I'm going to transform myself - would anyone like to join me?

[BeautifulMaudOHara]

I need to get a grip and I think posting here might help me!

I need to lose some weight, concentrate on personal grooming and give myself a makeover, generally. I want to look and feel better and up my look at work.

Is anyone else interested in joining me?

My aims and ideas are (yours may be different):

Get my teeth bleached
Find out whether to (or how to) deal with my fairly new moustache FOR EVER
Ditto chin hairs
Sort out my fungal toenail
Get a new work wardrobe at some point
Get my nails gelled and keep them maintained
Give up sugar and carbs
Sleep enough, drink slightly less
Be happy!

I am generally, but I do need to look less like a hag, I have let myself go a bit and it's got to stop. Anyone else in?

Loads of positive messages on here today and welcome to all the newbies.

I felt really good today, saw a good friend who commented on how lovely I looked and how lovely my hair was (and she's not the sort of friend just to say things to be nice) so the difference must be starting to show.

I have kept to the diet for 3 days and am feeling motivated, although need to find some low calorie filling lunches for work. I get so hungry without carbs but it drains my calories.

Have also started 2 new 30 day challenges. Kept up with my skin and moisturising and its feeling much softer and my hair is already benefiting from not washing every day. It was feeling so dry and now it's much better. Also have short but neat nails which look good.

Am slightly dreading the weekend - am going to MIL's and she is notorious for huge portion sizes and giving us lots of treats. Plus it's Easter and so will be surrounded by chocolate which I will be no doubt forced to consume if just to stop it being shovelled into DD

My targets:

1. Get some nice underwear
2. Get nicer clothes (am trying to choose wisely but my options are so limited)
3. Keep on diet
4. Keep up exercise
5. Drink more water (this one isn't going as planned!)
6. Keep up skin regime
7. Learn how to fake tan (using the tips on this thread!)

Well done everyone and yes truffle, definitely worth it IMO

Well, I'm making some progress on weight loss, I'm close to my next milestone of getting below 9 stone, however I'm another who may struggle to keep it up this weekend. We are away in a hotel for two nights which means hotel breakfast and eating dinner out plus Easter treats on Sunday. I will try for moderation.

I don't seem to be making much progress on my skin, if my money situation improves I think I may switch back to No 7 perfect and protect from the cheap Superdrug Vit E.

I will focus on drinking enough water for the next week as that is free!

Weighed in at slimming world yesterday and I'd maintained/stayed the same. I was so miffed I didn't even stay to group! Said no to a lot of possible goodies yesterday though so didn't do my usual sabotage. Going to sainsburys today as they have 25% off TU (under the pretext of buying jeans for ds) so might pick myself up something cheap and cheerful for the Easter weekend. This morning I've had porridge with skimmed milk and a scan-bran in it (sw bran crackers!) And this week I'm going to calorie count as I reckon slimming world's unlimited free foods actually add up to too many calories for me to actually lose weight! On the plus side, my hair is looking very glossy this morning, I am defuzzed and my skin is feeling really soft. Also have downloaded a 4 minute 'maxout ' workout for my kindle to try as I couldn't get true one auld mentioned. Once more unto the weekend.....

Was also looking for the quick4 workout thats been mentioned but couldnt get it as ios only it seems, but google play has a no of 7 min workouts

Someone mentioned illuminated magnifying mirrors. I 'invested' in the Simplehuman one (it IS pricey) BUT it shows up every tiny hair where you don't want it. And blackheads - thought I was long done with those buggers. As I'm staring 50 in the face I wouldn't be without it as it highlights a whole new world of horrors to be dealt with.

I have the simple human mirror too, fox. Fascinatingly horrendous.

It has made me seriously reevaluate all of my foundations, they all seem to sit very strangely on my skin.

You do have to a bit careful you don't fall into the rabbit hole of imperfection with the mirror of doom though. I am relatively happy with the appearance of my natural skin in daylight, at normal magnification. The lighting and extrrrreeeeeme close ups can make you obsess over tiny details that, in reality, no one notices.

Hello everyone. I've been rubbish on the no carbs and sugar front but will be better after Easter. Sleeping well though and feeling happy, no work now until April and we're off to the coast next week so that'll be nice.

Good point about mirrors and the fact that nobody else notices what you do.

I'm finding my foundation seems to look patchy close up though, what can I do about that? Do I need a foundation sponge? It's only when I'm reapplying it after lunch. I use moisturiser first.

Also, I love this thread! It is motivating me to stick to some of the things I want to do. I nearly cancelled the dentist but didn't because of this thread.

Just been sorting out the Easter eggs the DCs have received so far, bloody nightmare for my 'no chocolate' rule. I'm telling myself they'll be crap chocolate so I might treat myself to some really good chocolate on Easter Sunday. I'm thinking some not overly seasonal Lindt balls but will they be worth it?

Also can anyone recommend decent make up applying websites? I tend to moisturise, concealer although my skin has improved dramatically and so I'm not using it all the time, apply BB (or it might be CC) cream with my finger and then bare minerals (Avon equivalent) with brush - although I've no idea why I put both on but I feel naked if I just use one?!? Then eyeliner, eye shadow (if I remember) mascara, lip liner and lipstick. I'm wondering if I should go to a department store and reccy out the makeup counters, but they scare me!

Hello transformers, just saw this on Instagram. Made me think of you

Ok I'm not very good at this

Yay me - I won the office weight loss challenge! 13lbs in 10 weeks means £100 in my pocket.

I've got a week and a half off work now, and although I've obviously got the DC him with me they are old enough not to need too much looking after (youngest is 10). So I am going to use some of the time to sort out clothes, hair, make up etc for Spring. I've bought a pile of glossy magazines to read as inspiration and I will be back later with a to do list for the next 10 days.

Well done jemima!

Paulinefowler, ha! I am finding having nice nails automatically makes me feel a bit groomed and smarter.

Nice one Jemima- you should buy something really lovely with it as a reward for your hard work!

I'm going to have to start low carbing again I think- I can't limit myself when I have sugar, I go nuts with it- I'll start Monday though because Easter. I'm going away for a few days next week but I want to start sooner rather than later otherwise after the trip becomes after the next weekend etc and I'll never get going.

Plus I need to teach myself to be able to stay on course when I'm away from home, not just say sod it and ruin my progress.

Me too hairspray queen I definitely need to cut out sugar completely. When I do it, I feel so much better. I feel this bank holiday looming because I just know there will be chocolate everywhere we go and I know I can say no when I'm out in company but then later on I feel deprived and end up having it anyway and feeling crappy about it. Its got to stop! I'm totally up for quitting sugar after the weekend if you want a support buddy?

Right, my list is taking shape:
Haircut (booked for tomorrow)
Colour hair (have the hair dye but will wait until after cut)
Sort out spring outfits. Have got quite a few new tops from the Next sale and I bought a dress in White Stuff this afternoon. I need to work out what goes with what, and put away my really wintery stuff. Navy and yellow seem to be the theme in what I've bought so far!
Have a look for spring shoes. Have seen some navy pumps in Clarks and have a 20% off code so might go and try them on.
Get some patent polish to clean my navy patent brogues.
Sort out my hands - might need to book a professional manicure to do this.
Read my haul of glossy magazines for ideas.
Experiment with eyeshadow. I never wear it but want to, bought a few colours today so I should have perfected it by the time I go back to work!

That should keep me going for a while...

JemimaMuddledUp brilliant stuff on the weight loss, £100 is definitely a fantastic incentive

Yes that sounds like a great idea newaverage I get a bit overwhelmed on the low carb threads so having someone over here would be ideal, thanks!

I agree HairsprayQueen, I get lost in those threads too. I started low carbing last Saturday. I weighed 12.2. Today I weigh 11.10. It really suits me as am a sugar addict. Tonight I had the usual bolognese with Spiralised courgette instead of pasta. My mood has definitely lifted and I have more energy, am sleeping better (though still waking up at 5am).

I did the Dukan diet for a bit but it's a bit grim. Also, I want to eat with the DCs and don't want to draw attention to it. I was scared I was developing type 2 diabetes as this test came back inconclusive so I had to have a second. Plus with prolapse and pelvic floor problems my body is screaming at me to lose weight.

I had decided to give myself a break from it with free for all days 'Fuck It Friday' and 'Sod It Sunday' but I don't think I want to now

Yes please to a no sugar sub group! I'll start from Monday

Ive not been on this thread for a while, but I wanted to give an update. In fact its been 2 weeks nearly.

So Ive joined Slimming World and lost 3.5lbs in my first week Ive also been really good these last couple of days and have not only avoided the easter eggs and cakes at work, but I also took in my own dinner today (salad) instead of eating any of the buffet lunch that was put on - Most of it was full of syns.

Running - Ive been doing it more and enjoying it. Im looking forward to getting some good early morning sessions in before work, but its still a bit too dark as yet and with the clocks going forward I will have to wait a while yet, but instead I will go on an evening for a month or so.

Hair - I make sure I straighten it every day instead of pulling it back cos I CBA.

Make-up - I have got a few new make-up products. BB cream, concealer, eyebrow stuff and some brushes (which I need to wash in a minute). I have also started wearing lip gloss. Its only a really pale colour, but it makes me feel better.

Clothes - I have bought some new knee high boots last weekend and decided I needed some skinny jeans to go with them. Today I wore them to work (it was dress down day since we're not in tomorrow for normal dress down Friday) and I felt a lot slimmer. Im going to buy some more. In fact people commented that I had lost weight, yes Ive lost 3.5lbs, but that's hardly a huge amount. So I think it was the jeans. Just need to figure out what else to wear with them foot-wise.

There are still more things I need to do. I did try to use the Pearl Drops tooth whitening treatment, but Im not sure if I was doing it right. You had to clean your teeth as normal, then use step one then step two. The instructions were then not to eat drink or smoke for 20 mins. Then it mentions step three of polishing your teeth with the special toothpaste. I wasn't sure if Im meant to do that straight after step 2 or after 20 mins.

I certainly feel better within myself even though there have been no major changes. I feel more confident and happy from within. Im hoping it shows a bit too.

PS sorry that was so long

One of the other things on my list is find my signature fragrance. I always used to wear Gucci Rush 2 but it's not as easy to come by any more so I want to choose something that won't get discontinued.

I want to be a Chanel No 5 type but it makes me feel sick which is annoying as theoretically it fits my brief perfectly! I want that type of classic, classy perfume.

I like the original Chloe but it's so distinctive, and almost sharp smelling that I'm not sure if I'd find it annoying full time. I just want to smell nice, noticeable but not too in your face (I cringe at how I used to wear so much Angel when I was younger, I must have made people's eyes water!)

So I'll be focussing on that in the coming weeks too.