I love to cook and bake. It is one of my most favorite things to do. This year I am looking for mor things to fill my time. I will be working on the Thanksgiving Holiday this year (don't worry I will be celebrating on Friday) but Ryan found a 5k for us on Sunday and I am really focusing on non-food things to do. Crafts with the kids and music, oh and to fill the place of warm cinnamon smelling baked goods I am burning a Glade candle. 

Remember, it hurts to overeat. 
So enjoy, but you are not the turkey...you don't need to be stuffed.
Happy Thanksgiving, from Phat Chances.  

{Happy Halloween}

Trick or…Workout

by Brianne

Halloween starts the first of the holidays that I am determined to survive this year. I can recall last Halloween like it was yesterday. Every holiday has a food associated to it that I recognize I will never feel the same about ever again.

Happy Halloween…I overdose on Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Not like 2 or 5, but like an entire package. One cup is 105 calories, 6.5 grams of fat and 21 grams of sugar. Doesn’t actually sound that bad….unless you eat 20 of them.

Happy Thanksgiving…oh and how thankful I have been every Thanksgiving for carbohydrates. My moms stuffing, yams drowning in brown sugar and them biscuits from a can. I have used more butter on those pieces of shit….just call me Paula Deen.

Merry Christmas…See’s candy is a big one, but let’s not disregard hella food for 2 if not 3 consecutive days. As. Much. As. Possible.

Happy Friggin New Year. My last suppers usually occurred around New Years. Every year I would wait until New Years day to begin a diet, but only if I didn’t have a party to go to or if it fell on a Monday. Otherwise January 2^nd or 3^rd or 4^th…you get it.

Last year and every year before that for at least 5 years, the holidays equaled shopping and food. How can anyone argue with how fabulous that sounds? Well, I believe that every year for at least the last 5 years, I have gained at least 15 pounds from October to January. And that’s just 3 months out of the year…let’s not forget those Reese’s Easter egg shaped cups that weigh like a full pound, my birthday which I usually dread and hope to suppress my dread with food, everyone else’s birthdays, Valentine’s Day, oh and Monday-Sunday. It’s been many years of bad food, a bad attitude about food and no…I mean ZERO fitness. No friggin wonder I struggle with my weight.

This year, the holidays WILL be different.

For the holidays this year, it is important that I plan ahead to ensure success. I will be continuously involved in a Shakeology Challenge with my trainer, John Hebison. This keeps me extremely focused on my food and fitness. I log my food and fitness every day within the group challenge. The key factor for success on my journey right now is accountability. I am not yet at a place where I just skip around chasing butterflies. This shit is still hard and I miss the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups so I recognize I need support and constant mindfulness. I am not “fixed”. This is a process. To get through the holidays, I will also make sure I eat before I go to the parties and when there, I will watch my portions and options. If asked to bring something, it will be something I can eat. Veggie trays, fruit salads etc. I will keep alcohol to a minimum, as I would rather eat my calories than drink them. And as I don’t plan to deprive myself completely, fitness is essential. I will have treats. I am not dying. I am living. There will be treats. Shit. It is my goal to workout every single day from today until December 31. I am sure it will go far past that, but there will be fitness or some kind every single day.

Shout outs:

Nooch…30 days baby! You are an athlete. A strong woman. A determined Canepa. Make it simple. Show us how it’s done. You’re my hero. Always will be. YOU GOTTA WANT IT TO WIN IT.

J-Heb…We bringing sexy back.

Holiday Season…you sneaky asshole…I am so over you.

Tips:

To anyone who struggles like me through the holidays…the time is now. Don’t wait for January 1 (or 2). Start now. Watch your portions and make good choices. Don’t make excuses.

Avoid the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup isle of your local supermarket.  

HOT OFF THE {BENCH} PRESS

We are excited to announce that Diets in Review, an online resource to EVERY diet and fitness program under the sun has published our story. We were contacted by DIR after our very good friend and former Biggest Loser, Courtney Crozier gave them our information. Thank you, Courtney for believing in us and being a part of our journey. We believe that this struggle…the weight loss struggle is one of the hardest on Earth. Food is an addiction for many people who seek a change that feels near impossible to reach. And sedentary lifestyles are becoming easier and easier as we have more and more technology at our fingertips and everywhere we go. We are proud of how far we have come and hope that with spreading the news that it is possible, someone…anyone may see their worth and fight, fight for their lives.

There were many conversations had. Several text messages sent. Lot’s of thought and anticipation, but in all times we spoke about starting this journey, we never once thought about the people we would meet along the way and definitely never thought that we could ever come close to inspiring someone else. Us? The two overweight sisters. Who knew?

We never thought we would have met the trainers and staff from the Biggest Loser Resort. We never discussed how we would become life long friends with Kelly from Idaho, Heather Insac, Meg from AZ, Keith the Jersey Firefighter, Amanda from Maine and Haley the Doctor. In all our planning, we never thought we would reflect back on our journey and realize that we have people we don’t even know supporting us and cheering us on. We never thought about how our journey would bring us closer to our family and amazingly brilliant cousins, Meghan, Kelly and Kasey. Starting our journey, we didn’t think about returning home and continuing our work with two of the most invested, talented personal trainers, Michael Friedman and John Hebison.  Friends that we haven’t spoken to since grammar school and high school are now part of our inspiration. We never thought about how we would continue group workouts and enrich our lives with our spin class and boot camp friends. Messages from people we don’t even know seeking inspiration to start for themselves and finding it in our words. We definitely never thought we would be friends with actual Biggest Loser contestants…Courtney Crozier, Sione Fa, Mike Messina, Tara Costa, Arthur Wornum and Sarah Nitta, just to name a few. They are the reason we chose the Biggest Loser Resort and seeing their courage and tenacity in person changed us forever. We never thought about how starting our journeys would create an entirely new world for us. But what a world it is and how lucky we are.

We believe that our success, the fire that drives us every single day are the people that empower us along our way.

Our message is simple, INSPIRE to be INSPIRED. This journey is not easy and hard days will continue, but it is with the strength and inspiration we have gained from the people in our lives that we find it in ourselves to continue. If at the end of all of this, should there be an end, we manage to inspire one person to believe in themselves and the brilliance that is life, it will have been worth every second. There are lots of blogs, amazing stories of weight loss success and lives that have been changed forever. This is our story. Our blog. And our lives have been changed because of it. Thank you for reading, for supporting and for being a part of the greatest journey of our lives.

We love you and this fit life more than bread and butter.

-Brianne and Cara 

Inspire to be Inspired.

by Cara

I am surrounded by inspiration. I have this amazing family. Truly loving and encouraging friends. And complete strangers rooting me on. My accoutability has been this blog. But with it I am truly encouraged and inspired by my sister Brianne. She is changing her life so much I feel so lucky to be on this journey with her. This journey we are on is never ending. I will be enjoying fruits and veggies and "healthy" options the rest of my life. And I have a new found addiction to running half marathons (a full will happen in there somewhere) and I really really like to sweat. What a difference from where I was a year ago.

Today is my 31st birthday.

One year ago, my husband and I had set out to a nice date night. Our first stop was a surprise trip to See Jane Run, a women's athletic store on 24th Street. See the last 6 birthdays I have been saying that I want to run a half marathon. Not once had I met that goal, and each year the birthday would pass and I would stay the same and I was be getting bigger and less motivated. Last year, as I was hitting a big year, Ryan took me to the athletic store and told me to pick out some running shoes. There were also clothes that fit my size 22 body. That same night I had a surprise party with my family and my closest friends. It was there that Ryan also gave me the gift that truly has changed me... a two week stay at the Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge Malibu. Ryan wrote in the card that he wanted to support me in all of my goals and that as I was moving to a milestone birthday he wanted to make sure I did it right. 

Last year on my birthday I weighed 280 lbs. I am not happy about that. I was struggling to play with my kids, I struggled to find clothes and I was struggling to feel the happiness I always have on the inside on the outside. But truth is I was happy. It wasn't until I recently saw pictures from our trip to the Resort that I realized something I didn't know. That whole time....I didn't know I was FAT. I just didn't know, I didn't see it. Honestly, I was blind to it. 

Over the last year, I have shared my goals. My weekly goals, my calorie intake goals, my fitness goals, half marathon finishes. These are major. The number on the scale is important to me, I don't make it my primary goal, but watching that number go down makes me feel GREAT. 

Four weeks ago I set the goal that by today, my 31st birthday, I would be in ONEderland. ONEderland is when there is a 1 infront of your weight. I think the last time I remember having a 1 was in 2000, I remember weighing 193 when I first met Ryan at San Jose State.  Today, I weighed in at 197.6. WHAT?????

I only have 17.6 pounds to go to reach my ULTIMATE weight loss goal of 100 lbs. See setting goals that are achievable is all part of the process. And once I meet that goal I set the next one and then the next. To keep myself on track and on the journey I must have a goal that I am working toward. It will not always be a number on the scale, but there will always be a goal. 

To hold myself accountable here are my next goals:

-100 lb. loss by December 10, 2012 (one year anniversary)

-U.S. Half Marathon November 4, 2012

-Spartan Sprint at BLR Malibu December 2, 2012 

-Find a new SPIN class to take once a week

-INSPIRE others by sharing my story and my new found LOVE for health and fitness