Operation Renovation - get set for summer!

[CallingAllEngels]

Always loved the renovation threads set up in the past by Helga and control and can't see a current one (and badly need it!).

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.

Previous threads:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/1559450-Anyone-interested-in-a-100-day-Princessing-challenge

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/1834373-A-new-princessing-defrumping-groomed-challenge

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/2068994-Get-set-for-summer-aka-Operation-Renovation

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/a1840729-Operation-Renovation-aka-The-Christmas-Countdown

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/2166509-Operation-Renovation-The-last-of-the-summer-wine-and-sorting-out-Autumn-wardrobes

Let's get renovating!!

Well done for sticking it out helga !

This week has been dismal foodwise because we had visitors from the UK so meal out and takeaway. Going out for dinner with friends tonight.

Not looking forward to weighing myself tomorrow!

msapple yes it's much better thanks, now I've a sore throat!
Had a facial yesterday and haven't worn my uggs, but that's the only progress.

Second fast day done and dusted. I have a stone exactly to lose and last time I did 5:2 it took 12 weeks to lose 13 pounds (I only stopped because I was pregnant). Hopefully I'm back in the swing of it now, I do find it easy once I get going.

Been keeping up with everything else, except exercise. Will add that next week. All in all I'm pretty happy with how the week is going.

Hi all

Still haven't come up with a list, I think I might take a more ad hoc approach and just list ta dah's of good things I've done. Like today so far I have

Had some breakfast
Had my vitamins
Body brushed
Exfoliated face and put face mask on
Had an Epsom salts bath in hopes of emerging looking like a 20 year old model, but spent time in bath reading about how there's actually no evidence that Epsom salts do very much other than dissolve in your bath. And even that took a while, I only put a few handfuls in and they took ages to go. Still, it was warm and soothing and no one interrupted me which is potentially scientifically interesting.... Epsom salts temporarily repelling children....

Plan for the rest of the day: eat well (some protein at each meal, plenty of fruit and veg)
Drink 2 litres of water
Consider doing something about my hairy legs other than just wearing jeans
Do my nails.
Maybe, maybe do some exercise??

Happy Saturday

The rest of my day went quite well - I have not snacked today!!!! This is amazing as I'm usually nibbling on something, but I decided to have 3 meals and nothing else. Feel v proud. Also did a bit of an exercise DVD. And I've had loads of water.

Forgot to say in post above that I used my dermaflannel in the bath, I very rarely use it on my face but find it brilliant for my body - even after body brushing, and using one of those scrubby mitt things most days, it removes an amazing amount of dry skin and leaves me soft as the proverbial baby's bum. Massive thanks to the mumsnetter who originally recommended it on here.

I still haven't addressed the hairy legs or my nails but I'm about to pop upstairs now and do both.

My sore throat has turned into man flu I'm in bed. Having back to back night/day nurse.
So no beauty, no effort, not much food. But on the upside still not worn my uggs!

First week almost over. I succeeded in having 2 fast days and body brushing and moisturising 4 days. Also flossed, took my vitamins and washed my face every evening.

Today DH took DD to his parents and I had my Sunday at home. I try to do this at least once a month. Today I used footner for the first time. Also used a hand mask and a peel off face mask.

Was shopping yesterday and DH bought me this dress. I LOVE it. No idea where I'm going to wear it though.

Weigh in tomorrow morning will be interesting.

Hope you feel better soon karbea. Well done on the uggs!

1. Green smoothie for breakfast daily
2. Reduce refined sugar
3. Lose 7Ib by May half term
4. Buy Zumba DVD and do 3 x per week
5. Dry brush body & moisturise daily
6. Use clarisonic day & night
7. Facial oil at night
8. Foot bath & Pedicure weekly
9. Hair treatment weekly

10. Gel nails fortnightly 11. Epilate lip, chin & brows fortnightly 12. Hair colour & trim 6-8 weeks 13. Wear accessories 14. Wardrobe cull of anything not worn regularly - buy less cheap clothes for specific occasions - spend more on things that will be worn year on year.

Interested in 5:2 but not convinced I could manage the fast days...

I'm in. My daughter turns one next month and I still have a stone of baby weight to lose. Very disappointed by this so need to get motivated for summer!

1. Lose a stone
2. Don't buy anymore clothes until we go to the States at the end of June
3. Drink far less wine
4. Cut back on coffee
5. Drink more water
6. Stop finishing the kids' meals
7. Pedicure weekly

8 sort out eyebrows 9 exfoliate and moisturise at shower time 10 give DH more sex!

tea don't beat yourself up about not being able to do 5:2 my friend who is a nutritionist says it's great for men to fast but women really shouldn't. Just eat clean and fresh.

Jumps in. I need to get the old carcass summer ready:

Main issue at the moment is shifting my middle. My waist/belly is huge but at the moment really bloated and painful (diverticular disease not helping) and my abdomen still sensitive where my gallbladder was removed.
Not buying new clothes until that gets sorted other than leggings.
Already drink loads of water as hot flushes (I don't drink alcohol)

Skincare routine routine good and simple.
I don't wear make-up to work

So:
1: weigh monthly and measure bust/waist/hips to see if I make any progress.

2: wax armpits and legs when they need done rather than when I look Yeti like

3:hair- I'm pretty good at the 6 weeks cut and home dye but I need to try different things (at the moment it's short so I'm going lighter/redder)

4: fake tan .I've got some in the cupboard, need to persuade DH to help me reach the awkward bits

5:only eating chocolate on Sundays for Lent (and it's do-able so I could carry that on

6: need to do another wardrobe clearout (to put things away, I've got rid of everything I don't wear or fit) my jumpers/cardigans that hopefully I won't need soon

7: a list of what I do need like sandles, underwear

And I can't think of any more at the moment

I've ever done one of the threads, but I need focus and I'd like to work on a few things fundamentally before I'm 40 (18 months) as I know things get harder as you enter the next phase.

I struggle with some aspects of personal care, so please don't judge me, anyone however! I do run half marathons and a do a fair a oh Todd exercise! as well as eating lots of fruit and veg (though lots of cake too) so I have a pretty good foundation in other ways.

Here goes...

1 shower daily and brush teeth twice a day
2 keep drinking 3l a day, with no sweeteners (this is a ny resolution I've successfully kept up
3 eat greens every day
4 eat all meals at the table, consciously
5 body brush and moisturise with every shower
6 sort out my wardrobe and throw anything I haven't worn for 2 years or more
7 paint toenails every week, ready for open toes
8 pluck my eyebrows and chin weekly
9 no electronic devices in the bedroom
10 be kind to myself - stop weighing and measuring and just try to feel good because I haven't over eaten/gorged

Ooh new people! Hello!

Today's ta dah's are limited...
Protein shake and banana plus all vitamins and fish oils and stuff, for breakfast.
Body brushed.
Went for a run tonight.

That's about it. Epic fail on healthy eating - had a bit of a busy day and ended up eating biscuits and hot cross buns for lunch about half 3. And haven't stopped nibbling since. Need to plan my meals more. It makes an enormous difference between eating consciously and well, and just shovelling food (mainly refined carbs) in my mouth. Will try again tomorrow.

I was wondering what other people do with regards to when they do all their renovation stuff. I do it as and when which means it very often gets forgotten. It occurred to me that if I got up about 45 minutes early, I could do some yoga, do my face exercises, body brush, have a shower, moisturise and do my hair and face before the kids wake up and my day disintegrates into chaos. The vast majority of the things I want to do would be done before 7! What do you all do??

PS get well soon karbea

My time management is shocking, I should be able to do everything but mostly I do nothing.

really could not be bothered to get up early for beautification this morning. Maybe trying to do this just after the clocks went forward was a silly idea! Anyway, normal amount of beautification happened (i.e. washed, dressed and make up on) and anything above and beyond will have to wait for later.

had protein shake and vitamins/EFAs for breakfast
resisted all snacks this morning - and there were cakes on offer!
have just had very tasty egg fried rice with loads of veggies
have drunk about a litre of water.

will report back if anything momentous happens in the renovation department.

Some tiny wins from me:

I have found a woman at the gym where I swim who makes and sells juices and smoothies. It is more expensive than making your own, but much less hassle. She delivers a week's worth at a time and you just stick them in the freezer and defrost what you want. I started the day today with Beetroot, Mango and Orange with an added shot of Ginger.

I have swum 13 times this month. I swim on average for 45 mins at a time, so that is almost 10 hours this month and around 7500 calories burned.

I bought a dress at the weekend in a size 10.

WRT time management, I am a bit of a control freak but I find everything works better with a routine. So I diarise exercise sessions, make a weekly meal plan etc. Then you don't have to think about it.

Mind you, catching up with this thread has reminded me that I've been neglecting beauty stuff. So I had a soak in the bath with my magazine, exfoliated, moisturised and then used a facial scrub and mask. Feeling all glowy now

jemima I'm in awe at what you're getting done!

Picking up new glasses this morning.

Not been doing much renovating but tidied up one of our black hole cupboards yesterday and found my shred dvd so that's on the agenda for today!

I'm in. 2015 so far has been extraordinarily stressful (I'm already ready for 2016 to come and take 2015 away!) so I haven't been paying as much attention to princessing as usual and I feel blah.

My list:

1. Yoga 3 times a week.
2. Replace at least one coffee with peppermint tea per day.
3. Take my magnesium supplements every day to ward of migraine.
4. Restart swimming at least once a week.
5. Take the cooking back over from DH. He's gallantly taken over whilst I've had other things to sort, but his idea of balanced diet is a handful of rocket dumped on top of sausage, egg and chips. Get back to lean protein and veg.
6. Wine only on weekends.
7. Get outside more and get some sunshine on my bones.
8. Daily body moisturising.
9. Regular gel manicures, so I stop picking the gel off and ruining my nails when I don't have time to make a new appointment.

10. Start regular pedicure in preparation for sandals.

Great list Gradually!

I've replaced almost all of my coffee with fruit/herbal tea. I drink no more than 2 cups of coffee a week these days, and feel much better for it. My favourite tea at the moment is Teapigs Peppermint and Liquorice.

faints in shock at notion of reducing caffeine but well done to those who can. I've tried so often and then fall face first into a pint of coffee....

today i haven't managed anything off the informal list in my head, but I have just given myself a 10% glycolic acid peel. I've used Liquid Gold for a few months and haven't really been wowed by it - it's ok, but certainly hasn't been the miracle product I hoped. Still get spots, still have to wear foundation every day. So I bought two Bravura London peels, one salicylic acid, one glycolic. It felt fine on, no stinging or anything, and I washed it off after 5 minutes as per instructions. Apparently nothing dramatic ought to happen, no redness or peeling or anything, and the changes happen in the time after the peel. Something about collagen I shall report back if I can suddenly ditch the estee lauder in the next week or so.

Princessing is being severely hampered by unwell DD who is super clingy and doesn't want to be put down.