Feel gross - need action plan

[LittlePickleHead]

I seem to have aged 10 years over the past year and I don't really know why (other than stress and being generally overworked and run down).

I'm fed up of being unhappy with myself and have decided to get an action plan in place to 'beautify' myself. I remember ages ago some threads along a similar line with bullet points of things to do, but I can't find them in a search.

So far my plan is:
Sort my roots out and cut hair a fair bit shorter to eliminate split ends
Do 30 day shred & eat healthily to shed 1/2 stone
Whiten teeth
Try and get manicures/eyebrows done regularly (how do people get the time?)

I am already sticking to a cleanse/tone/moisterise routine but my skin is looking older and haggard :( Not sure what else to do other than botox?! (would love to actually but can;t really justify the expense)

I'm only 31 and feel about 60 so any tips and advice to motivate me before the summer would be much appreciated!

Hi Little Pickle Head. I'm sure you have noticed loads of changes no one else ever would.

My advice would be:

• Focus on being healthy as a priority (Drink 2 litres of water a day, get some gentle exercise and fresh air, eat a healthy balanced diet, take some time to chill out)
• Don't crash diet, never works long term. Also, you are likely to cut out lots of essential nutrients so won't help health. Better to eat home cooked and natural, maybe just be a bit careful on portions
• Get a free consultation on skin. All companies do this and they will help with what you really need to invest in and also give you free samples to try. Just don't feel pressurised to but anything on the day (may take a few tries to find what works for you)
• Get eyebrows shaped professionally once and then copy at home with re-growth (much cheaper and quicker)
• Perhaps don't rush into chopping off your hair if you don't really want to. Try a moisture treatment first and a repairing shampoo. Maybe enough if just superficial damage
• Whitening teeth can weaken enamel (no good long term). I would check with dentist first if suitable for you to avoid any lasting damage

-Perhaps most importantly - remember all images in magazines are airbrushed! Most of us don't look anything like whatever the ideal is meant to be!!

Oh, and sunscreen. SO important!

Thanks Hippo

I do need to have a skin consultation I think you are right. It's just finding the time to do this stuff and I never seem to have any 'me' time! But the products I'm currently using don't seem to be working properly as my skin still feels dry. Any brands you can recommend to go to for the consultation?

I have very pale skin so I do use sunscreen. My forehead has just developed noticable wrinkles in the past couple of years, I don't like it!

I don't know what it is really, I just know that all the photos I've seen of myself recently have made me think 'yuck!' and that is making me self concious.

I know exactly how you feel Little Pickle. Ever since I had my DS I feel I've aged 10 years (and I'm a few years older than you already!)

I'm a firm believer of "from the inside out", so although a nice haircut, fancy moisturiser and good makeup will make you look ok, they are no match for eating, sleeping and exercising well.

I should probably take a leaf out of my own book! From experience though I do find that getting some 'me' time, going for a massage, having a brisk walk in the fresh air or just making more of an effort with my outfits each day does make a difference to how I feel. And as trite as it sounds - when you feel good you tend to look good!

Yes I agree Marquise I think this is the problem - I'm just not spending any time on myself at all. I do eat very healthily (all home cooking, natural, eat a rainbow of veg etc) but the weight has still crept on (wine and christmas to blame!). Finding it hard to get to the gym either and feeling very unfit so I'm hoping that by setting aside 20 mins each evening to do the shred it will help me feel better in general.
I guess it's just hard coming to terms with ageing - my friend showed me a photo which was taken only a few months before I got PG (about 4 years ago) and all I could think was how young and skinny I looked. It is probably very shallow, but I just want to feel like that again! I work with people who are at the age when I started in this job, and it's a hard realising that they now view me as 'one of the old ones' :(

LittlePickleHead - it isn't shallow to want to look good. You want to feel like yourself again and I think many women can relate to that post-pg.

If your skin is quite dry, I can recommend Mama Mio skin care products. I got hooked last year and found it was the only thing which gave my skin a healthy balanced appearance. I also suffer with cycle related break-outs and it dramatically reduced those. All natural too. I have tried Liz Earle as it came as a freebie with a magazine subscription but wouldn't use again. It's nice enough but I have found that my period spots have returned with a vengeance so it's back to the Mama Mio range.

I also think that the trick is not to try and do a radical overhaul of lifestyle which you will have difficulty sticking too due to time pressure etc. Start with changing two things over the next two weeks and then introduce another. EG, the first two weeks focus on eyebrows and nails: Get into the habit of eyebrow tweezing (after a salon wax to re-shape if necessary). I do mine every couple of days whilst the DCs are in the bath. Ditto your nails - quick tidy with nail file (and cuticle oil if necessary) every few days; polish if you have the time.

I have a sunday evening routine of bath, apply hair mask and wrap in towel, smother self in expensive body lotion, file and polish nails whilst watching Downton Abbey (or similar) and then rinse hair mask, and blow dry before bed. It feels like a real indulgence rather than a faff which I feel I should be doing. Once you have two grooming elements established into your every day routine then add another :)

I agree with ujjayi. Important it is a treat not just another thing on your to-do list so be realistic whith what you can fit in. Do try and fit SOMETHING in though, even if just a relaxing bath with a face mask.

Not selfish or shallow. You need to take care of yourself before you can look after others anyway.

Don't need to spend money to get fit. Go for a brisk walk. Play with the little one outside, even just dance aroung the living room. No difference doing little and often to spending an hour down the gym.

I don't have time to go to the gym so I just do bits when I can. (tense tummy when doing the ironing, do a few lunges when walking the dog etc). - Neighbours probably think I'm insane!

Don't give yourself huge tasks and then beat your self up if you can't do them with everything else. Better to have a few small ones and then reward yourself when you achieve them.