From the Introduction

How do you sum up a lifetime of belly laughs, of conversations spoken only with your eyes, of shared delicious, joy-filled meals, and family you've fiercely loved? It's not easy, but this natural give and take my sister Lisa and I have is what's always kept us balanced. We're sisters who know when to step in and prop the other up, and when to stand back and let the other shine. We cheer each other on, and we always have each other's backs (rolls and all). We cross our arms over our chests in unison not because we're closed off, but because it's comfy. We still get sent away from our parents' dinner table for being naughty, we're always on the same page (even when we're not­it happens, sometimes), we share a deep love for dogs, we talk endlessly about nothing, and together, we've built a business that caters to each other's strengths. My (being Julie's) deep love for the written word and design partners perfectly with the bionic palate that has helped guide Lisa in developing over a thousand unbelievably tasty and doable recipes in three best-selling cookbooks and on our Bite Me More website. She'd never boast about that, but I can.

WHY THE BALANCE?
Since we both always try to tell it like it is. here's the skinny on our waistlines: we've sweated to the oldies. we've tried and failed to build buns of steel. and we ate fat-free for way too long. We fervently bought into (and boy, do we wish we could have our money back) the idea of the quick fix. the sure thing, and the next fad that would surely make us the masters of our thighs. But. eventually, too hungry and too tired. we waved the white flag, and shockingly, the moment we gave up on all-or-nothing extremism. everything fell into place. We had no idea how starving we were to be free of dodgy diet claims and constant fork-in­hand self-flagellation until we discovered that all that time wasted on calorie counting {btw. I'm superbad at math). obsessing over forbidden fruit (and. no. it wasn't apples). and holding our breath as we stepped on the scale would be way better spent listening to what our bodies were telling us about what we needed to be nourished. energized. and. of course. satisfied.

Here's the boring truth of our hard-won know-how: there's no magic bullet when it comes to health and wellness for either of us. and there's nothing sexy about our approach--moderation is the granny panties of the diet world-which comes down to a lifelong commitment to eating smarter and moving more. Yuppers. you read that right: eat smarter and move more. And while we haven't included our calisthenics routine in this book (though Lisa does dish on dips and I serve up some epic burpees). we can most definitely help you with the eating part.

Finding the right balance between healthy and indulgent eating means different things to different people. but we're hoping to arm you with the tools (aka everyday amazing, easy, delicious. well-tested, healthy­ish recipes) that will allow you. and us. to bake that cake and eat it too.