Can someone please help me to feel my age and not double it

[pecka]

Ok.....I need to have some major lifestyle changes.

I'm only 25 yet feel wrecked already. I really feel that over the last year or so I have started to lose my looks and my youth.

There are so many things I should change to feel better but not sure really how to go about it or what I should be doing

I smoke which obviously wont be helping
I am prone to binge eating shite around my period
I am often stressed
I worry so much about fruit and veg intake for my children I often forget myself
I have put a bit of weight on
I keep getting recurrent styes on my eyes
I have very little energy, some days anything remotely active just seems too much
For the first time ever in my life recently Ive started to feel a bit low
My skin looks worse than usual
Im neglecting my normal beauty routines
I dont get enough sleep - DH works shifts so Im usually on my own with the kids. Once they go to bed and I tidy up/clean and then watch some TV its always so late

Did I mention I binge drink too? I dont drink regularly in the house but when I do I DOOOOOOO - a night out with girls is normally very, very drunken and goes on til the early hours. Normally have terrible hangovers afterwards.

HELP ME for gods sake!!!! I cant believe I am starting to be haggered so soon!

:(

It sounds to me as if you know what the problems are but are too are exhausted to do anything about them.
Could a bit of time for yourself help?

How about doing something relaxing and healthy in the evening instead of watching tv - like doing some yoga or pilates (the darcey bussel pilates DVD has a really nice relaxing warm up and warm down, if that's all you can manage to start with it could help you feel better,relaxed, sleep better) and help give you the strength to work on some of the other problems you have listed.

pecka - i cant muster up any good advice. brain isnt working

does dh know how you feel?

pecka there are a few things you could do immediately that would start you feeling better then the rest will follow. You really shouldn't be feeling like this at your age!

STOP SMOKING - it makes you feel old and wheezy and you stink and you will get a mouth like a cat's arsehole

VEG intake - have carrots/cucumber/celery as snack during the day. Raw food v good for you. Or get a juicer.

Get back to your beauty routines - do them in front of the tv if necessary!

Stop watching the tv after the kids are in bed, or put them to bed earlier. You need your sleep! Have a nice bath instead or read a book. It will help you switch off.

How often are your bingey nights? How about trying to drink a glass of water for every other drink? Or failing that have a REALLY healthy couple of days after a binge, eat lots of raw stuff and don't drink or have caffeine etc.

Also, take a vitamin supplement with iron, you may need a bit of iron. If you continue to feel crap after all this then go to the dr, you may be deficient in something

Oh and do try and take a bit of exercise, it gets your endorphins going and makes you feel more positive.

Walk rather than drive where you can and walk briskly. Buy a skipping rope and do 5 mins and gradually build it up. ie something that fits into your day

Well, binning the booze and drink will help.

Try drinking a glass of water when you get a cigarette craving. This will also help improve your skin.

When you cook for your children (you are obviously trying to give them a well balanced diet which is great), include enough for a portion for yourself. Its nice if you can eat with your children anyway.

Go see your GP to get your iron levels check and just make sure there is no other reason for your tiredness etc.

The bingey times are around my period but across the month Im terrible at giving in to what I want to eat and I am a total carb addict.

Also a bit of a take away abuser :(

I cant believe what I have eaten since Friday night, well actually since Thursday night SHOCKING and totally self destructive!

Good news is that the family next door own a green grocers and he has started selling me fruit and veg from the van outside so I have just been out and bought loads of lovely fruit and veg for really good prices.

Not sure what to tackle first I just know Im sick of feeling that this and dont think I can sort it out all in one go.

My immune system seems pretty shot too, I have been childminding for about 10 months now and the amount of colds, chest infections and particularly tummy bugs I have had is beyond a joke.

I think I bought a multivit a while ago, will see if I still have it and start taking it. I wouldnt be suprised if I am anaemic. I was quite badly anaemic in both pregnancies

If you can't give up (and I know how hard it is, was smoker for over twenty years), then at least cut down the fags - maybe only smoke when you go out?

And drink loads of orange juice and pomegranate juice and water.

perhaps start with Floradix or Floravital (both have iron and vitamins - think the vital one has other vitamins aswell) - the iron is easily absorbed and the vitamins are not in ludicrous proportions (i.e. not like 200% etc. which always worries me!)

I would also set a regular bedtime and make sure you stick to it (say 10 or 10.30) every night. I've just started doing that and I cannot believe, after only 2 weeks, what a difference it has made.

if you are craving carbs, go out and buy lots of higher protein snacks like nuts and make sure you snack on a few regularly throughout the day. It's hard cutting the craving out, especially pre-period (I get this too) but if you can eat a few peanuts or walnuts (or even apples, bananas) when you would be going for crisps or sweets, your health should benefit greatly (it's not easy at first though but once you get in the habit of snacking on fruit and nuts, you'll start to enjoy it more!).

pecka try having bircher muesli for breakfast, it fills you up and is really good for you

Soak rolled oats in apple juice overnight (just enough to cover the oats)
In the morning stir in no fat yoghurt (raspberry or rhubarb or whatever flavour you like) then throw in blueberries, raspberries, blackberries etc and some nuts/raisins if you fancy.

It is delicious and really sets you up for the day. Make sure you get blueberries in as they are very good for you

i can see what you mean! I feel a bit like this too but yesterday made a conscious decision to ditch the booze and cut down the smokes.

Binge drinking causes you to feel utterly crap and will contribute to you feeling like this.

im on my own with 2 boys, dh comes in late too, its up to you to change things, you have alot of time on your side 25 is young, im 37 and starting to get bad lines (caused by smoking), stop if you can before you get these!

i have just had a satsuma is that a start!? LOL

Im desperate to feel better sick of staring into space trying to summon the energy to do what I need to do!

could you do a 3 day detox?

Those sorts of habits lead to a hideous Catch 22 situation. Pecka.
They leech your energy so you fgeel even less inclined to do some exercise.
You should be in your prime,girl.
Don't waste what whatever deity you believe in has given you.

Fags have to go first.
Stop eating shit.
If in doubt,remember,the less processed something is,the better it is.
Start walking a bit every day.
Do you know about the 'Invitation to Exercise' thing,where your GP can 'prescribe' exercise sessions for you?

Moondog, no I havent heard anything about that exercise thing? Do you have to be fat to qualify? I am not fat (size 12) just put weight on so that Im no longer as happy with my figure.

I think detox may be the way to go.

Im scared to stop smoking as I know that sends me flying into binge eating to compensate.

pecka, maybe concentrate on first of all getting into the habit of eating healthily, and doing a bit of exercise - then once you've made that more a part of your life, tackle the smoking at that point?

I know it is available to unfit folk and to new mothers.
Ask your local surgery.

Pecka, another exercise fan here. It really makes a difference to how you feel and look, if you can find something that suits you and you enjoy. I try to swim two or three times a week - and last night when I got back in the pool and hammered across it in my usual way, I could feel the tension lifting. It's as good as booze or - er - anything else you might possibly try for stress relief, shall we say - and is actually good for you too.

It's so true.
Exercise lifts a dark mood more than anything else.
I got into it to shape up a bit after last baby but the spin offs have been amazing.I feel so much happier,sleep better,am better able to cope with demands of being alone with children for lng periods,no longer suffer form a long standing painful shoulder,and look a damn sight better too.

In fact,dh and I have turned into the sort of dullards who regularly quiz each other on distances run/rowed,number of reps. done and so on.It really makes us laugh.

Maybe that is the missing link - exercise. I have become so sedentry (sp?) and I really do have NO energy. I suddenly come alive when Im out on the town however but then Im finding my energy at the bottom of a bottle.

I hate feeling low, its just not ME! I would love to think that I can beat it with diet and exercise as I have been slowly coming to terms with the fact that maybe I need to see the doctor :(

I feel like a shadow of my former self in so many ways and like you have said Im only 25 for gods sake!

I have just walked to the shop, yes, to buy cigarettes but I would normally drive the 10 minute walk so that is something I suppose. Picked up a copy of slimming world magazine whilst I was there. Im going to follow that as the emphasis is on filling up on "free" food (mainly fruit and veg)

You may have something else up, pecka, but I reckon exercise is worth a go. Also, don't forget, your kids are still very little, aren't they - small children are exhausting. I have far more energy this year than last.

Loads of good suggestions here, I'll add another. I found cutting back on caffeine helped me to have a bit more energy. You could find a herbal tea you like instead, makes you feel so virtuous.
How old are your children? I'm alot older than you but my 2 littlies are really compromising my beauty routines - and I bet I need them a damn sight more than you !

My kids are 2 and 6 but I also look after 6 children from 9 months to 3 years throughout the week.

And to be quite honest

I fucking hate it!

I literally feel that I have just been pushed to the bottom of the pile and am just overpowered by everyone elses needs.