his is a 12 week challenge starting this week and ending the week of Thanksgiving (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!

Just went back to look at my goal for this challenge.

Was 1 lb a week, been 7 weeks and I am only down 2 lbs, so I guess I better get to it.

Rough WE worrying about my kids.

W 100
E Walk maybe, right now it's cleaning closets.
E OP
D Don't say anything that will haunt you if they work it out.

Hey Mavis! Sorry, going back to work has left me struggling to find a daily routine so I don't feel so frazzled and unorganized...not there yet but working on it! Diet has been nonexistent since going back so I need to start getting back to it soon. I have go back and look at my goal but I'm probably going to have to modify it, weighing about 176 so I'd think no more than 170 by Thanksgiving. Glad to see you kept up the thread!

W - 80+
E - none
E - mitigate the damage for the rest of the day
D - pick one thing and get it done!

Afternoon ladies -

Feeling puffy and gross today...yay! Came home at lunch to try and accomplish some things since Dan's been working late and I can't get a darn thing done with the kids. Foods been OK, not perfect but not horrible like it has been lately. Take care!

W - 80+
E - really need to work on this one
E - relatively OP
D - laundry!

Emi, it takes time to get back into the routine, you'll get there!

W 100
E Need to run, but think it will be tomorrow before I get there
E Not bad, could be better
D One choice at a time

Whoa, took off for a bit and came back to a new thread.

Yeah Mavis I did the 20 min run last friday, this friday is the 22 min run. I only ran about 1.6 miles last friday. Today I managed a mile in 9:57 so hopefully I'll get 2 miles in Friday.

Early but I'm posting for tomorrow since I've been bad about water and food lately.

W- 80 oz
E- Jeanettey challenge, weight lifting
E- Do not eat after work
D- Remember your goals.

Wow Thin! Great job!! What's the Jeanettey challenge?

Emi, hope the weekend gives you time to visit!

I have been really sucking. Every day at work has been looking like 7-8 pm before I can get home, have had no exercise and horrible depressed food choices. And to that concerns about one of my kids who just broke up with his long time girl (fine with that, just worry about him) and you have a recipe for disaster. Hopefully, I can turn the corner and refocus.

I don't know if it's the changing weather or what but everyone on the threads I follow have been blah lately. *swats away bad hoodoo*

The Jeanettey challenge is a challenge by a person *ie Jeanettey* posted mid-week regularly on another thread on this site. It generally gives me a good mid-week change up bump. This week it was a timed obstacle course.

You can find it here about midway down the page.

W- I got in 40 yesterday, today the goal is 60.
E- W6D3 C25K. The goal is 2 miles in however long it takes.
E- Been eating up in the 2000 cal range, time to bring it back to 1500-1800
D- 14 pounds till Onderland. Do. Not. Quit.

Thin, good for you!

OMG!~! I can't believe how time get away from me. I sem to get so busy with work and stuff at home. I have started working out with girls at work again. We are doing DVD's once again. Lots of BL with Bob and Jillian. It isnt helping much currently as I continue to hover around 180 pounds. I just cant seem to figure out what it will take to get much lower.

Iam going to try to really watch my eating and not snack or munch on handfuls of things. Going out to eat with hubbie doesnt help either. I am really giving this this the ole college try. Hope I find some success.

Hi ladies!!!! So happy to come in and report that I have been DOING IT. Ooooh let me tell the cool story.....

No work on Friday, stayed home with hubby and the kids, Mike and I got to talking and really both agreed we HAVE to get healthy and get our weight down. I went out that night and got all nice healthy groceries and came home and hung out. We ended up staying up watching tv til after 2 am.....(I had to work the next day 1:30p-12 mid) So we went to bed and I was being funny and said, "Well if the good Lord wants me to get up in the morning and go to the gym, He will wake me up at 8:30, otherwise, I will be sleeping until my alarm goes off at 11." (I think things like this all the time) Went to sleep, and I DID WAKE UP....8:26am according to my cell phone. And I woke up feeling wide awake and motivated. So, yep, I went to the gym!

And it was AWESOME, as it always is. I seriously don't know why I make the excuses, etc. I truly do love to exercise and the bonus effects, so why don't I make more of an effort?

Eating all day Saturday was SPOT ON. I had a moment of weakness and asked my coworker to pick me up an XL double cream coffee from Dunkin Donuts on his way to work.....Luckily he didn't have time to stop and apologized. I was grateful he forgot.

SIDEBAR: Seriously. About the Dunkin Donuts coffee. Seriously. I asked the girl one time, how much cream is that anyways? It is just the perfect cup of coffee......UM YEAH. TEN FREAKING CREAMERS. TEN. TEN. TEN, PEOPLE! No wonder I have put the last ten pounds on so quickly, I was introduced to and became addicted to said coffee order in the past month or two. This is one I'm going to have to really earn, NO WAY can this be a regular thing. The DD girl did say, "Well we use 'light' creamer if that helps".....UM NO. Not acceptable.

END SIDEBAR....ten creamers? REALLY!?

Then today has been POP too....the weather was super nice and I took Rachel (7) to the walking trail and walked the 2.1 miles and she rode her bike. It was very peaceful and the hills/the walk felt great. Um and yea, what is this.....There is a Starbucks AND a Handel's (ice cream) right on my trail!!!!!! Evil geniuses! Luckily I don't walk with money so not an issue, but how not fair. Yea I guess it sounds weird but the trail is mostly through the woods but one leg of the big path is a main city street, thus the SBux and Handels.

I found a nice steam-bag fish....perfect for taking to lunch and making a good choice at work. Will go look at name brand later. I got the cod and the tilapia, ate the cod last night at work and it was nice. I think a nice white fish like that will help me. Oh and made a big pot of steel cut oats in the crock pot overnight, turned out really nice. OMG will never eat instant oatmeal again. 1 cup Steel cut oats, 4.5 cups water, 2-3 tbs butter (yea I know, I know, I will try making it without the butter next time) crock pot on low for 8 hrs and it was nice. I use a Splenda/brown sugar blend and blueberries.

I know it's only been two days, but after my grilled chicken salad for tonights dinner, I feel happy, satisfied, and motivated. And that's longer than I've held on to any kind of commitment in AGES. Most "attempts" usually last less than a day. See you all tomorrow!

xo Michelle

Michelle, sounds awesome. All of it, seriously!

Thin, hope your weekend went well too!

Mindy, welcome back!

Jeni, where are you? Kris< where are you? Shari, do you see a pattern here? Where are you?

W 100
E Just going to go for a walk at lunch today, babystep back at it! Crunches, get the gut gone
E OP, won't say perfect because I am meeting some friends tonight for mexican, so how about "not fried"
D Trust in God.

Michelle- Sounds great. You keep it up girl..I'm right here with ya trying to make those good choices. There is a bag of donuts from the cider mill calling my name right now. Trying to avoid. I have never had that kind of oatmeal before.Wouldn't even know what to do with it.

Back to work, when my eating is easier. Weekends are always my downfall. hubbie and I go out to eat and stuff. I also do my workouts during the week and not so much on the weekends. So here goes another one. Better make the best of it.

Good morning chickens! Are we posting here this week or a new thread? Doesn't matter to me, I'll cut/paste this over if need be. xo

I am up and at em this morning. Of course, I'm up to get the kids off to school but I am dressed for the gym. Made another crockpot of steel cut oats last night. This morning mixed them with half a can of pumpkin, cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg.....smells like fall! Tastes like pumkin pie, which in all honesty I am not a huge fan of, but it's nice. Sometimes the idea of blah oatmeal bores me. Oh and Mindy, the steel cut oats take FOREVER (like >30 minutes) to make on the stovetop. They are less processed(?) and healthier. So making them in the crockpot makes sense.

MMUNCHES!!!! Get em done! And OMG Mexican food tonight....good luck mama! I cannot control myself around it. I promise myself I will only eat a few chips.....never happens....I even thought I had a good dish picked out, called Pollo Loco, it is a grilled chicken with grilled onions and the rice/beans/pico de gallo/lettuce/cheese/etc. But I am pretty sure it is cooked in tons of oil. What are you planning to order? Hope your son is coping well with his heartbreak.....the only thing a mom is powerless to fix, eh? Even at 11 my boy has had his heart broken too, and wow, it's terrible to watch. Take care of you too...and good advice not to say anything in case they work it out....been the victim of that one too many times. Baby steps, girl. Indeed. I have to stop comparing what I am doing to what everyone else is doing....to just be satisfied with doing what I can do. Instead of beating myself up because I can only do 3.0 mph on the treadmill when I used to be able to walk at 4.0 easily....now say, YOU GO GIRL. 3.0 mph who cares!? You still worked up a sweat and DID IT.

MINDYYYYY!!!! I didn't realize you had been gone as long as I had been. Looks like you've been at least maintaining, not gaining. I bet its hard being a NEWLYWED and all. What is that back story anyways? To me it looked like you got married almost suddenly. So cool.....How's the fam? I love the support with the coworkers, it totally helps. And how are the videos? Do you like them? My friend has offered to pirate me a copy of p90x but I just don't do well working out at home, I usually just sit down instead. LOL Weekends do the same to me....at least sometimes I work some Saturdays In fact this should be a good week for me. I am off today and work early shift (which would include a post work gym trip) tues-wed-thurs and evening shift (gym in am before work) on Friday and off saturday. Oh and get away from those donuts....Send them to me....Oh wait....don't.

Wait....I wasn't done yet...LOL at least it sent, not erased. That used to drive me nuts.

Thinsole Nice to meet you! I am watching you closely Not creepy... what you weigh now is what I weighed at some point before I fell (at the bar, no less) and broke my ankle, let ALL the weight and THEN SOME creep back on, and I have never had that kind of motivation since. I had gone from 296 down to 215 ish, felt great, looked amazing, then got laid up for that summer on crutches (subsequently got hooked on Vicodin and BudLight but I digress) I will use you as my motivation to get back to where I was, PUSH for that wonderland girl! You deserve it. Go GET IT. I am also so envious of you running! OMG anyone who knows me from this thread knows I am such a wannabe runner. But yea, in that way that George Costanza wanted to be an architect. Yes, I want to be one, so why not go do it? meh.....LOL I can relate. I just feel like at 300 lbs I SHOULDN'T be running, I think it would be too hard on my joints. But I did download a program on my phone that works over my music so that might work. (I always hated those downloads that played terrible music behind a boring man's voice) Maybe I'll try doing it on an elliptical = less joint impact.

Emiloots!!!!! Happy to see you still hang out here!!! How're the babies? How are you coping with being back to work? I actually think work/family/exercise provides MORE of a routine than being home. It forces me to make a schedule and STICK TO IT. You have to MAKE time to exercise, to prepare meals, PLAN PLAN PLAN. (ugh lecture much?) This has been my weakness, failure to plan and grabbing food on the run. I also would love advice on cooking healthy foods in batches, like on Sundays to have meals for the week. GOOD LUCK MAMA. Give yourself a break and some time to establish a routine.

JENIIIIIIII Sounds like you are BUSY busy busy with work and Maki and Tommy's activities. I bet they are so big now. I feel like we have been friends since we were potty training Mak and Robert and then Rachel and Tommy.....I can't believe Robs will be TWELVE in November (his voice is changed, he has to wear deodorant now, and he likes girls!) and Rachel is SEVEN (GOING ON SEVENTEEN with her sassy but cute self).

I know there are more of you out there, I'll hit you up when you pop back in. Does Grazer still come in here? Kris? Shari? RowdyBliss? I know there are more too, I hate feeling like I accidently left out someone I luv.


WEED FOR TODAY:
W-Lots, about 2-3 liters
E- Gym time as soon as this bus comes, about 9am. Plan for 20 min treadmill, upper body weights with maybe a few squats/lunges and abs, close with elliptical c25k? Or check out this new cardio equipment I saw, looks like a recumbent bike with a big arm thing you can do....intimidated by new equipment but looks fun.
E- Well the pumpkin steel cut oats was a bust. Ate a few bites when I sat down to type all this, ended up not liking it, and making a SmartOnes breakfast burrito....Not as satisfying as something homemade but did the trick. blueberries, water.....lunch will be a salad and steam some fish, and dinner.....?????? No BLTs (bites, licks, tastes.) Gotta be strict and NOT let anything bad pass these lips. Concessions can be made, but not for me, not for at least a few weeks. Have to be strict for now.
D- I want to hit up an AA meeting today, its been awhile and going always helps center my thinking and helps with my impulse control. Plus being out of the house helps distract me from grazing. Need to clean some junk thinking out.

Have a great day, ladies....I'll pop back in later. Let me go update my ticker....xo Michelle