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?

newlife - I'm on a very tight budget, use a box colour as can't afford it at the hairdressers. The warm brown dyes use a red pigment I believe - thats how I know when mine needs redoing (must last a bit longer than on you) , maybe try a shade that doesn't mention being warm / golden? eg mine is nice n easy medium golden brown, think they do a plain medium brown and a medium ash brown too which might be worth a shout?

I'm in too!

First goal date: 4 April - fit into smart black trousers for job interview. They are currently unwearably tight with a disgusting amount of muffin top. This means I need a plan for Easter weekend when I will be staying with relatives.

Second goal date: 28 May - HOLIDAY! First abroad holiday in nearly 5 years.

List:

Exercise - Shred 5 times a week, new trampoline class on a Sunday, cycle to the train every Monday.
Diet - Low carb is easy enough at home but a total pain when visiting people - I really don't like being a bother. I'll just have to do the best I can.

Water - aiming for 2.5 litres a day.
Eyebrows - buy tweezers because I can't find mine.

Clothes - After pay day I will get some new trainers for exercising, because mine are about 7 years old and probably not massively cushioned any more. I need smart work clothes - there's a big restructure going on at work and if I keep my job I will be working in a new highly corporate team, so my scruffy work clothes won't really cut it.

Hair - get it cut before the interview. I had a good few inches chopped off the back in a long A-line bob in November and I'd like to get it done again. It's too straggly to have longer.

I started my low-carb diet again today and am grimly downing water.

Quick update:

Hair appointment booked for this Thursday!

Maybe go to my eyebrow girl later for eyebrows.

rang a salon and asked about removing blackheads from inside ear ( disgusting I know but all in the name of beauty )

chooseyourhand
Yes day one is great using a Babyliss Big hair but try using it on day 2 without washing, it works for me, yes I agree it def. smoothes the follicles.

-always a quick question (and to anyone else with experience of the big hair); does it work on really long hair?? my hair touches the Small of my back but it's very straight,
Not too too thick but also not fine. And does it create luscious tumbling curls or is that just in my fantasies

My hair is thick, just below the shoulder and has a mind of its own, wavy but not curly. The bigger size Babyliss "wand" transforms it, I feel like I have been to a salon for a blow dry. The smaller size wand is for shoulder length hair or shorter. I am not sure about very long hair.

Re babyliss - My hair is longer than shoulders to about mid back - or was till i had a fair chunk off at the weekend. Works fine - all smooth and swishy - can tangle and that hurts but the key is less hair!!

house my hair is the same thickness I think but bra strap length. I'll let you know!!

It's nice to read everyone's successful steps forward. After a terrible weekend here on my own with unwell dc, during which nothing like housework or self-care took place, today I've spent the day working (from home) in a pencil skirt and heels with makeup on. Only the postie has seen me, but I feel great for having made the effort to look decent. I don't think I'll bother with the heels every day, but today I needed the boost .

Mental that's a really good effort. I once read somewhere that you should dress like every day mattered, and that's the mantra I am going to try and adopt from now on.

Re: Babyliss Big Hair, I have the larger one and my hair touches my bra-strap, same as Persis. I was also hoping for tumbling curls, but in fact it seems to have more of a smoothing and straightening effect - but not the poker-straight look you get from straigteners, it's like a salon blow-dry: all big and bouncy and volumized! I absolutely love this tool. It is by far the best beauty buy I have ever made and I don't think I could live without it now.

Mental, your outfit sounds fab!

Just to confirm that the babyliss big hair does NOT I repeat does NOT do curls... thats some other fancy gadget, its a smooth / volume / curl under at the ends type affair!

Hi guys! Looks like everyone is doing really well!

I've thus far managed to

• blitz the kitchen, living room and bedroom
• swum 30 lengths
• put makeup on so I feel good even though I'm working from home
• moisturised all over
• had a nap (beauty sleep, right? )
• researched hair dressers in my area so I can book in for a cut
• weighed myself, 9 stone 9lb which means I've gained 9lbs in the last 6 months
• drunk 3 pints water (and I'm peeing like a racehorse!)

Feeling pretty good about this (definitely need to get a grip about feeling sad about the 9lb, I'm reeeeeally aware that I'm not overweight, just bigger than I used to be).

Let's keep this up this evening"

Oh I need to do something urgently.

I'm fat, eating too much sugar, sleep deprived due to an almost 18 month old who has never slept through the night, I am stressed at work and working a lot in the evenings (meaning I can't do too much in the way of exercise - that's my excuse anyway), I'm dreaming endlessly about travelling that I can't do, we're alright financially but need to spend it all on our building site of a house... in general I feel rutted and shite. Tried to go clothes shopping at the weekend and realised that I hate my body.

A little bit stuck on where to start, but I think it's really about finding time to exercise. I used to be able to run a half marathon, now I struggle to walk quickly pushing a buggy, and I know that exercise makes me feel better in general and eat better... which makes me feel MORE better in general.

This week I'm going to do the first week of C25K and go to a pump class. YES.

I've had a pretty mixed day today...

The good:
Completed week 4 run 3 of C25k. I'm actually amazed at myself that I have managed to stick with this program and actually work out how I can fit in my runs instead of how I can get out of it!
Upped my water intake today, not perfect but much better.
Eaten healthier meals with less carbs than usual.
Been applying eye cream/night cream and lights out in bed for the past two nights.

The bad:
Ate 2 brownies because they're in the cupboard and I need to get rid of them!!
Ate 4 Thorntons (as above).

Good to read everyone's big and little successes, it's very motivating! Keep it up!

I dont rate the Babyliss Big Hair at all. Ive used mine twice and now its just gathering dust. My hair is really thick so it might be that though. Im not going to use it again. I want something to do curls in my hair, only for occasions, but Im worried i'll waste my money again like with the Big hair. That they will fall out.

Anyway as planned I made the time to straighten my hair this morning and I got loads of compliments. I got it cut and coloured on Tuesday, but anyone would have thought I got it done yesterday (Ive obviously washed it since then a couple of times too)

Ive drank more water today (3 pints - I have a pint glass at work) and Ive also joined Slimming World. Just need to make sure DH doesnt ruin it for me by being his usual unsupportive self.

Ive picked up a couple of bits from the supermarket (Will have to wait till the weekend to get to town before I get some more stuff) which is mainly exfoliating face wash and some eyebrow stuff (a pen or something to fill them in)

Ive not done my 10K steps though, still under 8K so its something I need to work on (park further away at work, go to the further toilets, maybe fit in a 20 min walk extra to the walking the dog I do anyway)

Also for the first time in years Ive actually worn lip gloss for no occasion. Ive only really worn it when getting dressed up, but today found the pale one in my make-up bag and put it on. I actually think it gave me a bit of confidence which in turn surely must have made me look better. These things really can come from within sometimes.

So tomorrow its same again. Straighten hair, lip gloss and maybe have a quick go at filling my eyebrows in. Oh and to get my 10K steps in.

Am grumpy because took my new hair do to work and not one bugger said anything. So does that mean a) they didn't notice at all or b) they did notice but were being kind and it wanting to say because it looks really awful?

Humph - so much for transforming myself!

It's because they are twats Chorlton

I am having a grump because I have been so good with food today, but now I want chocolate...

MrDarcy

Thank you so much
There was one that didn't do this but couldn't remember the name it was the ash brown.

Ate healthily today! Lots of veg, lots of water and no sweets/chocolate. Just cleansed my face and applied liquid gold. Removed slightly chipping nail varnish and rubbed a loccitane balm into nails/cuticles. Want this to soak in overnight so will reapply varnish tomorrow. Do need to find some form of exercise I enjoy to tone up. Hard to get motivated with that though as I just feel exhausted all the time!

Managed my 10,000 steps again today, that's three days in row which I'm pleased about. I work from home and have found it hard to get motivated to do my steps in winter. The last few days of warmer brighter weather have helped and I plan to keep it up.

I did get tempted by a left over muffin this morning but for tea I bought some mango for pudding.

I'm currently not that happy with my skin. Since the beginning of the month I've been using LRP BB creme during the day and a cheap superdrug vit e moisturiser at night. I've also been using Pixi Glow Tonic at night since the start of the year, I think I can see a difference but it isn't transforming. I'm trying a Neutrogena cleanser now as my old one ran out and this is cheaper, I think I will buy more flannels so that I can ensure that I use the cleanser effectively.

Forgot to put on earrings today!

I use the Babyliss big hair, my hair is shoulder length and straight and the big hair does improve it.

I had a busy day yesterday so no time to post and not much time to do anything related to this thread.
I did eat well though.

Today's aims -
Stick to calorie count with healthy meals
Drink 8 glasses of water
Get to 10 000 steps
Body brushing
Go to bed by 10 and read
By the Friday -
Get eyebrows done
Colour greys

Just checking in with today's goals. I'm off today, but have toddler with me. Tuesdays are always my worst day food-wise. We go to soft play and I eat cake in the morning, then usually have an afternoon trip to bakery!

Today, I will:
Go for a long walk with DS in backpack
Eat well
Lumea my bikini line
Put make up on
Try to blitz house
Make appointment to get eyebrows and mustache threaded
Tidy house
Apply hand cream a few times

Ok I need this!!
I'm a typical starter and Kim finisher so any kicking of the backside is very welcome to keep me on track :)

• lose weight half a stone by the end of March
• colour hair every 6-8 weeks before it gets really grey!
• make laser hair removal appt - that I'm 6 weeks behind on
• book in for massage this week
• charge Fitbit and get in 7k steps daily this week
• check out slimming world class tonight