Operation Renovation: The last of the summer wine, and sorting out Autumn wardrobes

[ControlGeek]

Following on the heels of the previous renovation threads, this one will seal the deal on Summer and take us nicely into Autumn with a flurry of mn scarves and flashes of seasonal nail varnish.

As always, this thread is for all types of renovation - diet, hair, make-up, clothes, or simply finding ways to make more time for you.

The rules are simple, make a list of 10 things (or as many as you are comfortable with) you will do to start to work towards your renovation goal and decide how frequently you need to do these.

My list so far:

1. Take my multivits, vit D and folic acid daily
2. Drink water, water and yet more water
3. Walk for at least half an hour a day
4. Zero caffeine. Full stop!
5. Full body moisturise at least twice a week, working up to EOD
6. Maintain a smart work wardrobe, don't slip back into my old clothes just because I will be getting bigger

I think that's enough for now, I'll add to it once I'm on top of those!

Well hello! Good to be back renovating.

Am feeling a bit fat and bleugh at the moment, I have put weight back on since starting in the new office and injuring my knee which put a stop to running. I am now at the top end of healthy BMI and some of my size 12s are getting tight - I don't like it!!!!

I've been back on MFP logging for the past few days, and have got lots of plans for September when the DC go back to school and we get back into a routine.

So, my list so far (most of which will be implemented as of September 1st):

1. Eat fewer carbs, base meals and snacks around lean protein and vegetables. Chocolate Hobnobs are not vegetables.

1. Swim every weekday morning before work. I do better when I have a routine, I used to get up at 6am every day to run so I'm sure I can do it to swim. DS1 catches the school bus at 8am and DS2 and DD can go to breakfast club at the same time, if I take a short lunch I don't need to be in the office until 9.30am most days. So I can fit in a 30 minute swim.

1. Walk for 60 mins every day. This is quite easy to achieve - I live half a mile from the bus stop so there and back is the first mile. It is around a mile from the pool to my office, then a mile from my office to the bus stop to come home. 3 miles at an average speed of 3mph is 60 mins.

1. Keep up with essential maintenance - eyebrows waxed every 6 weeks, haircut every 8 weeks, file and polish nails at home every Sunday night.

1. Drink lots and lots of water.

Looking forward to hearing everyone else's lists.

control are you pg?!

I'm actually having a major what to wear dilemma right now. DH and I are going to a country house/spa hotel from tomorrow until Monday and I don't know what to take! I'm thinking red skinnies, breton top, navy blazer and ballet flats for the day and then smart jeans with a white lace top, nude heels and a nude clutch for dinner. Haven't thought much about Monday, although I plan to spend a god chunk of it in my spa robe :-)

My list:

1. Take bloody pg vitamins (keep forgetting).
2. Be religious with cleanse, tone, mois morning and night
3. Body mois - especially boobs, belly, bums and thighs. Ideally every day but realistically, every other.
4. Get outside every non-working day for a stroll.
5. Try to resist and drink more water, less coffee at work (pg has given me a sweet tooth and I am sooooo thirsty all the time).
6. Make an effort with clothes, hair, make-up especially on working days.

Am suitably inspired ladies..so much so that am currently soaking my feet and ready to slough dead skin off. Will definitely try footner next year when not pg. After doing feet I will do a face mask.

Have a few smart bits for work for the next 3 months before ML starts, but still need another pair of smartish trousers if I don't want to end up in jeans. Having trouble with a lot of shoes already (bump is in way) and definitely need to get a maternity coat since not due till end of December and will be getting out in all weather with DS.

Also aware of best friend's wedding in October which have to wear impossibly high peep toe shoes for (will be flats in handbag for reception!) And praying BM dress still fits! Pg friendly style but still!

Most of my maternity wear from ds doesn't fit as my body never quite went back to how it was (especially ribs and hips) but buying maternity clothes is a nightmare as no one except h&m and prenatal (Dutch equivalent to Mothercare - but their clothes are crap) sells in store, everything else is online which is very irritating.

Looking forward to renovating with you all!

jemima your outfits always sound so lovely!

Bought 2 stripey short sleeve maternity tops and one navy with small white polka dots from h&m. Have 2 3/4 length sleve cross the bust tops from last time (one red, one thin blue, white stripes) so probably okay for tops now. Trying to resist a Tiffany Rose dress to wear to best friend's hen do. They are pricey but so lovely. Will link to dress and coat I'm looking at when back on laptop later.

Ha ha Engels you wouldn't say that if you could see me now. Not long back from the stables and wearing faded jeans, DH's old GAP hoody and woolly socks. Stylish I am not

Many years ago now (my DC are 8, 10 and almost 12), but I bought loads of maternity clothes in H&M when I was expecting them.

I love Autumn, I love the opulence of autumn fashion and the colours.

So Renovation:

(While waiting for gallbladder surgery, the diet is very restricted and I'm bored and bloaty )

Hair is behaving, short, layered and a good colour (coppery brown, not dark dye that I usually have . I;m looking for a red for Autumn but they seem to be burgandy or pillar box. Neither of which I want)

I'm drinking loads (water that is) due to my hot flushes.

Need to step up the moisturiser especially round my eyes. I've got the Body Shop Vitamin E Aqua Sorbet and the serum which is lovely , but I may need richer for winter.

Plan to step away from navy/grey/black and embrace colours more. Purple, bottle green, dark pink, red.

Major culling of make-up (I don't have alot but I need to keep just what I wear, not all the odd bits that I think I want. DD can have some). Aim to wear some make-up every day , especially with the short hair.

Same with toilettries - DD buys alot of Aussie shampoo (bathroom shelves are overtaken by her stuff now ) . We are doing a non buying of shampoo month, they promise the earth but don't deliver. I have some Liz Earle that I'm finishing up which I like.

Can't won't give up coffee. I don't smoke or drink .

It's the new season when the DC go back to school in September. I used to love dressing DS up in nice snuggly clothes and gloves when he was a toddler. Now as a teenager he's in the "coat? I don't need a coat " camp.

Jemima I laughed so loudly at your comment that chocolate hobnobs are not vegetables that DP is now wondering what I am reading! Well done on getting back into MFP, and your swimming routine sounds like a winner. It doesn't sound to me like you have much of a clothing dilemma, your outfits sound gorgeous!

Engels 4 weeks 2 days, and chuffed to bits - it was a different type of treatment this time, and so far all seems to be progressing well. Will you be ok with those heels for the bm outfit?!

70 good luck for the surgery, do you have a date yet? It's so hard to find the right shade of red dye, isn't it? There used to be some lovely coppery/chestnutty ranges out, but they all seem to have been overtaken by all of these high intensity colours.

Can I join in?

I am going to think about my 10 but it will definitely include -

1. Taking iron and vit D (deficient in both but inexplicably hopeless at taking them) -daily.

1. Throwing out loads of clothes that don't fit me or look awful so I can see what I'm doing and make room for things that might. Don't know how to do this - bit by bit or in one fell swoop. Keeping clothes more organised.

1. Trying to get back on the diet - daily!!

1. Trying to build in some kind of exercise (have physical problems but should be able to do something), including something to tone muscles.

1. Trying to make my sleep more regular.

1. Trying to get more fresh air in the hope I will lose current shade of grey/green to skin.

1. Trying to do a proper skincare routine including a one day a week face/hair mask.

1. Getting my hair cut every 6-8 weeks and do more with it rather than just tie back or leave down.

1. Recreational bathing with bubbles and magazines

I'll try to think of something for 10 that will pull all the others together. Wondering about something to do with wardrobe during weight changes - I don't want to put off trying to wear anything nice but don't want to spend too much. Realistically I tend to lose and gain weight but I don't always fit the same things at the same weight, and can't store endless sizes that aren't current.

Got number 10 I think -

10. Work on posture.

Also need to reduce sugar, diet sodas. Sort out shoe situation. Do bra intervention. I'm so bad I need more than 10, I'll try to compress them.

Fantastic control !

I never normally shop in H&M but has been nice to actually try things on!

I love autumn as well70 - very pleased that the weather has turned. Can't stand the heat!

Welcome temporary

Well, feet are buffed and moisturised. Had shower and shaved legs. Face mask. Hair oil. All over body moisturise. And I managed to sidestep cake until tomorrow

Hello all

placemarking to go back to app, I don't like the layout on mobile.

Ok, lots of mini posts because I can't scroll...sorry to be a pain in the backside, I can't get on with mobile & laptop's knackered.

Control congratulations!! How very exciting for you, good luck!

Jemima have you changed job or different office in same job?

Calling hello Is your pregnancy going well?

I'm feeling a tad at the thought of teeny babies!

70 I could do with a makeup/product cull too (I blame you lot, I never had anything to finish off before these threads ). Am still hunting down a shampoo I like though.

I've had a haircut & changed colour so will post a pic on fb tomorrow morning.

I would love to join your thread too please

After being inspired by the summer renovation thread, I started twice weekly insanity/circuit training classes, and cut the rubbish out of my diet (well, most of it!) and I've lost around 10 lbs, which I am really pleased about as it was refusing to budge after two pregnancies. This has meant a wardrobe cull and a good excuse to go shopping! Capsule wardrobe was the plan, and I sort of had the basics of one, but I keep buying more stuff and that sort of defeats the purpose anyway, here's my top ten.

1. Drink more water - carry my water bottle wherever I go so that there are no excuses.
2. Keep up the exercise regime and try to fit one more session of something in each week- maybe running?
3. Keep using coconut oil to moisturise after a shower, works a treat.
4. Pay more attention to legs/bikini area- I'm really bad at just letting it all grow, sheer laziness, but I have such sensitive skin that shaving my legs even every other day causes a horrible red rash. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
5. Keep up 6-8 weekly hair cut/colour.
6. Try to do face mask once a week. My sister just lent me her REN glycolactic face mask, it's good. I used one of the Hydraluron masks afterwards,they look very strange but skin now feels lovely.
7. Cut out sugar.
8. Stealing this one from an earlier post, stand up straight! My posture is awful, and good posture can make you look so much slimmer.
9. Eat clean.

10. Stop hoarding clothes. If it doesn't fit/look great on me, or hasn't been worn in two years, chuck it out.

Good luck ladies, I shall be checking in regularly for some motivation. Off to drink some wine now!

Last one for tonight, promise!

temporary hello & welcome, nice to see someone new on thread

Right, I shall have a think and post my list in the morning. Might not be long atm, I'm doing fairly well keeping to my routine atm.

Place marking so I don't lose you! i've improved on my routines over the summer holidays (I'm a TA) but OMG, there is still room for improvement!
Will come back tomorrow with my 10!

Lucy still in same job (since January), but am suffering the effects of 8 months sitting on my bum next to a well stocked biscuit tin.

Have filed and painted my nails ready for tomorrow. I am loving the No7 gel nail varnishes at the moment, I bought several with the £3 off vouchers plus the buy one get one half price offer. I have Pink Meringue on my fingers and Deep Wine on my toes.

I need this thread!

I'm on holiday at the moment but I start a new job (huge, nay massive promotion) and I need to start sorting myself out!

So here goes with my list:

1. More sleep. DH is a night owl and I often stay up with him - problem is I need more sleep than he does

1. More water! I work from home and the kettle goes on too much!

1. Need to lose weight so no sugar, rubbish and lots of veggies!

1. Want to start a walking / running regime and get it embedded as a habit before the dark mornings and cold weather kicks in. So C25k starts 1st September

1. Feet are dreadful after summer and my flip flop habit has left me with achy arches. So Sunday night I need to be kind to my feet. Need to work out what to do with this one!

1. Find myself a social life. We moved a year ago (huge relocation so miles from my old friends. DCs in before and after school care and so no playground friends plus work from home so no colleagues. I have found a few leafs for this one.

1. Go back to making up all my outfits for the week on hangers with the right accessories and underwear on a Sunday night. Makes mornings much less stressful!

I don't know if I can manage an 8,9 and 10 after that list!

Going well lucysmam . 22 weeks today and had scan last week and everything looks good with baby. Low blood pressure though which is a pain and am a lot bigger than last time - Have already put on 5kg, and was 5kg heavier to start with than when I got pg with DS. Going to be a lot of work next year to lose weight!

Welcome lisam - well done on weight loss.

Welcome helena - I remember you from the organised thread a few years ago - I have it saved on threads I'm watching and go back to it every now and again to help me declutter and get sorted!

Bit of a slobby day today as am washing/ironing for a 6 day trip to UK for a family funeral. need to get some more maternity clothes, especially tops. But have cleansed/toned/moisturised.

I've decided on a few things to do.

1. when we go back to school I will get up early and do an exercise dvd before breakfast- maybe shred if I'm brave
2. walk to school and back at least 3 days a week (it's only 20 minutes up and down hills and I should do it!) 3)use my gym membership 3 times a week 4)stick to the healthy eating plan (1 stone and 4 lbs down but so much to go that I get overwhelmed sometimes) 5)hair dye every 4 weeks (just turned 50 and it NEEDS doing) 6)nails painted regularly, I've been really good over the summer and love looking at them
3. use all the S and G products I have so cleanse, tone, moisturise, rub in slimwear lotion(just because I have 3 bottles of it)
4. carry on the plan of disposing of clothes as soon as they get a bit faded/worn/tatty 9)get more sleep 10)wear accessories-I have so many that just sit in boxes on the side
5. read S and B regularly for inspiration

Congrats on the new job Helen!

I'm currently reading the thread about looking professional with interest (and a little bit of awe). My office is very much smart casual and I find it so hard to get it right. Lots of my colleagues wear jeans, but I like a division between what I wear for work and what I wear at weekends and I tend to wear jeans at weekends. Over the summer I've been wearing lots of patterned a-line skirts with plain jersey tops and last winter I tended to wear babycord skirts with cardis, tights and boots. But we are now in that annoying in between period. Add to that the fact that I will be getting ready for work in the pool changing rooms then walking a mile uphill to the office, which means I don't really want anything fiddly to put on.

I stopped wearing black as I found it drained my face, but I find that I don't look quite so "put together" in colour. So I'm thinking of going back to black, possibly with a coloured scarf so that the black isn't by my face. At the end of the day, trousers/jersey top/cardi are going to be the easiest things to put on after swimming and will look OK with trainers for the walking (I'll keep ballet flats in the office). Until I get into the routine I don't fancy struggling into tights as I rush to get ready still slightly damp!

Waves to callingallEngels I still get messages about that thread! Some with a thankyou, some with more questions. It pops up again every so often and it's so lovely think it's still helping people!

blueandwhitelover could you hang your accessories with some of your outfits? Or put out what you're going to wear the night before? I put everything out the night before (even change my handbag if I need to) the night before and it cured me of wearing the same few things all the time and made more use of the scarves and jewellery I had. I'm going back to planning 5 outfits on a Sunday night complete with undies and accessories. It makes my mornings much less stressy. It's easier to do in the autumn/ winter though as the weather is more predictable!