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.

Forgot to mention - keeping junk food out of the house is going well. I bought a pudding for the weekend, we shared half (between four) last night and will share the other half tonight.

I think I'm going to go back to baking cake/biscuits/flapjack etc as we want them. I have to actually make the effort then.

Water drinking is not going so well. But I drink at least 6/7 coffees through the day, which can't be good so am going to save the next two dilute juice bottles that become empty (3/4 litre each) and aim to drink one in a morning and one after dinner but before tea. Also, go back to peppermint tea after our evening meal.

We're off shopping on Friday while the girls are at school (wibble....my baby starts school in three days ) so will hopefully get a few bits for a/w.

I forgot to post new hair on fb, it's a mess today because I had a day off the dryer/straighteners yesterday so will snap & post tonight after I get a shower

Right...I'm off to chop veggies for sausage casserole tonight. Pork & apple sausages, yum!

gosh I post some epic 'quick' posts

Just back from my first c25k outing which went ok.

Planning a nails, hair and skincare evening.

I've been within my allowance on mfp every day since I started..

Early nights and water are not going so well.

Well done Helen on starting C25K! Which one are you using?

Right, I am ready to go back to work tomorrow.

Outfit chosen and ironed - black wide leg trousers, tan belt, slash neck black jersey top, black cardi, tan boots, tan handbag, beige beagle print scarf. Although looking at the forecast I may end up being a bit warm in the scarf and cardi.

Bag packed for swim before work - costume, goggles, earplugs, towel, shampoo, deodorant, make up, hairbrush, trolley token for locker, 20p for the hairdryer.

Post swim snack (greek yoghurt and strawberries), lunch (couscous, chickpeas, feta, mixed leaves, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives and balsamic dressing) and mid afternoon snack (homemade Nakd bar) ready to pack in cool bag with my water bottle.

Am going to paint my nails (natural pale pinky coloured gel polish from No7) and do a face scrub and pack before having an early night with my book.

helenagrace, I had my very first C25K run today as well! I use the NHS app. It felt really good, Sunday morning, no one around, sunny, just beautiful. It was gorgeous.
I plan to run again Tuesday.
Tomorrow I will do the Shred.
Wednesday shred again. Thursday I'll take a break I think. I'll run again Sunday morning.

lucysmum you are so organised! Bet you'll enjoy it once the girls are back at school, both of them this time! You won't know what to do with yourself :)

jemima, that sounds blissful! And very organised. I'll follow your example in a minute :)

Have a lovely week back to the real life :)

Okay, back in Clogland and ready to renovate! A few nights sleeping at my parents and then 3 in a hotel once DH and DS arrived has played havoc with my routine. Why are hotel rooms always so HOT?! Our house is really cool and we never have the heating on in our bedroom so am feeling pretty dried out. Though have managed to keep up with cleansing/toning/moisturizing.

Thanks for the soup recipes Helena - DH and I both want to eat more veg and fewer carbs. Hoping to stock the freezer up!

I loved level 1 of Shred btw, but never quite got on with Level 2!

Just about to head to bed for a shower and body moisturize. Will select outfits for the week tomorrow when I unpack and get the washing sorted. Managed to resist too much shopping in UK, though did get a lovely grey maternity dress with tights and some more lovely body cream and some perfume on the ferry. Also picked up some proper shoe polish and brushes as was amazed at the difference it made to my tan flats (seemingly impossible to buy over here). On the lookout for some statement necklaces.

Looking forward to getting back into a routine. Also running the fledglings thread on GH for the first time this month so hopefully will end September looking gorgeous, in a show home and super organized in my dreams .

I'm also using the NHS app KiaOra. I found it hard to pace the run bit but I'm sure it will get better.

I'm enjoying a piece of home made lemon yogurt cake though. My treat - and all covered within my mfp allowance.

So are we joining the countdown thread tomorrow?

Morning! Can I join too please? Very inspiring thread...

Ok, I'm pretty good in the mornings with my routine for cleansing, serum, moisturising etc, I exercise a fair bit and drink water BUT am overweight (BMI 26ish) so would love to lose a stone and a half...is that realistic by Christmas?

Sleep hygiene is shocking, way too much screen time late at night and I am by nature an owl who (sadly) has to be up at 6.20am for the DCs, so that needs to change.

Clothes - love them, but need to lose weight to feel comfortable in most of my wardrobe now, and I absolutely don't need to go shopping again until I do. Where I live it's pretty hot (and will remain so until November/December-ish ) so there is an additional pressure of Needing to Look Respectable and Polished in summer clothes... hmmm.... (the sunshine is lovely, I'm not complaining really, but I do miss autumnal boots/coats weather sometimes)

So, here's my list:

1. Moisturise body 3x week
2. Track food on MFP and cut down on sugar, eat fewer carbs
3. Find applying and maintaining nail polish on fingers a faff, but will file and buff nails 2x week (is that enough, groomed nails people? Should I be doing clear polish too?)
4. Commit to exercise 5x week - walks, gym, Pilates
5. No screen time after 10.30pm. One night a week 10.00pm bedtime.
6. Sort through stuff in wardrobe that I'm really not wearing, and bag up for charity
7. Sell shoes etc that I can't wear as have ridiculously flat feet and frankly I should know better by now, and never buy heels over 8cm high
8. Ensure feet are half way decent with moisturising and filing, sort out dry skin etc 1x week
9. Investigate de-frizzing solutions for hair and attempt to blow dry and style properly 1x week, rather than always twisting up in clips and letting dry naturally
10. Drink warm water and lemon 5x week first thing, and green juice at least 3x week

Good luck, everyone

How often should we check in and report back?

Ooooh can I join can I join! I have been following these since last year's Christmas one (my social life is quite clearly unbeatably busy) but didn't join, but it seems like I am in time for this one. In no particular order:

1. Sort out a decent skincare regime. Got so much advice a couple of months ago on a thread on here, but I'm still not quite there. I need to be much more religious in cleansing and moisturising even when hungover/lazy/at a friend's/DP's house.

2. In addition to brushing my teeth twice a day I need to start flossing and using a mouthwash twice a day. My gums are so sore, but I would expect to see a quick difference so that will be gratifying.

3. Lose weight/stop eating so much. I have been embracing the salads recently - long may it continue. I shall probably allow myself processed carbs once a week to break it up a bit.

4. Following from above, up the exercise again. I was running regularly until the beginning of August but life got in the way a bit. No more! I'm going to try to run 3x a week and shred 3x a week to start with.

5. Work on my wardrobe - Ebay and charity shop everything I don't wear (a lot) and then replace slowly and considered-ly (not a word. Definitely not a word.) rather than throwing my credit card at the sales assistant with abandon.

6. Continue to sort out nails at least once a week - all my nail varnish goes bobbly as soon as I open it though!

7. Pluck eyebrows more religiously - I turn around and they are spreading across my face.

8. Moisturise - hands, face and body - every day.

9. Drink all the water! Again, was good at this until I stopped running. I haven't even had a glass of water yet today!!

10. Can I be cheeky and make this a spare one? I'm sure I will think of something...

Not sure whether I should be posting on this thread or another one? But will post here until I am told differently.

September has started well.

Ta da
Ate healthily (3 portions of fruit and 3 portions of veg already, not including whatever I have for dinner). Well within my MFP calorie count even with the sneaky chocolate digestive I had at coffee break time
Drank 2 litres of water already
Walked 3 miles
Swam before work.

To be fair, getting ready for work in the pool changing rooms is not conductive to looking gorgeous. I think I will wait until I get to work (and have cooled down a bit) before putting my make up on tomorrow.

How is everyone else doing? Good to see some more new renovators too!

Welcome brit and wine.

Brit check in as much or as little as you want. Some people find it's motivating to post everyday. I don't envy you your climate. I love autumn and winter and very glad I won't be heavily pg in the middle of summer

I reckon I'll stay here jemima if everyone else is. Tbh the only countdown I will really be keeping up with heading to Christmas is for DC2

Ta da
Showered, body moisturised this morning
Have laid out outfit for work tomorrow (including jewellery)
Healthy packed lunch made for tomorrow and am taking thermos and herbal tea to stop me having too much coffee

Bump feels very heavy. 23w yesterday and the size of a house. Now off to add an extension with a chocolate mousse

Some more ta das:

Have laid out tomorrow's outfit: Breton top, navy wide leg trousers, yellow and blue scarf. Either yellow sandals or tan brogues, depending on what the weather looks like in the morning.

Swimsuit and towel washed ready for tomorrow morning's swim.

Moisturised body when I changed into my "lounge clothes". Also hot cloth cleansed and moisturised face.

Will make tomorrow's healthy lunch just as soon as Tesco gets here (due between 8-9pm). I am going to have tuna and butter bean salad.

Still going well here. I was hoping my shred DVD might turn up but it didn't so I had a bit of a boogie to lots of music at lunchtime (I work from home in case anyone has images of a loon dancing around her office).
3 healthy meals today. Had too much coffee but I needed it to cope with the 392 post holiday emails in my inbox this morning!

I managed everything on my daily list! even had two walks so that is great.

Jemima I'll stay here otherwise I'll get confused, it's easily done!

Calling baby countdown is good!

We're all organised for back to school here...
*uniform out for number 1, normal clothes for dd2 and my clothes
*bag ready
*breakky stuff out
*jewellery out for me

Number 2 is having a wobble about being away from me for whole days . I'm going to miss my shadow

I've just opened a bottle of Wilko's cocoa butter moisturiser, smells lush! Hopefully the scent of chocolate-eyness will inspire me to apply every evening instead of being a bit hit and miss.

Have straightened hair but it's getting long & I tend to look Wurzel Gummidge ish on a morning so they're still out so I can tame it a bit while the girls have brekky.

Plan to have it cut either Friday or Saturday so it's not so unruly. I'd get my brows threaded at the same time but, when I went just before the hols, the woman who did them took off all the bits I'd been growing back...so have started all over again . They're only just looking better so will hold off until next time I get a trim.

Colour planned for Sunday evening. I got a brush thingy for it from Poundland; you put the dye in, pump the dye onto the brush (which is more like a wide toothed comb really) and then comb it through your hair. I'm hoping that if I section my hair as if I'm straightening it, then comb through the sections, I'll only need one bottle of dye instead of two. We'll see

Have spent today organising the shelf unit fil built me for in the airing cupboard. I now have a GIANT shelf in the top of there to use for storage so can shift some of the stuff that's cluttering our room - basket of hangers/charity shop bag that's half full/summer stuff that I'm not sure will or won't fit the girls next year.

Plan for tomorrow is sort the bags of goodies from the allottment and deep clean our bedroom inc getting the curtains down for a wash.

Right, am off to browse randomness for stocking fillers/re-useable advent calendars on amazon

that one was epic too, sorry! I don't summarise very well it seems

Pretty sure you can find Shred on youtube if you're raring to go helena !

Well done hazchem !

You sound so organised jemima

Have just had a little weep to dh about feeling exhausted and huge with 17 bloody weeks still to go with this pg. Had so much energy when pg with ds and this time I am a sugar craving heap of jelly.

ta da
moisturised boobs and bump
hot cloth cleansed, toner (liz earle...the absolute best toner I have ever used), serum, eye cream and mois.
set alarm for 6.25

But tomorrow will be fabulously groomed and healthy.

X-post lucysmam

Am trying to use up all the different body lotions I have open. Currently using Zwitsal (Dutch brand that is made for babies with a lovely scent...reminds me of newborn ds) , a thick dove one which is nice and body shop shea butter (which I find thick and sticky, doesn't absorb quickly enough - will be glad to be done with) and bought some palmer's cocoa butter after someone recommended it...but waiting to finish the others before I open it!

Am loving the Christmas bargain thread though almost done for ds (we just do stockings as he also gets present for Sinterklaas here and GPs and aunties and uncles always want to buy him bits). Need more ideas for adults though.

calling you have pretty much described how my pregnancy feels!

Hello! Can I join? In recent months ivr started to try and do something about my appearance but would be great to have a thread to motivate me too!

I work ft and have 2 kids 6 and 4. They don't sleep early so I don't really have time but I'll try hard!

My list

1. Drink water, more water. I drink it when I get thirsty. I hear that that's too late. The reason why I hate drinking water is somehow I need to go almost immediately. And although the loo isn't far at the work place I feel that I'll lose momentum at work. I know. Mad. So will try for more water.

1. Continue with my 10% glycolic acid peel. Think I can go up to 30% but need to find a place that sells it. If you nice people here have any suggestions I'll listen! I think it's making a difference. Skin much softer. And I'm on period now and usually there's a giant painful spot but this time round nothing!!

1. Think about my outfits and try and plan them

1. Start on lemon and hot water routine. Did it a long time ago and I remember my granny telling me about it! Need to shift this podgy belly that never disappeared after 2 kids.

1. Do more exercise. I don't exercise. Even walking would be something I could do. My excuse is I could actually walk ds to school and then continue on to work. It'll be 1 mile or so each way but I have things to carry including high heels so I don't bother. I should try even a day a week right?

1. Cull my wardrobe of unused clothes

1. Sleep earlier

1. Get hair colored even if it's a home dye. Just to stem the greying hair that needs covering every 3 weeks or more now!

1. Moisturize. Every where.

10. Eyebrow thread.

Thanks for reading!!

Calling I found the last body butter type moisturiser I used really thick...almost to the point of slimy. It smelled of mango though so I used it up This one's much better & bargainous at £1.50 as well.

I get what you mean about no energy...I think I slept for three quarters of both pregnancies Used to go up for a nap & then sleep away half the bloody day.

Hello NK5

What's a glycolic (did I remember that right?) peel?

Walking isn't too bad! I do about four miles daily with errands/school runs/shop for milk. Make dc carry their own stuff & then carry on on the way to work. It'll soon become habit (although not much fun when it's tipping it down so maybe have a back up for the winter).

Hello Lucy! Thanks for the welcome! I have acne scars from way back when and now that I'm this age, I feel I can so something about lightening them or making them disappear (long term hope!). So I embarked on a course of microdermabrasion which actually did work a treat but was quite costly (£210 for 6 and get 2 free).

So I started a peel and it's going well. There isn't any peeling at all and yet the skin feels improved. So I'm continuing. Maybe with the water and lemon/water things will just get better!

Sounds interesting, I have some acne scars too Do you have a link?

I had a L'Oreal microdermabrasion kit years ago, don't think I ever used it though.

Thanks to these threads, I have a load of stuff to use up. There's always something that looks interesting to try out when I go shopping these days though . I never used to have stuff to use up!