Give me your top tip to make you feel better about yourself.

[fruitstick]

There's no denying it, I've let myself go.

2 DS (4.5 and 20 months) run me ragged and I was caught by surprise when I saw myself in the mirror yesterday and saw how haggard I looked.

I am about 2 stone overweight, live on tea and biscuits and don't really make much effort with my appearance.

I always feel tired and worn out. I ache all over - my shoulders and upper back is fucked from carrying a toddler around.

However, I've decided to get a grip and sort myself out. Call in New-vember (do you see what I've done there ).

I'm not that bothered about the weightloss at the moment, just want to feel more energised and look like I've made a bit more of an effort.

So, starting tomorrow, I am going to:-

• eat porridge for breakfast (instead of skipping breakfast and eating kids' malted milk biscuits all morning)
  

• get a haircut and colour (never coloured my hair before but the grey is definitely getting worse!)
  

• find a pilates class.
  

What do you do everyday to make yourself feel better?

[GiganGORE]

pluck your eyebrows. you will be amazed at what a difference it makes.

[titferbrains]

Having a pedicure, preferably a really bright shade of red, is immensely cheering.

Check out this site.

[JandT]

Just take control of your life! Even when I probably don't look any better, just feeling like I'm in charge of what I eat/do makes me feel better. DH always says I'm sexier then too!

[coffeenut]

Coffee. Seriously. Calorie-free pick me up. Just not too much or it undoes all its good work

I like your list already. Pilates is great for making me feel good, as is a new haircut.

[happilyeverafter]

Very vigorous exercise at least four times a week, I need to sweat hard but feel grand after.

Shower, blow-dry hair and makeup is a start.

[fruitstick]

these are great, will try and slot them all in

happily, I agree about exercise. At the moment I feel so stressed about things I feel like I need to run very hard for a long time - a bit like Jodie Foster at the beginning of Silence of the Lambs .

Trouble is, I'm so unfit at the moment I don't think I would be able to get up much of a sweat for very long.

But I do need to make a start.

[OnEdge]

Dye your own eye lashes, its dead easy.
wear a gorgeous perfume every day.
Get gel nails done.

I too have let myself go and am organising having

1. eyes lasered
   

2.permanent eye make up

1. Teeth whitened
   

I have started getting a hairdresser to come to my house too, and I book her next visit while she is here so I dont let it go. Same with the nails.

[TheCrackFox]

Once a week I have a bath (I do shower every day so stop holding your nose) and I put a few drops of Bio-Oil in which leaves my skin lovely and soft all week.

[topsi]

I agree with the hair, get it booked in 6 weeks later, then it is in your diary.
Also the nails, I have just had Jessica gell nails done which are like a realy hard wearing and last for about 2 weeks so are low maintanence.
If you have the £ then 'botox' your frown!

[MayorNaze]

eat at least 5 a day

always at least basic makeup (concealor, lip balm, mascara)

get out of house even if is just brisk walk round the park/to the shops etc

wear clothes you like as oppose to boring functional ones- who cares if you feel overdressed for buying a pint of milk - you will feel better if you look better :)

[notyummy]

Eyebrows.

Exercise - definitely. (You may want to try the 30 Day Shred? Only 20 minutes a day. It is quite hard work, but it builds up and there are different levels of exercise.)

Having a small range of well fitting clothes that you make you feel and look the best that you can.

[MarshaBrady]

Hair, good cut and subtle good colour. Wash everyday.

Good clothes.

Good environment / people to look at helps too!

[SerendipityAlways]

Get a good facial, a lot of them also come with a basic shoulder and back massage so you will emerge feeling and looking a lot better.

Plus I cannot stress the importance of exercise - even 20 mins a day is great. Don't worry about running long distances, if you're not fit at the moment, start off with a brisk walk for 20 mins, you should walk briskly throughout and be slightly out of breath when you're done, and just work it up gradually in time, increasing the walk duration by 5 mins each week. (Try to walk 3-4 times each week!) Apart from the obvious physical benefits, this will also give you some head space and fresh air!

Basic make up each day is also great, mascara is amazing!

[booyhoo]

moisturise everyday.

btw OP i could have written your first post.

[MittziTheMinx]

Please take a little time to look at this. They are simple principles and easy to incorporate into everyday life and really do start to make a difference all round, and apart form maybe getting the book, which is common and can be got quite cheaply, is all free.

Other tips are fab, . x

[ChocolateMoose]

If you've changed shape and your back aches, go and get yourself measured for a bra. Just having one that fits properly makes me feel so much better, and if you can buy some really nice underwear, even better.

[superv1xen]

get your eyebrows threaded

also, get eyebrows dyed if necessary, makes a big difference if you have very fair eyebrows

drink LOADS of water, helps fill you up so you dont overeat plus gives you good skin

as someone else says, get your 5 a day (at least)

YSL touche eclat - even if you wear no other make up, makes such a great difference

[fruitstick]

These are fantastic, thank you so much.

Porridge for breakfast - done
Haircut and colour - booked
Tinted moisturiser - applied

Am off to find somebody to attack my eyebrows!

[AnnVeronica]

I know what you mean about being achy with no energy.

I used to graze on cups of tea and biscuits all through the morning, but since I started eating a good breakfast (porridge, or baked beans and omelette/scrambled eggs) I've noticed I eat far less during the day and so my clothes feel looser and I feel 'lighter'. Has helped the achiness and sluggishness.

[hobbittoes]

This makes it bearable easy!

[Celery]

No biscuits, cakes etc ( or very few ). Loads of salad and veg and fruit. Lots of water. This will make a huge difference to your energy levels, which will mean you'll be more motivated to exercise and take more care of your appearance.

I could have written your OP a few years ago. Start with nutrition, and the rest will follow, ime.

[arfasleep]

Yes, agree to all, exercise is good one, even just for 30min walk in country/park, anywhere that you're not actually walking 'to get somewhere'. It might seem obvious but shower/wash hair every morning, I shower every day but don't always wash my hair & it does make a big difference.

[incognita]

Definitely lots of water, being dehydrated really makes me lethargic. Can recommend Zumba (or any exercise class I guess but I'm loving the music!) feel really energised - sets me up for the rest of the week