Help needed. Feel fat, sad, tired & boring.

[GrittySandals]

I've been watching some YouTube videos in an effort to get inspired, but all the people on there are already young, slim, attractive.

Any realistic tips which will help someone like me feel and look a bit more stylish? When I say someone like me, I mean someone who:

1. Is overweight, big bum, fat tum,
2. Has spots
3. Oily skin
4. Can't be bothered with clothes, live in black jeans a few basic t shirts, or a maxi dress/ skirt

I feel so lethargic and know I look a mess but feel hopeless. Maybe I should just accept how I am and not feel I need to change, but I used to feel inspired by clothes / style.

I am due to start a new job and don't know what to wear. Nothing fits me except said jeans & t shirts, plus one black maxi dress and black maxi skirt, and I have no money, and even less inclination to shop..

I have been happy to wear little or no make up while at home, but feel I should wear make up when start new job, if nothing else to cover bad skin.

Thoughts?

I'm 47, and was 13 stone till about a month ago when I finally felt so fed up (literally!) that I joined WW. They had an offer where you got a month free.

I love it. The app is amazing and it's so easy to keep track of what you eat. There's a really supportive online community and a brilliant barcode scanner that instantly tells you the points of different foods, and a ton of great recipes.

I've lost just over a stone so far and my clothes look SO much better. 2 more stone to go.

Feeling fat is so powerfully depressing. I'd start there - even if you lost 5lbs, you'll feel so much better in your jeans and tam-shirts.

Without discounts, the online version of WW is about £11/month.

Spotty thank you. I'd love to wear a turban yes moisturiser - how do you stop it sliding off after about an hour though? I have such oily skin.

Cherries- well done - what an inspiration- thank you for sharing. You're so right, it all needs to start with the right attitude. I just need to summon that up.

I like the idea of buying a few things in larger sizes - I've held off because I was scared if I did that it would give me permission to stay that size (or get even bigger..)

Turban?! That should have said tinted moisturiser!

The first thing, and it starts with you, is wanting to begin the journey. If you start negative, you might find excuses for failing. Walk a little further each day, drink more water, add a portion of veg twice a week to your daily ration of five. The more fruit and veg you eat, the faster your system processes food and toxins, so your skin will improve, and you'll weigh a little less, so clothes will skim. And if you stick to this, in six weeks, you'll probably have dropped a dress size and feel inclined to buy something a bit more adventurous than your stand by items. Slow and steady wins in this.

Hello, if you have oily skin it might be because it’s ac dehydrated. I used to not use moisturiser for this reason and whatever I did my make up was sliding off my face by 11am. I now use The Ordinary and it’s a dramatic improvement. As others have said either email them or look for the Decien group on Facebook and ask for a recommendation there.

If you’re comfy in black jeans/t-shirt then a good way of smartening up for work is to add a blazer - maybe get a couple from H&M or similar in different colours (often in a sale.) Add a necklace and smart handbag (get one with edges not a floppy one) and you’ll look amazing.

I think the fact you’ve asked for advice shows you do care about yourself - a few small things will really help.

If you’re worried about money charity shops or eBay can be an excellent way of affording a better brand for cheap.

Best of luck with the job

Nightmanager - thank you for the suggestions - ref handbag do you mean more of a satchel style ?

Thank you OC

Go gently on yourself Sandals. Don't plan an instant transformation because you could have a bad week, and the art of self-transformation is a long haul. Consider how long it took to get where you are, and then reckon on it taking at least a third as much time (of determined time, effort and gentle exercise) to get to where you want to be. If you have a fail day, don't abandon ship. It's a voyage, not a flight.

I feel a blazer will be too hot in this weather- is a vest type maxi dress on its own appropriate for work...? and if not, what cooler alternative could I layer on top?

Maybe a cotton or linen shirt for layering, primark usually have those & are cheap or a thin cotton cardigan is always useful.
Yy some good advice on thread, maybe pick out the bit strange that apply to you & are doable & think of yourself as a project & work in progress, also don’t be to hard on yourself life can be tough & it’s hard prioritising yourself sometimes.
Good luck with the new job💐

dunno where the strange came from😳

This weather won't last forever, so don't make a mountain out of it. Stick a nice shirt over your base and plead hot weather necessity.