A big summer ahead - need to up my game

[lamandler]

I've lost my mojo over the last couple of years, am about a stone (and a bit) overweight, hair and skin not great and with 2 small DC never get round to sorting myself out.

But DSis getting married this summer, and DH's 40th birthday party a week or so earlier - so I figure I have 10 weeks to do a blitz.

Also have a few hundred pounds extra from work this month to 'invest'

So, style and beauty mavens, can you help? Recommendations for (London) hairdressers, great facials, tips and general pep talk would be most welcome.

And should say I haven't worn a dress for years as have no body confidence but I am determined to wear one for DH birthday party!

hopeful bump before bed....

I would suggest some good control underwear if you are at all sensitive about your weight, I'm sure there are some recommendations if you search on here!

The basic grooming things make the most difference ime, so the haircut is a good idea, make sure your nails are in good condition, and spend some time at cosmetics counters finding the right foundation for your skin.

Not easy with little ones, but think about how much exercise you get, and pay attention to your diet and water intake.

I think in 10 weeks you can make changes that you will be happy with!

You can do a LOT in 10 weeks - at least 1 dress size, maybe 2.

Get "The 4 Hour Body" by Tim Ferris or look at the low carb threads on MN.

I am in week 9 of T4HB and have gone from a 16 to a (nearly comfortable) 12. Without exercise. I get a day off a week to eat EXACTLY what I want. It´s v doable.

Btw, I am 40 with a 3 and a 5 year old so I feel your pain :o

Oh, I got converted to the oil cleansing method here. Fantastic.

There is something with the terrible name of 'princessing' which can help. The basics are:

Daily vitamins
Daily exercise - 20 to 30 minutes
Make up off and moisturise every day
Facial scrub weekly, and body exfoliation daily.
Several cups of water/healthy tea during the day.
No chocolate or crisps.
No alcohol during the week.
At least one early night per week.
Hand and nail cream, nails neat and tidy and with a slick of clear polish if not manicured properly.

I may have missed some things off the list, I'm sure some helpful mumsnetter will fill in any blanks.

I do a Jillian Michaels DVD - at the moment I'm doing Ripped in 30, but The 30 Day Shred is also good. It only takes 20 minutes, I get up early every day, which was hard to begin with but now I'm used to it. Doing it in the morning also means my metabolism is revved up for the day so I burn a few more calories than doing it last thing at night.

Good luck - I find it really helps having a set date to aim for.

C 2 5 K app is also brilliant for getting you out running - all you need is 1/2 hour 3 times (or more if you like) a week - it s gotten a few of my friends out running and they had never run pre babies - now we re all entering 5 k runs, a few dress slzez smaller, a whole lot fitter and traning for 10k !
yOU LL EASILY DO IT IN 10 WEEKS.

Sorry posted too soon. If you wanted added benefits id do it with gillian micheals dvd and alternate days

(i was were you were last year! 2 small kiddies and no sleep and feeling rough)
small changes help ....

Other stuff would be

1. go get your eyebrows shaped (if you get it done once you can pluck and keep the shape ) lots of places are doing treading etc now!

1. get the Soap n glory foot file and use it one your feet.

1. get those gloves for exfoliating - pop then in your shower and use them once or twice a week (you dont have to spend long doing it but your skin all over your body will be smooth you ll love all your wobbly bits without losing weight !)

1. after you get out of shower pop on body moisturiser - vaseline intensive care/ ponds cocoa butter are great

5.Get a decent hair cut and colour (doesnt have to be the most expensive place by the way ! ) - dont rush into it - talk to the hairdresser bring a pic of someone with a nice hairdo you would like to replicate so they know what you re talking about and if they are suggesting something for you dont just take their words for it as them if they can show you a pic!

1. put a load of carrot sticks, fruit and bolied eggs in the fridge for snacking on instead of biscuits!

1. get a water bottle - fill it and sip from it regularly!

1. get a face scrub and exfoliate regularly (once a week), keep your skin moisturised (there s a great size sample of liz earle cleanse and polish and a cloth free with red magazine at the moment ) - cleansing and using moisturiser has taked the 'greyness' and dullness out of my face!

1. tinted moisturiser and a swish of blush or bronzer will give you a glow - mascara and lip gloss if you re feeling like it too!

10. do your nails (one night a week while watching the telly!)- push back and trim cuticles file nail into shape and apply polish and topcoat (having nice toe nails puts me in a good mood!) using the foot file regularly gets the rest of the foot looking nice! I find polish on my feet will last 2 -3 weeks. hands need doing at least weekly - I dont do a posh mani - just a slick of polish - revlon do a nice french rose french polish for every day hands and their topcoat is good too

written out as a list it looks like a lot but it s not really ... print this off and try a few bits you ll see it s easy really!

In terms of style - there s lovely stuff recomended on here on a daily basis - keep an eye on this section over the next few weeksyou ll get great ideas for dresses, accessories etc then about 3-4 weeks prior to the events go try on stuff (i say this because you re planning on losing weight so buying too early may mean you end up with something that will be too big by the time the events come around!

good luck!

Marking place as I am in v similar position... be back later

Thanks all great tips! Hope I'm not going to do my usual getting overwhelmed and having a croissant to take my mind off it!

Am thinking of a kick start with a hairdo and facial this weekend. Has anyone had an eve lom facial before? It's ££ but I've heard it works.

I

And membrillo, do you want to buddy up? Egg each other on with shouty instructions like "EXFOLIATE!!"

Ooh, I'm in this boat too! I'd like to look like my real self (or as close as I can to it) by the end of May. Some one please say that this isn't an impossibility!
I'll buddy up! Safety in numbers, and all that!

Brill tips here. I'm in the same boat op. Bought 30-day shred and some trackie bottoms. Got cotton gloves in chemist, will use them from tonight with lots of hand cream. A nude nail varnish makes you look more groomed - I love Gosh nail colour in 'silk', rimmel have a few nice pinky/clear shades too.

I'm on a strict budget but recently bought aldi Q10 night cream which is lovely, and have tried aspirin face mask for my visible pores which works a treat.

Can a very very unfit person whose stomach muscles have not recovered from DD's birth 20 months ago do the Shred? Or should I start with a little light pilates?!

lamandler yes you can and it doesn't take very long for definition to return either. I was very surprised to catch sight of myself in the mirror about 5 days into my first Shred experience and wonder what the shadows were under my rib cage. It was my tummy muscles returning from the wasteland of post-pregnancy.

008 - really impressed by your 9 week success story and have been reading the reviews for "The 4 hour body" on Amazon. Before I buy it could you tell me if it is quite straightforward or if it requires lots of special foods, weighing etc. I really need something very easy and simple but am inspired by your success!!

I love this thread! A physio told me yesterday I had very good stomach muscles, had I been standing up I would have fallen down!! so now I have good stomach muscles I just need to find them!! They're bloody well hidden

Hi all - Im a big 4 Hour Body fan, but I wont bore you all here. If you want to know more, then feel free to PM me. I´ve started boring MeTheMog :o

I have had eve lom facials before and they are very good. They do a full on extraction which I love. One thing, there is a short version and a longer version. Go for the short one, I don't think the longer one (although relaxing) is worth the extra £££s.

Brilliant suggestions. Have a look on the GLA thread, we are all seeing results with the glycolic acid peels from bravura (and they are approx £20). It's a 6 week course.
If you are in London, go get your eyebrows threaded at Blink in Fenwick Bond St. Much better than all other Blink brow bars, that's where all the Blink ladies train. Once you get a good shape, it should be straightforward to maintain.
Finally, after watching 10 years younger, the biggest difference and money well spent is on hair and makeup. I really improved my makeup after having a Bobbi Brown tutorial.

Love this, I have TWO weeks to get bikini ready, what would be your absolute regime changes? Can I make much diff in two weeks does anyone think? I've lost a stone in the last year so I'm down to pre-pregnancy weight (took me 6 years but I bloody DID it) but my shape is still wrong. And I seem to have lost my waist (and boobs, but they've gone for good...)

Will this work? Haircut and colour, Eve Lom facial, 10 weeks pilates course, cut down on sugar and caffeine (I would actually physically stop if I cut out completely) and new make up. Fill in sugary snacks gap with fruit and nits and make sure I eat three meals a day.

Any more than this at the minute I might get overwhelmed. Tonight have also filed nails and shaved legs. You have no idea how difficult it was to leave a cuppa and Silent Witness for that one.....

In 2 weeks, unrequited you could probably do a hardcore Dukan type of thing - I am sure I have read you can lose half a stone in a couple of weeks.

Good for you getting back to pre preg weight!

Nuts not nits, jeez

Right, I've ordered the Shred, after reading all the talk about it on MN. I'm a little bit worried that it's going to knack - it seems pretty hardcore. But then, hardcore is what I need! Eyebrows done yesterday - baby steps ladies, but at least I'm taking them for a change! Off to read about the aspirin facial...

lamandler how's it going?

Eve Lom facials are excellent.

Also, have you got one or more well-fitting bras - makes such a difference to whatever you wear. Recommend a session at Rigby and Peller.

Have you found a good London hairdresser yet? Can recommend Jess at Charles Worthington. Also know of good people at Daniel Galvin, and that Brooks and Brooks are good, as are some of the people in the Aveda flagship salon in Covent Garden (but I'm not up-to-date with names there any more).