[jcatron243]

6 weeks from new years to Valentines day. I think this is a good time for all of us to revamp our food and exercise and make sure it works well for us.


For any newbies, the traditional copy and paste:

Women on... WHAT??

Okay, let me explain that "Women on WEED" is not what you might be thinking. During previous challenges, a group of us formed a great bond, and we've been challenge buddies ever since. We use the word "WEED" as a mnemonic device to set daily goals, an easy and very specific way to remind yourself during your day to take care of your body, and to nurture your Mind, Mouth and Muscles... it really does help. After all, we are all taking this a day at a time, right?

If you join this challenge, you will see it often - and you are encouraged to give it a try. Here's what it stands for:

W - Water intake. Set a daily goal for how much water you're going to drink. Although there is conflicting research as to how much to actually consume in a day, we all agree it is important to drink lots to stay healthy. So make it a goal!

E - Exercise. Efficient, healthy weight loss isn't going to happen unless you incorporate some kind of physical activity in your life. Everyone does it differently; some go to the gym, some work out at home, and some find ways to sneak in little bits of exercise all throughout the day. Set yourself a goal, even if it's small. Little bits done often WILL add up over time!

E - Eats. Being that we all have different eating plans and weight loss philosophies, this is sort of a wild card. Whatever plan you're on, set yourself a plan-appropriate daily eating goal for the day. Don't forget to make it specific!

D - Daily goal/Daily affirmation. This is another wild card. It doesn't even have to be weight-loss related! This is the spot where you list something you want to get accomplished. Or, you can use "D" for a a daily affirmation - it's an opportunity to say something good and positive about yourself. Sometimes, when we fall short - and we ALL do sometime - we are tempted to berate ourselves. Although it's good to recognize when we don't reach our goals, it's also good to remind ourselves of the awesome parts of ourselves. So go ahead and remind yourself of that in the "D" part of WEED.


Well here it is! Jump right in, tell us about yourselves, your goals, your home lives, your healthy plan, etc. We LOVE newbies! And we LOVE our regulars! Welcome back

[jcatron243]

I'm Jeni, wife and Mother of 2 (Mak is 7, Tommy is 5) I work a crazy schedule, 12 hour shifts. I was at my lowest weight 9 months ago. But after a series of events I lost control of my diet and exercise plan and ended up gaining back (gulp) 20 pounds that I had lost. I am taking back control of my life, and demanding some ME time.

W~I normally drink about 64-80 oz per day

E~I will do 35 minutes on my days ON and 60-120 minutes on my days off. I am going to try not to get too comfortable with one workout. I Will always incorporate running into a part of my workout.

E~I normally count calories, but I have chosen to spend some time testing out the waters of a various different types of weight loss systems. I will still watch calories, but for the next couple of weeks I am not eating starches at night. While eating 1500 calories or less

D~Usually I remind myself that I am worth the trouble. Plus I usually have some housework to do.

[mothermavis]

I am Mavis, ditto alot of Jeni re losing control etc. My lowest weight in the last 20 years (since YS) was born has been approx 145. I plan to blow that out of the water this year.

I am 44, will be 45 in June at the mid way point of my year for me. I have two hugely stressful jobs, 2 kids in college (23 working on his Masters and 20 in his 2nd year, same college, lucky for me), a fabulous husband who is often jealous of me time and exercise (read threatened I think) and an 88 yr old father in law who I adore and needs my time each day as well, as much for company as care. Not sure how I am going to get it all done, but I am. This is the life God gave me, so he knows I can do it.

I will hit goal this year, no ifs and or butts-yes, pun intended! Goal is somewhere between 110 and 125, I will know it when I get there. I am recommitting to my life right here at 157. Let's go!

W 100
E 10k steps and abs
E Low carb, sensible fat and as many veggies a day as I can stand
D 364 days to goal!

[dandimae]

Hi all,

I'd love to join if that's ok! I'm a SAHM of two little ones (K is 2 and L is 1, so I have my hands pretty full)! I was pretty active and doing well, but I just kind of fell off the wagon and went crazy. I've gained 15 pounds back and I'm not happy about it! So here I begin again with the resolve that this time I'm going to stick with it and make myself healthy.

W: My goal is to drink a gallon of water a day.

E: My gym starts up their exercise classes on January 10th so I'm going to go 5 days a week. I used to LOVE to go and have a little alone time; I don't know why in the world I stopped.

E: My plan is to eat more veggies and fruits. I will do fruits for breakfast, and I'm going to go vegetarian three days a week.

D: This week, I'm going to focus my daily goal on being more patient, especially with the kiddos.

I also am going to hit goal this year...I am so sick of being yucky!!! I'm ready to be healthy.

[BunnyD]

These challenges are just what I need to stay focused. I am so thankful to have found this site. Support has been the thing I've lacked in the past, and I am hopeful it will be my key to success for the future!

Married to a wonderful man who also is committed to making the lifestyle changes necessary to be fit and healthy. Three college student daughters - one lives with us. A new puppy who is definitely keeping us in touch with nature, which will be great with exercising.

W: Not something I have been focused on in the past, but have a goal to drink my 64 oz. per day at a minimum.

E: Brought the Wii upstairs today to start a Wii Active program (6 weeks), which I hope will keep us on track and become a habit in that time.

E: Picked up my Weight Watchers books from last year. Going to either use these or consider going back to meetings with the new system. Points keep me accountable in a way nothing else seems to.

D: I owe it to myself and my family to be healthy. I want to feel better, move more freely, and not be so tired. I can change my life!

[Nixmom]

Morning Girls... Valentine day it is.

Kris here, mom of 1, step mom of 3 more. I haven't made any serious attempts at getting healthy in about a year, even though I have tried to stay connected here recently. Hubby and I quit smoking TODAY! I have realized that I can't let him be an excuse or a weak point for me going back to it.

I am approaching the new year with a habit a week. This week, I'm getting my vitamins in daily! I am after 145 by my 40th birthday on July 4th. I have 184 days left! My weight this morning was 199. So lets see, I'm looking at 2.2 lbs a week to be on track. So 6 weeks X 2.2 is...(calculating) 13.2 lbs for Valentines day. Its a big goal. But I have you girls!

Jen, Mavie, love you girls!

Dandi, Bunny welcome to the weeders!
Here's my plan
W: 64oz daily
E: 15 of treadmill then 15 of stretching daily - get me limbered up!
E: Bootcamp diet. No dairy, no fruit for this 6 weeks.
D: One day at a time, just stay on task at each decision, dont worry about later.

LETS DO THIS!!!!!!

[dandimae]

Nixmom,

Quitting smoking was one of the hardest and most rewarding things I've EVER done in my life. Congrats on your decision. You can do it! You deserve to be a healthy non-smoker! You can get through stressful situations without picking up a cigarette...YOU CAN!!!! Happy new year to you!

[kathrynk]

Hi! I'd love to join if you'll have me! I'm Kate and I am married with three cats who we consider children (yes, the infamous crazy cat couple). My husband is sort of supportive, but unwilling to do this with me, so I will really need the accountability here! He is very good at using the "but I think you're perfect the way you are, here have some ice cream" tricks. My goal is less about my weight and more about the fact that I have insulin resistant PCOS that was diagnosed at 13 and have been struggling with that since. My blood sugar levels are out of control even though I am on diabetes medication, so I'm going to try to control things through diet.

W: I drink way more than 64oz a day. I'd say on a normal day I drink 70-80oz and on a stressful day closer to 100oz. I always have to have a water bottle with me!

E: I take my parents dog on a walk daily (which may not seem like much, but it's through their property which is hilly and rocky and there are creeks to jump over!) and I plan on starting Jillian Micheal's 30 Day Shred today when I get home. I would like to someday start the C25K program, but I need clearance from my doctor for that because I have some pretty nasty knee problems.

E: I am proud to say that I started the first phase of Atkins this morning. I'm doing low-carb because of my insulin resistance. I have always carried my extra weight in my stomach (my legs and arms are beautiful, in fact, very toned). I'm hoping this will help me cut out some of that extra jiggle on my gut!

D: I can be the person I've always wanted to be. I am beautiful and this is the best choice I can make for my future! On a very vain note, I'm the MOH at my sister's wedding in June and the dress she has picked out for me is $400. If I'm going to be spending $400 on a dress (which is coincidentally more than I spent on my own wedding dress), I want to look as amazing as humanly possible!

[rmc9142]

Hi Guys! I would love to join you on the journey. I'm Rita, married with two college-aged kids. I joined this forum two years ago and did a pretty good job of losing some of the weight for the first 4 months. Then the holidays rolled around and I totally lost my groove. So, here I am, back at about the same starting point as before. I found this forum to be a great way to be accountable, which is something I definitely need!

W: not my favorite thing, but I'll commit to 64 oz to start.

E: 30 mins on the treadmill each day

E: I count calories, so my goal is to make them quality calories - more veggies, less carbs

D: Going to spend some time on me - my business, my health, my happiness.

[jcatron243]

hi everyone.welcome to the group. i willpost more later. just saying hi.

[sduruji]

I love the acronym WEED. I am 44 years old...had a birthday yesterday, the 31st...my current weight is at 178.8 the heaviest ever. I am so upset. I am determined to lose this weight. This is due to a thyroid issue, but enough excuses...I must get busy!!!
W---I will drink sufficient water
E----I will exercise daily
E----I am determined to eat properly
D---I will concentrate and affirm my goals

I appreciate this thread and wish everyone the very best as we work together toward a commom goal!!!!

[Vienna]

Hello Everyone!
I have been reading this site for a few weeks, but just joined as a contributor yesterday. I am drawn to this thread because it emphasizes a positive, sustainable approach beyond calories and scale numbers.

I am 5'5 and 150 lbs. I feel best when i am in the 130s. I am seeking to make general health improvements as I prepare for the birth of my daughter in February! Let me clarify, my wife (thanks Canada!) is carrying our child - I am not trying to lose weight while pregnant.

Water - I do a decent job of drinking while at work, but not so much while at home. I have a liter bottle on my desk, and I normally go through one of those. I would like to increase that to two. I have water every night with dinner, but while I cook, I tend to snack on ingredients. This would be the perfect time to add another glass or two. (Goal - 2 liters at work, 2 large glasses at home

Exercise - I am making a positive move by canceling my gym membership. I have found that fitting in stretching and some light exercise daily at home is far more effective than a gym pass I feel guilty about not using. I am also going to start taking a ballet class once a week. That starts in late January and I am so excited. So the goal - 15 minutes of home-based movement 5x a week, and a weekly ballet class.

Eats - I do the cooking at home, so no excuses on this one. Compared to the average American diet, my eating is quite healthy. I cook from scratch most nights, and have leftovers for lunch. I am trying to increase the amounts of veggies, fruits, and whole grains, while decreasing refined carbohydrates. I am not so worried about fats - I eat the good kinds. Goal - Eat all the produce that comes in my CSA box each week. No more waste!

Daily - I am reflecting more on what impending motherhood means to me, and what gifts of health I can give my family. Imagine if an active life and whole foods were weaved into the fabric of who we are and how we love - it's all my family would ever know. So to make it a goal, I would like to spend at least 15 minutes each day thinking about family life, and how I can make it a good experience for all members (including myself)

Thank you for reading, can't wait to hear your stories
-V

[Purplefirefly]

New year, perfect time to get active with a new group I guess...

W:4-6 Bottles Daily

E: Workout every morning, selecting from my chart

E: Stick to my whole foods time plan

D: Meet my daily work goals

[jcatron243]

Dandimae I'm on that gained weight wagon too. When I am on my game I workout tons and eat very very healthy. I let recent events derail me, so I am getting back to healthy.

BunnyD Its so helpful when your spouse is in it with you. I've been with 3fc for so long its a part of my every day. Even when I'm not doing so hot.

Kathrynk Its nice your hubby loves you the way you are, and I'm sure he wants you around a while. I have a few cats (okay by few I mean 4 and we love them all!)

Rita I totally understand. I do well for several months at a time, then I get frustrated that I haven't reached my goal, then I start losing my motivation. I'm glad your back.

Sduruji You can lose the weight! I found it easiest to start with small steps. Especially when it came to beginning to workout. I started at 15 minutes then added 2 minutes a week until I was at 30 minutes. I knew that if I went all out I would get tired of being sore and quit.

Vienna The birth of my daughter was my original motivator (7 years ago) but it wasn't until after my son was born that I completely gave myself the gift of health. Ballet is totally awsome.

Purplefirefly I love your name, and glad you are a part of us!

Kris and MM!!

Time for me to eat. I'll post more in the morning.

[Nixmom]

Heya ladies! Welcome to all the newbies to this thread! I know I've seen some of ya around the forum before.

Speaking of seeing... I am ready to poke my own eyes out. I am having the worst nicotine fit EVER and had to run here to refocus!!!! 24 hours no smoking just passed and it is a darn good thing that I don't live next to a mini mart because I would be puffing like a chimney if I did.

Ate like crap all day! I know this will be a challenge to lose weight while kicking the addiction. This first week I am focusing on not smoking and moving around a bit when I get ancy. Happy New Year's day girls. I'm glad you are all here!

Kris