How to still look good when sleep deprived

[Poppybella2015]

I used to get told I was attractive pre children, I was a slim size 6, long blonde hair, perfect make up, dressed smart. Now I am a size 12 which looks dumpy on my 5 foot 2 inch frame, I am pale have cellulite stretch marks c section overhang, my hair started falling out after dc 2 so I've had it cut to shoulder length and just have a few highlights instead of full head blonde, it looks very thin and greasy and dull. I never have time for make up, I don't look after my skin anymore it's so dry. I don't style my hair I tie it back in a pony tail that looks greasy. I have not had a full nights sleep for 6 years which makes me too knackered to even shower most mornings, too tired to clean my teeth before bed. So I have gone from being immaculate and slim to being dumpy with a lack of personal hygiene. I keep trying to make an effort as I feel depressed with the way I look but I keep failing as I'm too tired. I just eat biscuits all day to keep me awake :( is there any hope? Where do I start?

artandco that's a good routine thank you. I will try that starting tomorrow!

For feet get this
You don't have to do anything other than sit on the sofa and then a week or so later you will have baby soft feet to start afresh with.

I also have suffered after number 2 who is now 14m old. I didn't have to do anything to lose the weight after ds1 but now, 2 sections later, I have a giant flabby tummy that I just can't seem to shift, although the rest of me is back to an 8/10.

I try to do an exercise DVD most mornings - ds2 is usually up 530/6 so I try and just get him up, get kit on and do the DVD while he destroys the lounge. Ds1 usually doesn't get up til 7/730 so it's all done and dusted and I definitely feel better for having done it.

I feel the same with 1 dc! I found I let everything go to pot and then felt too shitty to do anything about it, threw on big baggy clothes that covered everything up (except my awful double chin/ bad skin and awful hair!) then just threw my hair up and got on with it. I started doing one big hit once a week (can your dh deal with the dc's one night or afternoon for a couple of hours?) and I go all out. Wash hair over the bath and put on a deep conditioner. I usually do this just before dinner so leave it on for 45 mins or so while we all eat and bath dd then DH takes over and I get a pair of exfoliating gloves, facial exfoliator, razor etc and blitz my legs, arms, underarms, give my thighs, bum (cheeks!) and feet a good scrub. Exfoliate face and wash off conditioner. It takes less than an hour and I like the Garnier body tonic bright yellow exfoliator and firming moisturiser. It's bloody harsh stuff and it can sting after shaving but I feel 'done'.The more you do it the quicker it gets! I just feel so much better and cleaner after, it's easier to maintain than to start. I can let my hair dry naturally after a good condition and I slather moisturiser on my feet then put socks straight on. Then usually the next night I want to do my nails because my feet look so much better!
It lasts 2 or 3 weeks and then I slip again and end up a mess! And the cycle begins again!
Well done for making changes, it's hard! Doesn't talk about biscuit and wine habit, it's better that way!

I'm thinking showering in the morning might be a bit ambitious as the 2 year old might wake the 5 year old, but I'm too knackered at night to shower either! I really need to do the above routine where at 9pm I jump in the shower whether I am knackered or not!

Oh God, I feel your pain. It's so hard to look good after kids.

Fake tan.

Loads of water.
Low carb, high protein and veg.

Cut alcohol out.
Reduce caffeine.

Sleep.

Exercise, not really for weight loss, but more for toning / feel good.

Grow your hair and maybe get some highlights?

I'm sure you don't look as bad as you think.

Thank you, does the low carb thing really work? I think growing hair and getting more highlights is a good idea. I miss my long hair :(

Hello, I don't post much on this site although I've been lurking for a couple of months, feel a bit of a fraud as I'm not a mum yet (or pregnant, or ttc..). But I was wondering if I could join this thread? My situation is very different from you ladies because like I said, I don't even have children yet, but I do suffer from depression and anxiety and those things impact on my ability to take good care of myself. However I am on the recovery road and in a place where I feel I can start making some changes to feel better about myself, things like other people have mentioned, improving diet, exercise, doing nails etc.

Also I just want to say that from where I'm standing you all sound brilliant and I struggle and I don't even have any children (I don't think two guinea pigs count!!). So please all try to be kind to yourselves and recognise your achievements too. :)

Place marking, I feel in the same boat though I do brush my teeth.

Feeling chronically tired due to interrupted sleep has changed my (hopefully temporarily) into a different person. I am less confident, more anxious, and physically unfit. I have never had to work on keeping my weight but now can't shift the pregnancy weight I gained with dc2. like you I am waiting for dc2 to sleep through. In the meantime, I'd like to feel as human as possible despite my chronic lack of sleep.

[thansk] op.

Marking place here for when I've got more time to come back and read properly!

meadow!

meadow you are more than welcome to join! I feel so touched there are so many other ladies in the same position who have been brave enough to post on this thread. I have managed to clean my teeth tonight and do a mini facial! I did not manage the shower though. I am going to shower and hair wash tomorrow morning and then force myself to have a bath after dc have gone to bed tomorrow night where I will shave my long forgotten legs and try and moisturise my awful feet and hands. Then I can start Sunday in a bit better condition! I was going to do one thing a week but I am feeling some motivation thanks to you ladies. I failed on the biscuit front though and had 4 just now, although I did manage to keep to drinking water all day.

youandmillerscow I also feel anxious and less confident since dc2, and totally unfit. I'm scared it will take years for dd to sleep through like it did with my other dd, I'm fed up of feeling grim though. It's depressing isn't it? If in the meantime I can feel a bit better (and smell better) I would be happy. I would love to be slim again too.

I could cry with the painful recognition that I could have written this op.

I am the same here too OP. Pre kids I took so much pride in my appearance and looked good. Now I go days without brushing my hair (just shove it into a messy ponytail), never clean my teeth at night, never iron clothes, if I happen to wear makeup I then don't take it off at night. I eat rubbish all the time, don't exercise, wear dull clothes and generally look and feel grim. So I'll be following this thread with interest as I want to change!

madmomma

fumingnow32 that is exactly what I am like, down to the makeup if I ever happen to get the motivation to put it on I then have no motivation to take it off! I feel so bad about not cleaning my teeth at night too, I'm worried I might need a filling now because of these last few years of neglect towards myself :( I really need to book a dental appointment (and start cleaning my teeth every night). How did we all come to this??

On the positive I did clean my teeth last night and managed to shower and wash hair this morning. I have eaten biscuits though already today :(

Baby steps! Don't worry so much about the biscuits till next week!

Just concentrate on good hygiene for the next 7 days and your confidence will definately be up by the end of it.

THEN you can tackle the biscuits!

annarose2014 I think you are right! The personal hygiene is proving easier than the food so I will concentrate on personal hygiene first, and save the healthy eating for January! Especially as I will be surrounded by chocolate and biscuits all Christmas! Personal hygiene will help me feel less grim at my Xmas night out and visiting all the relatives at Xmas! There are so many bits I need to sort out on my list it left me overwhelmed where to start. I tried starting with the biscuits but that is proving harder than I thought, however I am doing well with personal hygiene so far, teeth cleaned, shower snd hair washed and a mini facial. And I can see a difference already, I don't smell and don't look greasy! (I sound so lovely don't I?) I just need to keep this up! It's easy today as it's the weekend, it's come Monday when things start going wrong. Getting the kids ready for morning school run and looking after mischievous toddler alone is when I slide into no showers. I really need to set that alarm Monday morning, however many times the toddler wakes me in the night!

Op have you had your thyroid function/ iron/ vit D levels tested? I would suggest going to see your GP, maybe worth having a chat with them about your symptoms.

Well it's 9pm, I really want to go downstairs and have some biscuits now the toddler is in bed but I'm going to force myself into the bath to shave my legs. I really don't want to do this........ I know it will be worth it though. It's just the thought of cleaning teeth, having a bath and shaving legs feels like too much effort and I just want to watch TV and eat biscuits! I really need to do this!!

I think Ive found my kindred spirits, 14 month old DS has broken me and my weight (along with everything else) has gone to shit.

Sorry to hear you are in the same situation too polkadotdelight

I feel your pain to some extent!

And can echo many many of the things the others posters have said previously!

I have to go to work so that forces me to look after myself but at weekends when tired I can go the whole day without showering.

I brush my teeth first thing as soon as I get up, otherwise the taste of food can mask bad breath!

I try and fit moisturising hands, legs, feet, etc, before bed once in a while.

Concealer is your friend! It is amazing stuff.

Small steps for sure, that list is way too overwhelming.

Good luck

Well I managed the teeth cleaning and the bath tonight. I totally failed at shaving my legs though, maybe tomorrow night! I'm pleased with the teeth cleaning and bath though, that's more than I normally do!