Anyone want to join me in a March "glow up"?

[LavenderIsland]

Getting ready to emerge from wintery clothes and comfort food and wanting to look better, I feel it's time to sort things out.
Starting a bit before March to give myself 6 weeks to lose a stone and sort out my skin and hair, I'm doing the following -

Eat nutrient rich food
No snacking
Daily walk
15 minute daily weight workout
Daily skin care and moisturising
Haircut
Weekly face mask
Weekly hair mask
Foot mask

As well as that I'm starting to declutter and want to read instead of being on my phone at night.

Come join in

Managed to get on treadmill and bike most mornings and forcing myself outside if I can at lunchtimes for walks. 7 mile walk done at weekend which did take in a wine bar, glass of wine and a sharing deli platter…. Worth it 😋

Bit of dental treatment this week in the form of composite bonding on a tooth to protect the roots so that will help - my teeth are pretty good but always open to suggestions of improvement from the dentist.

Hair appointment at weekend so that’s full head highlights and a trim/blow dry.
Booked a facial in a few weeks on a day off. Feels a bit weird not saving all time off for DC medical appointments but I’ll chance it.

My initial message was hidden.... I think, having had a look on Site Stuff, it might be because I mentioned a word beginning with gum....

Anyway, my glow-up was to start yesterday. But a sore throat and sniffles are making me feel lousy 🙁

Like @cathy31 I'm going to use Lent for more reset. I'm going to avoid alcohol as well as cake and chocolate. I used a hair treatment last night which was horrid, but tried a foot cream earlier which was lovely! Better than leaving them all in a drawer anyway 😁

Checking in. I couldn’t do my power half hour again due to day 2 of training for work but I think I can tomorrow and I definitely can on Thursday and Friday. I have somehow managed to get my 10000 steps in despite all the sitting plus my pole dancing. I’ve drunk 3 1/2 litres of water from my new fake Stanley cup in addition to coffee, tea and green tea! The tretinoin is definitely helping, I feel like I’ve had Botox 😂 plus my collagen arrived from Nutrition Geeks. It is definitely not tasteless though!

@SissySpacekAteMyHamster sorry.... I've been off the thread for a few days. With the shakti mat I'm primarily using it for my bad back, I aim for 20 minutes three times a week. I haven't had a bad flare up since I've been doing that but I've also started yoga and regular deep tissue massages so I can't say it's the mat that has definitely helped. The other benefits are hard to describe but it makes me feel mentally clearer and I just feel good once I get up off it. I think it's that it forces me to relax completely for 20 minutes and the endorphins from all the blood rushing to my back and neck!

Not loads of glowing up going on here but I've been continuing with taking my supplements and intermittent fasting. I'm also focusing on eating nourishing food as often as possible and decided to try all of the one person serving M&S salads for work lunches. So far the super nutty quinoa and the goats cheese and butternut squash cous cous have been my favourites. And although it would be cheaper to make them myself it's a lot cheaper and healthier than the baguette I was buying from the canteen every day!

Exercise wise it was an hour's walk on Monday and an hour of yoga yesterday.

Supplement wise I take a general multivitamin with iron which I feel helps particularly during my period, omega 3, collagen, psyllium husk for fibre and a garlic supplement to help with cholesterol. I was inconsistent with taking them but have started having them with a big glass of water first thing in the morning when the kettle is boiling for my coffee and that's helped with ensuring I take them every day.

Great to read everyone's progress.
Last couple of days have been super busy though I did manage to get some rosemary oil in my hair before my shower and my hair is amazingly soft!
It's a mixed oil.
I really need to be stricter with food!

I misread as March "grow up" and thought that I know a lot of people I'd sign up for that!

For those wanting to improve their feet, I’ve been using CCS Foot Care Cream (I got mine from Amazon) and it’s transformed mine. I find Flexitol etc too thick and they make my feet feel all hot & greasy, but the CCS one feels lighter and fresher. I’ve been using it every night for about 3 weeks now and my feet are lovely and soft (usually I have cracked dry trotters, which I’m embarrassed to get out in the summer!).

Everyone is doing so well and I feel as though I have lost my way. Still recovering from a v bad sinus infection. I did 2 hours of gardening yesterday and a long walk with the dog. I am going to do a hair treatment and stop eating carbs for a few days. I always crave carbs when I have been unwell and then get into a bad cycle. I love the idea of trying the M&S salads too. Also try and drink more water (yuk).

@Justhere65 I've fallen off the path. I think I have too high expectations and it doesn't match my lifestyle, it's left me feeling rubbish. I do wonder if a glow up is unachievable for me and I just work at being well

I think I am lying at the side of the path with you! But I do find these posts so inspiring and I think for me every little helps. But you are absolutely right in that our first objective should be to be well.

@Justhere65 they are inspiring, so many people have little tips that I wouldn't have thought of that could make a difference without much effort. So many things I've never heard of too!

Ooh count me in. My skincare is decent and I’ve been styling my hair properly which has made a huge difference. I lost seven stone last year, still a couple more to go but am currently maintaining, which is fine by me as long as I focus on health and nutrition.

I think I need to add small goals until they become habits so I’m gunna choose to put in a gradual tanner every other day, and make sure I’m drinking plenty of water for the next few weeks.

Don’t worry girls you aren’t the only ones. Ive just been and bought a big bag of minstrels and m&ms, my split ends are looking hideous and I’m still getting over my virus so the most I’ve done really is lying in the sun to get some vitamin d! And no doubt cause more wrinkles!

Don’t feel bad, trying to make too many changes in one go is always hard!

I was having a think on my dog walk and here’s my (completely amateur!) advice:

Pick one thing to change at a time.
Give yourself a little tick or mark on your phone or diary when you do it, like a children’s reward chart 😂.
Set a reminder in your phone!
Don’t be disheartened if you don’t do it one day or only partially do, and don’t use that as an excuse to give up altogether!

Easy wins:
Getting outside in the sunshine, for a walk if you can.
Drinking more water.
Stopping or reducing alcohol.
Swapping at least one coffee for green tea.
A good multivitamin.

Requires more effort:
Making healthy food choices.
Getting off your phone.
Using a good moisturiser and lip balm.
Hair care.
Practising mindfulness or meditation.
Sorting out and/ or washing your spring/ summer clothes and shoes.

Big goals:
Setting up a skincare routine.
Setting up an exercise routine.
Weight loss/ gain as necessary.
Overhauling your wardrobe.
Getting a hair cut and/ or colour (this goes in big goals as it’s so expensive!).
Learning to paint your own nails.

Feel free to add to my list anyone!

I've got a few appointments tomorrow

First up is threading for lip and chin, then eyebro shape and tint followed by a few of lashes on the outside of my eyes.
Next appointment is botox. I thought I was looking OK than I expected seen some pictures if me from over the weekend and I look angry and Intimidating. You would cross the street if you saw me!
Final appointment is getting my hair colored and trimmed.
I seem to look alright one day and then a couple of days later I look like I've been living under a bridge for a year or two!
It's been my new set of invialign braces today.
The good thing about working shifts is that i can usually get weekday appointments at short notice.

I should be gorgeous by teatime!

I used my facial tanning drops yesterday and my gradual tan on my body and I’m already feeling a bit more glow-y! Have just put some eyebrow tint on whilst I have my morning cuppa.

Once DS is off to school I’m gunna do a quick YouTube workout and aim for a long plank before I start work. Will get out for another walk today too, managed two yesterday!

Also for anyone like me who likes to gamify their self care, I’ve been using the Finch app. It’s essentially like a tamagotchi that you take care of by taking care of yourself! I’m on a 40 days streak so far so it is definitely working!

@PeachesPeachesPeachesPeachesPeaches I couldn’t cope with having to keep something else alive!

I think I’ve done well this week, I’ve hit my 10000 steps every day, done 3 power half hours, 5 pole dancing sessions, drunk 4l of water every day (is it possible to drink too much water??), took my vitamins etc every day and done my skin and hair care. We’ll see what the weekend brings though!

@Idratherbepaddleboarding It certainly can be dangerous to drink too much water, especially if it is not paced out through the day. I certainly wouldn't drink more than you are currently drinking. It dilutes the electrolytes in the body especially Sodium and can actually kill you if you drink way too much. Google Hyponatremia for more info. It sounds like you are doing well with everything else. The pole dancing sounds interesting - I could not imagine myself even attempting that. I bought a paddle board and once I was up on my feet I was quite good at it, the standing up was hard though. I had to get to my knees, paddle over to a tree and sort of pull myself up using the tree. Not very glamorous but my knees are old knees.

Pmk

Nice to see everyone's posts.
I've had a really busy week and Dd keeps baking! My walking, skincare and hair are are doing well but I really need to stop the carbs and do the weights workout I've been meaning to do.
I'm not losing much weight.

I heard about soaking feet in water with some vinegar for soft feet. I'm sure I could do that a couple of times a week. It feels like it's almost sandal weather.

Feel like I am at the same point as you @LavenderIsland. Need to reduce the carbs but finding it hard. Was think of prioritising feet next - so can wear my sandals again this summer. Otherwise I will just hide them the whole time!

@Junegirl15 it's really hard, isn't it?
But I've decided that's what I'm doing starting from tomorrow. I really don't want to look a frump this summer.

I’m definitely making progress with my skin and upping the walking, water and reducing coffee and alcohol but shifting no weight so it’s a good honest look at carbs for me too. Portion size too I guess judging by the amount of curry I served myself last night 🫣 ( slow cooker lamb and chickpea curry).

Tinting my (poor depleted 1990s) brows this morning and my lashes and have a foot mask pencilled in for later along with nails. Did a face mask and eye mask yesterday and use a liquid exfoliant once a week. Have a pretty intense sounding facial next Friday on a day off and still trying to get myself out of the habit of saving all my leave/flexi in case DD has a medical appointment.

Got some purple shampoo as well to stop my highlights going too brassy.

I’ve a city break in May and a few 50ths for DH’s mates coming up in the summer so need to spruce up a bit for sure.