It's the Countdown to Christmas

[Helgathehairy]

115 days to go

Here we go!

great sleep thanks!

36 days to go

Phone has eaten my big long message.

In short, no one slept last night and I'm shattered. Kids looking much better today - how do they do that when they've been awake as much as me??!! However, I've had a shower, deep conditioned my hair, dermaflanneled my face, put my make up on while the body lotion was sinking in and I feel a bit triumphant. I realise having a shower and putting make up on is a bit basic, but it feels like one of those days when I could still have been in pyjamas at tea time!! I've had a good breakfast, vitamins and some water.

Someone (sorry on phone) asked about fish oils - I've got the boots mega dose one. Think there are 1300mg of good stuff in each one, maybe that's why they taste so strong??! I certainly don't look radiant and stunning but I think I feel a bit calmer - things that normally would make me feel like my head is going to explode, kids misbehaving, that sort of thing, just aren't getting to me as much as they usually would. Placebo?? Actual result?! I'll see if it lasts.

Off to drink loads of water...

apple the kids look refreshed because their little bodies suck energy from you via some invisible umbilical cord. Happens with me and ds! Bit like the reverse of Monsters Inc where the Monsters get their energy supply from kids.

I would still be in pajamas so you are doing very well.

Back's a bit stiff so can't get to major exercise routine with weights. Doing stretches though. Skin improving daily and water drinking going well.

Apple I asked about the oils. I'll see what strength mine are. Being calmer sounds very positive. Plus less stress also equals better skin or something right? Also you've done better than me today.

I had a long bath before bed last night and moisturised my chicken skin prone areas. So tops of thighs and backs of upper arms. Don't have any this year so will keep on moisturising. Used a Lush bath bomb I was saving so that was my Not Saving Things for Best thing.

I did all the right things to coax sleep and fell asleep by midnight. Then was woken up by DH at 1am tossing and turning and that was until an hour before I had to get up.
So, 2 hours sleep. I look gorgeous as you can imagine.

Today- water, vitamins, cleansing routine.

*that was it

Oh gosh Coumarin you poor thing, hope that tonight is better.

35 days to go

Eaten well today and finally booked a Dr appointment.

Added bonus of this thread, or negative depending on viewpoint, is that I'm aware of how little time there is to get Xmas organised so it's spurring that on too.

How's everyone doing?

Thanks Edith is was a bit better, plus I could have a lie in so it made up for the night before.

34 days to go

Hello all,
Sorry I went AWOL for a while...life!
So!
I am making a steady progress losing weight ( I just eat less and with less sugar). So far I managed half a stone.
My nails are in desperate need of a good manicure though. I must have my eyebrows threaded again this weekend as well.
I am running every week, and I'm pretty good with water intake if I am at work, but at home....not so good.
How is everyone elese doing?

Late check in!

Tons of fruit and veg today and 3l water. No sugar for three days now and so can already see a difference in my skin again. So that's encouraging.

Scrubbed and moisturised after shower.
Nail envy on fingers and toes.
Hand moisturiser and cuticle oil.
Eyebrow serum.

Hopefully getting a fringe trim tomorrow and will try to book a cut for before Christmas. I'd usually go longer than this but in the interests of faboulousing...

It's the weekend! Have a great one. We're actually both off for two days so looking forward to it.

Oh and finally booked a Dr appointment. Fingers Xd it's a vitamin deficiency or something simple. Desperate to get exercising again.

33 days to go

eeek!

So I got the vicious cold the kids had. Still sniffing and sneezing but think the worst has passed. Feel as unfabulous as you could possibly imagine!

Coumarin I am v interested in the no sugar = better skin thing. Have you found it hard?

I'm thinking about a reduced list of achievable things, my initial list was a bit mega and unsurprisingly I don't manage very much of it daily. If there were only 4 or 5 things that you could do daily to fabulousize, what would they be??

Hi Kia and orangey and Edith and anyone else I've missed (sorry!) Whoever was asking about Christmas organisation earlier up the thread, I have done none. But I've got a week off at the beginning of December and my plan is to plan it all and then do it all that week. I may make several million lists over the next week or two!!

Hope you're all well and lurgy free xx

Sorry coumarin, just clocked the dr appt thing. for you x

Thanks apple
I found the no sugar thing difficult at first as it's in everything it seems, but once I found alternatives, like rye bread instead of standard bread, it was easier. Plus sugar is addictive so I had to employ serious will power when DH was ordering a cake to go with his coffee and I was having peppermint tea.

It's dramatically reduced my pmt symptoms and anxiety attacks which was my original reason for trying it. I realised I looked better and the bit of acne on my jaw had cleared up as an added bonus. So that made me stick with it even more. It's now easy, I think my palette has changed. I will have treats and things at Christmas and on holiday. Just not as much as I used to.

I love a list. Everything seems easier once you've made a list.

Which is why I need to do a proper one for this thread.

No beautifying today. Been asleep for most of it. Unless that counts?
Lots of water and 5 fruit and veg so far. Plus vitamins. Will be washing my hair in a bit and deep conditioning it.

If I was limited in what I could do I'd make food and water the priority. Plus moisturising. Whether that be face, body or hair. At this time of year with the cold weather, central heating and hot showers, I find my skin can get dry patches and flaky if not given extra care. And I don't have dry skin generally.

Hope everyone's doing ok. Have a lovely Sunday.

Sorry for epic post.

Just to add Apple I still have fruit and carbs but not 'white' carbs. There's a healthier eating thread in the food section that started me off.

32 days to go

Hope all goes well with the doctor Coumarin.

I found my skin improved when I gave up caffeine but I'm afraid I've rediscovered it!

It is really hard to give up sugar because there is so much hidden sugar in food. I am not sure that I will manage to fit into those jeans in a month but I am on the right track so I am happy to keep going.

I have increased water intake and am taking my vitamins.
I am also increasing my exercise as my back improves. No weights until I am fully better.

My skin is incredibly dry with the weather and central heating despite being usually greasy.

Well done to Kia and the others who are running. Hope Helga is okay out there.

Re the caffeine and sugar..... I've just had two massive coffees and jammy toast for my breakfast. Up half the night again with youngest and I'm beginning to wonder a) if we'll ever be well again and b) if it's possible to die from the common cold!! It's such a pain - all the things I know aren't actually helping long term are exactly the things I WANT when I'm knackered and poorly.

Anyway, ta dah's for yesterday:
Water
Vitamins and fish oil
Ate quite well
Had a very soothing bath before bed
Early night - in bed by half 9!! totally arsed up by youngest waking up about three minutes after I'd fallen asleep and then she coughed and kicked me all night

Today am planning water, some exercise and a list. Coumarin, I'm with you, a list makes everything seem achievable. It's going to be a moderated fabulousizing list. It'll be epic

31 days to go

Hopefully apple you'll all turn the corner soon. You must be shattered.

Thanks orangey, how's your back?

Much better apple, thanks. Working slowly to build up core and back muscles. xx

Today's ta dah's:

Vitamins and fish oil
Three pretty decent meals with quite a lot of cake
Maybe a litre and a half of water. I can get another one in before bed I think
Going to have a bath shortly and will body brush before and moisturise after.

In terms of my scaled down list, I'm thinking all about the basics

1. 3L water,
2. vitamins, fish oil. Already have good skin care routine so that can't count as one of my things cos I do it already!
3. Body brushing daily.
4. Moisturising body daily.
5. Eating mindfully. On my original list I had the 5:2 diet, as I'm really interested in the health benefits, however I'm noticing I'm just eating loads of crap on the feeding days and I don't like that. So I'm just going to eat when I'm hungry, and not when I'm not. Makes me happier.
6. 30 minutes of exercise a day, whether that's a DVD, running, going for a walk, whatever, as long as I do something.
7. facial exercises. my face aches in a weird way when I do them which makes me think they are actually working and I think I look a bit brighter when I do them. It's only 5 minutes.

That's achievable isn't it? I wish I knew how to make a chart. If lists are good, a chart you can tick stuff off of is even better!