Operation Renovation - aka The Christmas Countdown

[HelgatheHairy]

It's 115 days to Christmas Eve!

You can use this thread exactly like you were using the previous thread to keep track of what you're doing, have lists, ask advice etc. As its about renovation rather than strictly beauty, nothing is off limits so beauty, clothes, exercise, healthy eating.

So here we go!

Had lovely 1 hour country walk with family, drank about 1 litre of water. Not so great: had bbq in sunshine so ate more than I should have.

It's always harder to start these things on the weekend!

Eversleek'd hair, finger combed, air-dryed, serum applied and plaited for bed time...hoping to wake up to something resembling tousled waves rather than Frizz Ball.

Manuka honey face mask in shower.

Shaped eyebrows, moisturised before bed.

Oh and applied my Lacura Q10 serum. Must get more...I love it.

Thank you trucks

Well I exercised.. But drank wine with Sunday roast

But all in all a good day with my DDs and feeling positive

Lovely to have you all on here

Sleep well!

Marking place for tomorrow...

I'm in. My list of me improvements looks like this at the moment:

Wash and blow dry hair everyday, argan oil added to ends of hair before drying.

Whitening tooth powder bought and used for first time today. Only to be used 2 - 3 times weekly.

Defuzz legs and general fuzzy areas.

Bought botanics BB cream and an organics anti shine mattifying cream in Boots. This will be my daily makeup along with some mascara, eyeliner plus lip balm.

Sugar is OUT. I've done it before but fall off the wagon like a crack addict. The maddening this is I feel 100% better for staying off sugar but I slip and slip until I'm back at square 1 feeling bloated.

Drink 6 pints of water over the day.

Paint and shape nails weekly.

I need to buy a body brush to start the dry body brushing.

Weekly eyebrow maintenance.

Re defrumping, I already had a pair of boots resoled and heeled plus 2 other pairs of shoes reheeled. Amazing the difference that's made to how I put myself together.

Exercise, Ihave no plan as yet. Move a bit more is all I can commit to for now

114 days to go

My mission for today is to try not to get puked on!

I need to join this thread.....if I may

I need motivation to exercise. Last year I loved the Tracey Anderson Mat Workout but I am bored of it now. So after reading this thread I went onto Amazon and ordered 2 DVDs - Jillian Michaels Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism and Exhale Core Fusion Body Sculpt. I intend to alternate them paid build in some running & cycling to keep the boredom at bay. I have 7lbs or so to lose. My clothes just feel uncomfortable and I know I am not looking good in them.

In other respects, my diet is pretty good but I have a tendency to snack most evenings which is exacerbated when accompanied by a glass of wine. So am fully on board with "no wine Monday - Thursday". Definitely need to drink more water too.

Manicures I do every week and have several tubes of handcream dotted around to ensure regular application. I keep a pot of Boots Deep Moisturising Footcream by the bed and slather that on every night.

Just started using Ever Riche for fine/dry hair and it is working wonders. Last night I didn't even bother blow drying it (usually essential to get volume) just left to dry naturally and working through it with my fingers. Was stunned how good it looks this morning!

Wardrobe-wise I need to cut down on volume. I have so many clothes and I think I am something of a shopaholic....and I can't resist a bargain. I do have regular decluttering sessions but inevitably stuff creeps back in or I convince myself I will wear something eventually!

Eyebrows are a disaster area. They look great when freshly waxed but grow unevenly due to hypothyroidism and I am quite lazy with plucking so need to get into a routine with this.

Everyone on the thread seems so motivated so I am relying on you lot to keep me going and kick my ass when needed!

Ta da done list

Showered
Legs shaved
Eye make up applied

healthy chicken kebabs ready for dinner tonight with salad-might give paleo a bit of a go

Ok so todays the day i start properly (i have to start things on a monday) i really need to do this im fed up of feeling and looking rubbish

Ta Da
Showered, moisturised.
Washed, conditioned and styled hair
Hot cloth cleansed and moisturised face
Cleaned teeth with whitening toothpaste
Plucked stray eyebrow hairs
Got dressed (straight leg jeans, black jersey top, butterfly print scarf, small pearl stud earrings)
Applied hand cream
Ate healthy breakfast incl 2 portions of fruit & veg
Took multivitamin tablet
Drank a large glass of water

To Do
Put make up on
Drink more water
Tuna salad for lunch (oily fish plus veg)
More veg at dinner, plus fruit as snacks
Re-do fingernails
Sort out clothes for work tomorrow (back to work after the summer hols)
Evening routine removing make up etc.

I probably won't do any exercise today as I run every other day and have a rest day in between.

Karbea Thank you for the kind encouragement. I do need it. I've lost so much confidence since the split, and it becomes a vicious circle as I let myself go, then feel worse about myself etc etc etc.

Enough.

I'm working at home today writing a presentation. I'd normally stay in my dressing gown but I'm off to get myself clean and dressed as I would for the office.

I've had to keep my toddler home from playgroup as e has croup for the millionth time and with him and the baby having a bad night my plans for exercise have gone out the window!

But I have: body brushed, showered, taken imedeen, exfoliated, dressed in a nice outfit. I've had a lot of coffee too but that's it for the day.

To do: re do nails, go on holland and Barrett online to buy more rosehip oil for my face, flax seeds and protein powder

Good morning ladies

Well, I'm having a skinny disaster here! I tried them on before taking up but now they're taken up, the legs don't fit in the right places so will have to work something out later or crop for next spring.

Other than that, vitamin taken, old skinnies on with floaty leopard print top and handbag swapped for pretty red one since I don't need to cart the kids stuff round any more. Have cleansed, toned and moisturised and full face of make up on too. Must remember to think about accessories too in future

Didn't get round to painting my nails last night but did mini mani so will paint tonight assuming I finish my hand sewing.

Trucks planks on elbows is what I've been doing. will they be enough of a sub for level 2 of shred?

Who was it who'd been shopping in Primark? And bought a jewel green top....can you describe it again please, so I can go have a look later on

Right, off to town with dd2 for a wander for something to do. then home to make a start on the house....starting with a thorough sort in dd1's room.

Hops on board thread:
Once the DC are back at school and I'm back at work (I do 3 days) I'm going to start swimming on my days off.
My legs/armpits/bikini need a post-holiday wax/epilate

I bought some after-swim shampoo to remove chlorine.

I'm getting loads of recyclables out of the wardrobe and holiday clothes that I won't wear next year.

My lovely nails need to be short and naked for work

I don't drink/smoke and I'm vegetarian. I don't want to cut out coffee but I am cutting down chocolate

And since I stopped sitting on the saggy armchair to do computer work and am now not having as much back pain (usually in the morning but it eases off).

I need to look for some A/W clothes. DD got me into Converse Hi-Tops but I need some wet weather shoes (and wellies)

Dentist appointment needs booked
Hair appointment also.

lucysmam primark do short leg lengths (did you get a 34" leg?) if your primarks anything like my local ones you will need to rummage and probably look near the towels or shoes

I have thought the same about accesories (sp)

This mornings Ta Da list:

Face mask done
Cellulite cream applied
Body moisturiser applied
Foot cream applied
Make up done
Defuzzed as necessary

Things to do today:

8 glasses of water
Book hairdresser appointment
Exercise
Take vitamins and fish oils

I think I may actually look worse today than when I started as DD was awake from 3am to 5am. I need matchsticks for my eyes now!

Goinggrey, they only had the ones I got in a 34leg half wish I hadn't taken them up now! Another month or so & they would have been hidden under boots anyway.

Has anyone ever tried dylon dyes? I was going to maybe get some to dye my old indigo that aren't indigo anymore jeans

Ok here's my list:

1. Take multivitamins and cod liver oil daily
2. 8 glasses of water a day
3. No alcohol Friday-Monday
4. Keep within daily calorie limits
5. No late night snacking
6. Regular hair removal including eyebrow shaping
7. Whitening toothpaste 2x daily
8. Daily facial cleansing and moisturising
9. Daily body moisturising, plus foot and hand cream

10. 3 runs a week, plus flex and tone on non-run days 11. Dye hair as necessary 12. Use hair oil/intensive conditioner and face mask weekly 13. Apply serum, eye cream, BB cream and mascara daily 14. Keep nails neat and polished 15. Limit to 2 cups of coffee per day

What's the benefit of body brushing btw?

Good news....the other pair of skinnies fit but the size sticker (you know the long one they stick on the leg) is stuck to the leg so when dd1's bedding is done going round I'm going to pop them in the washer and see if that loosens it. Not entirely sure what to do with the others tbh.

SevenReasons what else did you add to your boots order? Or do you live close enough to a town to go mooch?

lucysmam if they have still got the tags on you could try taking them back

Hot lemon & water drunk, healthy breakfast done, second glass of water on the go - day 1 going well! :)

Have my list pinned up at home and kick-starting slimming world today too, day 1 on every level - I'm quite psyched!

Tesco delivery due tonight with lots of healthy goodies & some multivitamins. Doing a Boots list next for pampering bits, much more fun!

I'd feel guilty doing that! The ones I had a strop with this morning have gone in the wash basket out of the way for the mo & will probably go for a spin tomorrow. If nothing else I'll wear them on days in the house & look reasonably smart.

Dp wants to save up the money my dad gave me last night.....I wouldn't mind some more new clothes and NEED boots so we have agreed we will take a tenner each on a Friday to put towards whatever we want. Mine will go towards clothes/beautifying products

Im in need of all clothes autumny apart from a coat going to wear last years. I did a big superdrug shop last week so dont realy need anything else

Ds has refused to nap this morning so has been hard to get too much done but have managed

Exfoliate and shave
Hot towel cleanser
Basic make up
Hot water lemon

For the rest of the day need to:
Remove chipped polish
Pedicure
Dentist appt later
Long brisk walk - putting off running and shred for a few days as really bashed my knee at the weekend and still hurts

Might have a mooch round boots later to get a few nail varnishes.

Right few questions on skin care

1. I am in my early 30s and bought eye cream a few months ago because I think at my age I should start using it. It's Nivea q10 I don't really know if it works or what they should be doing I just want something to minimise ageing signs so what is everyone else using?

2. similarly for moisturising I use Olay Total effects which is nice but quite pricy and is it actually doing anything? Again any skin gurus with recommendations? (normal skin type maybe slightly on the dry side)

3. SPF currently in my moisturiser but thinking want to use a separate product as I have a little bit of melasma. If you use a separate SPF do you use moisturiser too? Which goes on first? Do you then put make up on over the top?
   Any good recommendations for separate face SPF? Don't mind splashing out a bit a I really hate the pigmentation on my face.
   TIA

Ooh my TaDa for today:

I used SuperDrug Hot Cloth Cleanser (I used to use Liz Earle C&P a while back) it's not so 'clay' like, nice floral smell but lighter and creamier.

I need some intensive conditioner post-holiday later (I've got some henna wax somewhere) .

Morning'ish,

I've had my protein drink and pt'd, did have a pple for my morning snack.I did have a cup of tea (with milk, and obviously caffeine), I'm still in my gym kit, haven't showered yet.
But! I have busy catching up on my washing, finally unpacked and nearly finished the house, just the kitchen and utility to do.
Going to have lunch now, omelette with leftover veggies from yesterday.

I'm thinking of starting sorting out my clothes, but don't know where to start, any ideas?