Anyone up for a ‘sort yourself out’ supportive encouraging thread?

[SpringOn]

Hi,
I’m 47, feeing old. I’ve very much lost my way with style, exercise, hair, you name it.
I need to:
lose two stone
decide what to do with my witchy mostly grey hair (I’ve been growing out dark brown dye for 10 months, decided to go grey, but I feel so old! Don’t know whether to go back to dye or stay grey).
mu wardrobe is a disaster. I have some decent smart work stuff but my casual clothes are basically lairy leggings and hoodies. I am a size 20.
My house needs a good clean and de clutter
I want to grow veg and have lovely flowers in the garden

Good bits:
I have a great husband, three fab kids and a job I love
I walk the dog for about 20 mins every day

Anyone want to join for self- improvement on an encouraging thread?

@IWasGlad thanks so much for sharing your morning and yes, agree what seems like tiny changes to what you do can make a huge difference.

I conked out early last night -- I was shattered. I realised the thing I love most about the Nothing Much Happens podcasts is when she says "you have done enough for today". That phrase is like magic. Last night I didn't even hear the beginning of the story LOL.

Today I have been for a run (which I almost didn't because I have meetings from 12 to the end of the day AND two presentations to write) and written both my presentations so quite pleased with myself. Laundry still to go.

I feel like I am playing whack-a-mole. Lots of things going quite well at the moment, but food has gone completely wrong (and I am back in my bigger jeans!). It seems I pay attention to one thing and I get some improvement on that, and behind my back something else that was doing fine just goes all wrong. I have eaten healthy breakfast (good) and then decided that I NEEDED CHOCOLATE AND PEANUTS (not so good). Baby steps, I know.

@Gloaming23 go you! How is the table coming on?
Here's cheering you all on.

Great to read all the progress and so pleased @BunsenBurnerBaby that Nothing Much Happens is working for you. I too breathe a huge sigh of relief when she says “You’re safe. You have done enough for today”. Was a game changer for me to be able to reliably drop off to sleep and so helpful to stop my brain kicking into high gear just when I need to rest!

I’m on my way home from my work trip. Very successful and I did ok with my targets
12k steps each day, to make up for no running.
drank plenty of water, including this morning when I started to feel a UTI coming on (this often happens when I am away, I just don’t drink enough) but seem to have been able to nip it in the bud by downing pints of water while in the office this morning.
not bad on the healthy food front
I did poorly on sleep though. Only 5 hrs the last three nights - so this needs to be a big push for the next three nights as I am a grotbag on not enough sleep, and I have lots of big projects happening over the next ten days so I need to be on my a game.

so
Drink water
in bed by 9.30
running again from tomorrow

Thank you all again for being here. I’m cheering each and every one of you on. Look at us go!

Oh I can relate @BunsenBurnerBaby, since I started here I have walked and gone to the gym much more and house and garden have improved so much, but I just can't stop eating crap in the evenings. I will try to focus on that next week. Tomorrow is a long day at work, so I'll just try to
-go for a walk when I come home
-drink enough water/fruit tea
-have one good conversation with someone at work. We tend to just rush past each other and when we talk, it's usually moaning. But I really like most of them. Tomorrow I'll try to find out what's going on in someone's life at the moment.

So, i managed my main 3 things for Monday. The week so ear has been struggly as usual but I have managed to get my work done and some housework, though perhaps not enough to keep on top of things.

I'm back. Been busy and fell off ALL the waggons but climbing slowly back on. Just off to RTFT.

Okay so failure on kitchen table - but complete success re bathroom!!!
I’ll take that as a win!

Plus elder DC’s bedding washed, dried and put back on and loads of sewing mending done. Was a frantic lunch hour!

Another person desperately clinging on! Routines have all been disrupted as we are having our en-suite redone (exciting and well overdue). But it’s taking longer than expected as they discovered it wasn’t as straightforward as hoped once everything was ripped out. So we’re having baths instead of showers which is fine but takes a little longer.

Still managed some wins though:

Have managed a few longer walks

Ankle is still niggling but actually self referred myself for physio (looking after myself win!)

Today I’m going to concentrate on:

Enough water
Start journaling or writing something down about how I’m feeling
Do some crafting as it makes me so happy even though I don’t always want to make the effort to pick it up

Well done everyone - keep going!

I did an unexpected nightshift at work on Tuesday and it has really taken it out of me. I don’t think I’ll be offering to do that again! I haven’t managed to do as much as I had planned to over the last 2 days but there have been some wins:

10 mile bike ride
Excellent day at work on Tuesday
Met my friend for lunch
Took a binbag to the dump
12 hour sleep last night

My water bottle has been filled up, my to do has been written and I’m ready to smash today!

Didn't sleep well last night. Got food shop to do this morning then helping DH in garden this afternoon.

I expected great things of myself this year. Have about 5 stone to lose (would know how much if I actually got on my newly purchased scales! I seem to be too busy doing fuck all. I did go on a walk the other day and amazingly my rheumatoid arthritically knees were well behaved, my lower back on the other hand... Before Covid I regularly used to walk along by the river but haven't since. Trying to get my hair sorted out. It is so dehydrated , I have products to help I just need to stop being so bloody lazy about everything.

I had planned to slim before my cruise in May but now realise that is a bit stupid because I am bound to have a few cocktails even if I reign in the food goodies! However I plan to walk around the ship a bit. It is one of those monster ones so there will be plenty of floors to explore (I am not a gym bunny).

This week going off the rails. I have trouble implementing routines at the best of times but struggling to find time to add exercise which I desperately need!

I don't need to go in to work until later today (half day) so I took the opportunity to just get up when I woke up. Slept for an extra 1.5 hours. Really hoping this helps sort me out as I've been so tired this week and that is really not helping at all!
I am reading everyone's posts - it is hard to a thread that moves fairly fast like this reply individually!

Tentatively dips toe in water...

I'm a (now) single parent to two teens with Autism (I'm their Carer)
I don't get ANY downtime / space for myself so taking care of 'me' is hard.
House is a mess, weight has gone up, I struggle to make decisions.
Ooof...

Hello @54isanopendoor. Welcome along for the ride. Any small targets you want to share? Something you are fairly certain you can achieve: a glass of water in the morning? Caring for others is HARD, especially on your own, so be kind to yourself (you need to look after you so you can look after them). (And @IWasGlad yes re replying! But I love reading what everyone is up to.)

I'm going to PT today which means I excused myself from a run and my normal stretching this morning (fair, right?!).

I can't remember what I said i would do but:

• I'm on the rowing machine every other day and going for a walk most days
• taking my vitamins as standard
• reading the stoic emails
• reset myself for work and being more positive/reigning in the negative thoughts

Amazing @Hiddendoor ! How are you feeling?

I am lying in bed trying to persuade myself to go and do run 7 of couch to 5k

i should do it, shouldn’t I?

I'm feeling pleased I've been consistent and have found some muscles in my arms which is nice!

Go for the run, you'll enjoy having done it!

Thanks @Hiddendoor , I did, and I am!
was gorgeous out there and I had an enjoyable endorphin rush all the way through Viva le Vida which is the sixth track on my playlist! That’s the seventh run in the couch to 5k which is at the start of week three.

And now I’ve just spent an hour doing a house blitz with my two teens and am ready for a Pepsi max and a long hot bath!

Good effort @SpringOn !

Fab @SpringOn!

I managed the kitchen table of doom - only
a day late. Can’t believe how nice it looks clear and tidy!

All the successes!

I am thoroughly enjoying this thread and as @IWasGlad said it’s difficult to reply to everyone but I am reading everything and cheering you all on!

Today I have:
Wrote big work to do list and got all my thoughts and ideas out onto paper
Used skin tag pen - this is going to take a few sessions but I’m going to stick with it
Bought a Fitbit strap
Bought a headband sleep mask so I can listen to these bedtime stories
Completed one task on my epic to do list and chased up my lawyer about an email I had sent back in January to sort out our wills
Drank one bottle (750ml) water

Not massive things but I feel good about the way things are going at the moment.

Slept better last night, still using the nothing much happens which is great. Didn't manage garden work but did food shop. Rain today. Lots to do but will probably do washing, change bed, clean bedroom and try to sand and touch up paint on cupboard in utility room. Hopefully fill scratches in kitchen doors also.

I’ve had quite a good week so feeling positive. Ive done 2 days of the 30 day shred and walked at least 8,000 steps every day. I know it’s not 10,000 steps but it’s more than I was doing. I find it really hard to fit in 10,000 steps!!

My legs are really achy though so I’ve been sensible today because I don’t want to injure myself!! I’ve eaten breakfast every day and managed to not snack much either. So yay. All positive changes so far.