100 gone!

Fifteen years ago I gave birth to twins who were so early, that I had no idea what would become of them, and what my life would be. Would they be healthy? Would they live? Could I handle whatever challenges we might face? I turned to M&M's. Literally. I went through bags of them the first year of my cute little babies life.My family can tell you that M&M's were always around. When they came home from the hospital 3 months later, my sister would come over every day to watch them so I could workout. I worked out, and gained almost 100 lbs. Who knew you couldn't eat bags full of chocolate, and not gain weight just because you were working out?!

During the next 8 or 9 years, between the normal stresses of life, and having another baby, my weight stayed about the same. I would lose 20 pounds, but fall back into old habbits. The one thing I did do right, was that I always worked out pretty consistently.

When I was about 30, I fell on a slippery tile floor and broke my back. I ended up having surgery, and gained another 50 pounds on top of the 100! Yikes! I still tried to walk as much as I could, but it is really hard when you get big.

Well now I can say that I am getting my health back! Within a couple years after back surgery, I lost some weight, but kind of stalled out, which brings us to last summer. I gave up my treats, started working harder in my workouts and since last summer, I have lost 57 pounds, BUT....from my highest weight after back surgery, I have now lost 100 pounds!!! Life is good, and I have a wonderful husband and 3 healthy kids too(One towers over me!). We are all on this journey of life together, and I am thankful for their support. We all need it!

This week I have started calorie counting again. I hate it, but it works. If you want to join me, come find me at My Fitness Pal. I am shanse. I love friends!

I love your support!

Hi everyone! We are still around slowly but surely losing. I feel like I have so much to say, but I don't know where to start! Maybe I should have been better at updating our blog! Life got so busy with the end of the school year. My weight is very slowly going down still, but I have decided to pick up the pace. Erin and I are doing a weight loss challenge, but here is the kick...We are competing on different teams! Erin is going down!!! Anyway, the thing I have been thinking about lately is support. Supporting each other. I feel like their are so many people supporting me on this journey.Without getting to cheesy, their are some things I need to say. First, I am so glad to have a friend that will go with me to the gym everyday! I think it is so important to have someone you can count on and who is counting on you. It makes us get there! Ok, yes...sometimes we skip and go to Target instead, or halfway through, we decide we are leaving and going to Carl's Jr., but for the most part. we work hard and push each other to do better, so thanks Erin! Next, I am thankful for the support of friends and neighbors. It does so much for me when people say how great I am looking or say what an inspiration we are. It makes me want to try that much harder! I am also thankful for family! My sisters constantly tell me that it is OK and even great that my weight is coming off soooo sllooow this year. They reassure me that I dont need to lose it super fast! The rest of my family has been very nice as well. And, my own little family. My kids tell me how awesome I am, and Jess is constantly listening to my triumphs and my insecurities and he has been a huge inspiration and help to me! And I also definitely have Divine help. I have said many, many prayers and I made a promise to my Heavenly Father this year, and He has made things possible for me that I didn't think would be. Prayer has been key for me! I a so thankful to be on this journey. As of now, I am down 52 pounds, and I am so excited to be down another 52!

 We keep finding out about people following us, and we want to hear from you, so tell us what helps you, or how you feel supported, or just say Hi. :)

Hey everyone! We are still here!

Wow. It is March first today. This year is flying by! Since Christmas, I am down 2 pounds. Two little, tiny pounds. And I had to work for those pounds. Ok this week I had to work for those pounds! You see, Erin and I have been going. We have been missing from this blog, but we have been keeping up our workouts and trying to lose. Nothing. We switched up our workouts, and inches were coming off but pounds? NOTHING! Then we got an idea. Maybe food matters! Haha, just kidding, we know it does. Working out comes naturally for me. I love it. I love the way I feel, and I love going to the gym with Erin most of the time. Counting calories. I Hate it. I would rather do anything than count calories, but it works darn it! Anyways, this week, we decided to clean up our eating a lot. No chips/fried foods for 2 weeks. No late night snacking, get our water in, and no treats(I have already been doing that for 8 months!). After two weeks, we are buying each other a prize!!! Erin is buying me some new workout shoes, and I am buying her whatever she ends up choosing. It will be fun, and I still get to avoid calorie counting for a few more weeks! I have to mix things up constantly so I don't get bored. :) So I guess today, I am just feeling thankful that we are 8 months in to this weight loss, and although it hasn't been easy, we have NEVER GIVEN UP, and we are going to so this!  We want to hear form YOU! How have your weight loss goals been going this new year?

p.s. Our March pictures will be up in the next week! We like doing the every two months pics better!

p.p.s. How did everyone do on the KSL 10 pound challenge??? Cami and Courtney were the only ones who entered Our Giveaway, so you both win!!! Send me a message with your address, and your prize will be on its way!

Thanks everyone for your motivation and support! We love it when you stop and tell us you love what we are doing, or when friends of friends tell us you read our blog! We are having so much fun doing this together!

Here's to 2014!!!

Happy New Year!!!

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! Erin and I went to the gym on Christmas Eve and left very happy. Erin kept her weight steady through all of the holiday parties and yummy treats, and I made my goal of  40 pounds before Christmas! Yay for us! Usually one of us is having and good day and the other is feeling discouraged, so it was a Christmas Miracle for us both! :D   

I love to weigh myself everyday. That is not necessarily good or bad, but it is bad for me. I am either so happy or so bugged for the whole day, so I decided that I was not going to weigh for a whole month. Yikes. I weighed this morning and I won't be weighing again until February 1st. I am kicking it up a notch this month to really get back into losing some weight, and Erin and I want any and all of you to come along with us! 

We want to do a little Weight loss competition! It will be easy and little or no money. We just want everyone to join us in our journey to health. We are still working out the small details so we will let you know in the next few days. In the meantime, let us know if you would like to join in! Come on, you know you want to!!!

Here's to all of our health in 2014!!!

Happy Thanksgiving Week!

These past  5 Months that I have really been focusing on my fitness have been a huge blessing in many ways, so to celebrate Thanksgiving, I would love to give you my gratitude for health countdown! 

25. I have my favorite gym partner Erin to go with me!
24. My skin is getting smoother from all of the water I drink. Or maybe I am getting old.
23. I get to do planks, which I love!
22. I have not touched chocolate in 5 months. Huge accomplishment!
21. I have learned how to not get tangled in some of the weight machines. Darn my size 10 feet!
20. Speaking of feet, I am thankful that I have more reasons to buy cute workout shoes.
19. I get to see people dancing on the elliptical some days and other funny things at the gym.
18. I get to get over my germ-a-phobia by laying on sweaty gym mats for crunches etc.
17.Which reminds me that I am thankful I have good friends to go with me to boot camp. We can all laugh at how funny we are. We are doing way awesome though.
16. I am slowly getting more energy. My kids appreciate that.
15. I feel like I am looking better in my clothes.
14. I get to buy new clothes!
13. I notice more the way food makes me feel, good or bad. Appetizers late at night will ALWAYS make me feel bad in the morning. Yet I still do that sometimes.
12. I am down 35 pounds!
11. I am trying to be a better example for my family.
10. Exercise makes me feel good. I need it, and I miss it when I miss days.
9. Jess and my kids have been very supportive and tell me how awesome I am doing. That makes me feel good!
8. My legs are starting to get a little "shapely" as my grandma would put it.
7. I am feeling strong from weights. I really like weights. Way more than I thought I would.
6. I am proving to myself how strong I am. Physically, and mentally.
5. I know that my Heavenly Father is really helping me.
4. My kids say I am nicer. Poor kids.
3. My hair doesn't look like it is on the verge of falling out.
2. I can run in little increments. I love to run.

and my #1 reason I am thankful for my health this year is....

I am feeling more like myself. I am happier, more confident, and excited about life!

I can't wait to see what the next year brings.

Thank You for all of your support and Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Befores and Durings

All right, it's that time of the month again...time for our progress pictures!  I'm kind of excited to post these because I think we've both made great progress. The first picture was taken August 5th, the second on September 5th, and the last pictures were taken today.  So, there is a 2 month gap between the last two.  Shanna lost 12 pounds, totalling 32 pounds in 4 months.

 I've lost 9 pounds since the last pictures totalling 32 pounds in 4 months.

 Don't ask me why my eyes were closed in the first one???

I'm super proud of our progress!  How are you doing???

Keeping it REAL...no really!

Pinterest is an awesome website...but when it comes to realistic workout pictures and poses it's full of crap!  Take this pretty girl with a big smile, makeup and manicured nails.  Then take us:

Shanna was watching me do weights and came up with the idea of taking pictures of us keeping it real.  Apparently my idiocy is really funny to her!

But then I came upon this little gem of her!

 I was trying so hard to focus and not notice that she was snapping pictures of me...but I couldn't stop laughing.  This really is pretty realistic though, we usually have a pretty good time together.

 So focused. 

 Oh the pain!

 Counting and trying not to cry & laugh at the same time. Stupid arm press machine.

 So if you are worried that if you go to the gym you won't look like one of the millions of pictures you've seen of a model working out in skimpy clothes, pretty hair and flawless makeup...don't worry you're not alone!  We sweat hard and make lots of idiotic faces...but we are also reaching our goals!

They Fit!!!

I Never Said They Weren't Tight!

Oh, and I may have my hands strategically put over the ever-so-slight muffin top. ;) Yes, you can see every little bulge in my legs, and it ain't pretty, BUT...I can get them on!

Do you ever buy yourself clothes hoping they will fit in the future? I rarely do, but once in a while if I  am feeling motivated I will. I bought these green gems last year around Christmas, and I am going to be in them around Christmas this year! 

In other news, my September was completely crazy. My birthday, my anniversary, my little girl's birthday, and getting ready for her baptism which was this last Saturday, and completely wonderful! I am happy to say I lost 5 lbs in September which put me at a 4 month total of 25 lbs!!! I am good with that. Now I am at 28 lbs lost and  ready to put in more work! My goal is to be at 50 lbs lost by January 1st!  What goals do all of you have??? I want some comments people! I love them! I am so happy to be on this journey. It is so great to have so much support from everyone, and I know Erin and I are happy to support any of you who are on, or ready to go on this journey with us!

Oh, and just a side note:  How many pictures do you think I had to take before I could post? It wasn't only one!  :/

I'm just a wee bit tired today!

Today I was really wishing for one of these!



Oh the candles and the nice towels. So nice! That's not why I wanted it though....

I Need The Dang Handrails to Hold Me Up!

I AM SO TIRED!!! Erin and I do long workouts sometimes. We are starting to do them once a week, and today I did 60 minutes on the elliptical, 30 minutes on the treadmill, and another 20 minutes doing weights. When I got home and showered, I was really wishing for a hand rail to hold on to! I felt sort of jello-y  and weak. My muscles are tired! Lets be honest, that little door thing on the tub really could have come in handy too!  I hope that I will be sore tomorrow, because I love that feeling!  Oh and just a little side note, I was hoping to lose at least 20 pounds before my birthday, and I did it ! Yay! Hopefully some more drops off soon! Have a good weekend everyone!

Exactly one month later pictures

All righty then...last month we posted our first pictures and we've decided to take monthly pictures of ourselves to show our progress on this journey...I gotta say that I'm a little surprised by our progress.  I think Shanna has lost 10 pounds since the first pictures, totalling 20!  Look how awesome she is doing!!!

 I've lost 7 pounds.  Totalling at 23 pounds.

Can't wait to see what next months results will be!!!

Yes I am Competitive!

I am competitive. Very Competitive. Lets just say that I am not very happy that Erin is losing so fast, and I am on the slow track. I am trying out different calorie amounts and trying to figure out what will make me lose faster. I was doing around 1300-1400 calories and losing very slow. My sisters told me to up my calories to 1900. I am trying that for a couple of weeks to see if that helps. Meanwhile, Erin is doing awesome, and it is making me CRAZY!!!  In all seriousness though, I am happy that Erin and I are on this journey together, and that we CAN have a little friendly competition and laugh about it! I know that in the long run, my body will respond and the weight will start falling off. In the mean time, I need to have patience. I really am super proud of Erin too! Way to go!!! Now then...anyone want to play a game that I can win at??!

Our 1st Before Pictures and a GIVEAWAY!!!

The Before Pictures!!! We should have done them a month ago, but better late than never! After you see our pics, hop on over to My Fitness Pal, and add us as friends: mrserinjohnson and shanse. If you aren't already a member of this website, it's a free site that's a lot like the Weight Watchers.  You can keep track all of your eating with their huge database of food, also your exercising can be tracked.  It's awesome!  After you do that, comment over here for your chance to win a gift card to Jamba Juice! We are giving away 2 of them.  Enter our giveaway by Tuesday, August 13, at 5:00 pm.  We will announce our winners on Wednesday!

Shanna:
     This is definitely not fun seeing pictures of myself this way. It is what it is though, and I am determined to lose the belly(which sadly is NOT a leftover from having my twins!)and become toned and have MORE energy!!!

Erin:
    Wow, if you want some good motivation, take photos of yourself from each angle and decide if there's anything you want to work on.  My goal is to lose weight in general, and work on my leftover rolls from my twins.

Fruit Kabobs

I am not the best fruit eater. Lots of veggies, not much fruit. I made these babies for a BBQ tonight. Delish and a hit! Of course I will eat them when they look so good! I used strawberries, mango, kiwi, pineapple and grapes. I see lots more fruit kabobs in my future! p.s. You can tell I am no professional photographer. Maybe I will work on that. :)

Short term Goals, and Long term goals, and REALLY Long term goals

Ok, so my birthday is in exactly 1 month(don't worry, I will LOVE whatever you get for me. It's the thought that counts)I want to give myself something really awesome. Maybe 50 lbs lost, or down to a size 6 or run a marathon, or...wait... those are not realistic goals?! I have this problem. I am not a patient person, at all. I am sure you can relate. I think we all want what we want now. I am learning that it is VERY IMPORTANT to set small goals for the short term, but have our eyes set on bigger, long term goals. And then the lifetime, long term goals. I tend to want to set long term, hard to reach goals, and then I get frustrated when it doesn't happen in just a couple of months. So, I am making a goal of making a goal. And then, I will make more goals to make more goals. :) You get the drift. So I am going to open up and give to you, since you are so curious, a short term(aka my birthday goal)a long term, and a really long term goal. 1. Short term(September 1, 2013) Lose 14 pounds. I have lost 11 pounds since July 1st and I have just tweaked a few things in my eating so I think 14 is doable. I want to be down 25 by my birthday! 2. Long term and 3. Really long term are going to wait. I have to start with small goals. Now then. What are some of your short term goals?

It's all about Perspective!

I have never wished to be obese...that is until now! My son and I were messing around with the BMI charts seeing where we fall. Now there is underweight, normal, overweight, obese, morbidly obese and one I have never heard of thrown in the middle, clinically obese. I am sad to say that I fall into the morbidly obese category. Anywhoosies, we were laughing as I was saying "Oh, I really want to be obese" or "Yay, I am FINALLY obese! I have been waiting for this day!" We were laughing so hard. Sometimes you have to use a little laughter right?! It is funny how when we are in younger, that we sometimes forget to love ourselves for who we are. Then life happens and kids come and we wish for the body that we had. We need to love ourselves right now, while we work for something better. So when I am screaming and happily saying that I am overweight, just know that to me, that will be a very happy day! p.s. Isn't obese a way gross word??!

Don't we look HOT!!!

Can you see the sweat??! We worked hard today! I would say doing the elliptical for an hour is hard. If you don't agree, don't judge! We are going to start adding in weights again since we haven't done weights in probably 6 weeks. That is where i feel like I dont know enough. I can go and go on an elliptical, but I don't know much about lifting weights. I want to feel stronger, but for now, I am not sure if I will be able to walk tomorrow! :-) I love how good I feel right now though!

I am so excited about our blog and hope that we can motivate each other and anyone else that wants to follow along on our fun-filled hard-working adventure! Erin and I seem to be able to keep each other motivated...in the gym! Girls nights at applebees or coldstone might be a different story! :) Today when we went to the gym, we both felt exhausted and planned to just do 30 minutes on the elliptical and call it good for the day. Well we kicked some booty! We did 45 minutes, and THEN called it a day(We may have chatted on the bench for 15 minutes before picking up kids). Tomorrow, we will make every minute count! We will! We aren't fit yet, but WE WILL BE!!!